Ningaloo Coast and Shark Bay – Nature’s Paradise

Our first destination on April Fools Day was Cape Peron National Park in Shark Bay, a World Heritage protected area renowned for protecting threatened animal species. Steve, our Coral Geographer master mariner expert, had given us a potted history of the first Western mariners to land on the Western Australian coast. The Portuguese, Dutch and … More Ningaloo Coast and Shark Bay – Nature’s Paradise

Wataweih, Welkam Tu Norf’k Ailen – Botanica tour

The first impression one gets of Norfolk Island, as the flight dips to land, is of all the pine trees. They stand like sentinels along the ridges and valleys like giant green protectors. These majestic trees were what inspired James Cook to recommend settlement on the island and even though they were unsuitable as ship … More Wataweih, Welkam Tu Norf’k Ailen – Botanica tour

Watawieh, Welkam tu Norf’k Ailen – history of settlement

Did you know that Norfolk Island has its own language? Watawieh yorlyl means ‘how are you all?’. Norfolk language is a mixture of old country English and 18th century Tahitian, St Kitt’s Creole and some words introduced by American whalers. It reflects Norfolk Island’s diverse history and inhabitation from early Polynesian to two separate convict … More Watawieh, Welkam tu Norf’k Ailen – history of settlement

Up the Birdsville Track from Marree to Kati Thanda and Kalamurina

Marree sits at the junction of the Oodnadatta and Birdsville tracks in some of the remotest parts of South Australia. It has always been an important trading juncture, especially after camels and their cameleers were brought from the Indian subcontinent to transport goods in the desert, hence the Ghan, the original railway running from Adelaide … More Up the Birdsville Track from Marree to Kati Thanda and Kalamurina

Arkaroola to Marree

The country around Arkaroola in the Vulkathunya – Gammon Ranges National Park is packed with ancient geology. The Adnyamanthanha called it ‘sick country’. It was University of Adelaide professor and explorer Douglas Mawson and Sir Mark Oliphant, the nuclear physicist who recognised the potential mineral importance of the area, including deposits of torbernite, a compound … More Arkaroola to Marree

Pluviophobia – a fear of rain at our Writers Retreat

I woke to the drumming sound of torrential rain on an iron roof at 1.30am. The sound pulsated, as the wind drove the sheets of rain against the window, loudly shushing back and forwards. Every now and then a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder disturbed the relentless sound of the water driving … More Pluviophobia – a fear of rain at our Writers Retreat