A Photography forum. PhotoBanter.com

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » PhotoBanter.com forum » Photo Techniques » Photographing Nature
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Australia: suggestions for neat places



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old October 7th 04, 02:22 AM
Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Australia: suggestions for neat places

HI,
I'm considering a trip to Australia in the March-April
time frame next year. I've been to Australia once
but would like to see more. I'll probably go for a
couple of weeks, and fly into and/or out of Sydney.
So I would like to hear of places not to miss on the
eastern half of the country. For my photo style, see my
website: http://www.clarkvision.com which includes scenic
landscapes and wildlife.
I will hike up to about 8-10 miles per day, day trips only.
I would take a Canon 1D Mark II, a variety of lenses from
wide to telephoto and perhaps a 4x5 camera. Scenic parks,
wildlife preserves, waterfalls, and mountains top my interests.

Thanks in advance
Roger

  #2  
Old October 7th 04, 12:50 PM
Bandi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote in
message ...
HI,
I'm considering a trip to Australia in the March-April
time frame next year....
Scenic parks,
wildlife preserves, waterfalls, and mountains top my interests.

Thanks in advance
Roger



Hi Roger

I'm not familiar with the Sydney area, but if your heading north to Qld,
try checking out the area around the Qld/NSW border. Lots of great
opportunities to be had. (Some of the links aren't great but they were the
best I found in a short time!)

The Byron bay (just in NSW) area is a great coastal spot. Headlands, open
beaches and a pretty famous lighthouse sitting on the most easterly point of
Aus. Byron bay itself is on the coast and is surround by rolling hills,
almost reminiscent of English countryside, dotted with cattle and macadamia
nut farms. Eg:
http://www.tropicalnsw.com.au/aaa_si...hinterland.jpg

The hills lead into the Wollumbin Caldera, the remains of an old volcano
just north of Byron of which Mt. Warning is the core. It's the first place
in the country to get sun of a morning. The mountains aren't huge but there
pretty spectacular. Eg:
http://www.tropicalnsw.com.au/aaa_si...mt_warning.jpg

Just north of Mt Warning is Lamington nation park. Another amazing place
with as many waterfalls as you'd want and enough wildlife to start an ark...
http://lamington.nrsm.uq.edu.au/MainMenu.html The veiws you get from some
of the walks in the park are great.

An hour north west of Lamington NP will get you to the Border ranges NP.
More mountains there but the area around it has a totally different feel.
eg...
http://www.tropicalnsw.com.au/aaa_si...er_ranges2.jpg

A couple of hours north from Lamington NP and your at the Glass house
mountains. These things stick up out of the ground like giant fingers and
have to be some of the most photogenic formations in QLD... eg:..
http://www.walkabout.com.au/fairfax/...ountains.shtml
http://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel...andqld/guide/g
lass-house-mountains

All these places are within 1 - 2 hours drive from Brisbane (Qld's capital
city), so theres plenty to see and do.

If you want any more info, feel free to ask!

Anthony


  #3  
Old October 13th 04, 02:41 PM
otzi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



"Bandi" wrote in message
...
"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote
in
message ...
HI,
I'm considering a trip to Australia in the March-April
time frame next year....
Scenic parks,
wildlife preserves, waterfalls, and mountains top my interests.

Thanks in advance
Roger



Hi Roger

I'm not familiar with the Sydney area, but if your heading north to Qld,
try checking out the area around the Qld/NSW border. Lots of great
opportunities to be had. (Some of the links aren't great but they were the
best I found in a short time!)

The Byron bay (just in NSW) area is a great coastal spot. Headlands, open
beaches and a pretty famous lighthouse sitting on the most easterly point
of
Aus. Byron bay itself is on the coast and is surround by rolling hills,
almost reminiscent of English countryside, dotted with cattle and
macadamia
nut farms. Eg:
http://www.tropicalnsw.com.au/aaa_si...hinterland.jpg

The hills lead into the Wollumbin Caldera, the remains of an old volcano
just north of Byron of which Mt. Warning is the core. It's the first place
in the country to get sun of a morning. The mountains aren't huge but
there
pretty spectacular. Eg:
http://www.tropicalnsw.com.au/aaa_si...mt_warning.jpg

Just north of Mt Warning is Lamington nation park. Another amazing place
with as many waterfalls as you'd want and enough wildlife to start an
ark...
http://lamington.nrsm.uq.edu.au/MainMenu.html The veiws you get from some
of the walks in the park are great.

An hour north west of Lamington NP will get you to the Border ranges NP.
More mountains there but the area around it has a totally different feel.
eg...
http://www.tropicalnsw.com.au/aaa_si...er_ranges2.jpg

A couple of hours north from Lamington NP and your at the Glass house
mountains. These things stick up out of the ground like giant fingers and
have to be some of the most photogenic formations in QLD... eg:..
http://www.walkabout.com.au/fairfax/...ountains.shtml
http://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel...andqld/guide/g
lass-house-mountains

All these places are within 1 - 2 hours drive from Brisbane (Qld's capital
city), so theres plenty to see and do.

If you want any more info, feel free to ask!

Anthony


No bears here. And for some reason some one decided to give the passenger a
steering wheel to play with. You'll thus find many drivers dropping out,
directing, pointing, arguing and ignoring perfectly good maps. Never the
less one will find a spot or two to reflect upon only the distances between
them tend at times to be a hours or days apart.

From Sydney there is inland the Blue Mountains and further inland the
Riverina area offers some capital sights. Best considered by map.

If you are considering places further afield, in Victoria there sits the
Grampian Mts. pretty but populated. (maybe not by your standards.) And in
Sth. Australia the more photographic Flinders Ranges offers a good look. Bit
more remote (?) but offering more ancient rock formations. This area
requires days rather than hours. We tend not to have the grand canyon
vistas you may be accustomed to. We can offer unlimited flat space though.
Inland NSW just about affords the curvature of the earth from the roof of
your car. Then again you can get that anywhere with a wide angle lens.

Car hire is essential but driving here is relatively simple. Fences are put
along both sides of the road to stop folk wandering too far off the track.
Can't go wrong really as being an island you'll eventually hit the coast you
then just follow it around.

--
Otzi



  #4  
Old October 14th 04, 04:01 AM
Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

otzi wrote:

No bears here. And for some reason some one decided to give the passenger a
steering wheel to play with. You'll thus find many drivers dropping out,
directing, pointing, arguing and ignoring perfectly good maps. Never the
less one will find a spot or two to reflect upon only the distances between
them tend at times to be a hours or days apart.

From Sydney there is inland the Blue Mountains and further inland the
Riverina area offers some capital sights. Best considered by map.

If you are considering places further afield, in Victoria there sits the
Grampian Mts. pretty but populated. (maybe not by your standards.) And in
Sth. Australia the more photographic Flinders Ranges offers a good look. Bit
more remote (?) but offering more ancient rock formations. This area
requires days rather than hours. We tend not to have the grand canyon
vistas you may be accustomed to. We can offer unlimited flat space though.
Inland NSW just about affords the curvature of the earth from the roof of
your car. Then again you can get that anywhere with a wide angle lens.

Car hire is essential but driving here is relatively simple. Fences are put
along both sides of the road to stop folk wandering too far off the track.
Can't go wrong really as being an island you'll eventually hit the coast you
then just follow it around.


Otzi, others,
I do plan on renting a car, but will also consider
flying the big distances. For example:
How long is the drive from Sydney to Melbourne, and if you
visited places in between, what would you visit and how
long would that add? The other option would be
to fly to Melbourne, get a car and tour the Victoria
and nearby regions. Here is a link to a site that
explains different routes,
http://www.smallguide.com.au/itin-sydmel.html
but which, in your opinions, are the most interesting
and photogenic places to see?

Roger

  #5  
Old October 14th 04, 07:54 AM
Bandi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote in
message ...
otzi wrote:

The other option would be
to fly to Melbourne, get a car and tour the Victoria
and nearby regions.


Have you given any thought to Tasmania? It's an increadible state and not
overly large unlike the rest of the country. Take a look at
http://www.view.com.au/dombrovskis/ to get an idea of what it's like.


  #6  
Old October 14th 04, 08:49 AM
Wise's Wilderness
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

The issue for you is Australia is the world's largest island. Most of it is
desert. Most of the population lives within a couple of hundred kilometres
of the ocean. We only have 20 million people. What we call a mountain
range runs the lenght of the eastern side of Australia, 100 kilometres or so
inland, from there on it is basically flat, except for a few pockets in
South Aust, the Northern Territory and NW and SW Western Australia.

Much of the colours of the inland are reds, blues and browns. At that time
of the year it is Veeeery hot.

Two weeks will give you a snapshot, pun intended. You would need to spend 6
weeks because of the distances involved. We think nothing of driving for a
couple of hours to get somewhere.

My suggestion is fly between states, don't drive.

If you fly into Sydney visit Kent St, west of the Town Hall, there are
several Bushwalking stores, such at Mountain Designs, Paddy Pallins that
contain extensive books on bushwalking destinations around the nation, there
is also the Youth Hostel Association HQ and a packpackers, that are full of
day trip activities, such as canyoning, abseiling, bushwalking, site seeing
etc. These stores also have branches in the other capital cities

The point to consider in photographing our country in our Summer is the
harshness of light ie it is strong and washes out a lot of colour, forget
about photographing between 10am and 3pm unless you use a polariser and
shoot broad scenics. The gum trees also emit a eucalypt vapour which
creates a blue haze, when viewed from a distance, which is why the Blue
Mountains are called Blue. The further south you go the less an issue this
is.

If it was me.

Day 1 Arrive Syd
Day 2 Packpackers tour to the Blue Mountains and an evening walk on top of
The Harbour Bridge, if time permits.
Day 3 Sunrise shot of Sydney Harbour, featuring Circular Key, then fly to
Launceston, Tasmania, in the afternoon, about a 2-3 hour flight.
Day 4 Hire a Campervan and head in an anticlockwise direction around
Tasmania, starting at Sheffield then Cradle Mountain, stay in Caravan Park.
Visit the Wilderness Photography Gallery, a must visit.
Day 5 Day Hike around Cradle Mountain, with a dawn shot at Dove Lake. Take
you winter woolies, it can snow.
Day 6 Drive to Strahan.
Day 7. Take an all day cruise up the Franklin River and/or a scenic flight
from Strahan over the Central Tasmanian Highlands, it will knock your socks
off. Weather permitting as the next landfall west of Tasmania is South
Africa.. it rains a lot, which is unusual for Australia as there has been a
bad drought on the mainland for some time. Both are a must do..
Day 8 Drive to Lake St Clair, if you have time take the ferry to Narcissus
Bay and back then onto Hobart. Stay at my friends Hotel, The Astor Private
Hotel.
Day 9 If it is a Saturday, attend the markets at Salamanca, near
Constitution Dock, a great place to buy presents for family you left behind.
Drive to Cockle Bay, the most southern road destination in Australia, and
stay in the National Park campgrounds .
Day 10 Walk to the south coast of Tasmania, Lion rock and back, about a 6
hour round trip. There are bushwalking campsites cut into the scrub in the
sand dunes if you want to do an overnight trip.
Day 11Travel to Port Arthur for the obligatory tourist visit to the penal
settlement, interesting views too.
Day 12 Drive to Coles Bay, Freycinet National Park
Day 13 Spend the day and walk over to Wine Glass Bay
Day 14 Back to Hobart or Launceston and fly back to the "Big Island", as the
Tasmanians say, say to Melbourne.
Day 15. Fly Home

At the end of that you will be thoroughly stuffed.

If time is short drop Cockle Bay or Port Arthur, I would drop Port Arthur, I
still haven't been there.

Want to see what it is all like...?

Visit my website. It was set up so I can share the wilderness with
others... this needs to be done.
--
Geoff Wise
http://www.wises.com.au
Images of places that are reached on foot.

"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote in
message ...
otzi wrote:

No bears here. And for some reason some one decided to give the passenger
a steering wheel to play with. You'll thus find many drivers dropping
out, directing, pointing, arguing and ignoring perfectly good maps.
Never the less one will find a spot or two to reflect upon only the
distances between them tend at times to be a hours or days apart.

From Sydney there is inland the Blue Mountains and further inland the
Riverina area offers some capital sights. Best considered by map.

If you are considering places further afield, in Victoria there sits the
Grampian Mts. pretty but populated. (maybe not by your standards.) And
in Sth. Australia the more photographic Flinders Ranges offers a good
look. Bit more remote (?) but offering more ancient rock formations.
This area requires days rather than hours. We tend not to have the grand
canyon vistas you may be accustomed to. We can offer unlimited flat
space though. Inland NSW just about affords the curvature of the earth
from the roof of your car. Then again you can get that anywhere with a
wide angle lens.

Car hire is essential but driving here is relatively simple. Fences are
put along both sides of the road to stop folk wandering too far off the
track. Can't go wrong really as being an island you'll eventually hit the
coast you then just follow it around.


Otzi, others,
I do plan on renting a car, but will also consider
flying the big distances. For example:
How long is the drive from Sydney to Melbourne, and if you
visited places in between, what would you visit and how
long would that add? The other option would be
to fly to Melbourne, get a car and tour the Victoria
and nearby regions. Here is a link to a site that
explains different routes,
http://www.smallguide.com.au/itin-sydmel.html
but which, in your opinions, are the most interesting
and photogenic places to see?

Roger



  #7  
Old October 14th 04, 01:18 PM
Mick Brown
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Ok this is going to tak a while to write:

Ok Sydney to Melbourne is around a 9 hour drive (1 1/4 hour flight, cheap
flights are available for as low as $90 Aus $65 US)

Now if you drive the 9 hour drive, there isnt a lot to see apart from the
main highway. But the Blue Mountains, North, Central & South Coast areas
are beautiful and all within 1 to 2 hours drive of Sydney. Sorry Otzi, but
I'm a but biased, I was born and bred in the Riverina and its boring as bat
**** LOL. Actually it has some stunning Canola fields at the moment (oh and
BTW, the D70 struggles with the mass of yellow) Obviously it goes without
saying that Sydneys Harbour is its jewel, and you will find plenty to shoot
around there, including plently of wildlife (even seen dolphins in the bay)

I wont go over the Queensland area as it was well covered by another poster.

Victoria (my home state):

North East of the State down to the Yarra Valley is mostly bushland, and
mountains very pretty.
Yarra Valley is one of Australias top wine areas.
As you come into the top of the populated areas of Melbourne you come into a
place called Healesville, well known for the Healesville Sactuary. Here you
will find a lot of Australias natural fauna in there own environment.
(Check the link under my name and you will find some shots from there).

This area is the start of "The Dandenongs" a mountain range that flanks the
North to East of Melbourne, here you should find plenty of Aussie wildlife
as well as Puffing Billy, a very old steam engine with open window carraiges
that runs regularly through the mountains.

Heading south of there takes you down to what we call the Mornington
Penninsula (sp). this is another area full of wineries and stunning views of
the south east coast of Victoria.

As you start to head back up towards Melbourne, dont forget to head to
Phillip Island, well known for the Motor cycle Grand Prix, but equally well
known for its natural residents that come out at night, the Fairy Penguins.
and I believe Seals as well.

Cutting across from there brings you through Melbourne, Melbourne is a very
pretty and clean city with plenty to shoot, lots of great restaurants and a
stunning city skyline at night.

As you head West from Melbourne, there is a multitude of hidden treasures in
Victoria, if you stick to the main Highways, you will see nothing, but head
along the "Great Ocean Road" and you will see some of the most stunning
coastline you will ever see, try to time your trip so that you get to Port
Campbell before Dusk, because if you manage to get shots of "The 12
Apostles" at the right time of the day, it will make your whole trip worth
it (once again, check the pics on my link, of the Apostles)

Directly north of there (about 2 hours) you will find "The Grampians" a
mountain range that juts out in the middle of nowhere, some stunning
opportunities there as well.

You will now head back towards Melbourne, you will pass so much on the way
including a small mountain called Mt Buangor, great wildlife and waterfalls
(waterfall shot in my pics) you will then pass through the Regional City of
Ballarat, here was the home of the infamous Eureka Stockade which was
basically a revolt by Gold miners back in the Gold Rush days, there is
plenty to see here, from a town fully recreated to represent those days, to
a show at night imitating the revolt itself. Just a little further on is a
full size castle called Kryal castle, they do full on sword fights and its
made up to be just like medeval times.

Now one place that I suggest that you go to mainly because of the time you
will be here is a little Arty town called Daylesford, normally a pretty
little place, but at the time you are here, it is our Autumn (Fall), this
place explodes with colour, and its a great little place to stay and relax
for a while, they have natural mineral spas and plenty of galleries and
stuff to look at. The food and cafe culture is alive there.

Thats all for Victoria (well if I put everything, this would be huge)

Tasmania

Tassie is about a 45 minute flight from Melbourne or if you like its an
overnight trip on the ferry (you can take the car) Flights can be as cheap
as $45 AUS, the ferry has specials at times for around $99 + $10 for the
car.

The ferry stops at a port town called Devenport, I could go on and on about
Tassie, it really is one of the most stunning places in the world but its
cooler than most other areas in Australia. Head west from Devenport takes
you to Burnie, a pretty little town, then head south to Queenstown from here
you cut across What is called Cradle Mountain, this is truly Gods Country,
stunning views, breathtaking. You can also check out The Great Lake which
is not tht far from there. Then you head South to the Capital of Tassie,
Hobart. You can kick on from here to places like Port Arthur, there really
is so much to see and shoot, I could never put it all in a post.

You need to then head diretly north to return to Devenport to get the Ferry
back to Melbourne. Make sure you stop in Launceston and check out yet
another stunning little Gem of a place.

All along the way you will see Heritage buildings that are nearly 200 years
old (Shene Stables on my site, is my friends place he purchased a couple of
years ago which he is renovating). And countryside will be Green and lush
and full of Autumn colours.

Now I have only briefly covered 3 states and as you can see it would take a
long time to cover everything, I dont know much about regional South
Australia, or even Western Australia. The Northern Territory is worth
seeing (Ularu (Ayers Rock) etc), but it is a few hours flight.

My email address is , drop me an email if you want any
more info, I travel all over Australia and am lucky enough to have seen most
of it.

Cheers


--
Michael Brown
Melbourne Australia
www.photo.net/photos/mlbrown




"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote in
message ...
otzi wrote:

No bears here. And for some reason some one decided to give the

passenger a
steering wheel to play with. You'll thus find many drivers dropping out,
directing, pointing, arguing and ignoring perfectly good maps. Never

the
less one will find a spot or two to reflect upon only the distances

between
them tend at times to be a hours or days apart.

From Sydney there is inland the Blue Mountains and further inland the
Riverina area offers some capital sights. Best considered by map.

If you are considering places further afield, in Victoria there sits the
Grampian Mts. pretty but populated. (maybe not by your standards.) And

in
Sth. Australia the more photographic Flinders Ranges offers a good look.

Bit
more remote (?) but offering more ancient rock formations. This area
requires days rather than hours. We tend not to have the grand canyon
vistas you may be accustomed to. We can offer unlimited flat space

though.
Inland NSW just about affords the curvature of the earth from the roof

of
your car. Then again you can get that anywhere with a wide angle lens.

Car hire is essential but driving here is relatively simple. Fences are

put
along both sides of the road to stop folk wandering too far off the

track.
Can't go wrong really as being an island you'll eventually hit the coast

you
then just follow it around.


Otzi, others,
I do plan on renting a car, but will also consider
flying the big distances. For example:
How long is the drive from Sydney to Melbourne, and if you
visited places in between, what would you visit and how
long would that add? The other option would be
to fly to Melbourne, get a car and tour the Victoria
and nearby regions. Here is a link to a site that
explains different routes,
http://www.smallguide.com.au/itin-sydmel.html
but which, in your opinions, are the most interesting
and photogenic places to see?

Roger



  #8  
Old October 14th 04, 04:00 PM
otzi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



"Mick Brown" wrote in message
...
Ok this is going to tak a while to write:

Ok Sydney to Melbourne is around a 9 hour drive (1 1/4 hour flight, cheap
flights are available for as low as $90 Aus $65 US)

Now if you drive the 9 hour drive, there isnt a lot to see apart from the
main highway. But the Blue Mountains, North, Central & South Coast areas
are beautiful and all within 1 to 2 hours drive of Sydney. Sorry Otzi, but
I'm a but biased, I was born and bred in the Riverina and its boring as
bat
**** LOL. Actually it has some stunning Canola fields at the moment (oh
and
BTW, the D70 struggles with the mass of yellow) Obviously it goes without
saying that Sydneys Harbour is its jewel, and you will find plenty to
shoot
around there, including plently of wildlife (even seen dolphins in the
bay)

I wont go over the Queensland area as it was well covered by another
poster.

Victoria (my home state):

North East of the State down to the Yarra Valley is mostly bushland, and
mountains very pretty.
Yarra Valley is one of Australias top wine areas.
As you come into the top of the populated areas of Melbourne you come into
a
place called Healesville, well known for the Healesville Sactuary. Here
you
will find a lot of Australias natural fauna in there own environment.
(Check the link under my name and you will find some shots from there).

This area is the start of "The Dandenongs" a mountain range that flanks
the
North to East of Melbourne, here you should find plenty of Aussie wildlife
as well as Puffing Billy, a very old steam engine with open window
carraiges
that runs regularly through the mountains.

Heading south of there takes you down to what we call the Mornington
Penninsula (sp). this is another area full of wineries and stunning views
of
the south east coast of Victoria.

As you start to head back up towards Melbourne, dont forget to head to
Phillip Island, well known for the Motor cycle Grand Prix, but equally
well
known for its natural residents that come out at night, the Fairy
Penguins.
and I believe Seals as well.

Cutting across from there brings you through Melbourne, Melbourne is a
very
pretty and clean city with plenty to shoot, lots of great restaurants and
a
stunning city skyline at night.

As you head West from Melbourne, there is a multitude of hidden treasures
in
Victoria, if you stick to the main Highways, you will see nothing, but
head
along the "Great Ocean Road" and you will see some of the most stunning
coastline you will ever see, try to time your trip so that you get to Port
Campbell before Dusk, because if you manage to get shots of "The 12
Apostles" at the right time of the day, it will make your whole trip worth
it (once again, check the pics on my link, of the Apostles)

Directly north of there (about 2 hours) you will find "The Grampians" a
mountain range that juts out in the middle of nowhere, some stunning
opportunities there as well.

You will now head back towards Melbourne, you will pass so much on the way
including a small mountain called Mt Buangor, great wildlife and
waterfalls
(waterfall shot in my pics) you will then pass through the Regional City
of
Ballarat, here was the home of the infamous Eureka Stockade which was
basically a revolt by Gold miners back in the Gold Rush days, there is
plenty to see here, from a town fully recreated to represent those days,
to
a show at night imitating the revolt itself. Just a little further on is
a
full size castle called Kryal castle, they do full on sword fights and its
made up to be just like medeval times.

Now one place that I suggest that you go to mainly because of the time you
will be here is a little Arty town called Daylesford, normally a pretty
little place, but at the time you are here, it is our Autumn (Fall), this
place explodes with colour, and its a great little place to stay and relax
for a while, they have natural mineral spas and plenty of galleries and
stuff to look at. The food and cafe culture is alive there.

Thats all for Victoria (well if I put everything, this would be huge)

Tasmania

Tassie is about a 45 minute flight from Melbourne or if you like its an
overnight trip on the ferry (you can take the car) Flights can be as
cheap
as $45 AUS, the ferry has specials at times for around $99 + $10 for the
car.

The ferry stops at a port town called Devenport, I could go on and on
about
Tassie, it really is one of the most stunning places in the world but its
cooler than most other areas in Australia. Head west from Devenport takes
you to Burnie, a pretty little town, then head south to Queenstown from
here
you cut across What is called Cradle Mountain, this is truly Gods Country,
stunning views, breathtaking. You can also check out The Great Lake which
is not tht far from there. Then you head South to the Capital of Tassie,
Hobart. You can kick on from here to places like Port Arthur, there
really
is so much to see and shoot, I could never put it all in a post.

You need to then head diretly north to return to Devenport to get the
Ferry
back to Melbourne. Make sure you stop in Launceston and check out yet
another stunning little Gem of a place.

All along the way you will see Heritage buildings that are nearly 200
years
old (Shene Stables on my site, is my friends place he purchased a couple
of
years ago which he is renovating). And countryside will be Green and lush
and full of Autumn colours.

Now I have only briefly covered 3 states and as you can see it would take
a
long time to cover everything, I dont know much about regional South
Australia, or even Western Australia. The Northern Territory is worth
seeing (Ularu (Ayers Rock) etc), but it is a few hours flight.

My email address is , drop me an email if you want any
more info, I travel all over Australia and am lucky enough to have seen
most
of it.

Cheers


--
Michael Brown
Melbourne Australia
www.photo.net/photos/mlbrown




I don't know, I some times think it's better to see less but see it well
against trying to take in the whole world and come back with exhaustion.
You haven't mentioned where your interests lay? What stuff do you like to
see/explore? You have been given some excellent leads. See if you can't
find some picture book in the library and pick some very Australian
locations to pursue. For example opal mining around Cooper Pedy or Coal
mining around Broken Hill. One can fly to these places and they are
different as are the locals of theses areas but there is a cost. Either in
time by car or $ by plane.

I may be on my own here but I tend to feel that one city is much like an
other and you may well feel that the Australian big ( by our standards)
cities won't be all that much different from your own. And our peoples are
not too dissimilar. Then YMMV. And although we may be a quaint regional
friendly blaa blaa type of place, how can I say this, hang on to your camera
bag, even in the lost spots of the inland.

We no longer offer much in large format facilities or services so restrict
your amusement to 35 or if you must 120. It's here just not easily accessed.
I trade style and comfort for film and petrol so fill us in a bit more about
your aims and aspirations and what $ level you are travelling at.

--
otzi.


  #9  
Old October 14th 04, 04:00 PM
otzi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



"Mick Brown" wrote in message
...
Ok this is going to tak a while to write:

Ok Sydney to Melbourne is around a 9 hour drive (1 1/4 hour flight, cheap
flights are available for as low as $90 Aus $65 US)

Now if you drive the 9 hour drive, there isnt a lot to see apart from the
main highway. But the Blue Mountains, North, Central & South Coast areas
are beautiful and all within 1 to 2 hours drive of Sydney. Sorry Otzi, but
I'm a but biased, I was born and bred in the Riverina and its boring as
bat
**** LOL. Actually it has some stunning Canola fields at the moment (oh
and
BTW, the D70 struggles with the mass of yellow) Obviously it goes without
saying that Sydneys Harbour is its jewel, and you will find plenty to
shoot
around there, including plently of wildlife (even seen dolphins in the
bay)

I wont go over the Queensland area as it was well covered by another
poster.

Victoria (my home state):

North East of the State down to the Yarra Valley is mostly bushland, and
mountains very pretty.
Yarra Valley is one of Australias top wine areas.
As you come into the top of the populated areas of Melbourne you come into
a
place called Healesville, well known for the Healesville Sactuary. Here
you
will find a lot of Australias natural fauna in there own environment.
(Check the link under my name and you will find some shots from there).

This area is the start of "The Dandenongs" a mountain range that flanks
the
North to East of Melbourne, here you should find plenty of Aussie wildlife
as well as Puffing Billy, a very old steam engine with open window
carraiges
that runs regularly through the mountains.

Heading south of there takes you down to what we call the Mornington
Penninsula (sp). this is another area full of wineries and stunning views
of
the south east coast of Victoria.

As you start to head back up towards Melbourne, dont forget to head to
Phillip Island, well known for the Motor cycle Grand Prix, but equally
well
known for its natural residents that come out at night, the Fairy
Penguins.
and I believe Seals as well.

Cutting across from there brings you through Melbourne, Melbourne is a
very
pretty and clean city with plenty to shoot, lots of great restaurants and
a
stunning city skyline at night.

As you head West from Melbourne, there is a multitude of hidden treasures
in
Victoria, if you stick to the main Highways, you will see nothing, but
head
along the "Great Ocean Road" and you will see some of the most stunning
coastline you will ever see, try to time your trip so that you get to Port
Campbell before Dusk, because if you manage to get shots of "The 12
Apostles" at the right time of the day, it will make your whole trip worth
it (once again, check the pics on my link, of the Apostles)

Directly north of there (about 2 hours) you will find "The Grampians" a
mountain range that juts out in the middle of nowhere, some stunning
opportunities there as well.

You will now head back towards Melbourne, you will pass so much on the way
including a small mountain called Mt Buangor, great wildlife and
waterfalls
(waterfall shot in my pics) you will then pass through the Regional City
of
Ballarat, here was the home of the infamous Eureka Stockade which was
basically a revolt by Gold miners back in the Gold Rush days, there is
plenty to see here, from a town fully recreated to represent those days,
to
a show at night imitating the revolt itself. Just a little further on is
a
full size castle called Kryal castle, they do full on sword fights and its
made up to be just like medeval times.

Now one place that I suggest that you go to mainly because of the time you
will be here is a little Arty town called Daylesford, normally a pretty
little place, but at the time you are here, it is our Autumn (Fall), this
place explodes with colour, and its a great little place to stay and relax
for a while, they have natural mineral spas and plenty of galleries and
stuff to look at. The food and cafe culture is alive there.

Thats all for Victoria (well if I put everything, this would be huge)

Tasmania

Tassie is about a 45 minute flight from Melbourne or if you like its an
overnight trip on the ferry (you can take the car) Flights can be as
cheap
as $45 AUS, the ferry has specials at times for around $99 + $10 for the
car.

The ferry stops at a port town called Devenport, I could go on and on
about
Tassie, it really is one of the most stunning places in the world but its
cooler than most other areas in Australia. Head west from Devenport takes
you to Burnie, a pretty little town, then head south to Queenstown from
here
you cut across What is called Cradle Mountain, this is truly Gods Country,
stunning views, breathtaking. You can also check out The Great Lake which
is not tht far from there. Then you head South to the Capital of Tassie,
Hobart. You can kick on from here to places like Port Arthur, there
really
is so much to see and shoot, I could never put it all in a post.

You need to then head diretly north to return to Devenport to get the
Ferry
back to Melbourne. Make sure you stop in Launceston and check out yet
another stunning little Gem of a place.

All along the way you will see Heritage buildings that are nearly 200
years
old (Shene Stables on my site, is my friends place he purchased a couple
of
years ago which he is renovating). And countryside will be Green and lush
and full of Autumn colours.

Now I have only briefly covered 3 states and as you can see it would take
a
long time to cover everything, I dont know much about regional South
Australia, or even Western Australia. The Northern Territory is worth
seeing (Ularu (Ayers Rock) etc), but it is a few hours flight.

My email address is , drop me an email if you want any
more info, I travel all over Australia and am lucky enough to have seen
most
of it.

Cheers


--
Michael Brown
Melbourne Australia
www.photo.net/photos/mlbrown




I don't know, I some times think it's better to see less but see it well
against trying to take in the whole world and come back with exhaustion.
You haven't mentioned where your interests lay? What stuff do you like to
see/explore? You have been given some excellent leads. See if you can't
find some picture book in the library and pick some very Australian
locations to pursue. For example opal mining around Cooper Pedy or Coal
mining around Broken Hill. One can fly to these places and they are
different as are the locals of theses areas but there is a cost. Either in
time by car or $ by plane.

I may be on my own here but I tend to feel that one city is much like an
other and you may well feel that the Australian big ( by our standards)
cities won't be all that much different from your own. And our peoples are
not too dissimilar. Then YMMV. And although we may be a quaint regional
friendly blaa blaa type of place, how can I say this, hang on to your camera
bag, even in the lost spots of the inland.

We no longer offer much in large format facilities or services so restrict
your amusement to 35 or if you must 120. It's here just not easily accessed.
I trade style and comfort for film and petrol so fill us in a bit more about
your aims and aspirations and what $ level you are travelling at.

--
otzi.


  #10  
Old October 15th 04, 02:23 AM
Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Wise's Wilderness wrote:
The issue for you is Australia is the world's largest island. Most of it is
desert. Most of the population lives within a couple of hundred kilometres
of the ocean. We only have 20 million people. What we call a mountain
range runs the lenght of the eastern side of Australia, 100 kilometres or so
inland, from there on it is basically flat, except for a few pockets in
South Aust, the Northern Territory and NW and SW Western Australia.

Much of the colours of the inland are reds, blues and browns. At that time
of the year it is Veeeery hot.

Two weeks will give you a snapshot, pun intended. You would need to spend 6
weeks because of the distances involved. We think nothing of driving for a
couple of hours to get somewhere.

My suggestion is fly between states, don't drive.


Geoff,
This is great! I've been to your website often. You have
wonderful images. In fact when I first decided on going
to Australia, your website was the first place I went
to start getting ideas.

I'm looking at around the end of March, beginning of April,
so the start of fall. And I have been thinking about
Tasmania too. I figure on limiting the excursions so I
can see one area better, and come back in the future to
visit another area. Do you have much in fall colors?

Discussions like these are what this newsgroup has been
so good at but lately been a little lacking--I was
thinking this newsgroup might be dying. This thread
shows there is still great life. Thanks, everyone,
for all the great suggestions, and keep them coming!

Roger

If you fly into Sydney visit Kent St, west of the Town Hall, there are
several Bushwalking stores, such at Mountain Designs, Paddy Pallins that
contain extensive books on bushwalking destinations around the nation, there
is also the Youth Hostel Association HQ and a packpackers, that are full of
day trip activities, such as canyoning, abseiling, bushwalking, site seeing
etc. These stores also have branches in the other capital cities

The point to consider in photographing our country in our Summer is the
harshness of light ie it is strong and washes out a lot of colour, forget
about photographing between 10am and 3pm unless you use a polariser and
shoot broad scenics. The gum trees also emit a eucalypt vapour which
creates a blue haze, when viewed from a distance, which is why the Blue
Mountains are called Blue. The further south you go the less an issue this
is.

If it was me.

Day 1 Arrive Syd
Day 2 Packpackers tour to the Blue Mountains and an evening walk on top of
The Harbour Bridge, if time permits.
Day 3 Sunrise shot of Sydney Harbour, featuring Circular Key, then fly to
Launceston, Tasmania, in the afternoon, about a 2-3 hour flight.
Day 4 Hire a Campervan and head in an anticlockwise direction around
Tasmania, starting at Sheffield then Cradle Mountain, stay in Caravan Park.
Visit the Wilderness Photography Gallery, a must visit.
Day 5 Day Hike around Cradle Mountain, with a dawn shot at Dove Lake. Take
you winter woolies, it can snow.
Day 6 Drive to Strahan.
Day 7. Take an all day cruise up the Franklin River and/or a scenic flight
from Strahan over the Central Tasmanian Highlands, it will knock your socks
off. Weather permitting as the next landfall west of Tasmania is South
Africa.. it rains a lot, which is unusual for Australia as there has been a
bad drought on the mainland for some time. Both are a must do..
Day 8 Drive to Lake St Clair, if you have time take the ferry to Narcissus
Bay and back then onto Hobart. Stay at my friends Hotel, The Astor Private
Hotel.
Day 9 If it is a Saturday, attend the markets at Salamanca, near
Constitution Dock, a great place to buy presents for family you left behind.
Drive to Cockle Bay, the most southern road destination in Australia, and
stay in the National Park campgrounds .
Day 10 Walk to the south coast of Tasmania, Lion rock and back, about a 6
hour round trip. There are bushwalking campsites cut into the scrub in the
sand dunes if you want to do an overnight trip.
Day 11Travel to Port Arthur for the obligatory tourist visit to the penal
settlement, interesting views too.
Day 12 Drive to Coles Bay, Freycinet National Park
Day 13 Spend the day and walk over to Wine Glass Bay
Day 14 Back to Hobart or Launceston and fly back to the "Big Island", as the
Tasmanians say, say to Melbourne.
Day 15. Fly Home

At the end of that you will be thoroughly stuffed.

If time is short drop Cockle Bay or Port Arthur, I would drop Port Arthur, I
still haven't been there.

Want to see what it is all like...?

Visit my website. It was set up so I can share the wilderness with
others... this needs to be done.


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
AA size NiMH batteries and Chargers for Australia John Wright Digital Photography 22 September 7th 04 10:15 PM
Photo Workshops/Trips in Australia Michael Slater General Photography Techniques 1 October 22nd 03 05:25 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:51 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 PhotoBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.