Aboriginal Rock Art of the Burrup Peninsula

Posted June 27, 2010 By admin and has 6 comments.

 

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The Burrup Peninsula, about two thirds of the way up the enormous Western Australian coastline, is home to the world’s most extensive concentration of rock art, yet is relatively unknown.  Although there has never been a full inventory of the petroglyphs in the region, bodies such as the National Trust of Australia (WA) suggest that there could be up to 1 million individual works.  I am astounded that a place of such cultural significance is not World Heritage listed.  But read on, and you will learn why.

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Categories: Aboriginal Rock Art, Western Australia

Partial Lunar Eclipse – 26 June 2010 – Observed from Alice Springs NT, Australia

By admin and has 7 comments.

We admired the beautiful full moon in the early evening of 26 June 2010, but had no idea that there was to be a partial lunar eclipse, until we received a phone-call from my father in Canberra suggesting we have a look into the night sky.  A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth’s shadow blocks the sun’s rays from striking all or, in the case of a partial eclipse, some of the moon.  As it can only occur when the sun, earth and moon are in full alignment (or close to it), a lunar eclipse only occurs during the full moon.  Around half of the moon was to be in shadow during this eclipse. 

Unfortunately, we missed the start of the partial eclipse, and the first couple of hand-held photos are somewhat blurred.  Once the tripod was set up the photos improved.  I took the first photo at 8.06 PM Australian Central Standard Time (8.36PM Aust Eastern Standard Time) and took the final one of the series at 10.36PM ACST, by which time I was just about frozen solid.

Thanks Mum and Dad for the call!

Partial lunar eclipse seen from Alice Springs, 26 June 2010, 8.06PM Australian Central Standard Time

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Categories: Northern Territory, Travel Blogs

Recent photos – June 2010

Posted June 22, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

Butterfly on Melaleuca blossom, Stuart Hwy, Alice Springs

Here are some (mostly) recent photos.  Where appropriate I’ve added them to other galleries on the site.  Hope you enjoy them!

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Categories: Australian Wildlife, Northern Territory, Scenery

Kookaburras, Kingfishers and Bee-eaters

Posted June 20, 2010 By admin

Laughing Kookaburra, Big Brook campsite, near Pemberton WA

THE LAUGHING KOOKABURRA

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Merry, merry king of the bush is he,
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra,
Gay your life must be!

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Categories: Birds

Finke Desert Race 2010

Posted June 14, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

Car no 70, going for broke close to the finish

Alice Springs comes alive during the cooler winter months, and the annual Finke Desert Race is one of its many attractions.  It is a gruelling event, stretching some 229km from Alice Springs to Apatula Community on the Sunday, then returning to Alice on the Monday of the June long weekend.  The race crosses the Finke River, believed to be the oldest river in the world.  To travel this track at a cautious pace in a 4WD is challenging enough, but to race across it at breakneck speed is mindboggling.  This year the number of motorcycle entrants was limited to 500.  This surprised me, because I thought you’d have trouble finding 100 suicidal maniacs to enter the event, let alone 500!  Seventy or so 4-wheeled entrants also entered the event.  I hesitate to call them cars, as they resembled something you’d more likely see in a Mad Max movie.

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Categories: Northern Territory, Travel Blogs

Woodswallows

Posted June 13, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

A pair of Black Faced Woodswallows - a tender moment!

The Woodswallows are not particularly well known birds, even though they are widespread across Australia.  They are skillful fliers, catching their insect prey on the wing. In the case of the Little Woodswallow, they are often seen soaring high above mountaintops or rocky outcrops to feed.  Many times during our travels they have been companions to us, of sorts, as we have taken in the view after a strenuous climb, and notice these little birds zooming around nearby.  Their clever aerobatics seem almost mocking of our clumsy, earthbound ways.

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Categories: Birds

Channel-Billed Cuckoo

Posted June 1, 2010 By admin and has 8 comments.

The fledgling Channel-Billed Cuckoo grows excited as its Crow 'parent' flies in to feed it.

Nirbeeja grew up on a ginger and produce farm in Buderim, in south-eastern Queensland.  It was an idyllic existence, in a beautiful part of our country before the area was over-developed.  During the stormy summer months she would often hear an unusual bird call, and was informed by her father that it was made by the Storm Bird, and heralded the coming rains.  She often heard the call but doesn’t recall seeing the bird.

She was therefore very excited to hear the same call here in Alice Springs, during our stormy weather last summer.  She was even more excited to see the bird making the call. At last!  After much consulting of our bird-books, she decided that the so-called Storm Bird was none other than the Channel-Billed Cuckoo.  Interestingly, the local Aboriginal people say that when the Channel-Billed Cuckoo is seen in this area, it means big rains are coming.  And they are right, for the Todd River has flowed three times this year after consistent heavy falls.

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Categories: Birds