Australia Gallery

My first morning in Sydney was truly memorable. I awoke early, took a quick peek at a map, and headed out. I had no real destination in mind, but somehow I ended up in the Royal Botanic Gardens, gawping at the sight of cockatoos flying wild. In the distance, sparkling in the pinkish early morning light, was the Opera House. Of course, I'd seen it in photographs and on television, but seeing this icon of 20th century architecture for myself was something of a personal milestone. I vividly remember my thoughts as I got closer and walked up the steps: hmmm, it's smaller than I imagined.

As seen from Taronga, famous as the site for Sydney's zoo.

I had assumed that the Opera House would hold my attention, but I took far more pictures of the Harbour Bridge.

The lights were on every evening at the Luna Park amusement park, but none of the rides seemed to be working.

As seen from Kings Cross. The red streaks in the foreground are the lights of a CityRail train.

With both harbour and sea beaches, Manly has much to offer as a vacation spot. When you tire of lolling on the beach, Manly also boasts some marvellous coastal and harborside walks.

Small boats for hire at Manly.

Broken Hill is something of an oasis in the red-dirt outback of New South Wales. It had a reputation as a tough mining town, but is now probably known as much for its resident artists and art galleries. There is still plenty of evidence of the town's association with the mining industry, from huge slag heaps to street names like Uranium, Radium, Beryl, Cobalt, Chloride, Iodide, Oxide, Sulphide, and Kaolin. Where there are miners, there will be pubs, and where there are pubs, there will be people telling you not to drink. Hence, there are several churches in Broken Hill.

14 vibrant murals adorn the walls of Broken Hill's Community Centre, created by artist Geoff DeMain to depict the work of volunteers in the community.

Holden produced the first all-Australian motor car in 1948, beginning a brand that has become a favorite in the hearts of many Australians.

This giant sculpture is by noted Broken Hill artist Pro Hart, symbolising the many workers of the mining industry.

I just love the notion of 'Liquor Essentials'. And who knew that hats were such an essential part of having a drink?

As might be expected in a mining town, there are a lot of pubs in Broken Hill.

Silverton was once a thriving town servicing the local silver mines. Now, it has just a handful of full-time residents. Several buildings remain, but the atmosphere is a little eerie. More recent years have seen Silverton and its environs emerge as locations for several movies, including A Town Like Alice, Mad Max 2, Razorback, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

These donkeys were roaming freely around Silverton. Inquisitive but wary, they never came close enough to touch.

Outback scenery from an abandoned house.

Silverton and neighboring Broken Hill are home to several noted artists, as evidenced by this beautifully painted car. What a remarkable thing to come across in the middle of a ghost town.

The landscape immediately beyond Silverton is bleak and desolate, but hauntingly beautiful.

Victor Harbor was once a major whaling town, but now people come to watch southern right and humpback whales frolicking offshore. It's a charming little town with some lovely walks, and the surrounding countryside is some of the most beautiful I have seen.

The town of Victor Harbor is protected from the sometimes savage Southern Ocean by a huge granite island called, rather prosaically, Granite Island. The island is famously home to colonies of fairy penguins. A Clydesdale-powered tram shuttles visitors over the causeway. Or you can just walk.

I have seen sunsets on five continents, but this one beat them all.

Seagull on Granite Island.

On the right is the Shrine of Remembrance, set in a beautiful park which includes the Royal Botanic Gardens.

I wasn't as enchanted with Melbourne as I had expected. I sensed something of a 'second city' inferiority complex: trying hard but never coming close to the many charms of Sydney.

This sea of flowers had been left on the steps of the Town Hall to remember those who had died in the tragic Bali bombings of 2002. Collective grief following an unforgivably evil act perpetrated on an island of unsurpassed beauty. The note in the foreground reads: To all the victims of the Bali bombings, their families and friends, Our hearts go out to you all during this tragic time. May all their spirits never die.

I really enjoyed my time in Brisbane. It's a nice small city with a relaxed cosmopolitan air. The riverside parks are great for walking, and there are plenty of eclectic cafes for those times when sitting is required. Why are there brightly painted cows in front of the City Hall? The ground floor of the building also houses the Brisbane City Gallery.

On the far side are the South Bank Parklands, complete with a remarkable artificial beach, mini rainforest, and even a Nepalese temple.