R2B2 was built by students of Warialda High School as an art project for the annual Honey Festival. Like R2D2, R2B2 is prone to bad language – they beeped out everything he said. The Wilcannia fish (Parntu in the Paakantyi language). Parntu is a significant creature in the lives of the Paakantyi people providing a … More Big Things of New South Wales

The Big Magnet at Magnetic Hill near Black Rock – a big local attraction. The Big Beetle (Opalised) at Coober Pedy The Big Shingleback/Sleepy Lizard/Bobtail depending on which state you are from. It sits atop the Visitor Centre at Roxby Downs. Abandoned by Dorothy years earlier, the Tinman now spends his time making a heartless … More Big Things of South Australia

Big Bees on the Eureka Tower at Southbank, Melbourne. This created quite a buzz when it was constructed. Another Big Bee at Beechworth Honey shop. We paid for all our honey, there were no freebees. Henri’s Bakery in Wodonga is home to the world’s biggest rolling pin – no knead to go any larger. The … More Big Things of Victoria

As we were in the home of Australian Country Music, we took a quick look around town. I enjoy most forms of music but there are two types that don’t always resonate well for me and they are Country ..and Western. The building above is the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame which is in … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 16 – New England in late Winter

A quick look around Cobar and then a 640km drive to Tamworth visiting a few towns new to us on the way. Cobar Sound Chapel is a sound installation artwork combining a sound space, architecture, art, poetry and nature. It was too early to get the key to see inside but a local dryly told … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 15 – Highways and By-ways

Silverton is west of Broken Hill towards the South Australian border. Silverton was a mining town in the 1880s before being overshadowed by Broken Hill and has become a regular filming locations for many movies including Mad Max 2, Razorback, Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Mission Impossible II. Dry creek bed at … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 14 – Barrier Highway eastbound

We have stayed in Broken Hill four times in the last 7 years and never visited Menindee Lakes as they were dry. Following the rains over summer, we went to see the full lakes fed by the Darling River. The road from Broken Hill is 112km through low range country with mulga and open plains … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 13 – Menindee Lakes

Port Augusta morning at Bird Lake with the Southern Flinders Ranges on the horizon. Wind farm south of Port Augusta Wind turbines and the Southern Flinders Ranges Horrocks Pass through the Southern Flinders Ranges Willowie Forest in Mount Remarkable National Park Galah in Willowie Forest Western grey kangaroos have a dark patch on the elbow … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 12 – Goyders Line

Today we did a run down the top end of the Eyre Peninsula to Whyalla, known as the “Steel City” due to its integrated steelworks and shipbuilding heritage. The port of Whyalla has been exporting iron ore since 1903. The Lincoln Highway from Port Augusta to Whyalla Point Lowly Lighthouse – another highlight of our … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 11 – Whyalla

It was tempting to go to the Bute place but we opted for Port Pirie. The alpaca forecast was accurate with cold wet conditions for most of the day. Port Pirie is an old town on Spencers Gulf founded in 1846. The main road lead us to this place – the Nyrstar Lead Smelter that … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 10 – Mambray Creek

Today a morning at Dhilba Guurunda – Innes NP then an afternoon cross country run north through the west coast and centre of the Yorke Peninsula. The northern end of Stenhouse bay has some dramatic rock formations. Stenhouse Bay jetty was where the gypsum from the Inneston mine was loaded on ships. An old Gypsum … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 9 – Yorke Peninsula

Today we took in the sights of the western end of Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. A different day entirely with blue skies all day. Today we could see Kangaroo Island in the distance across the Investigator Strait. The eastern beach from West Head – I call it Oxymoron Beach Pondalowie Bay from West Head The … More There and Back Again 2022 – Day 8 – Dhilba Guuranda – Innes National Park