Blackheath - Blue Mountains

We went up to the Blue Mountains with a few friends for the long weekend. X-mas in June seeing as it's been icy in Sydney over the last week or so.

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Although it was chilly we all went for a walk in the mountains.

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We stayed in Blackheath about 1.5 hrs from Sydney.

In the nearby town of Clarence you can take the old Zig Zag Railway

On some days they turn train into the 'Wizards Express' from the Harry Potter Books.

Being X-mas in June we all had to buy a $10 pressie for someone from Vinnies (Charity store). Leigh got a tea set from Kimble.

Most evenings were spent around the fire place playing a game.

Dive @ Shelly Beach

Headed off to Shelly Beach, Manly for 2 shore dives. Shelly Beach is a Marine Reserve.

Some of the fish that can be seen at Shelly Beach Marine Reserve.

Eastern Blue Groper

Dusty Whaler Shark

Puffer Fish

Maori Wrasse

Cuttle Fish

Crimson Banded Wrasse

After the dive Janice threw a snag on the BBQ.

Byron Bay

Juice and I took the 1,5 hour flight up to Byron Bay for the last ocean swim of the season.
The Winter Whales 2.3km ocean swim.




The conditions were fantastic. We could see turtles, fish and the ocean floor the entire swim.
Water 25 Deg

Kimble 41:24
Juice 43:34




Byron Bay is the most Easterly point in Australia.






We had a little time on our hands so we headed up to Surfer's Paradise in Queensland. Only an hours drive from Byron Bay. It has a Miami Beach hotel stripe look and feel.


Byron Bay is backpacker and surfer heaven. The town is filled with camper vans from all over OZ.

NSW Outback - Part III

NSW Outback - Part III

Day 5: Wentorth, Lake Mungo, Hay

Day 6: Wagga Wagga, Cootamundra, Goulburn, Sydney

In Wentworth Australia' 2 largest and longest rivers meet.

In the early years Wentworth was one of the largest ports in Australia.


The Darling and Murray rivers meet.

Perry Hill Sands just outside Wentworth

Perry Hills is a small pocket of red sand dunes with wonderful sunsets.

Kimble - Juice making dune shadows.

Some how these wild melons grow in the sand.

Lake Mungo was a very large inland lake thousands of years ago.

This is the sight of the oldest skeleton found in Australia, 40 000 years old.

Luna landscapes

Hay is a large Sheering town

Stopped off in Cootamundra the town where Don Bradman was born.

Australia's greatest cricketer.

Goulburn is home to the "Big Marino"

In total we drove 3500km in 6.5 Days

What an amazing trip. would recommend it to anyone looking to find the real Australia.

NSW Outback - Part II

NSW Outback - Part II

Day 4: Cameron Corner, Tibooburra, malparinka, Broken Hill
Day 5: Broken Hill, Silverton, Wentworth.

The place is dry, they haven't seen rain in 3 months.

The main street in Broken Hill.

Broken Hill is the mining town where BHP started 'Broken Hill Propriety' the largest mining company in the world.

Went to watch the sunset at the Sculpture Symposium

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Silverton population 80. An old mining town 45min outside Broken Hill

This is where they film the movie 'Mad Max' in 1979


RFDS - The Royal Flying Doctors Service.

One of the old RFDS planes.