Australia revisited
Less than 2 years since my last vacation there, it was time to spend some more quality time in Australia. The main purpose of the trip was the SETAC World conference in Sydney. Of course, an excellent opportunity to explore other parts of this vast country. So after one week in Sydney, I flew to Alice Springs, Northern Territory, and the central parts of the continent. The aim was to drive around in the desert for a week or so and then head down to South Australia and the coast.
In Alice Springs I rented a 4WD car, to be delivered in Adelaide 17 days later. The massive Toyota Landcruiser is an excellent off-road car, although the 4.2 L engine was very thirsty and used almost 2 L/10 km. I covered approximately 4600 km during the 17 day long trip. A thank to Stephen Powell (http://www.stephenpowell.com.au) for correcting a couple of the species names.
Outback walkabout
Trephina Gorge canyon - can be deadly if not prepared, East MacDonnell Range
First, I went to the East MacDonnell Range, with many nice canyons, and spent a couple of days there. A favorite was Ruby Gap Nature Park, situated a 4-hour drive from the nearest decent road. Here I met some locals, a bunch of 70-year-old campers from Adelaide, on their annual outback trip. I was invited to camp with them, and we managed to pull off a nice party in the middle of nowhere. After going back to Alice and a refill of diesel, I headed to Palm Valley in the West MacDonnell Range. In Palm Valley, I tested the off-road features of the Landcruiser on a very rough track. The last 16 km of this road, more like track, follows the sandy bed of the Finke River and is limited to high clearance 4WD vehicles only. Thereafter I went south to Kings Canyon after a short stopover in Rainbow Valley. Kings Canyon was fine but a bit touristy. I walked the rim in sunset and even managed to see some dingo’s on my way back.
The next day I went to the must-see Uluru/Ayers Rock. Of course, even more touristy than Kings Canyon, but kind of silly not to go there when visiting central Australia. Missed the sunset, as some clouds spoiled the iconic red rock in the late evening. I also drove to see the Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, but only from a distance. Kata Tjuta is a rock formation situated some 40 km west of Uluru.
On my way south I visited the Simpson Desert before staying for one night in an old dugout opal cave now serving as a motel in Coober Pedy. After the opal capital, I was spending a couple of days in the Flinders Range, before driving through Adelaide and down to Kangaroo Island, where I stayed for a small week. On this page I have displayed some photos from the trip, from Sydney, the desert region of Northern Territory, and of wildlife from Kangaroo Island.
East MacDonnell Range
Arid riverbed in East MacDonnell Range
Hill in East MacDonnell Range
Arid hills in East MacDonnell Range
The MacDonnell Range Reef Mine was one of the richest gold mines in the region. The mine was operated intermittently from 1892 to 1908
Ruby Gap Nature Park, Ruby Gap Nature Park
Riverbed driving, Ruby Gap Nature Park
Ruby Gap Nature Park
Ruby Gap Nature Park
Riverbed melons, Ruby Gap Nature Park
Paddy melons (Cucumis myriocarpus), Ruby Gap Nature Park
Outback camping with some locals..., Ruby Gap Nature Park
Camping in Ruby Gap Nature Park
'Western' Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla harmonica rufiventris), East MacDonnell Range
Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), Alice Springs Desert Park (captive animal)
Outback landscape
Desert outback
One of the roughest 4W drives on the trip, into Palm Valley in Finke Gorge National Part
Palm Valley
Palm Valley
Palm Valley
Palm Valley in Finke Gorge National Park. It was a challenge driving to this site, which includes an isolated stand of Red cabbage palms (Livistona mariae)
Red Cabbage Palm (Livistona mariae), Palm Valley
Back to Alice Springs for gas
Locals hanging' around
Rainbow Bee-Eater (Merops ornatus), Alice Springs
Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), south of Kings Canyon
Black-footed Rock Wallaby (Petrogale lateralis), West MacDonnell Range
Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius), Alice Springs
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis), Alice Springs
Bourke's Parrot (Neopsephotus bourkii), Alice Springs
Rainbow Valley south of Alice Springs
Rainbow Valley
Rainbow Valley dry earth
Rainbow Valley windswept rock
Rainbow Valley
Red sand in the Central Northern Territory outback
One of the more uncommon Australian raptors, the Black-breasted Buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon), south of Kings Canyon
Singing Honeyeater (Lichenostomus virescens), west of Alice Springs
Desert Oaks (Allocasuarina decaisneana) and Spinifex Grass (Triodia sp.). On the Ernest Giles Road toward Kings Canyon
Desert Oak, Ernest Giles Road
Red sand with Spinifex Grass (Triodia pungens), Ernest Giles Road
Australian Feral Camel (Camelus dromedarius), between Stuart Highway and Kings Canyon on the Ernest Giles Road. This species, introduced to Australia during the 19th century for transport and construction during the colonization of the central and western parts of the country, is considered a pest because of its negative impact on the environment. In 2008 a culling program started, and the number of individuals has since been reduced from around 1 million to 300,000 (2013). The meat is sold to Saudi Arabia, where people have a taste of camel.
Desert vegetation with red sand along the Ernest Giles Road
Cliffs near Kings canyon
Kings Canyon
View from the rim toward the entrance of Kings Canyon
A Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata) seen from behind, Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon, rim-walk view
Spinifex Pigeon (Geophaps plumifera), Kings Canyon
Outback wilderness near Kings Canyon
Dingo (Canis lupus dingo), near Kings Canyon
The car rental companies don't allow driving after dark. For good reason, since the kangaroos are out in force and are killed in huge numbers on the roads. Here just after dark on my way from Kings Canyon to Uluru / Ayers Rock
Uluru / Ayers Rock
Uluru / Ayers Rock
Uluru / Ayers Rock. Highest point is 863 meter
Aboriginal art, Uluru / Ayers Rock
Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas
Uluru some 40 km to the east seen from the Kata Tjuta viewing platform
Relaxing and waiting for the sunset after exploring Uluru / Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta
Sunset (without sun...) Uluru / Ayers Rock
Outback gas station, Stuart Highway
Cadney Homestead, Stuart Highway
Stuart Highway carnage with Wedge-tailed Eagle and Raven
Stuart Highway carnage with what I think may be Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides)
Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) eating sheep, Stuart Highway
Serious roadkill, Stuart Highway
North of Coober Pedy
Old opal mine near Coober Pedy
Road train, Stuart Highway
Central Australia wilderness
Outback driving, I think this is the Oodnadatta Track
Selfie in the middle of nowhere. This area north of Coober Pedy is called the Moon Plain, a vast expanse of rocky plains with lunar like landscape that has been the set for many movies including Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Pitch Black and The Red Planet
Outback landscape north of Coober Pedy
Dry riverbed, Coober Pedy region
Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy - Opal Capital of the World
Dugout motel in Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy
Dried-out Lake Hart (Woomera), along Stuart Highway
Galah (Eolophus rosicapillus)
Back in forest territory, Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Flinders Ranges
Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus), Flinders Ranges National Park
Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus), Flinders Ranges National Park
Stromatolite, the worlds oldest fossils, Flinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges
Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), Flinders Ranges
South of Flinders Ranges
Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), one of three egg-laying mammals on the planet (Monotremes: Short-beaked echidna, Long-beaked echidna and the Platypus). Kangaroo Island
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Kangaroo Island
Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea), Kangaroo Island
Australian Sea Lion suckling, Kangaroo Island
New Zealand Fur Sea (Arctocephalus forsteri), Kangaroo Island
New Zealand Fur Seal, Kangaroo Island
Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus), Kangaroo Island
Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus), Kangaroo Island
Admirals Arch, Kangaroo Island
Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island
Little Penguin. The guides used red-light wildlife-friendly torches, hence the image quality
Little Penguin, Penneshaw Penguin Center, Kangaroo Island
Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor), Penneshaw Penguin Center, Kangaroo Island
Cape Willoughby Lighthouse, Kangaroo Island
Black-faced (Phalacrocorax fuscescens) and Pied (Phalacrocorax varius) Cormorants, Kangaroo Island
Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens), Kangaroo Island
Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius), Kangaroo Island
Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island landscape
Kangaroo Island natural sculpture
Stalactites, Kelly Hill Conservation Park, Kangaroo Island
Tammar Wallaby (Macropus eugenii), Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Kangaroo Island
Hanson Bay Backpackers Lodge, Kangaroo Island
Worn down. Hanson Bay Backpackers. Gone in the 2020 bushfire?
Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata clelandi), Kangaroo Island. This is the second largest species of honeyeater, and the subspecies found on Kangaroo Island is endemic to the island
Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), Kangaroo Island
Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), Kangaroo Island
Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides), Cleland Conservation Park (aviary bird)
Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae), Kangaroo Island
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans melanopterus). An endemic subspecies on Kangaroo Island
Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Deep Creek Conservation Park
View toward Kangaroo Island from the mainland
Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus), Cleland Conservation Park
Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), Cleland Conservation Park
Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata), Cleland Conservation Park (aviary bird)
Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis), Cleland Conservation Park (aviary birds)
Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea), Cleland Conservation Park
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Cleland Conservation Park
Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Cleland Conservation Park
Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Cleland Conservation Park
Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis), Cleland Conservation Park, SA
New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), Cleland Conservation Park, SA
Deep Creek Conservation Park, SA
Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), Deep Creek Conservation Park, SA
Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), Deep Creek Conservation Park, SA
Downtown Adelaide
Black-browed Albatross (Diomedea melanophris), outside Sydney
Hutton's Shearwater (Puffinus huttoni), outside Sydney
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). Whale-watching trip outside Sydney
Humpback Whale diving. Whale-watching trip outside Sydney
Humpback Whale breaching. Was lucky to get this picture, of the only jumping whale we saw. Whale-watching trip outside Sydney
Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), Adelaide Harbor
Mojito at Manly, Sydney
BHH with a mojito at Manly, Sydney
Short stop-over in Taipei, Taiwan, on my way to Sydney
Taipei dining