Nudgee Beach Photography Session

“You don't take a photograph, you make it.”

It pays to visit the same place a couple of times.  It might be because the light didn't play ball on your first visit, or it was pouring rain when you arrived and it also pays to visit the same place in different seasons.  You see, the sun rises and sets in a different place every day.  So, the difference between shooting in summer and winter can be quite dramatic due to just the location of the rising or setting sun.

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” 

And, so it was the case when I visited Nudgee Beach a this morning.  The two previous occasions that I had visited this location was in the winter months, when the sun rises a lot further to the north.  Now after visiting in the summer, I would say that the winter months definitely have an advantage just because of the position of the sun.

Now, it wasn't the best of conditions, with patches of heavy cloud around, but as the minutes ticked by the clouds where moving on.

What surprised me on my arrival was that I had been beaten to the location by another photographer.

“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.” 

I set up my  tripod and camera in the best position I could find allowing for the position of the rising sun and the couple of mangroves that I wanted to be the main focal point of my compositions.  I also set my GoPro up to grab a little time lapse sequence of sunrise.

“A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you.” 

There wasn't a whole lot happening, so I wandered around a little while the setting moon was still casting a bit of light.  I found a couple of big blue jelly fish, but the one thing that really caught my eye was the ripples and patterns in the sand peeking out from the perfectly still water.  It was amazing just how much light that the moon was casting on the scene. Finally, a little bit of colour did manage to make the clouds light up a little, and I was joined by a couple of horses and their trainers going for a run along the sand flats and having a swim.

“The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.”

Day Trip To Currumbin Rock Pools Gold Coast

Out of bed and on the highway then a picturesque, relaxing drive through the dense, green Currumbin Valley, where we enjoyed a good early morning swim at the Currumbin rock pools on the Gold Coast.   The Currumbin rock pools are a very popular place and family favourite during summer, but with the Gold Coast’s temperate climate, the rock pools make an exciting and pleasurable day out every day of the year. The bonus for us was we were the only ones there. 

At the west end of the Rock Pools, the pools themselves are surrounded by big, level boulders to create an ideal deck to catch some of the sun’s rays! A huge range of flat, gently sloping rocks provides an ideal playground for kids to adventure around.

Everyone will simply enjoy the spa-like mini water rapids, where creek water bubbles happily over smooth rock faces. With its crystal-clear mountain spring water, the deeper parts of the eastern end make for a great swimming lagoon and an ideal spot for a swim in Gold Coast’s warmer months of the year. There are also a few popular launching points that locals used to jump off the tops of the rocks into the deep clear waters below.

The Currumbin rock pools are also a great place for a relaxing picnic lunch, boasting several sheltered picnic tables, which have been placed strategically to take advantage of the tall shady gum trees and towering pines. The large, grassy areas next to the Currumbin rock pools make for a perfect space for a family game of cricket or a place for the kids to simply around run around.

We then jumped back in the ute and headed back to Currumbin Spit. It’s a dog’s life at Palm Beach Spit. (Known also as Currumbin Spit)

Shari (our pup) loves this place, plus it’s a dog owner’s paradise for exercising your dog, just follow the councils signage and you and your pooch have a great time. Much of the area is geared for them. Walk them, let them run or perhaps have a dip in the lagoon in the designated area. It’s a great Gold Coast walk for you and a Gold Coast exercise area for your dog.

“Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”

Exploring McKinlay Walkabout Creek Outback Queensland Australia

The Walkabout Creek Hotel, is in Middleton Street, (Landsborough Highway) McKinlay QLD. It was once the Shire Hall. The Hotel was originally known as the Federal Hotel. It was built in 1900 and licensed in 1901. Up until the time that the Crododile Dundee movie was filmed there, the pub was known as the Federal McKinlay Hotel. The new owners have maintained the rustic feel and atmosphere of the hotel and it is now a tourist attraction. The Walkabout Creek Hotel, as it was renamed, is famous for being the pub in the Paul Hogan movie "Crocodile Dundee". 

The pub and other buildings in the town of McKinlay featured in the iconic Australian movie Crocodile Dundee. If you like the outback and want to drink a pot of beer at the same bar as Paul Hogan, and if you enjoy a bit of history, then head to the pub that has it all. The Walkabout Creek Hotel, a great outback pub, has plenty of history on show, with parts of the original sets still located within the pub. Anybody who saw the movie Crocodile Dundee will enjoy the experience of visiting the pub. There is lots of memorabilia on the walls, and as you'll see in some of the photos in this article, the walls are plastered with interesting tidbits. This lovely outback pub has a lot of interesting history to share, especially regarding the movie Crocodile Dundee.

Head to outback Queensland, and get to know the Walkabout Creek Hotel, famous for being featured in the Crocodile Dundee movie, which was an Australian blockbuster movie in 1986. The Federal Hotel was a pub full of charm and nostalgia, which made the pub and the town the perfect location for the iconic Australian movie. The new owners Debbie and Frank Wust have maintained the rustic feel and atmosphere of the hotel. It is a popular tourist attraction that hosts many travellers. Debbie and Frank maintained the rough and tumble feel of the original hotel, and they are committed to promoting the hotel as the town's one big tourist attraction. It is a combination of the outback and sophisticated. Come for the lure of the movie back drop, enjoy a cold beer or even stay the night.

The Walkabout Creek Hotel has 18 single rooms and a caravan park which provides 30 powered and unpowered sites, plus two residential houses. Everything is there for an enjoyable stay. Air conditioning in the rooms, delicious pub meals and ice cold beer. Try a famous Dundee Burger at the Hotel and remember to check out the toilet doors.

About McKinley / McKinlay History

McKinlay was established in 1888 as a staging post for the Cobb and Co. coaches. It also became a gathering point for the graziers from the surrounding properties. It is located 1,595 km north west of Brisbane, 228 km South East of Mount Isa and 108 km South East of Cloncurry. According to the ABS census, the population in 2011 was 417. McKinlay is in the remote North West of Queensland. McKinlay town is in the McKinlay Shire local government area. It is on the Landsborough Highway.

The town of McKinlay was named for the nearby McKinlay River. The McKinlay River was named for the Scottish born explorer John McKinlay who discovered the river when he passed through the area in 1861. John McKinlay was travelling from Adelaide to the Gulf of Carpentaria when he discovered the river and the McKinlay district. In 1872 Gold was discovered in the area. A letter receiving office was opened in 1883. In 1888 the town was surveyed and allotments of land were sold.

Mackinlay Post Office was opened on 1st April 1894, and it was renamed McKinlay in 1909. The Shire of McKinlay offices were located in the town of McKinlay. In 1930 the Shire offices were relocated to Julia Creek. McKinlay today is described as "nothing more than a couple of stores, a few houses and a pub". McKinlay is best known for the Walkabout Creek Hotel, which featured in the movie Crocodile Dundee. The McKinlay pub is a major tourism draw for the town, bringing in tourists keen to see the hotel where Crocodile Dundee was filmed. McKinlay has Australia'a smallest public library, a park and a small museum. To the North of McKinlay is Maronan Station, where you can look for gemstones and garnets. The BHP Cannington mine is 85 km west of McKinlay. It is the worlds largest silver and lead mine and was established in 1997. The Cannington mine was the official supplier of silver to the Sydney Olympics and Para-Olympic games, and also supplied the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”

Australia Day Weekend Camping Trip To Australian Adventure Park Burrum Heads

We always say that the best moments in life are those you spend with someone you love. We’ve had tons of these amazing moments our travels – like seeing the Colosseum where chariot races and gladiators once entertained the citizens of the Roman Empire,  walked the city of romance Paris, dropped by St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, The castles, the history, the scenery, the people, the food, Heidelberg, Germany. These are some of ‘our moments’ that we will treasure forever and we certain will still speak about in years, even decades, to come.

If there’s one activity that’s been a stand out for us our whole life, it’s camping. There’s just nothing like the great outdoors anytime of the year – afternoon breezes, the chatter of wild forest animals in the background, the way the light filters luminescent through lazy green leaves before landing on you. Camping is a great way to take a break from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life. We’ve been camping in some form or other every year since we can remember. Camping also gives us the opportunity to unplug from the rest of the world, which in turn allows us to slow down and focus on the smaller things for a little while. The October weekend we packed the trailer, kayaks and our pup (Shari) and headed to our “new” favorite camping location, Australian Adventure Park.

Formerly known as Flame Lily Adventure Park, owners Jimmy and Cathy Swan with business partner Kristie Nash have been rebuilding after taking back ownership since our last visit on the Australia Day Weekend. The Burrum Heads Park was left abandoned for about three months before the three took over the reins, added some new infrastructure and got all the activities back in full operation.

Situated on the Burrum River, Queensland, Australia, 30 kilometres North West of Hervey Bay, 10 kilometres off the Bruce Highway, a 108-acre Adventure Park is designed for group outdoor activities to serve as host to families, corporate teams, schools and groups. Guests can also opt to camp for the weekend or take the more luxurious option and book one of eight waterfront glamping tents that have a king size bed, eating nook, tea and coffee making and a mobile wardrobe. We booked Glamping Tent (8) as it has the most space to put up our Gazebo, park a trailer and car.

And for keen anglers, the catch and release of a fish is "guaranteed" with 10,000 bass, perch and bream fingerlings released into the 11-acre, man-made lake seven years ago.

Some of them are now up to 48cm... They are massive.

Around the lake are picnic spots to allow visitors to relax by the lake, launch a kayak from the bank, exercise or read a book. Powered and non-powered camp sites are situated on the lake edge for absolute waterfront camping suitable for all types of tents and caravans to allow scenic camping.

GUESTS who ask for a WiFi password while visiting the Australian Adventure Park won't get the answer they are looking for because, there simply isn't one.

Camping also gives us the opportunity to unplug from the rest of the world, which in turn allows us to slow down and focus on the smaller things for a little while. Whenever we go camping, we always come back feeling way more relaxed that we felt when we left. One reason for this is that camping is also an amazing opportunity for me to catch up on my history, family tree, which is always ambitiously, long and growing by the weeks. The campsite is near a lake, Kim and our pup (Shari) swam all day every day. Kim took her for a paddle around the site in one of our kayaks, we had a lay day in Hervey Bay due to a storm. We did some hiking, watched some kids trying archery, astronomy photography, cookouts, and sitting around the campfire with people we just met, drinking, telling yarns and playing Heads up.

We cannot speak highly enough of A Taste of Burrum. The fish and chips would have to be amongst the best we have eaten and we have visited many around Australia and overseas. The portions of fish are so generous; ours were huge in fact with just the right amount of lemon and salt. The chips were cooked to perfection, not greasy and really fresh. You don't walk away hungry that’s for sure. The premises are spotlessly clean and tidy, with a lovely feel about the place, great coffees and Chai as well. The owners are so warm and friendly and are focused on customer service and satisfaction. We would highly recommend people try it for themselves.

It's hard to resist the appeal of a local market, with its fresh, seasonal produce direct from the farm gate, handmade creations, original giftware and grassroots colour and entertainment. We dropped into Burrum Heads Boot Sale Market on our way for morning coffee.

ABOUT BURRUM COAST

Step back into a simpler time along the Burrum Coast, home to the tiny fishing villages of Burrum Heads, Toogoom and the townships of Howard and Torbanlea. About 30 minutes from Hervey Bay you’ll hit the Burrum Coast which harks back to old beachside holidays reminiscent of the 1970s.

Burrum Heads

At Burrum Heads, explore rivers and creeks by boat or canoe, or take advantage of the clear, warm water for fishing. Burrum River Cruises offers a two-hour morning tea cruise along the Burrum River.

Toogoom

Tiny Toogoom is a seaside community about 15 minutes from Hervey Bay. Here you’ll find unspoiled beaches and great fishing, as well as wildlife and bird watching. Dine at the tea gardens or at its absolute waterfront restaurant with heavenly views and great photo opportunities.

Howard

In the Hervey Bay hinterland and 25 minutes from the coast sits the historical village of Howard. Inside a beautifully-restored Queenslander, you’ll find guided tours and Devonshire teas.

There’s also a small museum which tells of the area’s coal mining and fishing history, and includes some war memorabilia. Swim and fish at secluded spots along the Burrum River here.

Torbanlea

Just 25 minutes from Hervey Bay, Torbanlea is a small historic town on the road to Bundaberg. There are 11 buildings in the Burrum Mining Museum here and they contain a staggering 4,400 items of memorabilia which reveal this region’s past as a booming coal area.

Accommodation along the Burrum Coast ranges from holiday units and B&Bs to caravan parks and camping.

“Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”