Surf Beach with Cape Byron - Australia's easternmost point - in the background, Brunswick Heads, New South Wales |
The FAAAAAABULOUS colours of OZ make
the life of a downunder blogging, photographing, writing traveller
with a penchant for bakeries REALLY easy …
Getting a good pic from right in front
of a spectacularly AWESOME panorama, a weird and wacky BIG Thing or a
KILLER sunset is what's called, in the technical photographic
terminology used by us amateurs, a SURE THING.
It's SO easy, in fact, that worrying
about my eventual exposure as a photographic fraud just makes me
break out in capitals all over!
So when the wonderful Lindaof Journey Jottings tagged me to enter this year's Capture
the Colour competition sponsored by TravelSupermarket, my heart sank momentarily. Because not only am
I a loud & proud photographic AMATEUR, the impact
of my photos very much relies on the stories I tell about them.
Just FIVE photos? In Red, Blue,
Yellow, Green and White?? That STAND
ALONE???
Yeah … I can do that! Kind of!! Let
me show you my FIVE colours of OZ as captured in FIVE very different
Australian towns!!! Towns I haven't before shown you!!
BUT … because I struggle with brevity
AND I've got a snowball's chance in hell of winning anyway, I've
backed up each town with another photo to help show its true colours!
RED … Marree, South Australia
RED ENTRY: Tom Kruse's 'Back of Beyond' Mail Truck, Marree, Outback South Australia |
These days, thanks to roads now mostly sealed in recent times, this little outpost on the edge of the remote South Australian Outback is less than a day's drive – 685 km – from Adelaide.
But that wasn't always the case. Once
the rail head for the Ghan railway, then an important link on the now
defunct rail route to Alice Springs, but only accessible over a LOT
of gravel, like in this photo, Marree was once considered WAY beyond
the Back of Beyond!
Marree Landscape, Outback South Australia |
The truck now rests at the old rail
yards across from the Marree Hotel – which ironically offers scenic
plane and helicopter flights! And why not? You wouldn't want to miss
Lake Eyre
and Marree Man
now, would you?!
BLUE … Brunswick Heads, New South
Wales
An ecstatically happy combination of
beaches, river, cafés,
historic buildings, markets, shops, restaurants and other good stuff,
Brunswick Heads is often (unaccountably) bypassed in favour of its
bigger and WAY more brash neighbour Byron Bay, just down the coast
from the Queensland/New South Wales Border.
And did I mention the bakery?
BLUE ENTRY: Brunswick River at Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, Australia |
A vibrant community set amidst some of the most beautiful scenery in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, whether you're a surfie, fisherperson, yuppie, grey nomad, tourist, trendy, backpacker, retiree or hippy there's always something interesting to do at Brunswick Heads! And I'm not just talking about the bakery … although that's SO fine, it's worthy of visiting in its own right!!
Surrounded by the sea (see 1st photo), the Brunswick
river, and the hinterland behind, it's hard to imagine Brunswick
Heads featuring any colour but BLUE!
Sigh … I'm going to stop writing
about it RIGHT NOW, so I can save it ALL for myself ...
MORE about Brunswick
Heads
A thirsty traveller on the Windorah Sand Dunes (see below) ... Outback Queensland |
YELLOW … Windorah, Queensland
Actually, small town Windorah, a great
base from which to explore the Barcoo shire, is better known for its
RED! SO red they hurt the eyes (see above), the incredibly photogenic local sand
dunes just west of the township within cooee of the well known
Coopers Creek are a tourist attraction in their own right.
BUT despite that – or maybe because
of it – I couldn't help noticing this YELLOW Backhoe (? can anyone
enlighten me??) just off the highway in a Windorah backyard.
YELLOW ENTRY: My Heart Belongs to Daddy! Windorah Backyard, Outback Queensland |
Actually, the matching toy backhoe right next to it is really what caught my eye …
And while yellow is an aberration in
this Outback Queensland town dominated by the strong reds, greens and
blues that typify the region in a good year, it's a story in the
making!
I wonder what the toy-owner will become
when she or he grows up?!
MORE about Windorah
and Coopers
Creek
GREEN … Shepparton, Victoria
GREEN ENTRY: MOOOOVING Art project exhibit on the streets of Shepparton, Victoria |
Nothing says 'Shepparton' or 'Goulburn Valley Food Bowl' better than an individually decorated life-size fibreglass cow – part of the MOOOOVING Art project – right??
Well, this one DOES have a GREEN
agricultural bent …
For several generations of Aussies
raised on Goulburn Valley products, the large regional town of
Shepparton is worth a visit. And not just for the factory outlets
such as Campbells and SPC Ardmona either!
Early morning at Lake Victoria, Shepparton, Victoria |
Check out its natural attractions,
wineries and walking trails, restaurants and – yes – bakeries,
including the award winning slices of Tatura! But for my money, a
morning walk around Lake Victoria is hard to beat – and it's also
GREEN!
MORE about Shepparton
WHITE … Carnarvon, Western
Australia
Carnarvon will always be remembered as
the town where Pilchard & I first spotted Laughing Dove (Streptopelia
senegalensis) – an interloper native to Sub-Saharan
Africa, but on the official Australian Bird List nonetheless. We
take our 'Lifers' where we find them …
WHITE ENTRY: The multicultural Laughing Dove, an emigrant from Africa to Carnarvon, Western Australia |
And celebrate with copious quantities of chocolate coated frozen banana and mango – just two of the fabulous treats on offer from this Western Australian food growing region on the banks of the Gascoyne, 900 km north of Perth. Just check out the plantation produce stalls and the Gascoyne Growers Market if you don't believe me …
Then check out the Heritage Precinct
with One Mile Jetty and the Tramway (check out that WHITE fence!) to
really get a feel for this beautiful town! And, like me, plan a
return trip to finish off the bits you missed …
Tramway Bridge, Historic Precinct, Carnarvon, Western Australia |
MORE about Carnarvon
And now I've shown my true colours, I
get to pay forward my pain by tagging 5 more blogger victims (aka
'participants') for THEIR version of Capture the Colour! Here they
are:
- diane b at Adventure Before Dementia
- kathswinbourne at Photos and Stories about Life and Travel in Australia
- Go Camping Family at Go Camping Australia Blog
- Jill at Life Images by Jill
- Filip & Kristel at Travels – Ballroom Dancing – Amusement Parks
Want MORE??? Visit the TravelSupermarket Competition site, use Twitter hashtag #CTC13
or check out other competition entries from links above for some
amazing images.
Why Red ~
ReplyDeleteYou didn't disappoint with your wonderful selection of photographs Capturing the Colour of Oz country towns -
I have to say I love the green cow superimposed with the scarecrow that makes use of the legs :)
Not sure whether a Mooooing piece of art is more in keeping?
I am quite surprised in this post that some of your land n beach photos remind me of life here and the bushes n trees, beaches n surf and also inland photos remind me of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Is that Pilchard on the sand being thirsty n all. he,he I very much enjoyed this post as it reminded me of home Red. Great job and as usual great photos. Take care, Eh :)
ReplyDeleteOh no. Not those damn Shepparton cows again. Not your fault. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteLovely collection of photos and their colours.
ReplyDeleteShepparton's Lake Victoria, great to see it has water in it once again....was not long ago and all the water was but gone, the revamp is good or the swamp.
Love the cow, never did see that!
Good luck with your competition.
I hope you rescued that poor guy in the Red sand.
ReplyDeleteThe Marree Man is an interesting mystery I never heard about when I was in the area, and I love the little yellow bulldozer!
ReplyDeleteBack of Beyond is an interesting documentary to watch after seeing the landscape around Marree from the airconditioned comfort of a car. It might well be a story from another planet.
A very interesting post, Red. [Someone really should have told that thirsty man to never leave his car.]
Really great entries Red, I particularly like that cleverly painted cow in Shepparton. I've been there, but it was a quick shopping trip and I really don't remember it.
ReplyDeleteI liked the green entry very much. Nicely themed shots.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo's have you made...it's a interesing post.
ReplyDeleteWish you a nice week.
Greetings, Joop
thanks for your comment on my blog.
Have you seen already my other second blog...you are welcome.
http://joopzandfotografie.blogspot.nl
the laughing dove was great to see; I'd not even heard of it before; well done you two for finding it AND getting a photo to prove it! I love the Windorah red sands too
ReplyDeleteGreat choices for your photo hunt. The shot of the guy in the red sand is awesome. I love the cow and the dove. Great post, Red! Have a happy week ahead!
ReplyDeleteI love the white entry! So subtle. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteAwesome Red, and I'm so glad you suffer from a lack of brevity :) Although I loved your photos (and I have fallen in love with Brunswick Heads - I think I'd like to go and live there from your summary of it) your stories around the photos were the magical bit for me :) Glad you took the time to take up the challenge. My fave pic was the laughing dove, and reminded me of our time in Africa.
ReplyDeleteAm I happy to say: I was in Marree :-) And "rode" the Birdsville track, oh it can be chaos over there! So sad I can´t visit Tom Kruse Gallery!
ReplyDeleteI have sadly not been in Brunswick Heads, though... Will have to wait till I retire! ;-)
And you know something? Since I moved to Braunschweig blue stuff haunts me! May it be a carpet, a car, the last pair of shoes... blue it is when I cannot choose!
Quite honestly I think it´s also a bit sad those gravel roads get bitumened (is that a word, bitumened?).
I loved the gravel roads, I loved the grids, I loved all those cows roaming free (yes, I was a traveller for fun, I know!).
Windorah :-) Sweet memories! Carnarvon, the big dish, ohhhh... I´m "homesick" now! All in all we spent I guess at least 8 weeks in Carnarvon. Luckily Ingo never - but once - caught an ediable fish on the old prawn jetty, so Chicken Treat was my best friend, food wise!
And... we have nothing like Chicken Treat over here! No Hawaiian Pack in 7 years!!!
Awww, sweet and yummy memories (and yes, only some weeks to go to Jerky, Pie and Chicken Treat!)
Am off to check out the other blogs :-) Yay for traveling!
Love your color theme and your nomination of other bloggers to post their photos. You always manage to expand my horizons. That truck just cries out for a restoration, it is great looking. The red sand photo was funny as well as being visually striking. Thank you for your visit and comments on my blog.
ReplyDeleteWhile I enjoyed your five 'official' entries very much, I enjoyed the supplementary photos and 'stories' even more.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! Both words and pics! Hard to choose a favourite...they are all so very different...but probably the last because of the interesting composition. BTW...speaking of colours... I have an ORANGE weekly challenge if you are interested:)
ReplyDeleteps. just read your profile...and realise we have "met" before:))
ReplyDeleteRed, you are one of the best advocates for Australia I have ever come across! Your stunning photos and brilliant, friendly "banter" is appealing to tourists and Aussies alike!
ReplyDeleteI really want to visit Brunswick Heads now.
And, oh for a chocolate covered frozen banana in Carnarvon! Bliss - and summer is coming.
Awesome!!
Magnifiques photos! superbes paysages et aventures!
ReplyDeleteTrès joli post! je découvre ton blog que je trouve très intéressant, je reviendrai bien sûr, je me suis inscrite pour le suivre et je t'invite à venir me voir sur les miens à l'occasion, n'hésite pas, j'aurai le plaisir de te lire! Merci encore!
Cath.
Have a good day !
http://weekendabstrait.blogspot.fr/
http://voyagesetabstraits.blogspot.fr/
Wheee! I really liked that red truck--it looks like something my grandfather would have driven. But I'm afraid that the button eyes of that scarecrow in the green picture are following me....
ReplyDeleteyou have done well representing the colours of Australia RED - and I wouldn't say you were an amateur at all - you have to know what you are doing to capture great pics. Happy travels.
ReplyDeleteWow! These pictures are really gorgeous... I had just read about Short Breaks - The Shires when I came upon your blog... Lovely, lovely images... Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWow! These pictures are gorgeous... I had just read about Short Breaks - The Shires when I came upon your blog. Lovely, lovely images... Thank you!
ReplyDelete