heardaboutaustralia

Cairns

2011-04-13T21:04:00.007+10:00

Figured it was time to introduce our three to the North East of Australia, so a week in Cairns has seen them enjoy the Great Barrier Reef... Caleb and Rachel tried out scuba diving, while Sam explored the beauty through a snorkel. The sea was like glass - couldn't have asked for better weather.

Caleb

Rachel

Sam (on the left)

And this is what we looked like above the water...

One the road... for the first time

2010-04-22T22:32:00.001+10:00

Caleb snuck down to Vicroads after school today and passed his Learner's Permit exam. A new stage in the journey, one with wheels!

So Close

2010-04-22T22:30:00.002+10:00

Caleb and I played a basketball semi-final tonight... a tough game which went all the way down to the wire. While we lost by one point (50-51) on the last basket of the game, we weren't unhappy. Given a conflict in schedules, making the Grand Final would have been impossible for either of us, which would have left the team short. It has reached the stage where I am the one making up numbers, and Caleb is in the forefront. It is a joy to watch.

Space

2010-04-16T23:51:00.002+10:00

An unusual Saturday ahead... Rachel away on camp, no school sport, Caleb having "retired" from domestic basketball. Only two games to coach, and a long lie in to start the day. New beginnings.

Six days in Paris

2010-01-12T22:30:00.000+11:00

The Lonely Planet guide suggests that you will never see snow in Paris in January. Wrong! We have enjoyed six wonderful days in Paris, baptised in snow when we arrived, and salted two or three more times. We have stayed in an apartment at the foot of the Sacre Couer, which has been perpetually visible from our bedroom and lounge room windows, a wonderful base from which to explore the many wonders of the city, beginning at the Champs Elysees, and embracing L'Arche de Triomphe, the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, Luxemburg Gardens, Notre Dame... have I forgotten something... the Seine, not to mention Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge, and the Eiffel Tower. We have found the Paris Metro system to be most efficient and effective in getting around Paris - and hope they can add some of that to Melbourne's trains. The underground systems in Rome, Paris and London are fantastic, and leave Melbourne for dead - oh how it would be to see something like it at home.

Our French has improved, and our appreciation for French culture and cuisine - and as a consequence, our own in Australia - has grown. We leave Europe with many wonderful memories and tales, and look forward to returning home having enjoyed the European cool while Melbourne has sweltered. Perhaps we might be better conditioned to endure a few more hot days.

When we get home, we'll sift through and post some photos of the trip. It's been full and fun, with not much time to blog.

One for the story books

2010-01-08T10:45:00.001+11:00

Our last day in Rome proved to be most eventful, arriving at the airport just after 7 am for our 9.40 flight to Paris. We suspected there might be difficulties arriving in Paris on time due to forecast snow, but weren't prepared for the sudden evacuation of Ciampino airport just as we were sitting with a relaxing coffee with Mauro. We were left standing out in the airport car park as a succession of emergency vehicles arrived, and we were slowly pushed further back. A young man stepped into a flack vest and other protective gear, and was ushered into the airport, surrounded by firemen who didn't seem too keen to join him. After 10 minutes a loud explosion was heard, and we were soon readmitted to the smells of gunpowder. We were to learn later that someone had left a suitcase unattended, and it was exploded.

But the day didn't end there, as we suffered a succession of delays as flights into and out of Paris were held up as work proceeded to open the airport. The delay allowed time to catch up with Marco, who worked nearby and was able to come to the airport. In coping with long and unexplained delays it helped to have a friend like Mauro (who works at the airport), who was able to tell us that the flight was on its way from Paris, and we had a slot allocated for take-off - some four and a half hours later than scheduled.

Our arrival into Paris revealed a white city... snow cover by the runways was about four inches deep, so it had been heavy. Our journey to the apartment took us past the lights of the city... a tantalising taste of what is to come.

Our apartment in Paris has spectacular views of the Sacre Couer from our windows...

Backtrack - Edinburgh

2010-01-03T00:05:00.000+11:00

We just finished a Skype call with Alex and Sheila in Edinburgh. Seems that the snow has been continuing to all in liberal amounts since our departure. What was spectacularly beautiful for us has continued into a laborious stretch for those who live there. Another blizzard there today while we have enjoyed some samples of all different sorts of weather. Each place we visited in Scotland gave us more reasons for wishing we had many more weeks to explore

Sam enjoyed this climb up the Blackford Hill with his Great Uncle Alex and was enthralled with the amazing view for their effort.

Edinburgh was marked with great meal times shared with Alex and Sheila, who were our wonderful hosts, and another meal at Jim and Maisie's. Exploring Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyrood House and the Golden Mile, Princes Street and Jenner's (which is there in name only these days), while the snow gently fell was a picture come alive. Edinburgh has a unique beauty and charm which is enhanced with a light snow cover, and given depth by the relationships we share with family. We had been well-prepared by our days in Helsinki, which didn't prove to be the coldest after all, though the hats and scarves obtained there gave warmth and protection. Our time in Edinburgh was split into two tranches, separated by a sojourn to Drumnadrochit on the edge of Loch Ness, returning via Glasgow, but this will have to wait til another post before updating. Just a couple of photos to give a flavour of the experience...

A long way in a short time

2010-01-02T21:25:00.000+11:00

We've been having so much fun that there's not been much time to update the travels... And trying to type on the small netbook keyboard is an anatomical challenge for someone with hands my size. We are currently in Florence, having left Venice this afternoon. Spending new year in Venice was truly amazing (even if I did hear an American tourist complaining about there being so much water in the city!) We were privileged with a spectacular view of the fireworks over the Grand Canal which left us all in awe.

Though the water levels in the city made much of it impassible without gum boots for a couple of hours each morning (some creative use of plastic bags assisted a little), wandering through the streets and exploring the piazzas was treat. Of course, no trip to Venice would be complete without a gondola ride!

We are currently in Florence, anticipating seeing Michaelangelo's David, having missed it last time we were here because it was closed for cleaning (which was Ev's second such experience.) Tomorrow afternoon we head to Rome for some time with friends. We hope you all had a wonderful start to 2010.

The Albert Memorial

2009-12-12T09:25:00.000+11:00

Just to show that skies over London can be blue...

Blue Skies in London

2009-12-12T08:40:00.003+11:00

Amazingly, we have seen blue skies both days in London. Today began overcast and cool, but the skies cleared as the day progressed. We enjoyed the encounters with waxy figures of Madame Tussauds, being photographed with various waxy luminaries. Some of the dummies are quite stunning - and their wax figures aren't bad either. By the time we finished at Tussauds, we emerged into clearing skies. The kids had demanded a stop at Hamleys - a toy store which is 249 years old, but with contemporary prices. A little bit of fun indeed.
We have been travelling on the Big Bus around London, hopping on and off at our convenience. The next stop was Westminster Abbey, and a wonderful journey through history. One is struck with two thoughts in reflection: the first - being surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses: the wonderful stories of faithful people; the second: the temptation towards worship of ancestors. I couldn't help but pray that God would do even greater things in the future... Interestingly only two scientists are commemorated within its walls - an Australian (Howard Florey), and - gasp - Charles Darwin!
We arranged to meet up with Ben Leslie once again, outside the London Eye. Unlike the Southern Star, this one is still working. The views of London at dusk were spectacular. And then of course, no Christmas visit to London can exclude Harrods (second shudder), which was kept mercifully short. We returned to Notting Hill for Thai food with Ben and Kate - who joined us after inishing work - before walking back to our hotel. It was a lovely way to finish the day.

Snow in Helsinki

2009-12-10T16:30:00.002+11:00

We're kind of happy to be leaving Helsinki at the moment, asthe weather forcast for later in the week is heading south of -20! It is a beautiful city, but I'm afraid I am happy to pass on temperatures like that...

Now, to London!

Today's Gift

2009-12-09T22:03:00.000+11:00

A hearty breakfast, then ... SNOW!

It's magic...

Helsinki

2009-12-09T22:00:00.000+11:00

It's great to start the new day with some sleep behind us. By the time we got to bed last night it had been over 40 hours since we had left our beds on Monday, fed only by short episodes of the fitful sleep which air travel offers.
We landed at our hotel in Helsinki just before 8am. With barely a handful of hours of sleep behind us, we were looking for somewhere to rest, only to be told we could not access our room until 2 pm. We left in search of food, finding a small cafe.
After a leisurely breakfast we began wandering, in search of our bearings as much as anything. The air was cold and crisp - around 1 degree, but there has been no snow. The ears and nose felt it most. One shop owner told us that it was unseasonably warm - a word I would not have used!

After a few hours of exploration, we headed back to the hotel. One room was available, which we gratefully accepted, enjoying refreshing showers and clean clothes.
A leisurely stroll after dinner was enough for the day (sun sets at 3.15). Everyone was asleep before 7 pm.

The Journey Begins Again

2009-12-06T13:08:00.004+11:00

Tomorrow a new family journey commences as we fly out for a five-and-a-half week journey to Europe. This blog site began with our explorations of Australia. Now we turn our attention to Ev's birthplace and heritage. We will try to keep up-to-date over the coming weeks as "HeardaboutAustralia" goes to Europe.

Premiers!

2009-03-29T14:47:00.002+11:00

Rachel's basketball team stormed the Grand Final yesterday, bolting away in the first half before winning 23-18 against Eltham. The girls played ferocious defence and patient offense to cap a fine performance and do what no VFL/AFL team could ever do in the old final four system - win a Premiership from third place.

The girls played most games with only five or six players, and played a magnificent finals series. Celebrations followed!

Baby Budgies

2009-03-18T21:03:00.003+11:00

We've been counting the accumulation of eggs over the past couple of weeks... it got up to 12 before they started to be broken open... the first two didn't seem to produce anything...
But yesterday appeared the first baby: here's a sneak look... it's the little pink thing. If you click on the image, it will enlarge for a better look.

There's a few more still to hatch, so hopefully over the next few days we might see some more appear.

A Growing Household

2009-03-09T11:30:00.003+11:00

Late last year we added some budgies to the household. These gorgeous pets have taken to increasing their own number - at least potentially. Between them they have laid 12 eggs, the first of which was destroyed. We are now waiting to see how many of them will hatch, and what colour they might be.

The Smiling Face of God?

2008-12-02T09:00:00.000+11:00

An unusual alignment of the new moon with Venus and Jupiter last night provided this joyous visage in the skies, visible even to those in the inner city. Makes you feel like someone is watching over you!

Back in Melbourne

2008-10-18T14:01:00.004+11:00

Well, the trip ended on a spiral downwards, with Caleb requiring a couple of visits to hospital, and Gary catching the bug, which required that we spend a couple of nights in Coober Pedy on the way back. The trip was fantastic - I hope to post some stories and photos in the days to come. The big news is that Sam has made his basketballing debut with Bulleen Boomers in the EDJBA last Saturday. His team kicked off the grading phase of the new season with a win. His second game this week saw Sam score his first basket! Unfortunately it followed right on from him getting a defensive rebound and instinctively shooting it... The only consolation is that the other team was also a Bulleen team, so he managed to score for the right club, if not the right team!
This now means that we are involved in four different games on a Saturday... which gives us a wonderful view of many suburban basketball stadiums throughout the summer. However, having already enjoyed a couple of 30+C weeks in the Red Centre, I suppose we are acclimatised!

What are the Odds?

2008-09-16T22:52:00.000+10:00

The day began with perfect weather. We breakfasted and all hit the showers to wash not knowing if we would see a shower for a couple of days. In stark contrast to the first day we had clear skies and tailing winds as we wend our way through the Barossa Valley and into the Clare Valley, stopping at Clare for lunch. The trail is marked with historical towns whose heyday has well-passed, but which commemorate the exploring and pioneering days of the late 19th century. The mining which was undertaken in these towns long ceased to be economically viable, and the landscape is pocked with abandoned cottages – all of two-four rooms and with ceilings which might have suited hobbits far better than Heards.

Port Augusta was our last stop of note – the last major town before commencing the journey up the Stuart Highway to Alice Springs. Here is pure outback – deserted regions with few trees and uninhabited landscape, appearing – one imagines – as it has done for millennia, save the bitumen strip which marks the pathway north. Apart from two large houses being transported on the back of trucks – wide enough to block the entire highway – the obstacles to travel were few. No matter what speed one travels, the landscape does not change nor pass quickly, though change it does. The land invites one to slow down and absorb its pace. It has lived for many years and invites the deeper breath of an aged time.

We ventured into Woomera, considering that we might spend the night there, but abandoned the notion and headed further north along the highway for some twenty or so kilometres, pulling into a wayside stop overlooking lagoon island – a dry salt lake bed. The scenery was magnificent, and proved to be an ideal spot to camp for the night, so we set the van up and began to prepare ourselves for dinner. At this time a black Ford pulled off the highway with the intention of taking in the view and moving on. As the couple disembarked their vehicle, Ev walked around the back of the van to hear the stunned cries, “It’s Ev!!! O, my god, it’s Ev!” What do you reckon the odds of bumping into someone you know some 200 or so kilometres north of Port Augusta on a road travelled by perhaps a few dozen people each day? It was Laura, a friend from Melbourne, whose grandmother was a good friend and whose funeral we had celebrated some weeks before. At this point, Ev was lamenting the impact of Adelaide water on her hair, and the lack of makeup in response to my chidings, “Who are you going to meet who knows you?!” at the camp site that morning. Hmmmm.
After a quick catch-up we bade them farewell as they headed north while we supped and slept most peacefully.

Back to the Red Centre - the journey begins again

2008-09-15T18:56:00.000+10:00

The journey back to the Red Centre began at 7 am as we left West Melbourne, having brought the van up from Jan Juc on the Friday. Two basketball grand finals for Caleb on the weekend for split results kept us back until late Sunday together with a farewell for friends, who will likely leave Melbourne for Adelaide before the end of the week.

The run through was hindered by strong headwinds and all manner of turbulent weather. Sleet, heavy rain and showers all punctuated the day, and added to the fuel consumption. We lunched at Kaniva and made it to Tailem Bend to refuel, before heading north to Mannum, crossing the Murray on the punt at Mannum, then making our way through the Mount Lofty ranges before stumbling across a rather spartan caravan park at Eden Valley. The night was clear, albeit a little cold. Caleb when leaving the van after dark said he’d never seen the moon so bright and called us out to see it. It was framed beautifully by a huge gnarly old gumtree – it was indeed a picture. We slept comfortably through the night.

The Family that Runs Together....

2008-07-30T14:31:00.002+10:00

Last Sunday saw the five of us leaping out of bed at the crack of dawn on a cold, wet, miserable Melbourne winter's morning in order to compete in the 19th Olympic Dream Run. We were there to celebrate with Ev as she completed her 10th consecutive run, the rest of us with a somewhat more sporadic commitment to running 5 km once a year early on a Sunday. The joy at coming to the end of the race was elevated to see some special friends there to cheer us through the last 100 metres! Caleb finished 49th overall, and 7th in his age grouping, in a respectable time of 21:27. Sam and I brought up the rear of the family field, with me managing to pip Sam on the finish line. Rachel and Ev split the difference between us.
And now I look forward to a longer lie in next Sunday... zzzzz
Congratulations to Ev on doing it every year for 10 years!

The Inner City Dog

2008-07-24T11:22:00.002+10:00

Someone accidentally left our rear gate open for a few hours on Monday evening, during which our 12-year-old, 52 kg German Shepherd decided to go AWOL, exploring the local area. It sent shockwaves through our household. Apart from the deep relationship our children hold with the dog, there was the concern about what could happen to the dog, or the unknown if the dog were threatened. So, late on Monday evening, in the cold and wet, we began our search. Looking for a wandering dog in the inner city is somewhat akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. When we were just about at the end of our tether and prepared to give up, we were directed to a local coffee shop, whereupon our precious pet was found sitting under a table feeding on sausages.
Even the dogs learn about cafe culture in the city...

Family Humour

2008-07-19T10:51:00.002+10:00

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are a few jokes shared in our household from time to time. Thanks to the wonders of Sam [TM] these jokes have a habit of reappearing in unexpected places. One that has done a few rounds is a simple one: "What's the last thing you want to hear your friends saying at your funeral?" ANS: "Look, he's still moving!"

Well, we were at the funeral of a dear friend this past week. No, we managed to leave the Sam [TM] at school for the burial part. However, when we caught up with him for the thanksgiving service that afternoon, he asked whether people were sad at the morning service. When informed that they were, he asked why we didn't tell the joke...

We are still trying to iron out the bugs in Sam [TM]. It will, however, change the type of enjoyment received!

The Wonders of Public Hospitals

2008-07-19T10:43:00.003+10:00

Ev's dad has been on the waiting list for surgery for over four months, and was - after another postponement, wheeled into surgery yesterday, marked up with the Texta so the surgeon would know where to cut, and just about to be put under when told that there wasn't an ICU bed available so the surgery would have to be postponed! The story beggars belief, particularly when he was told that he really should have his surgery done within 90 days (it is now over 120), and it would hardly come as a surprise that morning that there was no ICU bed available. Someone has stuffed up.

Meanwhile, George returned home with a new date in his diary.

Anyone who has faced surgery knows the emotional preparation that goes into it. To be postponed the afternoon before is bad enough, but to be wheeled into theatre, gowned and marked up, then to be sent home.... that takes the cake.

The Two of Us

2008-07-09T11:34:00.003+10:00

A rare photo of the two of us - taken last weekend at Bells Beach. Thanks Lois!

And for 25 years...

2008-05-06T14:43:00.009+10:00

Ev and I took the opportunity to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary by slipping away to Brampton Island for a few nights, just as the cold Autumn mornings began to make an impact in Melbourne. The setting was idyllic... a wonderful place to unwind and relax.

Mind you, the kids weren't agog at being left behind. Caleb, however, wasn't too short of a word when Ev pondered, "I remember when my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. I thought they were really old!"
Caleb's retort? "So... what's your point, Mum?"
And you think we were cruel for leaving him behind!

We spent a night in Brisbane on the way up, and one in Mackay on the way back. The Mackay Marina offers a wonderful collection of fishing runabouts...

So, we repaired to this beautiful island retreat and pondered the years (deep sigh...) How can one NOT relax in such a beautiful spot? If you are looking for one of the best places in the world to holiday where it's warm, you can't go past the Whitsundays. (Although we'd prefer Ningaloo reef at the Cape Range National Park these days, but it's very much more in the back-to-basics holiday spot).

But this was hardly in the category of exertion, in any case!

To spend a few days reflecting on the wonderful journey of the past 25 years was indeed a treasure... with one's best friend, lover, companion, kindred spirit, and confidante was just another beautiful memory to add to an ever-bulging storehouse!

Time has changed us both. By the grace of God, we trust for the better. We certainly look back with thankfulness, and forward with hope.

Beautiful!

Towards an Open Future

2008-04-11T15:59:00.002+10:00

Yesterday was a landmark day in education in our household. Having driven our children to school for the duration of their schooling, we made our first steps onto public transport - travelling to school by train. It is a step towards greater independence for our children, towards a more environmentally-sustainable lifestyle, and for lower-hassle mornings in the house. I travelled with the two boys by train, then walked with them to school from the train station before returning by train to work for the day. The children found it a little threatening at first, embarking upon a new means of transport, which means learning to read timetables and train schedules on platforms, knowing where to be when moving from one train to another, as well as adjusting schedules should trains be late or delayed. All did not go according to plan, but we managed to arrive at school on time.

While the boys noted that they needed to leave earlier in order to arrive at school at the same time, they acknowledged the potential independence which flows from knowing how to find one's way around by public transport. Me? I enjoyed sitting on a train, reading a book where I would normally be stop-starting in traffic all the way back to the office. Even allowing for walking Sam into the classroom, I was back at the office only a little later than usual, feeling refreshed and less drained than after sitting in traffic for over 90 minutes.

It was the first step... small steps, but helpful and life-giving in the longer run, as Caleb, Rachel and Sam move out of one comfort zone into one they understand more readily. Thank goodness for public transport!

The Bare Minimum

2008-03-26T17:03:00.003+11:00

If you had told me that I could grow two tomatoes on a plant and little else, I would have look askance. However, have a look at this rogue plant which found a home in our orchid pot. There's a small leaf at the top, and the two tomatoes were both juicy and sweet. Can't say I could have done it if I'd tried.

How they have grown!

2008-01-03T14:17:00.001+11:00

Christmas is a good time of year to mark the growth in the family. It's not easy to mark the growth in maturity, thinking, responsibility and awareness, so I'll just resort to a photo. This may be the last Christmas in which I can look over Caleb's head!

HoHoHo!!!

2007-12-25T10:21:00.000+11:00

Nature at Play - The Sequel

2007-12-13T16:45:00.000+11:00

When the battle between a pet and a wild bird drags on for too long, you wonder what the outcome will be. In a sequel to the battle between the bird and the cat, an unexpected turn tipped the scales in this evenly-matched stand-off. Enter... the dog! Yes, Ben, our ageing German Shepherd, took matters into his own hands - or that had better be, into his own mouth. He managed to get more than a passing hold on one of the bird's offspring this morning, much to the disadvantage of the bird. Needless to say the remaining bird family now no longer regards the cat as enemy number 1. Funeral arrangements have already been attended to by Ev.

O Captain, my Captain

2007-12-10T16:49:00.000+11:00

Congratulations to Rachel who has been appointed Choral Captain of the Junior School for 2008. She was formally handed responsibilities at the graduation of this year's Year 6 group today. Rachel has been happily singing as we have been decorating the house for Christmas!

Basketball

2007-12-07T22:09:00.001+11:00

It's been a day of triumphs on the sporting field for the Heard boys - Sam leading the way in swimming, and Caleb storming home with a strong second half in his qualifying pool match for basketball championships. Producing his best-ever performance, Caleb finished a strong game with a remarkable shot from under the basket behind the board, as he was falling out of court, taking him to 20 points on top of a strong game on the boards, together with some steals and assists. More importantly, his team finished this part of the grading undefeated, and now faces a cross-over match before proceeding to the next level of qualifying.

Mind you, Caleb had walked 14 km this afternoon in a school walkathon, and is now currently absolutely wiped out. He is required to back up with a second game tomorrow afternoon...

Swimming Success!!

2007-12-07T17:06:00.000+11:00

Samuel took to the water today in the Vision Australia swimming carnival, participating in three events. And he WOWED them! Streaking away in the first event to win the 25 metres, Sam put into practice all that his swimming teacher had been trying to teach him, and romped to his first blue ribbon! He backed it up with a second blue ribbon in the relay, swimming a strong anchor leg, and then a second place in his last event (obviously tired!)

On his return to school he was given a hero's welcome, with rousing cheers from his classmates, and quite a few tears from teachers who have shared his journey. Email and SMS have been running hot with congratulations all afternoon. We have our own thorpedo in the making.

What does this say?

2007-12-03T11:05:00.000+11:00

Our usual morning routine includes driving the kids to school, but this took an interesting turn this morning when, after opening the boot for the kids to put their bags in, I opened the driver door to see that the car had been trashed overnight. Someone had popped the locks and in their search for money or other valuables managed to throw every small piece that was not nailed down around the front of the car (I say this because I want to excuse two of the children for what follows!) I commenced to clear up the front of the car enough to sit down while the other three closed the boot and simply jumped into their seats! The child in the front passenger seat (who shall remain nameless but is over 6 feet tall) made a small comment about the state of the car and waited for me to start driving. (Note that at this time my seat was covered in papers, etc!)
Now what does this say about:
1. the state in which the car is normally left?
2. the perceptive abilities of young teenage males?
3. the normal comfortable parameters for living environments for our children?
Fortunately I have long since bothered to leave anything valuable in my car, having had my vehicle entered and searched by unwelcome intruders on numerous previous occasions. Living in the inner city, it is not an uncommon occurrence.

Nature at Play

2007-11-30T20:28:00.000+11:00

Springtime in Melbourne brings its own joys and wonders. Ours have come in the form of 'pet wars'. Our courteous and cool cat has been under attack from a starling who has obviously built a nearby nest. Our cat Michaela is wont to sit at the bedroom window watching the traffic pass, but in recent days has been subject to dive-bomb attacks while sitting and minding her own business at the window.

It becomes a source of constant distraction (it is almost past the amusement stage) to hear the bird and cat chirping (literally - the cat chirps!) at one another, often for extended periods. Allowing the cat outside is akin to animal cruelty, as the bird launches its bombing attacks at the cat's head! There's definitely no love lost here.

I am tempted to get out the ladder and go looking for the nest, but having seen the bird at work, I'm not prepared to risk being pecked off the ladder at such heights!

It makes for interesting entertainment. Only a few more weeks until the baby birds must be ready to fly the nest.

Strings and Sings

2007-11-14T08:18:00.001+11:00

Sam's year level held their final strings concert yesterday, with Sam putting his skills on the cello on display with all his classmates. Sam missed the half-year concert, as he was ill, and was chuffed to finally put on display the skills he had learned through the year. He's also happy that he doesn't have to lug the cello to and from school each week!

This was backed up with the final performance of the Bumblebee choir. You can see Sam here in the middle as they sing the Aussie version of Jingle Bells... "Tramping through the bush, in a rusty Holden Ute, Kelpie by my side, Esky in the boot..." They also performed a moving version of "We are the Cham

Caleb's Championship Debut

2007-11-10T18:07:00.000+11:00

Caleb made his championship debut for Bulleen Boomers last Friday night, playing in the Spring phase of practice games. He rose to the challenge, playing some strong defence, taking some good rebounds, dishing off a couple of assists, and scoring some baskets of his own. The team managed to turn around a 4-17 start to win by 14.

Sob sob

2007-10-29T12:58:00.001+11:00

Rachel headed off to camp this morning - for the whole week! We're going to miss her greatly...

On the Murray at Mildura

2007-10-04T16:55:00.000+10:00

The first week of our school holidays was spent as a family at Mildura, near where the two great rivers of Australia merge: the Murray and the Darling. We had a great time, exploring some interesting and unexpected terrain. The photos here are of Perry Sands, a pure sand desert a few kilometres from Wentworth.

Our marks in the sand were quickly removed by the wind. The fine line at the ridge of the dune quickly restored.

The weather was warm enough to tempt some of the cold-blooded creatures of the land out into the open.

It is at Wentworth where the Darling and Murray Rivers join, where the first overlanders drove cattle across these great inland waters. The river system is under severe stress at the moment, due to a decade of drought. In previous years the rivers have been known to run dry. A system of locks now ensures water at all times, although those relying on the rivers for irrigation are being severely cut back.

Mildura is about the furthest one can travel from Melbourne without leaving the state of Victoria. It has been decades since either Ev or I was in Mildura, a town immortalised in an old Skyhooks song "Love on the Radio". For afficionados, the address of the song (25 Langtree Ave) is non-existent, so any attempts to place orders from "Homecall Pharmacy" will return empty!

A trip on a paddle-steamer is a must in the region. Rachel and Sam took their turns to pilot one of these grand old ladies of the river.

No collisions at the hands of either!

Many of these majestic vessels have been restored...

Basketball Champions!

2007-09-16T16:52:00.001+10:00

Congratulations to Rachel's Bulleen BT8 team who capped an undefeated season yesterday with a 38-34 win against a valiant Banyule team in their U11 B1 grand final. The girls were all brilliant - a great team!!

Here's looking at you...

2007-08-30T11:14:00.000+10:00

It's not a good look for a Baptist Minister, but having worn it for a week now, I still get a bit of a surprise when someone looks twice and ask what happened. Now, there are a range of possible answers, including:
1. Hit by a saucepan
2. Looking through keyholes
3. You should see the other guy
4. A sporting injury...

The mystery is simple. It was caused by a basketball (what else!?) Either I was too quick (getting into the path of a pass) or too slow (couldn't get out of the way). The 'ayes' have it!

Total Eclipse

2007-08-28T22:22:00.000+10:00

We managed to catch fleeting glimpses of tonight's eclipse, as the cloud cover provided only intermittent viewing. We did manage to catch the moon at the time of the total eclipse, which lasted for nearly an hour. Even with the backdrop and light pollution of the city, it remains an amazing sight.

On the Stage

2007-08-23T13:51:00.000+10:00

Rachel managed to climb out of her sick bed for her first lead role in a musical last night - her performance as the butler in her school production of Joseph. It was a fantastic night, despite the fact that three of the leads had been off school with flu, and another injured in a sporting accident that afternoon. The kids were fantastic, but the butler stole the show (totally unbiased opinion, of course!)

Technology: In the Wash Up

2007-08-15T09:30:00.000+10:00

It takes some time for children to get used to the processes of washing clothes, such that over the past months some of their technology has spent some time in the washing machine - connected to the Drive washing powder. Caleb set the ball rolling when his USB key found its way into the machine... when discovered it continued to work perfectly, and continues to do so two or three months on. His efforts have now been surpassed!

Rachel's mobile phone appeared in the ironing pile late last week, having survived the same wash-spin-rinse-spin cycle before an hour or so in the drier. Early signs were not good, as pressed keys brought no response and the screen looking somewhat psychedelic even in its inert state. I finally plugged it into its charger, whereupon it began vibrating - the first signs of life. I consoled Rachel with the thought that she now owned her own personal massager. With perseverance (and heat) I was eventually able to switch the phone on and connect to the network, and even make a call, the phone continuing to vibrate mercilessly. Rachel set off with said phone in her bag yesterday, battery disconnected so that it didn't vibrate in her bag all day. At three this morning, Ev woke me to ask how to turn off the vibration as the noise from her school bag had kept her awake. In the darkness and drowsiness of semi-consciousness I disconnected the battery and went back to sleep.

This morning - after the kids had gone to school - I noticed Rachel had left her phone behind. I reconnected the battery... the phone vibrated again for a few seconds, then stopped! Six days after its journey through the Fisher and Paykel, it is now apparently none the worse for wear, and clean! Isn't technology marvellous!

Success!

2007-07-14T17:35:00.000+10:00

He travelled around Australia, fishing at every opportunity, looking for that elusive 'big one'. It finally came this week off the newly restored Lorne Pier... a 2kg blue salmon which was very nice eating indeed! Well done, Cale!

(Notice that the cast is now gone also... the plaster one, that is!)

Them's the breaks

2007-06-02T22:22:00.000+10:00

What a day... setting out with three basketball games to play, Caleb makes a spectacular chase down to block a fast-break layup two minutes into the first game... He swats the ball out of court, then loses balance on landing as the little squirt he rejected backs under him, causing him to fall awkwardly. He puts out his hand to break his fall, and instead...

Makes a good story, doesn't it! And then there's what really happened...

It's birthday month (2)!!

2007-05-26T22:35:00.000+10:00

Caleb follows up the pack with his 14th... only two more years until learner's permit comes onto the scene... Not quite 6 foot on the old scale, but getting there! His shoe size also just falls short of his age!

It's birthday month (1)!!

2007-05-23T21:32:00.000+10:00

Yes, it is birthday month in the Heard household, with Rachel leading off the pack. Our princess celebrated in style, and now has begun that habit which will dog her for a lifetime!! Sweet legs 11!

Lateral Thinking

2007-05-16T21:33:00.000+10:00

Sam came up with yet another of his famous solutions to complex problems this week: "what did they do for milk before cows were invented?" Yes, I know that you have lost hours of sleep over this fundamental issue, but let me now put your mind at rest. Sam's solution? They melted ice cream!
Why didn't I ever think of that?

Celebrations

2007-04-12T13:58:00.000+10:00

Another birthday has come and gone, with the outcome that we are now a complete mp3 family! We now all have our own players, able to choose our own music to listen to without annoying others with songs which are not universally appreciated. If we were owners of the name brand player, you would say we were like peas in a pod.... but while it is great to be able to go running and listen to some music or a downloaded radio program, there is a noted downside or two:
* Many conversations begin with the first sentence repeated on more than one occasion as the listener is de-plugged from the player in order to plug into the conversation. This can have a significant dampening effect on spontaneous conversation.
* The place of silence is lost. While an mp3 player does disconnect you from interaction with many things, it still deafens you to the inner thoughts and promptings which can only be heard in the silence. The power of silence to let a thought seep into the deepest parts of being cannot be overstated. We do well to simply "be still" and immerse ourselves in the sounds of life which are around us, and simply listen.
* Download limits are being tested... with everyone wanting their own music, the bandwidth is being stretched. Being shaped back to dialup is a reminder of what we once took for granted as great news!

Sam's World

2007-03-15T11:24:00.000+11:00

Sam has a long track record of wry observations which bring a smile to our faces. Last night as I put him to bed, Sam complained about his alarm clock. "There's something wrong with it," he informed me, "it keeps waking me up early!"

The other side of birthdays

2007-03-07T19:16:00.000+11:00

It strikes both Ev and I that, with Samuel turning 10 recently, we are no longer parents of young children. Another stage of life is upon us, with still another looming in the (not-so) distance. The journey of parenthood now requires that subtle shift from parent to mentor to friend to be well under way. The place where the growth of independence in our children matches up with responsibility...
But of course we deny that the ageing of our children means that we are growing older!!

Sam turns TEN!

2007-02-28T12:19:00.000+11:00

Well, we've been trying to kid same that he is turning nine again today, as it is a catch up year as a result of being born so early. He's too smart for that! Here in the simplest form is the journey from here...

to today!

Happy birthday Sam!

Happy Birthday!

2007-02-16T07:46:00.000+11:00

The lovely Ev celebrates her birthday today... what style!

Family likeness?

2007-01-31T10:29:00.000+11:00

Seems our cat has developed the family predilection for birds!

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T08:39:00.000+11:00

It was a wonderful evening seeing in the New Year, watching the fireworks erupt over Melbourne's Docklands, as we welcomed in the "Bond Year" - 007.

A happy new year to you all!

Bushfires

2006-12-13T09:31:00.000+11:00

There is an apocalyptic feel to the skies this morning, as the sun appears blood red against the backdrop of smoke drifting from the raging fires in the high country. The weekend had the city shrouded in smoke from the same fires, with the temperature pushing into the 40s. It is a stark and solemn reminder of the greater peril faced by many of our rural community.

Christmas Windows

2006-12-10T08:04:00.000+11:00

Every Christmas we take the family journey down to see the Myer Christmas Windows. It is Caleb's 14th - and his enthusiasm for it has, well, changed over the years. This year's windows tell the story Wombat Divine, by Mem Fox.

Sam at one of the windows

Rachel, Ev, Sam and Caleb

Ev and Rachel

And the key character in the story... Wombat!

Each year, in addition to the story panels, Myer adds a Nativity setting. We were fortunate this year that a friendly family offered to take a photo of all of us together. (Do we look as refreshed as during our holiday???)

And so another Christmas tradition in our family continues...

Tropical Delights

2006-11-22T15:19:00.000+11:00

When the temperature hit 7 degrees in Melbourne last Wednesday, we were all pining for a return to the tropics once again, particularly as we watched the temperature in Broome (36), Darwin (35) and Alice Springs (40). Sadly, it didn't even bring much-needed rain to Melbourne.
Ah well, we have the memories!

Keyboard healing!

2006-11-09T18:23:00.000+11:00

Studious followers of this blog will remember an incident back in Alice Springs which put the computer keyboard to sleep - feeding it some hot milk while viewing digital photos. Milk IS a marvellous drink ...but not for keyboards.
To refresh your memories, the end results was that the letters klm,i;. and o became somewhat temperamental - in fact, they downright refused to function. Attempts to clean out said letters resurrected them a little, but weakened the keys themselves, resulting in the ";" and "." keys breaking.
For three months I have had to put up with pressing the "o" five times to get a response, and pinching the end of my fingers when pushing the plastic piece where the keys ; and . once sat.
No more.
Efforts to get said computer repaired brought quotes approaching $300, not to mention making times for delivery, pick up, service man, etc. I decided to take a shortcut and ordered a spare keyboard, which duly arrived yesterday. The first couple of attempts to replace broken keyboard with new one lead only to frustration (and a little dust inhalation!) Then, the magic Asher arrived, and within ten minutes the keyboard has been replaced, and I only have my poor typing skills to blame once more for the poor reproduction on screen. And all completed for about 10% of the cost!
Milk strengthens bones, reduces need for further solid intake, tastes wonderful with chocolate flavouring mixed through, but is not recommended for computer keyboards. I will hang the dead keyboard in the shed as another memento of our trek!

Printing Digital Photos

2006-11-01T20:56:00.000+11:00

We managed to take over 7000 photos on the trip, all of them digital - which of course has magnificent advantages, except that it means you have more difficulty in allowing people to browse through them. The cost of printing so many is a little prohibitive, until we found a deal for printing them at 13 cents a print. We began the process of choosing over a month ago, and still have way too many to print. Our first run (355 photos from the first 10 days) provided us with a reminder that we need to be a little more selective!
The only hassle with the cheap prints is that they are Kodak reproductions, which seem a little washed out. Fuji prints seem more natural in colour - will have to look around a bit more!

Into the Desert: Space

2006-10-27T15:47:00.000+10:00

Before we commenced this journey, there were odds being laid amongst friends about how long it would take Ev to call it quits and return home. The idea of a family of five compressed into a sedan when travelling and a van when not seemed anathema to her personality. And with barely four square metres of available floor space inside the van, one had good reason to be concerned. How would we all (not just Ev!) cope with such confinement? Would it be like “six months in a leaky boat, trying hard to stay afloat”?
Without wanting to understate the adjustment and occasional frustration with living in such close proximity to one another, the real answer came within days of returning home, with the comments about how hard it was to live in such confined spaces. Yes, that's right – AFTER we were home, and inside a larger house (well, at least larger than the van!)
Mornings were often greeted in the van with a view to the horizon from one's bed, and the day farewelled in the same way. Life was lived outside for the most part, where the views were much more extensive than those available from our front door or out a bedroom window (and that's saying something – we have pretty good views of the city from our front door). In parts of the journey, particularly in the desert regions, the views were panoramic, stretching out before us in all its colour and grandeur, its arid expanse and variegated rock formations able to be drunk in at leisure.
Space is not only a function of distance, but of time also. There have been times sitting on the beach at home when I have felt an invisible hand in my back pushing me on to other things, the world closing in around me, strangling the sense of freedom. But in the desert, time and pressure dissipate in the vast expanses. Indeed, in some places, even travelling at 100 km/h, the desert passes slowly, encouraging you, daring you, provoking you into connection with it. In the cities, one is faced with a constantly changing backdrop, such that one learns to switch off to the signs, the cars, and many of the sounds which swirl about us. The space closes in and moves by with speed. But in the desert, space steps back from you, its diffidence and constancy part of its allure, a quiet invitation to be free, to be enveloped in its vast expanses, and to be part of its grandeur. Over time, one finds oneself more in tune with its rhythms, liberated by its lack of limitation and its enduring presence.
Occasionally the desert called you very close, whether it be to give examination to its rare flowers or insect life, to give attention to a strange sound, or light. But it always stepped back, giving you room to move and explore, waiting for the right time to draw you close once more. Its enduring patience and presence part of its charm, almost a breathing, as-it-were.
Those who have never been to the Territory cannot appreciate what is meant by one who says “its colours get into your soul.” They certainly get into your socks, your clothes, and your car! But these echo the stains it makes upon your psyche, and the relaxant it injects into your heart. The desert landscape remains largely as it was centuries ago, even longer, reminding us that beauty sometimes comes from stillness, from slow shifts in concert with the elements, which are embraced. City life often involves closing out the elements: their sense of chaos, their unpredictability and volatility much better managed when kept at a distance. But these elements shape the desert charm, and those who dwell within it. Activities are often deferred or adjusted when the elements turn as their continuance invokes greater risks. High winds are not deflected by buildings, held back by walls, or excluded by windows. Their strength felt in the rocking of the van, or directly against clothing. Engaging with the desert means facing wind, rain, and heat and learning what is healthy and possible in concert with them, unconditioned by heaters, coolers and tiled roofs.
In time you learn to read the landscape, welcome its shifts through the day, heed the warnings it invariably gives. This sensitivity highlighted as we left Yuendumu, when Cobra warned us of a “bad wind... hot, cold, hot, cold... coming from the wrong direction.” We sat beside a warm campfire in the balmy evening, watching the patchy cloud dancing across the sky, playing hide-and-seek with the full moon, the warm winds from the North-West blowing gently. Within a matter of hours the sky was blackened, the thunder and lightning looming in the distance, finally opening with heavy rain some 14 hours after Cobra's prescient observation. Here was a man who knew the land and its ways, who had embraced the desert space and his place within it, identifying its foibles and patterns, seeing something which we had not.
In the vast desert expanses there is an intimacy with the landscape available to those who learn its character, and embrace its pace.

Into the Desert: Darkness

2006-10-20T10:46:00.000+10:00

“Night-time heightens, sharpens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination
Silently the senses abandon their defences…”
Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Phantom of the Opera

Living as we do on the fringe of Melbourne’s CBD, darkness is a foreign experience to us. Street lights ensure that it is possible to play sport in the park next door with minimal risk (save perhaps the experience of facing Brett Lee with a new ball at 3 am!) regardless of the time of day or night. The absence of darkness fosters a continual activity, whether it be in animal life or the multitude of vehicles which travel King Street. The night sky always bears the dull glow characteristic of city light pollution, keeping the number of stars visible to a minimum, invariably high in the sky. As a consequence it is not often that one’s gaze is averted to the night sky.

As with the experience of silence, the wonder of darkness was first experienced in the Flinders Ranges. It was fascinating to watch our children seeing a panoply of stars in the night sky – it was filled from horizon to horizon! The breadth and depth of the night sky in the absence of ambient light reveals a glory hidden from city eyes. We enjoyed watching and identifying the different constellations, and even some planets.

Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendour
Grasp it, sense it,
Tremulous and tender…”
Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Phantom of the Opera

Yet this initial experience was but an introduction. As we moved up the Stuart Highway towards Coober Pedy, we were rewarded with a glorious sunset over the desert. To the east, however, we enjoyed an entirely different experience – watching the night sky rise! While the last rays of sunlight dissipated as the sun dipped further below the Western horizon, the deep blue-black of the night sky gently rose in the East, the shadow of the earth evident in the sky. We would grow in wonder as this experience was repeated on many occasions, with the darkness slowly enveloping the land. We were able to capture this on camera at Uluru, the night-lines visibly moving further up the rock. The further the darkness rose, the more stars became visible, the night sky slowly unfurling its splendour.

…silently the senses abandon their defenses
Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Phantom of the Opera

Yet this wonder was not all the darkness would reveal to us. As we became more comfortable with the darkness, enjoying its stillness and our own, we would become aware of the satellites circling the earth, their dull light moving at speed across the sky. To see satellites requires a commitment to stillness, and to allowing one’s eyes to adjust to the darkness. It was only when we embraced the darkness that its full glory would be revealed to us – our eyes discerning the stars and objects in the sky with a candescence less penetrating. The presence of any light prevented us from seeing these lesser objects, as they would easily succumb to the opposition.

At Mataranka I sat outside for some time, allowing my eyes to adjust to the night sky in an effort to appreciate its full beauty and glory. And as my eyes adjusted, my ears became increasingly sensitive to the sounds around me: the small noises of insects, the distant calls of birds, the soft shuffle of the leaves in the nearby trees in response to the wind, the movement and sounds of animals nearby. Starting as an observer, I slowly embraced myself as part of this creation and its soft symphony, increasingly aware of my own contribution to it, realising I was actually a participant. Every movement created a sound! The scraping of my arm against the chair gradually revealed a volume which became increasingly disturbing. What bird or animal was listening to my own echoes?

And yet I was still not seeing fully.

On our last night at Mataranka I took the binoculars with me. O, what a wonderful array of stars was revealed through even this small magnification! What hidden beauty exposed when my sight was both more focussed and assisted! The number of stars - already in what seemed a full sky – multiplied! My exclamation at the sight brought the rest of the family outside, wondering what had captured my attention. To see more deeply into the world, the universe, only came as I was prepared to embrace its darkness, its stillness, and my own limitations.

I recall being afraid of the dark as a child – its eerie sounds and ability to hide bred an imagination of horrors, and an aversion to darkness. I would turn on lights, play music, watch TV – anything to hide the horrors of darkness from me. As an adult, I no longer regard them as horrible, but still have not learned to recognise the darkness as a repository of riches. The habits of avoidance evolved into comforts in their own right, the darkness still alien; viewed as emptiness at best. The desert has introduced me to its riches in a new way…

And invited me to reconsider the darkness of my own being. Is it possible that these places are a rich source of life which I have ignored?

Reminiscing

2006-10-08T16:35:00.000+10:00

A friend drew may attention to the Cable Beach Web Cam, which had me drooling for warmer climes again. The temperature in Melbourne today is a chilly 15, with strong cold winds. Seeing the beach and the temperature at 30 brought back some warm memories!

Into the desert: Silence

2006-10-05T16:59:00.000+10:00

For centuries men and women have made the journey into the desert as part of an intentional spiritual quest – a quest for God. Australians have long held the dream of the quest into the outback, almost as part of one’s Australian obligation. It has long held mythical status in the Australian psyche. Having returned from 14 weeks of travelling through some of the most remote parts of this vast continent, there have been perspectives and impressions which have been carried and shaped through that time.
The first experience of the outback is one that has lasted and is perhaps its deepest – the silence. From the time we first stopped for lunch at Burra in the Flinders Ranges, and settled down to bed at night at Rawnsley Park, the sounds of silence have reverberated through my mind. It assails one’s senses. I can readily recall the first sounds echoing through my ears as we spent those first moments in bed before sleeping. I listened to a dull, rhythmic thudding… which turned out to be my own pulse – the blood rushing through my veins. It took some time for this pulsating to dissipate to the point where the silence itself took on a new shape, where I could feel comfortable with its emptiness and hear its unique sounds above those of my own heartbeat.
This inner noise was not evident in the city, and was demonstrated in the initial volume of our voices, which suddenly seemed to boom through the vacant spaces. In a caravan park this meant that conversations which would normally be contained within the family confines would easily be heard from much further distances. The city noise not only deafened me to my own sounds, but encouraged a more vociferous expression, one which sounded strangely aggressive in the vast expanses.
What does this do for my own spirituality? How can I connect with another when I am having trouble connecting with my own self? How can I hear the promptings of the Spirit when the normal sounds of the creation are drowned out by my own activity? Elijah spoke of God’s voice as “the sound of a thin silence”… I have been awakened to a new form of deafness, where certain sounds are overshadowed by others. Where the voice of God in the midst of all this?
I also wonder at the other sounds that are extinguished: words of encouragement which would keep me striving… cries of pain and anguish from others… calls for help… words of guidance and direction. This deafness is not selective… or is it?
As we have returned to the city, I have been conscious of my own noise – and of the things which drown out other sounds. A commitment to intentional stillness – one which minimises my own contribution in order to connect with others – has been incorporated into my daily practice. It is not so much an emptying as a commitment to stillness, a place in which I am aware of my own imprint and alert to those which may have been in the shadow of my own.

A little perspective

2006-10-04T16:26:00.000+10:00

Over the course of our journey, we travelled over 21000 km, which is the equivalent of driving to London (or New York) and nearly half way back. Nearly 16000 km were undertaken with the van in tow, which is the distance from Melbourne to London! During that time we consumed over 2850 litres of fuel (or at least the car did - let's not start any unhelpful rumours here!), with the maximum price paid being $1.79 per litre (at Kings Canyon). Unfortunately, I am not able to tell you the impact on the width of my derriere, having sat for so long - I haven't counted the hours sitting in the car which made all this possible!
The maximum temperature experienced was at Kalbarri (37 C) and the minimum was at Rawnsley Park in the Flinders Ranges (-3 C). The lowest daily maximum temperature was in Perth (15 C), and the highest minimum was in Darwin (22 C). We experienced no rain between leaving Alice Springs and arriving in Dongara.
The longest stretch of straight road appeared on the Nullarbor, where one travels for 145 km without turning the steering wheel.

Some More Photos

2006-10-03T12:46:00.000+10:00

To show more of the camera's (Fuji Finepix S5600) work, but also because the Litchfield National Park (NT) is a beautiful place.

Taking photos

2006-10-02T19:35:00.000+10:00

Sunset at Carnarvon

One of the changes that was forced upon us for our trip was a replacement digital camera. A small accident had seen our Nikon Coolpix 2000 bite the dust... well, it still takes pictures, but the viewing screen was not functioning, so you had no idea of what you had taken. It was a little like turning back to the dark ages when you'd have to wait for the photos to be transferred onto the computer to see if you had the shot you were hoping for. In any case, it was a 2 megapixel camera with 3X optical zoom, which was not going to be strong enough for what we were wanting to do.

Kalbarri, where the Murchison River meets the Indian Ocean

After some investigation, we settled on a Fuji Finepix S5600, which more than met our needs. It offers up to 5 megapixels and 10X optical zoom, which gave opportunity for even the most distant images to be drawn close. Taken at maximum quality, cropping adds to the zoom effect. We invested in a 1GB card (in XD format - one drawback, there are not many cameras which use other than SD cards), which meant at maximum quality there was a reserve of over 400 photos. The only other burning question was battery power. This camera uses AA batteries, and we invested in Energiser rechargables, offering 2500 mA/h of power. This solution was more than adequate. Despite taking about over 500 photos a week, we were able to use the camera without changing or recharging the batteries for up to a month at a time. More than ample! Start-up time on the camera, and flash usage was also very quick.

The camera proved versatile enough for most situations, from the brightest outside shots to the darkness of the caves at Margaret River. There are only two drawbacks which emerged:

1. The camera offers no "bulb" option, which allows one to use timed exposures. On the manual setting, an exposure of up to 15 seconds was possible, but for shots of the night sky this was not long enough.
2. The camera had difficulty focussing on maximum zoom in low light. This was evident when taking some sunset shots, seeking to zoom in to frame the setting sun against the horizon. The manual focus is cumbersome, but could be used in an emergency. This focal challenge was also evident when using the macro feature for plant shots.

Apart from these two issues, we are more than happy with the camera for the trip. It is reasonably priced, often available (with the basic memory card) for about $350 if you shop around. PC User magazine rated it as their best buy in a recent issue.

Streaky Bay

The camera also offered movie options up to 640x320 resolution at 30fps, which provides quality enough for DVD production. Zoom is disabled during filming - a minor setback, but an inconvenience nonetheless. Given that our analog movie camera didn't work (another story), it was helpful to rely on this aspect, and meant that the movies were already in digital format.

If you are looking for a handy digital camera at a reasonable price, I suggest you have a look at the Finepix S5600.

The Final Frontier

2006-09-25T11:16:00.000+10:00

We cross the border back into Victoria - over 21000 km and three and a bit months later. We're home again!

The Last Night - an eerie symmetry

2006-09-24T18:44:00.000+10:00

Back at the caravan park where we spent the first night created a sense of symmetry and familiarity. It was eerie watching the sun set over the bay once again, and being impatient as it took seemingly forever to drop below the horizon. It is a reminder of how one becomes conditioned to seeing events in a particular way...
However, that first night sunset was replaced by a storm on the second night, and the last of our trip. The winds whipped up during the night, rocking the van so much that I dreamed that I was sleeping on a train! Fortunately for the parents (us!), the winds hammered the end where the boys were sleeping. It was unrelenting during the night, with intermittent bursts of rain falling. Waking to this brought consideration of how we would pack up. The rain cleared, but the winds continued in their intensity, and as there was little need to "fold in" 0ne of the ends - it was like a sail, while the other end would blow out! We managed to finally pack down the van in stages, and headed off for home. The weather echoed the first night, which Ev reports here.
An amusing quirk of fate had us mixed in with a large cohort of vintage cars as they took part in the "Bay to Birdwood". We had seen many of these cars and their vintage vans in our van park. But as we drove up ANZAC Hwy, the streets were lined with people waving, so we responded! In the midst of T-model Fords, 1925 Chevs and other antiques, there we drove with our van, waving and receiving many smiles in response. It was nice of Adelaide to turn out to farewell us!

Back in Adelaide

2006-09-22T19:44:00.000+10:00

As the sun sets on our day's journey, we realise that our trip is coming to its close. There is a small matter of acquainting children with places where their dad spent his early years, and some catching up with relatives, then back to the place we call home. There are a few "reflective" posts which have been floating around in our heads for a little while which we will publish in the days to come.

Closing the Loop

2006-09-21T22:35:00.000+10:00

Returning to Port Augusta and passing the turn-off to the Red Centre brought a strange sense of closure, at the same time as it rekindled memories of the journey. This point enclosed us with wonder at all the things we had seen in the intervening weeks. The light of the Flinders Ranges was strangely familiar and unique – its clarity and beauty rekindling fond memories - a light that we had not seen for many weeks. We drove through to Adelaide, our last stop before returning home, and our first stop on the journey which began over three months ago...

A Fishing Experience... or two!

2006-09-20T19:40:00.000+10:00

The first sign of motion this morning came from Caleb whispering in my ear at 8.30, “Can I go fishing?” About an hour or so later we bumped into Matt and Beccy (whom we had met at Ningaloo), as they were heading off to the Lincoln National Park for a couple of days. As we were saying our farewells, Caleb came rushing back with a freshly-caught squid for them to take and cook for the day! That is one ugly-looking fish! It was 11.30 before Caleb ventured back to the van once again, by which time he had caught a number of squid and sent them on their way.

We managed to pry Caleb away from the pier for a little while - long enough for him to purchase a crab net, which offered plenty of entertainment for him during the afternoon (the squid seemed to have taken their leave, unlike the sea lion which entertained us at the end of the pier with its antics.) After spending the afternoon catching up with journals, I headed down to the jetty where Caleb had been for most of the day, save a single break for lunch and a trip to the shops. I took him a drink, handed it to him and then picked up a rod and began to fish for squid. I had been fishing only a couple of minutes when I heard the rattle of plastic – I looked around just in time to see the blue glass blow into the water. I called to Caleb to bring the crab net, hoping to use it to snare said cup before it drifted too far. By the time he responded it was too late – it was out of reach. Nonetheless Caleb threw the net in once, twice, and on a third time threw it all in – line and all! The look on his face was priceless…… as he realised what he had done. Never mind that it only cost $6. He realised what he had lost – and had been having a lot of fun with. Fortunately his fishing mate managed to snare it with his squid jig and pull it back in. End of adventure. The look on his face will be remembered for some time!

The Journey Continues

2006-09-19T22:01:00.000+10:00

“Go left!”
“Go right!”
“Don’t turn around!”
“Keep moving!”
No, these are not indications that we have given driving lessons to Caleb, but the recurring cries coming from the driver’s seat as Ev negotiated the vehicle down the west coast of the Eyre peninsula on a day in which lizards and snakes had decided to sunbake. Having already left one in many pieces on our last day across the Nullarbor, Ev was determined not to repeat the dose. She does, however, suggest that there are now a few stumpier-tailed lizards than previously known in this area!
The highlight of this day was a visit to Coffin Bay, home of oysters which make their way on to dinner plates around the world. When I emerged from one of the fishing sheds with nearly two dozen oysters, obtained for the grand sum of $5, you could have lit the whole peninsula with the gleaming smile on Ev’s face. After eating about a dozen or so, the smile had diminished somewhat, her stomach filled and her taste buds satiated.
We discovered once again how small the world can be. When we pulled into a petrol station at Port Lincoln, who should we bump into but a young couple we had camped with at Tulki Beach at Ningaloo! When we booked into the camp site, we then found ourselves next to a NZ couple we had met a couple of days earlier!

Caleb on Cloud 9

2006-09-18T19:13:00.000+10:00

To spend almost the whole day on the pier fishing is Caleb’s dream. At Streaky Bay he not only had the opportunity but we managed to pull in 5 salmon (all in excess of 40 cm) and 2 trevally, which provided a sumptuous evening meal. The only catch was fighting off the pelicans who were hovering (and attacking!) as I cleaned the fish. Streaky Bay is a picturesque spot with a beautiful beach and quiet ambience. The sunsets were spectacular, and the only drawback is that none of us wants to eat fish again for a while!

It’s a Small World

2006-09-17T17:37:00.000+10:00

Our lunch stop at Nundroo Roadhouse brought us into conversation with a cyclist we had passed along the road. I was intrigued to discover why someone would ride across this barren expanse, particularly when one has red hair and fair skin. It turns out that this guy, from a place called Peaceful Bay, just near Denmark, had held the dream for a few years, and was going to undertake the crossing last year. He was approached do the ride for charity and thereupon postponed for one year. It turns out that the inspiration for this was the efforts of one Colin Ricketts, who had walked around Australia for the same charity, finishing just over a year ago. I learned of Colin’s journey because he had been best man at a cousin’s wedding many years ago. That we should meet and share encouragement and a common bond in the middle of the Nullarbor reminds us of how small the world can be.
I suggest you Google Colin Rickett’s name and check out his walk.

CROSSING THE NULLARBOR

2006-09-16T19:15:00.000+10:00

I was so looking forward to crossing the Nullarbor in springtime with the wildflowers in full bloom. We had obtained a special guide for the journey, which offered alternatives for Nullarbor travellers:

“there are two ways to negotiate this journey – you can roar through on the max, or take a little time out to smell the saltbush...”

So we set out, cruising along in anticipation. But it wasn’t long before we hit the 145 km section of straight road – the longest in Australia. How fast are we travelling?

Sadly the south-west has been through a very dry wet season, meaning that the expected wildflowers were yet to bloom... what is that speedo reading now?

OK, there are very few trees, very few curves, a blustery wind, and a rising temperature... why are we travelling so slow?

Some beliefs talk of a place called limbo where one enters after death. It is sort of a nothing space where one waits until the real action takes place. I wonder if the Nullarbor is a prototype? CAN’T THIS CAR GO ANY FASTER!!! I can still smell a little saltbush!

The term ‘Nullarbor’ is not an aboriginal term, but the description given the plain by South Australian explorer Edmund Delisser (starting a long line of people leaving Adelaide in search of something better!) It comes from the Latin “nullus arbor” meaning “no tree”. WHAT IS THE SPEED LIMIT HERE?!?!?!

Samuel comments occasionally from the back seat, “Are we on the Nullarbored yet?” His mispronunciations convey more truth than he realises!

We park for the night on the Great Australian Bight, at a roadside stop. The view of the sea is spectacular, with the sun setting and a subsequent electrical storm out to sea illuminating the night sky near the horizon. The canopy of stars and the 360-degree views are indeed spectacular. Perhaps this 200,000 square kilometre piece of limestone has some beauty after all. We sleep peacefully at the edge of one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world, on one of the driest stretches of land. Australia is a country of extremes, often juxtaposed against one another.

Esperance

2006-09-14T20:10:00.000+10:00

The Lonely Planet guide makes the following observations of Esperance:
“Esperance sits quietly on the Bay of Isles, a clear landscape of aquamarine waters and squeaky white beaches, but the town’s charm is not immediately visible…”
Apparently so. The highlight of the tourist advisory takes you on a wildflower drive of 36 km – all of it away from Esperance. A request posed to someone who had lived there for some years gave the following reply: “there’s nothing in Esperance!”
Ah, well, at least a place to unwind.
Except for the train line which ran behind our caravan park, with trains passing on the hour.
And for the hostess from hell running the caravan park who had all the personality and helpfulness of gout.
Still, the Norfolk Pines on the main street were rather attractive.
And the 30-degree plus weather gave us reason to sit still and enjoy the sunshine.

Restful Albany

2006-09-13T19:04:00.000+10:00

Albany has been a wonderful spot to unwind – a bit of fishing, a lot of shell collecting and whale watching, and time to enjoy the wonderful spa in the caravan park. Each morning began with a beautiful stroll along the beach, followed by breakfast and a warm spa before whipping Caleb at table tennis or pool. The kids enjoyed the theatre venue and watched a couple of movies in surround sound, while we enjoyed the warm spa, the reading in the sunshine, and … did I mention the spa?

Almost back in shape and up to date

2006-09-12T17:44:00.000+10:00

Hi all,

Have just spent a little while getting the posts in order for August, so they now follow (roughly) chronology of the trip. There are still gaps from Perth down to Albany (where we are presently ruminating and whale watching) which we hope to fill before we head east in a couple of days. All are well, Caleb and Gary still in shorts - and still catching sharks! Will tell more of the Perth and Margaret River story soon.

Happy Spring!!

Albany

2006-09-11T14:28:00.000+10:00

How's this for a view from the beach where we are staying?

Wine and Women and...(4)

2006-09-09T18:51:00.000+10:00

ANCIENT FAMILY HISTORY
Many of you may not know but we own an island – or at least have a stake in one. It is not something we wish to brag about, but if you go to the atlas and look up Heard Island you will find it positioned somewhere down south near the Antarctic. Of course our ancestors had no idea that we would prefer much warmer climes, but the story of this family legacy has been told for generations (or at least since our kids were little!) It seems that a great-great-great-great grandparent was a keen fisherman who set out from Point Leeuwin (the southwesternmost tip of the Australian mainland) on a fishing expedition. His day was not all that fruitful until his rod jumped to life and his line began unreeling at an incredible rate of knots. This was clearly the catch of a lifetime which no self-respecting fisherman would give us easily. He fought this fish for days while it dragged him hither and thither across the oceans until finally the tired fish surrendered to the stubborn determination of the old salt. Unfortunately in his dogged battle with said fish our intrepid ancestor had been taken a long way from home. As he hauled the huge catch aboard his vessel, he noticed land in the distance and pointed his bow towards it. Arriving on the island, he claimed it as his own, naming it in honour of the family whose name he bore.
Now, you might ask, why am I telling this story? Because the children reminded me of it when we arrived at Point Leeuwin, which is perhaps better known as the place where Matthew Flinders commenced his journey circumnavigating Australia and mapping its coastline. The kids reckon it was named in honour of Flinders’ robust lieutenant who persuaded Flinders to undertake this momentous task, which prompted Flinders to say, “OK, Lee, you win” thus giving the point its name... I have no idea where the kids get their strange sense of humour from.
And, in case you can’t be bothered searching for an atlas..

Wine and Women and...(3)

2006-09-08T16:02:00.000+10:00

CAVES
Beneath Margaret River and the whole south west region lie hundreds of limestone caves, most of which are accessible only through very small holes in the ground, which animals and, undoubtedly, the occasional human being, have stumbled upon (and fallen through) from time to time. In one of these caves has been found the skeleton of a Tasmanian Tiger, over 3000 years old. These formations exhibit stalagmite and stalactite growth which reflects tremendous stability in the area for lengthy periods of time (scientists suggests tens – even hundreds – of thousands of years). There is a tranquillity to these caves which invites one to sit and contemplate. Unfortunately most caves offer guided tours which keep you moving, but Mammoth Cave was self-guided, which allowed time and space to appreciate the wonder and beauty before you.
And there was the occasional window to the surface world – in Jewel Cave one could see the tap root from a Karri tree wound around a pillar (where a stalactite joins with a stalagmite) – and here we were 50 metres below the surface! Karri trees live to around 400 years and grow in excess of 60 metres in height, making its combined length (including tap root) well in excess of 100 metres! It gave pause for thought when the guide indicated that we were underneath the road we had travelled on to arrive at the cave – one wonders what other delights sit below the surface of places we travel! When they turn the lights out in the caves there is complete blackness – not a skerrick of light penetrates these places. Imagine falling through a hole and landing inside! Early cave explorers carried candles which would often be extinguished by drips of water from the ceiling, plunging them into blackness. The experience in many ways defies expression – the magnificence of these underground worlds breathtaking to experience. We were all taken in by these caves, exploring three over successive days.

Where are we?

2006-09-07T18:05:00.000+10:00

You've probably been wondering where we are and why the posts have been few and far between... We are currently in Margaret River, and we have found difficulty in hooking the laptop into a network to make posts. There are a few today, with the original writing date leading... Will try to sort it out as soon as we can.

Thanks for keeping up with us!

Wine, Women and...(1)

2006-09-06T18:34:00.000+10:00

Margaret River

In many senses it was a relief to leave behind the city once again and make our way down south into rural areas. We have enjoyed the tranquillity and isolation of the country as we have journeyed around, and the pressures and conformities of city life were revealed to us afresh in Perth, where – like every other city – there is no respite from sound and light, and where electricity becomes a time-shifter which allows you to stay up later, but not necessarily be compensated at the other end of the day. The real charm of Perth was in time with friends.
But I digress...
Margaret River is a quiet little hamlet fashioned like Old English Countryside, with narrow roads framed by tall trees, behind which lay a growing number of wineries. Being good Baptists, we waited an hour or two before visiting our first one, and then only after catching up with someone we had met in Kings Canyon, who happened to co-ordinate the wine displays at the Margaret River Visitor Centre!
The only trouble with visiting small wineries and being the only people tasting is that there are certain members of our touring party who feel obliged to purchase something, even if the wine isn’t to our taste! Of course, this meant that one had to sample as many as possible in order to find out whether there was one you really did like!
There was one other great discovery this day in Margaret River – their second hand stores are fantastic! In a small town called Witchcliffe just south of Margaret River, we found plenty to amuse ourselves in an antique store... until we realised that these were things from our childhood!!!! Antiques INDEED!?@#@

Wine, Women and...(2)

2006-09-06T17:17:00.000+10:00

CHOCOLATE!

There are other beauties to be sampled in Margaret River – their magnificent Chocolate Factory not only makes the most exquisite dark and milk chocolate, they make them available in HUGE silver bowls for sampling. Now, knowing us as you do, you know what that meant. Our customary restraint was in full swing – until the first bite! These little choc bits pile up neatly in the palm of one’s hands while one watches the huge vats stirring the molten chocolate behind a glass window (Oh, for a straw!!!) This experience was good exercise, making us walk the twelve steps from the bowl to the window, and back again, thus burning off the calories for each handful of chocolate being consumed. At times like this it is helpful to have very big hands. I took five teaspoonsful of the choc bits to even half-fill my hand! The only downside was that to purchase these delightful little morsels could be done for the mere price of $44 a kilo! After taking another handful to ponder the economics, we decided that they weren’t all that nice after all, though we did determine to give our palettes a rest and return another day before making any purchasing commitments!

Now that’s RESTRAINT!

Survival Skills

2006-09-05T18:00:00.000+10:00

Many of you will be wondering how Ev has managed to survive this long on the road in a van. The secret can now be revealed for all to see...

Rottnest Island

2006-09-04T20:02:00.000+10:00

Where were you when you heard the news that Steve Irwin had died? We were freezing our buns off on Rottnest Island, making a cold and wet day even more memorable for the same reasons. After yesterday’s wonderful weather, we determined to head out to the Island named by a Dutch Explorer in the 1690s (in a country supposedly ‘discovered’ in 1770!) because he mistook the Quokkas for huge rats and named it the dutch equivalent of “Ratt’s Nest”, hence Rottnest. The thirty minute ferry ride from Freo was pleasant enough, but we arrived in the midst of a cold squall, whereupon all those who arrived with us crowded into the Visitor’s Centre. We decided that riding around on bikes was not going to improve the experience all that much, so took the bus tour. The island’s beaches were beautiful but not the least bit enticing in the arctic blasts which even had the trees bowing over to kiss the ground. It was back at the Quokka’s Arms that we heard the news of Irwin. It was so cold in fact that they were using peacocks as door snakes, and even the Quokkas were taking refuge inside! It was such an awful day for weather that the sun popped its head out for ten minutes and decided to go home for the day!

We cut our losses and headed back to Freo early for a look around this rebuild Port city, where Ev had placed her feet on Australian soil for the first time back in 1962. Freo has a real charm and elegance, reflecting its age and place in many an Australian’s history.

By the time we reached Kings Park we were in the shelter of land and the sun had decided to give the day a second chance, though closer to the Swan River the wind was still lazy – cutting right through you because it was too lazy to go around!

But thoughts of the Stingrays we had swum so close to at Ningaloo reverberated through our minds in light of the tragedy which befell the Crocodile Hunter...

Father’s Day – And An Unusual End

2006-09-03T23:55:00.000+10:00

Living inside a mobile sardine can puts you in close proximity to each other – so much so that you can almost enjoy each other’s dreams! But Father’s Day, when all the kids jump onto your bed at the end of the van, you wonder whether you might end up with one end sitting high in the air! I was blessed with loads of chocolate and MASH~!

This has been by far the most beautiful day in Perth – the ones the postcards are made of. Clear blue skies, no wind, and warm weather. And for us – with good company to boot! But the end of the day proved most interesting and revealing. As we were getting ready for bed, Rachel complained of a sore lump, so I packed her into the car and headed off to PMH for Children. When asked by the triage nurse when she first noticed it, Rachel’s response was telling, “Um, it was at Ningaloo.” The nurse looked to me for some clarification, and even I had difficulty putting a date on it! I had to count back through the stops we had made since to come to some form of estimation. She thought she had scratched herself on the coral, thus causing the pain.

We were back in the van just after midnight, all well.

Mexican Wave at the football!

2006-09-02T23:08:00.000+10:00

Courtesy of some well-connected friends, we were able to get some tickets to the final Freo home game for 2006. Caleb waltzed along with his Richmond scarf and hat standing out in a sea of purple and green. It didn’t faze him that the Tigers had been walloped by the Eagles in Melbourne only a few hours earlier. When someone commented that we might be a bit out of place, we responded by joking that we made a wrong turn on our way to the ‘G’, which brought wry smiles! (Probably also some warmth due to the fact that Freo people hate the Eagles even more than they do Victorians!!!)
Well, the football experience at Subiaco was like a trip to another world! One could have closed one’s eyes and known what was taking place – utter silence when Port had the ball, and even more so when they kicked a goal. Freo possessions, on the other hand, were met with applause, cheers, and the occasional collective grunt (d’Oh) when they made a mistake or turned the ball over. The game was well over early in the third quarter when the crowd launched into a Mexican Wave. Don’t these West Australians know that this is reserved only for cricket?
But the real treat occurred in the last quarter when Port managed to scramble a goal. Down our whole side of the ground there was a sole Port Power flag being waved – something like a lighthouse in an barren peninsula. Apart from the Port cheer squad – who were all huddled together, this was a brave statement (albeit noticeable only after the game was over!)
I can understand the daunting challenge facing visiting teams to this venue. I can equally understand the pressure on the home team, with every mistake greeted by a collective groan of over 40000 voices. To carry that weigh every time they play must present its own problems, particularly if the team is not performing well.

Sunny Perth!

2006-09-01T20:19:00.000+10:00

Perth – the place where the weather is always warm, and the sun always shines! Yeah, right!!! Try marking it as the place where you spend five minutes waiting for the traffic lights to change! We have seen maybe two sets of traffic lights since leaving Darwin over a month ago, and both of those were in Geraldton. And there was a warning sign approaching the first we saw. A voice from the back seat commented about the sign with a strong sense of incredulity, until they were reminded that it is the northernmost set of traffic lights in WA. But, in spite of this perspective, we found the traffic cycles to be much longer than we were used to – often waiting well over a minute for the lights to change. City life is different!

Sunny Perth! (contd)

2006-09-01T14:10:00.000+10:00

I realise that I had left a thought or two hanging in the previous post: our first two days in Perth were the first sub-20 degree days of the trip since Alice Springs, (actually sub-25), with the mercury maxxing out at 19 on the first two days. We didn’t even see blue skies until the Sunday, when the more traditional and advertised weather was a real joy. Angus and Robertson has been a highlight of major towns, as the kids want to stock up on reading material for the next phase. In Perth, however, it had to take second place to London Court – an old arcade in the centre of Perth. The evening was a real delight catching up with some wonderful people.

What is this??

2006-08-31T20:54:00.000+10:00

We awoke this morning to a strange sight – something was blocking our view of the sun! And what’s more, there were little drops falling from the sky! And we were having to put on extra layers of clothing. Yes, we are still in WA, and are camped at – make that was camped at – Dongara.
The gentle rocking of the van during the night and the pounding of waves at the shore next to us heralded the arrival of heavy rain! So heavy that I feared that the gentle rocking of the van was due to us having floated away during the night!
Clouds and rain are things we haven’t seen for nearly two months. But I’m not abandoning shorts just yet!

Some Australian History

2006-08-30T15:17:00.000+10:00

What year was Australia discovered? If you had the same education as I did, you instinctively think of 1770 and Captain Cook, right? (And you can do it without using Google!) Funnily enough, the Westernmost tip of Australian mainland (Steep Point) bears a plate marking the arrival of Dutch Explorers in the 1600s, along with the names these explorers gave to land formations. Red Bluff in Kalbarri was named by de Vlamingh in the 1690s, 80 years before Cook – and de Vlamingh arrived some 70 years after Dirk Hartog. This history is commonly known in WA, but not the East. Something about the place we sit affecting what we see?

Kalbarri

2006-08-29T17:45:00.000+10:00

Until six years ago, Kalbarri was accessible only via unsealed road, now it is becoming a highway for people seeking a sea change. Although still quite some distance from Perth, housing commands prices well in excess of $300000, and commonly over half a million! Although a beautiful situated town, it has a “Stepford Wives” feel to it.
The beautiful National Park on its doorstep is carved by the Murchison River, with a picturesque feature known as “Nature’s Window”. We chose this day to explore the river loop for which the Window is the entrance point. Unfortunately this also proved to be the hottest afternoon of the trip, with the temperatures in the shade pushing to 37 degrees – and there was not much shade! We were a third of the way through the 8 km trek when discretion became the better part, and we turned back. This decision was aided by a German couple who were also returning from a little further down the track. They were in such bad shape that we needed to share some of our water with them, as well as some of our snacks, as we nursed them back to the car park.

Wildflowers!

2006-08-29T17:24:00.000+10:00

A slow and subtle transformation loomed across the landscape as we made our way south of Karratha – the emergence of wildflowers. This time of year is ideal to experience the rich colours of the Australian wildflowers. The first to catch our attention is the bold and vivacious Sturt’s Desert Pea. As we neared Kalbarri, there were more subtle hues emerging: mauves, hints of yellow and dusky pinks. Unfortunately the dry season has meant a delay in the full blooming of colours, which we might hopefully see as we cross the Nullarbor.
Trivia Question:
What is the native wildflower of WA? If you answered Sturt’s Desert Pea, you’d be wrong – that’s South Australia’s native! It’s the Kangaroo Paw!

Bonus points if you can name Victoria’s!

Slower than watching grass grow

2006-08-29T13:35:00.000+10:00

There is one experience available which is slower than watching grass grow – watching Stromatalites grow. What are stromatolites, you ask? Stromatolites are layered limestone rock built by single-cell cyanobacteria which trap and bind sediments. In lay terms – they are rocks which are living and growing. The cells are postulated to be similar to the first forms of life on earth. If you hang around long enough, you’ll actually see these things grow in size!

Kalbarri

2006-08-28T17:59:00.000+10:00

It was about 10 km th of the Kalbarri turn-off that the most peculiar sight took us by surprise – a cultivated field! It has been nearly two months since we saw such a level block of land, it looked totally unnatural!