Home safe and sound.

Update: The early counting seems to confirm that the
roadside monstrosity took out the UGLY award, in answer
to some queries as to what it was... I have no idea!!!!
There was a sign, just visible in the first photo, but the
object made such a negative impression that I have no
recollection of what it said.... Sorry.

It's all over bar the shouting.

We paid a visit to the old Dubbo Gaol, but were allowed to leave.

Well they worked Wazza over pretty well first, but then we were allowed to
leave.

This is a "Big Red Kangaroo" doing what they do best during daylight hours
on a hot day, they are naturally nocturnal, thus the suicidal tendencies on
the roads at night.

This feeder for the giraffe's is about 8 or 9 feet of the ground, they sure
are tall suckers.

But majestic to look at, one of my favourite animals.

The Australian/Celtic Standing Stones at Glen Innes.

Set in a lovely park this site is quite powerful and mysterious.

I have shown you lots of the beauty spots and sights of Australia, so as a
balance I thought it only fair that I show you some of the plain ugly things too.
This is a roadside memorial? to ... something and we voted it as the ugliest
thing we encountered on the whole trip.
Please enbiggen for the full horror of this site to become visible.

So there can be no suggestion that this is a rigged result though,
I have included the next two photos to be judged by the viewers
in this same category.

I propose that we call them exhibits 1, 2, & 3, and invite your votes as to
which is the ugliest.... (sort of mirror, mirror on the wall.....)

I don't want to influence your voting in any way, but, here's a closer view
of that roadside thing, just in case you wanted to see it again.


I would like to thank you for your company on this holiday trip, between
all of you and Wazza too I couldn't have asked for better company.

The road home.

We have had our week in Sydney and now we will take another week to get
back to Brisbane.

First stop out of Sydney was the "Blue Mountains" with Katoomba high on our list
of places to see, this is Evans lookout, there is a rare "Blue Gum forest in the
valley shown here.

With the aid of a zoom lens you can see the sandstone cliff face here.

The "Three Sisters" at Echo Point Katoomba would be among the most
photographed natural objects in Australia.

This is the view in front of you when you visit Echo Point, its a pity it was a
hazy day, the mountains really do look blue on a good day and the sky is such
a bright blue it would seem to be photo shopped.

Imagine the force needed to split this gigantic rock, (about the size of a
three story building) probably struck by lightning we guessed.



The three photos above are just a sample of how wonderful the countryside
looks around this area at present.

The sign say's it all, I don't think I need add anything.

Wazza and my old mate A B (Banjo) Paterson, this was at the site of Banjo's
birth at an old mill just outside the rural City of Orange in NSW.

In the park adjoining the information centre there is another monument
to Banjo


There are very good botanical gardens at Orange, shown here is apple blossom.

A sample of the many acacia (wattle) trees that are on display at the gardens.

Set among rolling green lawns its a lovely shady cool and pretty site.

Orange has a cold winter climate so there are quite a lot of deciduous
trees and a little "Fall" colour.

In the main though it features our ever present Gums and wattles.

We liked the signs at either end of the town of Murrurundi


Werris Creek is a small railway town, there are five of these figures
which are made of thousands of 6 to 10 inch long lengths of 5/8 inch
round stainless steel, like this one, operating the "gates" they all have a
railways theme. (they stand about 10 to 12 feet tall)

Still more photos of Sydney.

If you are lucky you will get to visit Sydney sometime.


If you are Really lucky you will see this amazing sight as your plane comes in
to land.

If on the other hand your visit is on an overseas liner you will get off the ship
here, only metres from one of the world's most exciting Cities.

Sydney is built around one of the world's most beautiful harbours, it follows
that the homes of city's "well off" will be based around this harbour.

It also follows that there will be a huge flotilla of very expensive boats
based here for the wealthy to play on.

There will be a need for these peoples children to be suitably educated
and private schools such as this are admirably suitable to do that.

For those of us who fit the more regular mould this vehicle offers an
economical and fun way to see the ciy sights, You can hop on and off
as often as you like to have a look at the sights and there is a pretty
good commentary as you travel.

I can't recall what some of these buildings were but they make interesting
photos, so who cares.

Same comment as above but look at those sculptured figures!!!!

The imposing State Library building

The ANZAC memorial shrine located in Hyde Park, there is a remembrance
service here every morning at 11 am

I think this was St. Andrews?, a magnificent building anyway.

The Sydney Casino located at Darling Harbour.

A suitable introduction to "The Rocks" area, in the shadows of the Harbour
Bridge which was built overlooking this historic precinct.

Some of the typical terraced houses of the area have survived to
become exclusive office suites or doctors surgery's.

My favourite toilet in all of Sydney.... urinals only... sorry girls.

Even the warehouses were built on the "terrace" basis.

A beautiful mural of an early Quay area (which is only a few metres away from
here anyway).

This photo must contain every geometric shape known to man, and a lovely
mural of the opera house too.

More of the lovely old terrace houses.

When I was only a boy growing up in Melbourne these huge cast-iron
mailboxes were everywhere, now very much a rarity.

The very gracious Queen Victoria Arcade, claimed by many to rank among
the finest shopping arcades in the world.

The leadlight windows shown on the previous photo, this time from within.

There is a simply beautiful hanging clock here, it is enormous and has scenes
depicting Australia's early history around the four sides as well as an
hourly chime activated by a little man pulling on a rope

The arcade is built on three levels and is home to some very exclusive little
shops and galleries, many opening by appointment only.
My only regret about this magnificent building is that I didn't take any
photos specifically of the floor tiling, this is a work of art in its own right,
please enbiggen this photo to get some ides of the detail contained.

Atop the whole length (which is considerable) of the building runs
this beautiful glassed domed roof, complete with the central dome shown below.

Short of lying on my back and getting trampled by the hordes (which I know
you didn't want to happen) this was as good as I was able to get of the dome.

Something not to be missed when you visit Sydney..........
The Queen Victoria Shopping Arcade. opposite the Town Hall and easily
visited by getting of the underground rail at "Town Hall" station.

More holiday snaps of Sydney.

Sydney is a large city built around a beautiful bay and is dominated by
The Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Opera House, & Centrepoint Tower,
as well as the vibrant city itself.

The mono-rail provides a quick and easy way to get around the CBD

Approaching Circular Quay.

El Alamein Fountain at Kings Cross

This is one of the many "cut back for racing" double decker buses that roam the
streets of Sydney filled with camera wielding tourists all intent on getting that
"once in a lifetime" shot.

Wazza shown here in the foreground of the Sydney Opera House.

The opera house as we approached it from Circular Quay.



It is one of those buildings you just never seem to have enough photos of.
(I must have at least another 20 !!!)

The Sydney CBD from a ferry to Manly. ("aboard a manly fairy")

Fort Denison located in Sydney Harbour near Circular Quay has served
many purposes, including suppling the sandstone used to construct
Circular Quay, the link below tells some of the history of this island.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Denison

Manly is located on a spit of land separating Sydney Harbour and the
Pacific Ocean, these beach goers are at the surf side of the spit.

Like much of Sydney, (in fact much of Australia) the folk at Manly take
full advantage of the climate and holiday atmosphere with outdoor dining
and shopping malls very popular.





Like the Opera House, who could ever take enough photos of this lovely
graceful old beauty. (I was talking about the bridge!!!!!!)

From the Southern approach

Opera House from the bridge.

Typical Tourist photos of Sydney.

Typical of the millions of photos taken around Sydney.

Darling Harbour, named after a former Governor, houses the Maritime Museum.

The lighthouse was moved here as a tourist attraction.

The Centrepoint Tower (centre of photo) from Darling Harbour.

Darling Harbour, taken from Centrepoint Tower.

From a lofty perch 250 meters high things take on a different view.

Looking north west over the harbour and towards the blue mountains.

The main stadium for the 2000 Olympic Games with the Sydney Cricket Ground
behind and to the right.
Please note the fleet of flying saucers included specially for you in this and the
previous photo (click to enbiggen).
I stand corrected on the stadium shown here and plead outside assistance,
(perhaps from the aliens from the flying saucers) you see I asked an attendant
(who happened to be Asian) where the Sydney Crickey Ground was, she pointed it
out along with the mis-information that it was just behind the main Olympic
stadium.
We had already driven around the Homebush area and seen the stadium
(which does in fact look a bit similar) and as I had absolutely no idea where I
was facing while in the tower I did the only thing that seemed plausible at
the time..... I believed her.... 1000 apologies for that (and any other
mis-information)

Looking down on the Queen Victoria Arcade.

City skyline from above.

The main arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the centre (Opera House is just to the right.

The very relaxing Chinese Friendship Gardens at Darling Harbour.

AHH - Wazza in a pagoda.

Just soaking up the beauty and tranquility.

The paths lead you to something new and beautiful all the time.

Another pagoda framed with weeping Willow.
Lots more to come please come back again.

The Sydney trip... Gettin' there.

These photos are of places of interest on our trip down to Sydney.

We got all excited about approaching Mt. Warning which is the Eastern most
elevated point of Australia is the first place to see the sunrise, our
excitement was short lived when we realized it was in fact Mt. Barney.

During the course of this trip I encountered quite a few of my favourite people
Marilyn Monroe was the first..... Hi Marilyn!!!!!!!

Marilyn was located at an establishment called "Freddo's Famous Pies" as both
Wazza and myself lay claim to being pie connoisseurs we had t o sample their
wares, we were happy enough to go along with the "famous" although we had
never heard of them but felt they missed the "top 10" by a couple of places.
You will notice if you click to "enbiggen" the photo, they do offer a range of
somewhat unusual fillings though.

We spent our first night at Coffs Harbour which is a popular seaside holiday
destination, as you might guess by the "Big Banana" there are lots of bananas
grown in this area.

Port Macquarie is another very popular seaside city, we keep trying to improve
on nature (sometimes successfully, sometimes not) the groyne's built out into
the ocean here seem to work fine. (us 1 - Nature 1001)

Another one of my very favourite people, the late and great Slim Dusty,
Slim was at the top of our country music charts for 6 decades and
released 106 albums all with the same record label in that time....
Hi Slim!!!!!

This is about the area where I started to rave about how good the countryside
looked for any of you who traveled along with us at holtieshouse.
So much of Australia used to look like this in spring time, but for the past decade
of drought this has become a rarity.
The purple flower in the foreground is the very noxious weed "Patterson's Curse"
which is known as "Salvation Jane" in SA where a different climate keeps the
rampant growth under control and the plant becomes a good sheep fodder.

We are on the Sydney/Newcastle expressway so the Sydney adventure will start
with the next posting.
Perhaps as early as tomorrow?

Bloggers conventions 1 & 2

A meeting of bloggers June 30th 2007

Robyn, Kat's Cradle, Peter, Holtieshouse, Wazza, Wazza's Place

Robyn preparing to snap back.

Jeanette, Jens chronicles, Peter, Holtieshouse, Donna, Skippy's den.
July 6th 2007

Jan holding a fruit "Mocktail" at the Arkarra Tea Gardens, Hervey Bay.

Bloggers Galore

ANZAC Day 2007.

With ANZAC Day in two days time I thought I'd post these photos of
the Gympie Memorial Arcade built to honour all Australian Service
Personnel.

I have concentrated on the WW1 memorial tributes because of the
ANZAC Day link.

The pride we have for the bravery shown at Gallipolli knows no
boundaries

ANZACs were involved in many other fronts besides Gallipolli
and were recognised as some of the best fighting troops in
the world.

Through the gates located in the main street and leading to a
beautiful parkland behind the memorial it is a beautiful and
tranquil place.

Friends who live on my blog roll.

These are the "Beautiful People, (and others) that
reside on my blog roll.