YORKSHIRE HOLLAND WALES SCOTLAND ENGLAND IRELAND Click on a photo to enlarge it
Surfer's Paradise seen from Mt. Tamborine. The skyscrapers are a stark contrast to the rainforest vista around Tamborine. At 560m above sea level, this is a "must go" place for anyone visiting the south Queensland area. Charlton, nr Toowoomba. Waiting for the speedway stadium gates to open , the clouds and the blue sky make this photo what it is. It was 35ºc when I took this and that tree was the only cover for miles around.
Australia Zoo. Steve Irwin who was sadly killed by a stingray, left a golden legacy in the shape of this zoo, although it is a bit disconcerting to see his photos all over the place. This lizard just popped out of the bushes to say G'day.

Sunset over Gowrie Mountain seen from the Charlton Speedway stadium, near Toowoomba. Toowoomba sits on top of the Great divide and the views from the east of the town are spectacular, but it was dark when we left so we saw sod all..!

Currumbin. A beautiful beach and small inlet where you can look across the bay to Surfer's Paradise. The Pacific Ocean waves pound the beautiful white sand and are an obvious magnet for surfers and beach bums alike The Spit at Southport. Just to prove its not always fair weather in Queensland, on this day it just rained and rained. The rough weather gave the opportunity of this photo of waves crashing over the lighthouse on south Stradbroke Island.
Mary Cairncross rainforest, Maleny. This carefully looked after rainforest has either a 3 or 5 km walk and gives an insight into what it is all about. An informative visitors centre is nearby to explain the fragile eco-structure. Glasshouse Mountains, seen from the Maleny road. Remnants of a volcanic erution millions of years ago, we came specially to go round the mountains but the cloud came down and it rained.
Koala at Australia Zoo. cute that they are, there is an all pervading smell around them due to the diet of eucalyptus leaves they eat. They're still cute though. Ettamogah Pub on the Bruce highway along the Sunshine Coast. It's a true replica of the pub in the Ken Maynard cartoon series made famous in the Australian and New Zealand Post Magazines.
Mooloolaba. Underwater World is the major attraction here. Situated on an expensive looking creek it is Queensland's largest aquarium and oceanarium. Table Mountain or Gowrie Mountain to give it it's proper name viewed from the local speedway track at Charlton near Toowoomba atop the Great Dividing Range
Brisbane city centre seen from Mount Coot-Tha in the north of the city. In the background you can see the new toll bridge over the Brisbane river. From here you can see the whole city, as well as the Great Dividing Range and Pacific Ocean Approaching Brisbane along the Riverside Expressway which runs parallel with the river. Watching cars coming in from the right and the left is.....challenging to say the least. Compared to European cites it was a piece of cheese.
Pelicans at Tweed Heads. It was a really hot day and we fancied some seafood but the seafood shop we went in only sold it raw and by the kilo . Bugger. So we had to go to the Chinese at Australia Fair instead...! Welcome to Surfers Paradise. It's just a short drive down the Pacific Highway from Brisbane. It's surprising at first to see all the high rise buildings but as you look to your left and you see the Pacific Ocean surf, you tend to forget about them
This is the main beach at Surfers Paradise . It was really paradise, however the large tower blocks were a little disconcerting at first but the Pacific surf, golden beaches and laid back aura of the place made it a "must visit again". In the midst of a rainforest at Lamington National Park. The noise from the Cicadas here was deafening and the humidty was pretty well 100%. At a mere 32ºc it was cooler than it was down by the coast
Typical homestead in Numinbah Valley, Lamington National Park. This type of dwelling is a typical traditional Aussie hinterland house and along with 10 acres of land, can be bought for less than $350,000. We'll have two. Waterfall near to the Egg Rock on the Numinbah Valley to Lamington National Park road. We had two days of rain and as a consequence, spectacular waterfalls were pouring from the mountain tops in several different places.
The Bird of Paradise flower in Southbank parklands adjacent to the Brisbane river. Unbelievably pretty and growing wild whereas one will cost £4.50 in the UK flower shops. Brisbane seen from Southbank. Built specifically for EXPO 1988, Southbank has a man made beach and is surrounded by many fashionable shops and restaurants. There are craft markets some days of the week.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is not purely restricted to koalas. This Red Kangaroo is beautifully framed by the trees. There is another one somewhere on the picture. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and this Emu was after pinching my kangaroo food. They are monosylabic, a bit like current day UK school-leavers but although essentially a stupid bird, far more intelligent than today's kids.
A Dingo caged at Lone Pine . They look not unlike many other dogs. These e two were caged at Lone Pine and the only unique characteristic we noticed was when the food arrived and they howled and howled. Much ado about nothing. Fortitiude Valley, Brisbane after a trip around the city we disembarked and were trapped under a bus shelter for 90 minutes by a tropical storm. Everyone was soaked to the skin like this guy, but the water was clean and warm.
Brisbane city centre. These stainless steel balls were covered in trivets from pressure cookers. Yes, it was odd. Perhaps pressure cookers are not used anymore in Australia. Sheffield UK also has steel balls..... Brisbane City seen from the CityCat, a sort of river taxi used by commuters to get from the southern suburbs to the business area of the city. It is a modern city, apparently the most progressive in Australia.
The Story Bridge. Brisbane River. Started in 1935 and finished in 1940. You can now climb the bridge to see Brisbane from a different perspective. It is named after John Douglas Story, an influential Queensland Public Servant of the 1930s Sunset over Tygum Lagoon, Waterford West, near Brisbane. The sounds at dusk included cicadas, toads, raking crows and a host of other birds all competing for the best bed for the night in the trees. We stayed here for 3 weeks.
This beautiful rainforest seen from the the top of Mt Tamborine doubles up as a firing range for the Australian army. Nine small National Parks are accessible from Mt Tamborine each with pleasant walks, apparently...! These Australian palms lined the road into what looked like a designer village called Sanctuary Cove. Although it was "nice" it was almost too nice, too clinical. The property, although nothing special, was incredibly expensive.
Natural Arch. Lamington National Park. Spectacular. It's a hole which water cascades down emerging 20 m lower down thro' an arch blasted by water over millions of years . The base of the arch is basalt. We arrived 6 hours after a flood had destroyed the handrails. At the very top of Lamington National Park. This was as quiet a place as you wil ever find. These horses lived in paradise if only they knew it, at the very top of a rainforest with lush grass and wondrous views all round. What more could a horse ask for?