Gold Digger

Walking through one of the National Parks that skirts my area that was, as is most of Bendigo, old gold diggings. We found flowers, mine shafts and historical areas.

Flowers

  Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/3200 sec

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Holes

  Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f8, 1/30 sec

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Ha Ha I scoff at your sign.

 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/60 sec

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Flinders Ranges Part III

On the first section of Sky Trek, as mentioned in Flinders Ranges Part II, all you really need is the ground clearance of a 4WD. That is until you start ascending the mountain range where you need a proper 4WD with low range to tackle as the terrain is very steep in places. Sky Trek is a 60km loop where you will find yourself using low range more often than not in the final 30km as you traverse up and down the ranges. In terms of scenery and some of the best 4WD driving the Flinders Ranges ranks right up there with some of the best 4WD destinations in the country and Sky Trek is the most famous of several private property tracks that will get you views and experiences you will not get in the National Park alone. From the top of Mount Caernarvon Trig Point you get the best perspective of the Flinders Ranges and an almost birds eye view of Wilpena Pound from this vantage point.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 220, 35mm f22, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/125 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/125 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/125 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 400, 35mm f22, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/200 sec

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Flinders Ranges Part II

Skytrek is a 4WD self drive tour on Willow Springs Station Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Willow Springs Station is located around 450km north of Adelaide, or just over 1000km from Bendigo Victoria. This trek takes approximately 6 hours and is an exhilarating 4WD experience that takes you up to Mount Caernarvon, at 921 Metres its the highest points of vehicle access in the Flinders Ranges. The track starts fairly sedately through huge Red River Gum lined creek beds, aboriginal etchings, groves of native pines and black oak and bluebush plains in the mountain valleys. There are plenty of historic points of interest along the way like windmills, mustering yards and an old shepherd's hut.

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/100 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f16, 1/0 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/200 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/320 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f16, 1/320 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f16, 1/200 sec

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Flinders Ranges Part I

The Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound are located in South Australia around 450km north of Adelaide, or just over 1000km from Bendigo Victoria. The first day here we went to see the ranges from Moralana Scenic Road. A 130km round trip from Hawker up the Wilpena (Binman) Rd to the Moralana track, an easy outback red dust track except for some creek crossings. It skirts along the South and West side of Wilpena Pound across to Barndioota (Parachilna) Rd where we circled back to Hawker.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f2, 1/3200 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/160 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/100 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/160 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f16, 1/160 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 220, 11mm f16, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f22, 1/125 sec

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Millewa Community Pioneer Park in Meringur

On the way to the Flinders Ranges we stopped at Meringur, a farming settlement to the west of Mildura. It is located at the end of the Red Cliffs-Meringur Road towards the South Australian border. Meringur has a population of 20 and the only business still operating is the Meringur Post Office. While in Meringur we visited the Millewa Pioneer Forest and Historical Village open air museum. The Pioneer Village which has many original buildings and artefacts from the Millewa pioneers. Well worth a trip to see. We found the original Werrimull Railway Station building where my Mum actually worked as the Station Mistress for a short time in 1955 when Dad was a Ganger on the Victorian Railways and he was based in Werrimull, a few Kms East of Meringur.

Shadows of the past . . . . 

 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 250, 16mm f16, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/60 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 220, 16mm f16, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 1600, 35mm f2.8, 1/60 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 1600, 11mm f5.6, 1/30 sec

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 Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 1600, 16mm f2.8, 1/60 sec

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Who? Whroo . . .

Whroo Historic Reserve is on 500 hectares near Rushworth in Victoria and contains the Whroo township an old gold mining ghost town in the Whroo goldfields. The town once had over 140 buildings and a cemetery on Spring Hill near the town site. The last resident of the town left in the early 1960s. Mine shafts dot the area and the Balaclava open cut mine has a mine tunnel running through Balaclava hill into its centre.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f16, 1/250 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 200, 35mm f2.8, 1/800 sec

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 Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2D @ ISO 1600, 35mm f2.8, 1/80 sec

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   Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 560, 11mm f8, 1/80 sec

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  Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 1600, 11mm f8, 1/40 sec

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   Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 320, 11mm f22, 1/80 sec

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   Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 280, 11mm f22, 1/80 sec

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Walking in Sydney on a Saturday

Looking west from Five Dock across Hen and Chicken Bay you can see the prominent landmark of the Bushells Head Office Concord. The factory was used for tea production from 1958 and later instant coffee making, now I believe only coffee continues to be produced at the Concord Factory.

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/320 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/400 sec

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Some puffy thing I found interesting while on our walk.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2 @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/250 sec

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Grass . . . . . . . . . .

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2 @ ISO 200, 35mm f2, 1/1600 sec

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Thai at the Rocks

Sailors Thai is one of Sydney's most delicious and authentic Thai restaurants.

A few cold Singha beers prepared us for a great lunch.

Thai food here is served in a style of authenticity with Thai herbs and spices that give complexity of flavours in the Thai tradition. Just enough heat in the chillies to lift all the dishes.

Sailors Thai is in George Street, The Rocks in Sydney is a classic 1864 Romanesque Revival style building. We had lunch in the relaxed, shared Canteen upstairs, featuring a long, gleaming zinc communal table.

Magnificently spicy and fragrant combinations made this meal a true Thai experience. 5 Stars *****

The Rocks weekend market every Friday, Saturday and Sunday where you can follow the cobblestone laneways where stalls offer a full range of unique and handmade products.

Interesting stalls with a wide range of 'stuff' and something different around each corner . . .

We also found the Hunter Valley is showcased at The Rocks Markets every Friday and Saturday.

Great Free entertainment as well, perfect to sip coffee and watch the world go by ;-}