Travels in an Australian Winter

This is not a post about Miniatures but a photographic log of our 2013 land cruising through the outback of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. A trip of almost 25,000 kilometers in four months.

Western Queensland is still in the grip of drought. Windmills groan as they lift artesian water to thirsty cattle.

The natural hot-water springs of Mataranka, N.T. are a luxury after dusty long-distance  driving. The landscape changes dramatically as you pass into the tropical north.

 Kakadu National Park

Darwin

Below: Purnululu

Purnululu National Park, in Western Australia, formerly known as The Bungle Bungles is accessable by four-wheel drive vehicles. In June there were still eight creek-crossings to ford but in high season, August, the creeks dry.

We travelled in a small four-wheel drive Nissan diesel Ur-Van camper that served us very well.

Purnululu offers wonderful walking and wilderness camping.

On to the coast and at last the Indian Ocean.

Below:  Cape Range National Park is a popular place for swimming, snorkelling on Ningaloo Reef, fishing and hiking.   Bruce also swam with the whale sharks.

Below: Looping back inland we visited Karijini National Park. You can walk canyons and at the close of day admire red sunsets that set the stage for starry, starry nights.

Ancient fig tree roots cling to cliffs.

Sunny day washing. How we appreciate all those blue-sky days.

 Heading south into cooler weather visiting The Pinnacles, small coastal towns, old homesteads and typical hotels and greener landscapes.

Below:
Perth and Freemantle and then the winery country of the Margaret River and the picturesque south eastern coast of Western Australia and the Southern Ocean.

Regretfully we headed east but the journey is not over.  We still have the Nullabour Plain to cross and Uluru and Kata Tjuta to explore.

Above: Uluru

 Below: Kata Tjuta

Number One husband, companion and photographer Bruce.

Hope you have enjoyed sharing part of our winter journey in Australia 2013.

Trip 2013 highlighted in orange.
Trip 2011 highlighted in green.

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