Finding Nemo

If you come to far north Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, it helps to bring big wads of cash, because so many of the activities are very expensive. It is also reasonably hard to sift through what's available and decide what's best for you. There is no official tourist information bureau north of Cairns to help get unbiased information, so you are at the mercy of word-of-mouth and the overtures of the commercial operators.

We chose a day trip on the Reef to the Low Islands. Many of the reef trips are for keen snorkellers and divers. Our group had one enthusiastic snorkeller (me), one non-snorkeller and one keen to gove it a go. The trip we chose turned out to be perfect for all of us.

And yes, we snorkellers saw all of the critters above, which are - top left "Nemo" - a clown anenome fish, top right - sea turtle, bottom left - giant clam, bottom right - Regl Angel Fish. My favourite was the angel fish - we saw some very large ones in a large group, all hungrily feeding amongst the coral. I also have to confess that I did NOT take these photos - they were available on a CD. I didn't have an underwater camera (but they can be hired at a pretty high cost).

Below: The coral island we visited.

Spot the croc

The boys did a cruise along Trinity Inlet and a tour of Australia's largest crocodile farm. Mainly the crocs are farmed for their skins (they have contracts with companies like Louis Vuitton). They are fed chickens, and many of the crocs which are sold for meat end up on local restaurant plates, and as the classic saying goes "taste like chicken".

This is a croc along the bank of the inlet in its natural habitat, a saltwater estuarine, not from the farm.


Its mouth is open because that is how they keep cool, by expelling hot air.

Donna

The story of Donna from a plaque underneath:

Donna, friend and constant companion to John Hogan of Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia was born on the 14th February, 1975. At the time of her death, on 6th May 1995, she was recognised in the Guinness Book of Records as the World's Longest Living Hearing Guide Dog.

Donna travelled extensively on trains throughout NSW and John affectionately remembers her first journey from Sydney to Murwillumbah in 1985. "During the 14 hour trip, Donna was well behaved and waited until Casino where she left a very large puddle on the grass behind the station."

This memorial also recognises the love and companionship that all Guide Dogs for the Visually and Hearing Impaired give their owners.

It has been provided by the State Government of New South Wales with assistance by City Rail and the Department of Public Works and Services.

Unveiled by Hon Brian Langton, MP, Minister for Transport and MInister for Tourism on 10 May 1996.

Sculptor Ian Shaw.

Peacock, Auburn

I met this fellow outside the Auburn Botanic Gardens.

Bread and Circuses

The circus has been in my suburb, at one of my local parks. It's been winter school holidays and families were flocking there on Sunday morning when I was out and about. Christians and Lions - that's what was keeping Sydney interested this week, and having both arrived together, it's time for both to depart as school goes back for third term.

I do like circuses - ones without animals, like Cirque du Soleil, or Circus Oz - and would never go to this one. My mother refused to take me to the Moscow Circus when it toured in the 1960s, because of the treatment of bears. I whinged to her for ages, but she patiently explained her position, and stayed resolute. I guess her values stuck with me. These lions in that small cage make me feel quite sad.

What do you think about the circus? Do you go?

Spiderweb, Nun's Beach

As seen on a walk I did on my short holiday down the South Coast. It was on the rocks of the headland directly under where the road "Cooks Crescent" ends.

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Spider threatens city!

A spider in the bush looks like it's hanging over this apartment block!

Bennett's Wallaby

Freycinet National Park, Tasmania. Yes, it allowed me to get this close. This is not on zoom, or cropped.

Macropus rufogriseus - known as the red-necked wallaby on mainland Australia. It is one of Tasmania's most commonly seen native animals and is abundant throughout the state. They can be distinguished by their black nose and paws, and white stripe on the upper lip.

According to Wikipedia, "there is a small colony of Red-necked Wallabies on the island of Inchconnachan in Loch Lomond in Scotland. This was founded in 1975 with two pairs taken from Whipsnade Zoo, and had risen to 26 individuals by 1993. There were at one time small colonies in England, in the Peak District and in Ashdown Forest. These are now believed to be locally extinct, though unconfirmed sightings are still reported from time to time."

What is the difference between a wallaby and a kangaroo? Size is pretty much it - it's a name goven to macropods which are smaller than kangaroos but haven't been given another name.

Curious horse, Windsor

I stopped to take a photo, but beat a hasty retreat as this horse came close. Not because I was scared but because NSW has had an outbreak of equine influenza, which has completely stopped race meetings in NSW and Queensland, and caused a ban on the transport of all horses. i didn't want the horse owner to start razzing me for being close to the horses...the influenza is amazingly easy to transmit between horses by anyone who has been close. (I know these aren't race horses!) .