Victoria is the second most populated state in Australia and Melbourne is its capital city.The state has many attractions.As I have not done much travelling in this state other than travelling through I am posting a heap of photos lifted from various web sites just to show the beauty and places of interest.Most of my time has been in Melbourne itself.Melbourne is a great city for culture and sports .
Melbourne City has the interesting town square called Federation Square a popular meeting place for public functions
The Docklands is a reclaimed area of the city and has many housing developments and the Football Stadium
The Yarra river runs through the city dividing the main shopping precinct from the entertainment complex and casino
The main train Station is Flinders Street Station
Melbourne has a great tram system and is a great way to get around .
The Queen victoria Markets are a great way to spend time shopping for a bargain and is best going to by tram
The Shrine of Remeberance a popular attraction
Luna Park the fun park with rides to scare you and novelties to tempt you .
Melbourne hosts a round of the Grand Prix in Albert Park just south of the city centre .
Sport plays a big part in the lives of Victorians and Australian Rules Football is the most popular. Cricket is also very popular and both sports are played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground commonly known as the MCG.
The second city in Victoria is Geelong south of Melbourne and home of the Geelong Cats the local AFL football team who have won two flags in three years the last just this year 2009.
Geelong is a seaside port city .
From Geelong heading west is the Great Ocean Road a very scenic drive
The Twelve Apostles (nowdays there is less as some have been destroyed by the ocean .
..From here I’m taking you to the north west of Melbourne to The Grampians National Park, Bendigo and then Ballarat before heading south east of Melbourne up the east coast into New South Wales .The GRAMPIANS ..
The Grampians is a great place to do Abseiling/Rock climbing
Rock painting.
and some of the animals seen in the Park
and a very rare albino wallaby
BENDIGO..
.BALLARAT..Ballarat as is with Bendigo played a important part in Victorias historyand the gold rush.This is just a collection of photos from in the town .
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Ok .Leaving the city proper now and heading north to Yanchep National Park where you can see the famous Koala
and many kangaroos
the odd emu
and birds.Yanchep is just a 50minute drive. Its a great place for a picnic and even a relaxing paddle on the lake .The black cockatoos can be rather noisy at times
>> and the Kangaroos dont mind a round of golf with you but just lay around .Moving further north now to the Nambung National Park and The Pinnacles .Limestone formations of all shapes and sizes
>>>> .There are thousands of them >>>,Just look out for some that look like known objects like a large tortoise and cathederal.One thing you should notice is the contrast between the soils of the park and the beach
The park is inhabited by emus and on a good day you may get to see them
The town Cervantes is nearby and has a nice clean safe beach for swimming and often a great place for wind surfing
.Cervantes is also a fishing town
Just out of town is another place to see Stromatolites
Continuing north, now if you want to take a short detour to Lancelin
Lancelin Beach Scene
The to Lancelin road, but look out for roos that maybe on the road
Do some sandboarding on the masses of white sand Its great fun
Quad bikes are another great activitie 0n the sand
and the Ride in the big yellow bus called Desert Storm
also Lancelin is a popular place for Windsurfing as well as surfing
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Returning to the road to Geraldton but just south of Geraldton you will see many trees that are bent right over caused by the strong winds over many days
Geraldton is a major port town for the areas agriculture and mining industries .Still further north is the holiday town of Kalbarri and the Kalbarri National Park with its gorges and spectacular scenery
Canoeing on the Murchison River is a popular activity
The Murchison River near Kalbarri and the magnificant wildflower displays
Looking thru the natures window at the river and the loop
.Next destination is the area known as The Gascoyne Region and Monkey Mia home of the dolphins in Shark Bay
Here you can see the dolphins ,dugong,Turtle ,humpback whales and the hundreds of species of coral and fish .The famous Monkey Mia is where you can interact and feed the dolphins but under strict supervision of park rangers .
Another highlight of the area is the whale shark for which many people experience swimming with .On the way to Monkey Mia either to or from there is the shell beach made up of millions of shells many feet deep
and the just in from the main highway the stromatolites said to be millions of years old and the oldest living thing on earth .
.Next town north is Carnarvon once a major centre for NASA space tracking and the landing of man on the moon . Its still used today .
Carnarvon is a major banana growing region and other subtropical fruit and vegetables
.The Gascoyne River flows thru Carnarvon in the wet season but most of the river water is under ground
There are blow holes near Carnarvon and well worth a look .
.East of Carnarvon is the Kennedy Ranges
and the Largest monocline rock in the world mant times bigger that Uluru
.Well worth the visit but take care as the roads are all dirt and in places very hard and rocky and other sandy.Back to the highway and continuing north where you will see many feral goats.Many are caught for export.
to Coral Bay
and Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo Reef
This is where you can swim to the coral reef, do snorkling
and even canoe paddling and see the amazing colours of the coral and see some beautiful fish .Here you have to opportunity to swim with the whale shark in season
The whale shark with its moster mouth open .
There are also the manta rays in the area.
.and the hawksbill turtle
The eco bush camp is one way to experience outback living
but there is other accommodation available in Coral Bay or Exmouth .Inland to Karajini National Park and some more spectacular country and gorges
A 4 wheel drive is a great way to get of the beaten track .
.The vegetation in the Pilbara is mixed but mostly spinnifex which does scratch so advisable to wear suitable clothing especially for the legs
But the wildflowers are beautiful in the season
.You can walk down into some of the gorges but extreme care is needed
.There is a very modern comfortable bush camp for those staying overnight.Travelling from Karajini back to the coast via Millstream
and the Chichester National Park offers a pleasant experience and beautiful scenery Python Pool
Pyramid Hill
In your travels through out the north you will see many anthills
and even a goat thinking he is king of the castle
. . Back tracking a bit to Karratha thru Roebourne .Karratha is the administration Town for the Pilbara the area of the massive mining industry and oil and gas feilds .Dampier was the first town built to house the workers .The Burrup peninsular is where all the main activity takes place Iron Ore stockpile
and the trains that bring it to the poert.
The truck that takes the ore from the mine site to the processing plant
.The export of natural gas has become a massive project and just recently a contract has been signed to supply over 150 billion dollars worth of gas to China and Korea
Rock art is protected
.Dampier is also the main salt producing area
The Woodside petroleum plant
Back north and to Cossack a short drive from Roebourne on the coast is a “ghost”town but undergoing a redevelopement as a town to live in .There are a few old buldings still used today which have been restored to their former beauty
The Backpackesr hostel is the old police station and living quarters
.The cematery has a international history with pearl divers graves
.Roebourne was the main town between Perth and Darwin and Cossack the port for the area.The old Roebourne Goal is now used as the tourism Office .
The Harding river has been damed to provide water to the towns and is also used as a recreational playground .
Out at Point Samson
there is a nice little beach for swimming at Honeymoon Cove Continuing on again north to Port Hedland passing thru Whim Creek the only watering hole on the highway
.Port Hedland is another iron ore town as well as salt exports.
>>>Inland from Port Hedland is the town of Marble Bar recorded as the hottest town in Australia where for 161 days straight the tempature was recorded at over 100 degrees .Marble Bar is named after the marble rock near the town .
Back north to Broome famous for pearls
A pearling lugger
and Cable Beach
Broome has become a favourite holiday destination The sunsets can be spectacular and riding a Camel is a popular way to see one
and daytime rides are also great
and there is also hovercraft rides to be had
Out on the peninsular is a footprint said to be of a historical dinasour. >>>>Leaving Broome for Derby to see the Boab tree one of only two places in the world where you will see this unusual tree.The other place is South Africa .The biggest Boab was used as a goal years ago because of its enormous gap in its trunk
. and onto The Kimberly region.Here in the region there is some most beautiful countryThere are waterfalls that a so beautiful when flowing
If you happen to do a Ocean cruise then you willget to see some other great sights
.. Windjana Gorge ,Gieke Gorge and The Gibb River Road most famous .
A great way to see the gorgeand the brillant colours is to take a boat cruise
Bit rough so Four wheel driving only is recommended .The main Highway to Fitzroy Crossing
and Halls Creek ,Kununurra is sealed In Halls C reek you can see the very old ruins
.South of Halls Creek is Wolf Creek Meteorite Crater.
North of here is the Purnululu National Park and the now famous Bungle Bungles a range of beehive like structures .
A good way to see the Bungles is by plane
Further north is Lake Argyle
which is fed by the Ord River
The dam is man made for irrigation and a diversion dam wall was built to control the river flow
Ord River cruises are are agreat way to see the bird life and crocodiles beed fed from the boat .
. and the Argyle diamond mine which is the largest diamond mine in the world and has produced a pink diamond .
Just one off the trucks that carts the soil to the processing plant
Kununurra is the main town servicing the mine site
and Wyndam the port for the area . To the east is the Northern Territory Border with Western Australia .
Some animals you will see on your trip around Western Australia other than kangaroos but ay! look at this beauty
.Gheko lizards
The goanna
the horny devil
Emus
The grass tree or as many people refer to it as the blackboy in their thousands
and the windmill
used for pumping water out of the ground are two things you will see many times
Flowers and Birds of Western Australia.
Western Australia is known as the wildflower state as there are over 12,000 varieties of wildflower to be found in Western Ausrtalia.This is just a selection of both birds and flowers .
all photos will be added later
PERTH..Perth Is the capital city of the state of Western Australia.The state flower emblem in the Kangaroo Paw
and the Numbat the animal emblem
with the Black Swan the bird emblem
Perth is situated on the banks of the Swan River
Perth was proclaimed as a city in 1829 with the cutting down of a tree in Barrack Street near the Town Hall
.Perth is the business centre for the state which is 1/3 of the continent with a coastline of some 12.000klms.Rich in minerals with iron ore been the dominant industry but ib recent days natural gas has become a massive contributor with deals with China been signed for over 70 billion dollars worth. The state produces gold, diamonds , pearls,bauxite, oil,gas,nickel,mineral sands and salt.There is a large fishing industry and with wool,livestock,timber and grains make up the bulk of the non mining indutries.The population of Western Australia is now over 2.2million with most living in the city and coastal strip.Tourism is a major player in the states wealth with some great attractions In the city there is the most popular Kings Park an area of natural bushland with landscape gardens overlooking the city
.Great views are to be enjoyed. Recently completed is the Tree Top walk
And the pathway facing the city gives great views also.
At the western end of the treetop walkway is the Womens memorial
and across thew road is what the locals call the DNA tower .
..Guess why?.South Perth to the south
, The Boab Tree moved from up north and re planted in Kings Park
.This tree is only found in Africa and Western Australia.The War Memorial takes pride of place overloooking the city
In the wildflower season the flowers bloom in all there glory with the kangaroo paw predominantlt on display
.Each year the wildflower show is held in the park.The main road into the Park is lit up at night with colouerd lights
Near the Narrows interchange there is a small waterfall and on the lake water sprout fountains giving a great display
.In the inner city area is the Bell Tower at Barrack Square
A added attraction is the Big Wheel
The Hay Street Mall is the main shopping precinct
and just recently proclaimed is The King Street shopping area for the upmarket shops
and in Hay Street The Perth Mint,well worth a visit and to see gold been poured
and a gold nugget
.To the east of the city a short taxi ride or train is the Burswood Casino and entertainment complex. A great place for those who like to leave money behind .Northbridge is the main restaurant and nightclub area
The Art Gallery.Museum and Libary and soon to be Theatre of Performing Arts Complex.Each year to celebrate Australia Day there is the Skyworks Show a day/night where thousands come out to celebrate .
South of the city accessed by bus or ferry and a short walk is the Zoo home to some endangered speciesThe Zoo was blessed with a new born rhino
.If travelling by car or bus and just as you cross the Narrows bridge you will see the Old Mill where in the very early days of settlement grain was milled here for the locals
For a bit of summer fun you can do hobbie cat sailing on the Swan River from the South Perth foreshore near Coode Street
Getting to the outer suburbs you can use the Trains from Perth Central.
The popular sport of Australian Rules Football is played during the winter months.
FREMANTLE.
Fremantle is the port city servicing the state for imports and exports
and the regular cruise ships .
CYOÇonnor is the man remembered for the developement of Fremantle harbour and this is the stature of him at the enterance to the wharf
Fremantle is a hive off activity on the weekends with the Fremantle Markets with some street theatre.
The cappucinno strip is a very popular meeting place and for a good bite to eat and drink
.The Marintime Museum is an excellent place to visit and here you can see the yacht that won the Americas Cup in 1983.
The first yacht to win it from the Americans .Australia lost it in 1987 here off Fremantle
.There is the Older building to be visited as well to see much of the history of Marintime life .
The Old Fremantle Prison is another must visit and here there are three tours you can do
The Prison Gallows.
The day tour ,the night tour which is a bit spooky and the Tunnel tour.The first goal in Fremantle was the Round House on the water front
Mews Road is a popular area for Fish and Chips
and is in the Fishing Boat Harbour area
In this area is a memorial to Fishermen
Fremantle Town Hall
A beautiful old building is the Arts Centre.This building has been used for many purposes over its history and there is said to be a ghost lurking in the building .
A fun way to get around Fremantle is by scooter.They are for hire from near the enterance to the wharf area
Off the coast is Western Australians favourite playground.
ROTTNEST ISLAND:Rotto as its often called is a short ferry ride from Fremantle or one hour From Perth.Ferries travel to Rotto a few times a day .There are now regular vehicles except for service vehicles on the island and the Island buses .
and the Rottnest Island Quokka a marsupial only found here and were first thought of asa giant rat by the first visitors to the island back in the 1800′s .Its a protected animal and anybody caught harming them will be prosecuted severely
SWAN VALLEY
To the west of the city in the Swan Valley is the winery district with its many wineries and mini breweries and food outlets like chocolate and nougat and icecream.All the wineries have wine tasting available.
A pleasant way to Swan Valley is by boat
and for something different to have a look around is to have do a Wagon Wheels tour
The Whiteman Park and Caversham Animal Park are a must visit.Just some of the animals to be seen
and the cutest of all The Koala
Another part is the old tram displays
.To the north of the city is the Aquarium at Hillary Boat Harbour
.There is a shopping and entertainment complex next to it
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and a very safe beach for the children
.
Moving out of Perth to the south is the city of MANDURAH which has become a very exciting place for a weekend .There is a train service to Mandurah ,takes about 50 minutes
,many cafes and shops open 7 days a weekThe foreshore is a popular place for a picnic
.Mandurah has gone from a holiday ,crabbing/fishing town to a large place to live and enjoy a relaxed lifstyle.The old traffic bridge is a popular spot to fish from.
.Continuing south to BUNBURYthe main business town for the district and the export of wood chips and bauxite.
The Dolphin Discovery Centre situated in Koobana Bay is a place where you can get to see dolphins and the exibition about dolphins and their makeup
.Further south is BUSSELTON a great holiday playground with safe calm waters for the children and the famous wooden jetty with an under water aquarium
The jetty is the longest wooden structure in the southern hemisphere …Continuing south to MARGARET RIVER the wine growing region and the many other attractions
The Margaret River Chocolate Factory has become an iconic establishment.There is also a store in the Swan valley near Perth
.The world Masters Surfing competition is held here at Prevelly beach
Yallingup Beach is another popular surfing beach and swimming .
.The region has many caves that are open to visit .Still further south is Augusta on the southern tip of Western Australia and at Cape Leeuwin where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet
.This is great place to view the whales as they frolic around
.Moving inland to Manjimup and the beginning of the forrest of Western Australia.Just south of Manjimup is the Diamond Tree used as a lookout for bushfires in days gone
but you can climb to the top if you are “game”It does sway in a strong wind
.Heading south from here is the magnificant State Forrest of some of the tallest trees in thw world Some people like to cycle in the state forrest amongst the beautiful trees
.In the Nornalup -Walpole National Park is the Tree Top Walk where you are 40 mtrs above the ground in the tree canopy
.The trees here are many many yeras old and some you can even walk thru the base
.Before it burnt down one tree you could drive a car thru it . A great place to enjoy the beauty of trees and the surrounds .Going east towards the is the pitcturesque town of Denmarkis William Bay and some great swimming beachesand safe for children.
and what is called Elephant rocks
.
Has a great beach nearby
and pretty river to enjoy some boating.Continuing east to The Town of Albany .ALBANY was the departing port for the Australian troops going to war by ship .On Mt Clarence you can see great views of Albany
and the Memorial.South on the Southern Ocean is the Gap and Natural Rock Bridge and blow holes
,very dangerous if you dont obey the warnings .You may even get to see a whale breaching of the coast
Back around into the bay area is th old whaling Station ,well worth a look
.The Dog Rock is a well known landmark in Albany for obvious reasons
The main swimming beach in Albany is middleton Beach
.Like other regions in Western Australia there are wind farms This is a sunset view of a wind farm near Albany .
Leaving Albany to the north to the Stirling Ranges and The Porongurups .Bluff Knoll is a walk to the top you take if you have the time and are fit .It takes 4-5 hours round trip
.Great views.Be aware that the weather can change suddenly and this is the only place that it can snow .Very rare thou .East of Here about a 2-3 hrs drive is the is the Fitzgerald River National Park
and during the wildflower season you get a wonderful dispay of the beautful flowers ..Further east is ESPERANCE a town servicing the Goldfields as a port for the export ing of goods .
The area has its natural beauty with spectacular white beaches and crystal clean waters
.A drive around to Cape La Grange National Park will be rewarded with some beautiful beaches and kangaroos on the beach
.Travelling north is the town of Norseman the gateway town to WesternAustralia when travelling from the east .There is this novel display of Tin Camels at the enterance .If you are adventure inclined you can take a diversion to Peak Charles
a very Large rock west of the highway apprx 60ks south of Noresman and a further 40ks west.4wheel drive is advisable thou for its all dirt .But if not continuing to KALGOORLIE the major town on the goldfields.
The man credited with discovering gold in Kalgoorlie has a statue monument in Hannan Street in his honour.
Kalgoorlie Post Office
and just one of many Hotels
Blasting is done to open up move earth to process.
in the main street.The monster open cut gold mine
For those interested is is the gold mine underground tours
and you can also have a go at panning for gold Every year Kalgoorlie has the racing round where many punters come form all over to test the skill at picking a winner.
. just south of Kalgoorlie is Kambalda the town servicing the nickel mines
.For recreation some of the locals go land yachting on Lake Lefroy
Travelling west from Kalgoorlie is the other Goldfields town of Coolgardie
One of the very early store providing the needs of the miners
and an old miners shack in the very early days . .Continuing west and of the main highway to Hyden and the famous Wave Rock
.The rock is 15mtrs high and approx 110 mtrs long but the wave part is around 50mtrs long Because of its shape many people have a go at surfing the wave some have even had a surf board
.There is more to the rock than just the wave part. If you walk to the top and have a look around there are aother formations to enjoy . On a good day you will see a couple of dragon lizards.At the Wave Rock park there is also the mini zoo and restaruant.
Moving away from Hyden and continuing west you can take a diversion to the town of Kulin and the Tin Horse Highway something the locals put together
.Back on the main route to Corrigin and 5ks out of town is the Dog cemetery
and still further west is the Kunjin farm that breeds goats for export and ostriches, emus, alpacas and other farm animals
. A donation fee is accepted and required.For side trips maybe Kokerbin Rock for a picnic
and onto Kellerberrin and a great look out over the wheatbelt
and back onto the road to York via Mt Stirling area Further west is the historical town of York the first inland town in Western Australia
.The car museum is well worth a visit and a nice lunch by the banks of the Avon River is a great way to finish a day in the country before returning to the city If you like an adrenalin rush you can do sky diving
.North of York is Northam the centre of the Avon and the world famous Avon River Descent,a white water boat race to the city
The Avon Link train is a great way to Northam and thru the Avon Valley and the Swan river.
Just out of perth in the hills and near the town of Mundaring is the Mundaring Weir
that is the catchment for water to the Goldfields and wheatbet a distance of over 600 klms.Something of a bit of fun is the tree stump paintings on the main road between Perth and York
The next part of my blog is the North of the state.
South Australia is a state known for the Barossa Valley and the wine region.The state is bordered by Victoria, Western Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Queensland which makes it the onlt state that has a border with each of the Australian states and territory with the exception of Tasmania which is an island. Most of the population is concentrated in the south east corner of the state with Adelaide the capital.
Situated on the banks of the Torrens River
Adelaide is known as the City of Churches
and the home the mighty Adelaide Crows, the local Aussie rules football club .Port Power is the other football team .Both teams have done well in the competition The games are played at the Adelaide Oval
.A relaxing way to get around is by Tram
and the main shopping area is the Rundle Street Mall
When crossing the Australian continent either east to west or west to east you will cross the Nullarbor Plain but only a small portion of it close to The Great Australian Bight.
From the cliff face you can do whale watching
and the occasional dolphin pods swimming around in the Southern Ocean
The views are spectacular.There is also the worlds longest fresh water cave system for the more adventurous person but permission has to be obtained. The Nullarbor homestead is well worth a visit just for the artworks on display.When travelling on the Eyre Highway you will travel on the longest straight stretch of road
and see signs warning of the dangers of animals that may be near the highway
. If there is an accident requiring urgent attention they use the highway as an airstrip .
Another sign you will see at regular intervals is a sign indicating distance.
and a sign warning about the lack of water
Its a fully sealed highway and is a great drive for those who want to see the country side and experience the splenda of the Great Australia Bight which I must say is in sections only 100-200mmetres from the main road.Ceduna is the first main town you will come to from the west ,mainly a large fishing town and a export port for the grain growing regions to the north east
and in the district is the communication satellites centre.
Kimba is the town at the half way point on a trip between east and west .
.The major town of Port Augusta is the junction of the railway that connects east /west and north/south
.Barossa Valley. Out from Adelaide is the famous wine growing region of The Barossa Valley.The Barossa Valley was first settled in 1842 by German Lutheran immigrants .
For an enjoyable way to see the Barossa valley is to take a ballon flight .
The murray River ,Australias longest river finds it way to the ocean south of Adelaide
and is a very popular recreational river with house boats
and river cruises going pass some amazing cliffs in vibrant reds.
Kangaroo Island . Off the coast is Kangaroo Island,
accessible by ferry or plane
The Island has a great lot of animals to see from kangaroos to seals
and to everybodies favourite the koala
and the beak like shape
and a rock face that has become a bit of a cave is the Admirals Arch looking out
A nice beach scene and yachting
and on the island are some ruins of buildings of years gone by .
Tasmania is an Island state of Australia and is around 260 kms south of the mainland .It can be accessed by Plane or ferry.The water between the mainland and Tasmania is called Bass Strait
If you are ever thinking of coming to Australia you must put Tassie into your itinerary as the state has so much beautiful scenery.From Melbourne a good way to get to Tassie is by the Spirit of Tasmania Ferry, an overnight trip.
The ferry arrives in the town of Devonport on the Mersey River.
The Devonport Shopping Mall
.From Devonport there is a number of directions you can take to see and experience the beauty of the island state. South of Devonport is the Cradle Mountain National Park and the famous Cradle Mountain
.Its a beautiful part of Tasmania with great scenery and offers the challenge to make the climb..There is first class accommodation available so you can stay a few nights/days and do some park walking soaking up the beauty of the place
The walkways are purpose built to protect the enviroment
and there are huts to go into if the weather changes. A hike to Barns Bluff is a good days outing..
. I did the hike with friends and stayed overnight in our tents .There is provisions if the weather turns and you need help by the kitchen huts .
A great view back to Cradle Mountain can be had when you get to the top.
There are numerous signs indicating distances and times and also it pays to leave your destination info etc at the rangers base
. There are a great opportunities to see the wildlife in the park.There is the possum who will come up to your hut for a look
the wombat
the odd echidna
and the most common to see is the Pademelon.
The local wildflowers make a splendid display in season .
and a magnificant display of the Pink Mountain Berry.
Near the town of Deloraine they grow opium poppies for the medical world.
The security is vert strict and warning sign abound around the properties so no good thinking about grabbing a few poppies ..Heading east to the city of Launceston about an hours drive thru some great scenery.
Before arriving in Launceston there is the opportunity to visit the Mole Creek area and see the famous Tassie devil
You may have seen the cartoon character of a tassie devil
well here he is .To the right as you travel to Launceston is a mountain rage and it looks spectacular when topped with snow .Launceston is a large commercial centre of the north.The Cataract Gorge is a popular place to visit
and you can take a boat ride on the river
.Tasmania is a very large lavender producing area near Lilydale out from Scotsdale east from Launceston
Tasmania also produces 80% of Australias hops for the brewing industry
If Travelling up the Tamar River by road you may want to check out the Tasman Bridge over the River .
.Heading south east to the coastbut check out Russell Falls ..
to the Freycinet Peninsular National Park for some kyaking
and also to enjoy the beach
A great view of Oyster Bay in The FreycinetNP
Back west to the main Road to Hobart is the small historical town of Ross and the magnificant Ross bridge
andcloser to Hobart in the town of Richmond is the just as magnificant Richmond Bridge
One of the most visited places in Tasmania is Port Arthur a penal settlement of yesteryear
The Church ruins Port Arthur
Hobart is the Capital of Tasmania and is at the base of Mount Wellington and on the shores Derwent River
.Mount Wellington is the outstanding feature of any visit to Hobart
Some parts of the mountain face are interesting .
A popular experience in Hobart is to vist the Salamanca Markests .
South of Hobart is the HuonValley a rich fruit growing area.
Apples are the biggest of the fruits grown and cherries make up a great fruit bowl and boats for those spare moments
Constitution Dock in Hobart is where the Famous yacht race finishes every year that starts from Sydney on Boxing Day.
The winning yacht entering the Derwent River
and after finishing at the docks
Just on the off chance you may get a rainbow to add to the colour of the event
Hobart was the first city in Australia to get a Casino.The Wrest Point Casino
.Heading west north west from Hobart is the Central MountainLakes area .Arthurs Lake is a great trout fishing lake.
and further west is Lake St Clair National Park and here you can also do hikes thru the wilderness on the overland to Cradle Mountain .
to Queenstown a mining town of some significants because of the barren land caused by the acid rain from the mining in the area
.Nowdays the vegetation is returning.You can take a nice scenic steam train ride out of Queenstown
The coastal town of Strahan is a popular place to do a river cruise on the Gordon River and into the wilderness.
Back on the road to the north.Stanley is the home of the first Tasmanian to become Australian Prime Minister and this the house he lived in
.Stanley is also known for the Nut a headland of land near the town
.You can drive or for the novelty way take the chair lift.
and to the east is Burnie the woodchip export centre.
and to take away the dullness of the wood chips is the beautiful gardens in full bloom
and not far out of town is a tulip farm
Continuing east is Deloraine on the banks of the Meander River
The Old Hotel
and street
Tasmania has so much to offer and so many great places to visit I cant do it all justice here so to see for yourself check out Tasmanian Tourism.
Ok .I made the decision to travel around the world in 2000.South America was my first continent to visit and this is a mud map of my trip.
From Perth in Western Australia I flew to Sydney,Los Angeles,Miami and onto Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to begin the trip of a life time.
Arrived in Rio mid afternoon and took a taxi to my hotel in Ipenema.
The road to the hotel offered some great scenery and views of Sugar Loaf Mountain.Booked into hotel and made plans for the few days I’d be in Rio.Went for a walk to see what was about ,had a bite to eat and settled in for the night .Next day took a stroll along the Ipenema beach front as absorbed the views of the people and culture.There were some sights to behold.
One thing I did observe was the fact that it did not matter what you looked like ,there were all shapes and sizes colours .I thought you would not look out of place if you were not the pin up boy or girl with the perfect body but there is always the exception
.After a swim you can take a beach shower
If the sights were to much you could always stop for a drink at one of the many drink stands along the beachfront.
.Spent all day taking in the immediate sights .Next day did a city day tour and thoroughly enjoyed what I saw . To get around rio you can use the beautiful yester year trams .
No visit to Rio would be complete without a visit to the two most famous sites,Sugar Loaf Mountain
. and The Statue of Christ The Redeemer
.To get to the top of Sugar Loaf Moutain you took the cable car
.and to the Corcovado there is the “train “.The views are spectacular
. Once you get to the top you get a fantastic view of the city below.
From the air .
.Rio looks good from and position really.
On this day tour there was a visit to the San Sebastian Cathedral shaped like a Aztec Temple capable of having 20,000 people inside ,standing ,well worth a look .
..Included in the tour is a meal at a restaurant where you need to have a huge appetite as the food is a plenty .Of course me having a sweet tooth drooled over the cake choices ..Back to hotel and went for a massage to revive the body..lol.Next day I was moved to another Hotel near Cococabana Beach up from Ipenema .
The pavements were a buffer between the very busy roads and the beach
.On a good day the beaches were very crowded.
The room was right on the ocean front with the ocean waters splashing up against the hotel sea wall.and some fishing boats on the beach
…..With still another day in Rio I went for a walk around the streets ,the markest were very interesting but a little smelly,especialy after the markets closed for the day.The fishmongers would wash their stalls down and the waste just flowed onto and into the gutters Brazilians are passionate about their football and have won many awards .
.Rio is famous for its carnivale. Every year thousands of people flock to Rio to watch this spectacular.The stands are permanent structures. for the people to get a good view..at a price.
The is the glamour
to the weird
.The costumes a very colourful .
…….and you get all sorts of participants from the glamour…… to the weird….Whilst on my walk I booked my onward trip to Foz do Igacau by bus .It was fun trying to be understood but finally got a booking .The bus was very comfortable and modern and took an overnight journey of some 28 hours going thru San Paulo a huge city.we would stop now and again for a comfort stop .
Arrived in Foz do Igacau mid morning,
found my way to the hostel for the next two days/nights .If you were able to afford it a hotel next to the falls was the go.
Next day took a trip around to the Brazil side of the falls. The Border sign .
.
where you took a boat out to the wooded walkway and to the falls close up
.and back to the Argentine side
and a walk down to the waters edge ..Spectacular to say the least..While I was walking back up I put my bag down to take a few photos and no sooner had I a coatimundi (member of racoon family)grabbed my lunch and took off.Cheeky little critter
.. Foz do Igacau borders with Parugauy
and you can just walk across the Friendship Bridge
into Ciudal del Este where the said biggest shopping centre in South America .
Thousands cross over everyday for shopping .Looking down the main street.
The streets are crowded with traffic and people
.Back in Igacau I went for a walk to get a bite to eat saw this great looking restaurant but did not indulge
and at night Foz do Igacau looked great
. but came accross this fantastic sidewalk cafe where They made these bite size savoury pastries.They were delicious and so cheap.I indulged a few times .Cant remember the name thou ,Oh well the memories are still with me .Just a token pic of a bird to be seen in the forrest the very colourful Tucon .
Time to move on to Buenos Aries and by another overnight bus trip.
Argentina is the second country on my world trip. I arrived in the country via The Igacau Falls after spending a few days in Brazil.I travelled by bus to Buenos Aires which took around 25 hrs plus .
One thing that amuzed me was seeing a sign for McDonalds out in the middle of nowhere that a store was 70 miles ahead.Arrived in Buenos Aires at the bus depot,very busy and huge complex.I found my way to the hostel in the Recoleta area
.The hostel was a multi story building undergoing some renervations but was very comfortable and friendly.Having settled in I began my plans for the next few days .My first outing was to La Boco a very colourful area
walking distance from the hostel but I took the bus as a precaution agaist any problems .Unfortunately two young Bristish girls decided to walk and they encounted a not so nice problem . The inner harbour near La Boco was rather smelly and polluted beyond belief.
There were some boats so stuck in rubbish build up that they werent going anywhere
.Looking past that the area was intersting and pleasant to visit .After walking around and taking in the craft stalls etc.
I went back to hostel by bus of course .Next day was not that good as I began to experience a tooth ache .I seached for a dentist and found one where to dentist spoke english so was able to get some pain relief.Anyway I was not going to let a tooth ache spoil my trip of a lifetime .
I went for a long walk into the main mall in BA and it seemed like it went forever.silly me became a bit disorientated and came out of a shopping arcade and turne left instead of right and was walking further and further away from where the hostel was . There was some interesting street theatre to be seen and here is a guy taking his dog for a walk .
I did find my way back but only after walking for 3-4hrs . Oh well it was a experience and nothing lost but gained an appreciation of another culture.BA has very modern shopping etc .Burger King was my place for a bite to eat .Next day I went to the famous Recoleta Cemetery a short walk down the way from hostel.There were many street traders and their stalls from food to crafts.Recoleta Cemetery was not your run of the mill type .
Its was a city for the dead ,a Mausoleum of graves
.That is more like mini buildings.A facinating place and a must visit. The Peron family and Eva Peron are entombed here along with many other famous people.
The place is filled with some fantstic statues and sculptures as you walk around the avenues of graves
.In some places the graves are so old that the doors are broken and you could see skeletons inside and down into the basements of the buildings .The main road…de-Julio Avenue and the Obelisk stand out
.City Hall is an impressive building and the restored buildings showing the great history of Argentina and the Jacaranda lined streets present a pleasant vista.
Taxis are the way to get around and as there are some 34.000 of them you should not have much waiting to get one but make sure its a legal one and has metres to indicate the fare to be payed .
From Buenos Aires I flew to Comodoro Rivadavia in the Pategonian region.
Met up with my semi host who took me to my accommodation.This area is very sparse of vegetation
and is a oil producing region of Argentina thou the wells are almost dried up.
My host took me for a drive down the coast to see some of the countryside and meet some others .Had a meal that night with them.Next day I went for a walk around the town and down to the water front of the Atlantic Ocean .
The tide was out so one could walk out and see many sea creatures in the shallows The birds were having a feast on what ever it was they ate .
The port was built out into the ocean
After four nights here it was time to leave for El Calafete but on the night before I was leaving my tooth ache came back and I had an excruciating night of sleeplessness almost hanging from the ceiling by my fingernails .I needed to book out and get to the airport in 30minutes but it was such a hassle trying to book out .Time was running out .I had a taxi called to to take me to airport and three turned up and the taxi guys were a little confused to who was to take me to airport.I eventually got to airport and went to check in counter for my flight to El Calafete
.The plane had already moved away for take of and the next one was not for a few days later.I tried to pay by credit card but they did not accept credit card payment so went to ATM machine and it would not work …at first but then it did.phew what a drama…Paid the fare and in the meatime they had taken my luggage out to the plane which they had kept for me ,got on plane and up up and away I went along with a few others.Now this was no normal plane but an ex military plane
.Inside the plane you sat in single isle and you could see the pilots and all the instuments
.At the back of plane was a large esky from which the cabin attendant served drinks and food .It was such an unusual experience but comfortable .There were two stops on the way before arriving in El Calafete a small town on the edge of Lake Argentino
.Here I went to my accommodation settled in and made arrangements for the next days activities Main Street
.My tooth played up again and I managed to find a nice young lady dentist who spoke good English.She did a bit of probing and said I need deep canal therapyon my tooth…..Ouch,the cost,um what do I do?Now this was a question I had to ask myself..Do I cut short my trip and return home or have it done .The lady suggested that she do a tempory filling which I agreed to.Did not cost that much afterall. Now the good news is .The pain never returned and the filling lasted for another fours years .That out of the way I decided on a day tour on The Lake Argentina.
Made my way to the departing wharf and boarded the boat for the day trip.
The scenery was great and then we came to where the glaciers are and the many many icebergs floating on the lake
.On the tour I did we saw the Upsala glacier and a few others.
On the return we called into a restaurant for a meal..There is the other trip you can do which is by land to see the famous glacier perito Moreno Glacier.
Arrived back in El Calafete for the night .Next day booked myself a bus trip to Pueto Natales and based myself here to do day trip into the Torres del Paine National Park.Ok so here is a photo of me in the park with the great scenery.
What can I say?..but the scenery is spectacular.The lakes full of mini icebergs and crystal clear waters .
In the park there were glaciers to view .
On the trip into the park there were foxes
and Guanacos
to be seen as well as bird life This was a wonderful day out.Next was onto the southern town of Ushauia via Rio Gallegos Went by bus to Rio Gallegos airport and caught a flight to Ushauia.
The flight into Ushauia was exciting as we flew over the snow covered mountains and down to the airport which is an island connected to town by a causeway.The hostel I stayed at was up on the hillside and my room /bed had a grand view of the town and harbour.The bed was not that comfortable but ay, you get what you pay fo.It was cheap.Had a look around town,the museum and other sites
a bite to eat etc .Next day went for a day walk into the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Took a bus out to park to begin the walk.I gave myself at least 4hours to do so that I would be back to pick up point for bus back to town.The scenery was absolutely beautiful and met with many other walkers going in both directions
.As I did not know how long it would actually take my pace was a bit brisk but still enjoyed it and arrived at bus pickup point in plenty of time .Went to a restaurant for a delicious meal at night
and next day booked my onward journey into Chile and the town of Punta Arenas.I went by bus which took me up over the snow covered mountains to the shores of The Magallanes Strait where the bus boarded a barge to cross over into Chile my next country to visit.Seals abounded along the coast .
www.sayhueque.com/patagonia/patagonia.php
For those thinking of visiting Argentina and especially the Patagonian Region,I thoroughly recommend it.The scenery is stunning and the transport is very good.All types of accommodation is available from hostels to Hotels 5 star.Ushauia is the starting point for many trips to The Antarctica.I had no problems with booking trips at the last minute or accommodation but it would be better to book in advance but because I was not on a time basis It was not a problem .Again a wonderful place to visit as is all Argentina .
For a fantastic web site for great photos of places around the world check out this web site.EXCELLENT.. www.myphotographs.net
In 1969/70 Myself and my younger brother went on a cruise to Fiji and New Caledonia but in those days I didnt have a camera so none of the photos are mine .
Fiji is a great country with a tropical feel and beautiiful people.
Fiji is a large sugar producing country. When you arrive by cruise ship you get greeted by a group of locals singing and dressed in traditional outfits .All I can remember is that we went by bus From Lautoka to Nadi where the international airport is.
Markets are a popular street side scene .
.As you travel the countryside you will see Fiji’s main industry,Sugar cane farming.
A traditional Fiji Hut
In Suva had a walk around the city Palm lined streets
looking at the markets and been tempted
and was constantly approached by young children wanting to be our tour guide but as much as it would have been ok did not take up the offer as we were there for a short time before going to the Aquarium.A local creature The Iguana
The Fiji guard in his bright red outfit
and the Fijians love their rugby
A shoe shine man on the sidewalk earning himself some money
The beaches were beautiful
along with the sunsets
and to experience the crystal clear waters snorkling was a must .
If you like tropical fruit then Fiji has it to delight the taste buds
When leaving the port people would gather at the wharf to farewell us and the children would be waiting in anticipation of passengers throwing any spare coins of the Fijian currency onto the wharf.It was a real scuttle as the children tried to get as many coins as they could .As this was a cruise I was on We did not stay long so it was onto Noumea in New Caledonia
and here again it was just a short visit.In those days there was no port/wharf to dock so The cruise ship anchored in the bay
and we were taken to the mainland by the life boats Now days there is a port to dock at
.Had a walk around Noumea,
got a bite to eat before going back to ship. to set sail for Australia and Sydney.As in Fiji there was a group of locals to welcome and farewell us
The beaches were again beautiful and very inviting .
A Shrine on the beach front
Fiji and New Caledonia two very nice places to visit for a holidayand plenty to see and do but as I was on a cruise with my parents as a much younger guy there was not much touring around those places to see more but what I can remember I did enjoy the experience .
Singapore ,what a great city/country with so much to see and do .
Arrived at the airport and made my way into the terminal to the luggage collection area via this mobile walkway
and from airport to city centre you can take the mono rail train
The skyline of Singapore is impressive
The Singapore flyer is a very noticable lamdmark and worth a ride to get a great view of the city.
An unusual construction is the Scotts building
The Lion is a popular symbol in Singapore and The New Merlin is just an example of one of many
One thing you see a lot of is the Neon signs in their hundreds and they bring great colour to the streets .
A visit to the zoo is a very popular experience and breakfast with the Orang atan is very popular
.If you have your camera at the ready you may catch a young Orang atan swinging about the trees .
Some of the animals you will see at the zoo
the White Rhino
Monkies are the cutest
.On a walk around the zoo you can see the elephants performing
A visit to Jurong BirdPark is another place to put on your list of things to do
Just some of the 8000 birds in the park.
There is a bird performance in the park and well worth watching
and birds feeding in the parrot enclosure
Sentosa Island is Singapores playground and to get there you can either take the cable car or by road .On the island the monorail is a way to get around other than walking . A beautiful beach to relax by and a nice swim is the order of the day
Food glorious food is something you can be assured off is fantastic in Singapore ,so much colour and variety
Flew from London to Hong Kong with British Airways and and pleasant flight is was
.Now Hong Kong airport is has been built on a man made island
and is connected to Hong Kong proper by a very fast excellent train service.The skyline of Hong Kong is amazing and as you fly in the tall buildings are all around
Hong Kong harbour familiar site is the Junk.
A
typical Hong Kong street and the means of transport is the tram
When you look at the tram sometimes it look as if it will topple over .
A visit to the beautiful Hong Kong gardens is a nice way to spend sometime in
Hong Kong is a foodies paradise and you can let your taste bud go into overdrive with the food
While in Hong Kong I stayed at a hostel out of town a bit ,way up on a hill overlooking Hong Kong harbour with spectacular views.It was a taxi ride into town . Walked the streets a couple of times looking at the shops where it seemed every second shop was selling glasses,mobile phones or were novelty shops with a spattering of food outlets and for which I did indulge on one occasion .
Took a bus ride up to a park ,not sure what its called but was a very interesting place . Leaving Hong Kong for Singapore was my next move . You can book your luggage in at the train station in the city and its all handled from there .You are only left to check in at the airport and board the plain . Very efficient and smooth.The airport terminal is massive with rows and rows of checkin counters and the train take you right to the terminal enterance Next stop Singapore . But.. only passed thru Singapore on this part of my trip .I visited Singapore for a full week in 2007 and this will be next part of my travel blog .