Wednesday, September 17, 2014

We are now a 2 Windmill House

I said I had to have it didn't I.
Just over 2 hours work...
Now where can I put the next one ?
Out the front perhaps...full size?



Wednesday, September 10, 2014

On the way home...the Mother Load.

The Lady at the Info centre gave us a map 
which was in the general direction
of going home.


We stopped this time at a Gravel Pit...
Not only Wreath Flowers. 


There were HUNDREDS of the little buggers....
Alison squatting beside one to give you an idea of size.


"Disturbed Ground"


We stopped for lunch as it looked like it was going to rain.


Then off I went to try out a few different ideas..



These flowers come in all different shades & sizes.


This little youngster was saying "please take me home"
but I thought better of it!


These little guys hadn't flowered yet but 
were waiting their turn on the side of the road.


Then into Toby & home...

Morawa

We headed off to Morawa to check out the Info centre
 to see if there were any more Wreath Flowers about.
Pulled up around the corner and guess what was looking at us ?



Also in Morawa is the second largest collection of windmills
 in the Southern Hemisphere...So guess where we went?


Like a lot of country towns there are many hidden gems 
if you stop & look..


With my passion for them I was in heaven!
They also had a 17" model kit ...
So I had to have one of those didn't I ?


With the 100th. Anniversary of Gallipoli coming up this seemed  relevant.


It wasn't all windmills, this doctors operating table looked frightening.


Especially the head clamp....


Canna and Surrounds. Including the Elusive Wreath Lechenaultia

After 5 days of miserable weather we headed inland
 on the second part of our quest.
Naturally we stopped at Mingenew 
for coffee & one of their superb pies.
Coalseam was closed because of the river being up after 30mm of rain.

A stop on the side of the road for the pies....


We'd heard about a place called Canna that had Wreath Flowers nearby.


On the way into Canna we stopped at "The Old Camp"
There was this old hut...
Read below !


Life must have been tough in those days, but I guess it was his choice.


We decided Turtle was a better option!!


But outside was the famed carpet of wild flowers.


Looking at the number of tins & bottles I think his diet was a bit limited !!!!


There were several varieties of cactus nearby..


Then 35kms east of Canna we found our treasure....


These only grow on disturbed ground.


So I guess a road verge is about as disturbed as your likely to find...


There were maybe 100sh on both sides of the road..
Double click on this & read it,  you'll then understand why they are hard to find.


Back at the old campsite, 
here is another case of why "Royalties for Regions" is a blessing.


This superb facility is for the local CFS & travellers,
All by donation.


The Dunny.
2 of, this one wheelchair accessible with shower!
Power too if you want it 15amp. of course.


Then there's the BBQ outside the old school...


The Church..


And this old Neptune fuel pump outside the old shop.


There was supposedly more Wreath Flowers 
10 k's out of town, so we packed the van ready to leave after we got back.
We saw this sign on the way out...


There were only a couple of Wreath flowers and not very nice at that.
But Bugger Me, what should we see near the sign on the way back...
2 of them crossing the road. 
By the time I got the camera out they'd gone..
So we waited.....


You don't see many of these around here... 


Port Denison Novelty


Sometimes you just have to stop!!!
Priceless!!!


Friday, September 5, 2014

Geraldton

We decided a quick trip to Geraldton was in order,
for fuel & lunch.


Of course we had to visit the Sydney Memorial.
A great opportunity for the ultra wide zoom lens...


A couple of different perspectives!!!


We still think this is the best memorial in Australia..


I hope you like these shots as much as I do...


Alison having a bit of quiet contemplation...


Then a quick stop at the mouth of the Irwin River
to check out the locals.

Sandy Bay Revisited

We got away!!!!!
With my hips being none too friendly,
we headed to an old haunt, Sandy Bay.
In fact we met an old friend here as well..
very amusing ...


This was a bit of a giggle,
camera down very low with the ultra wide,
then running backwards up the beach to beat the wave!!


A couple of flowers from the bush,


Very pretty!!


Up to the Rotunda where we took the 
"Ain't Life A Bitch"
photo with A&A in 2008

Alison was having a rest so off I went 
to the lookout, you can just see a 4WD 
coming onto the beach...


These two guys had a VERY frustrating time
extracting themselves from the sand...
I reckon the air was as blue as the water!


Looking back up the bay with the lovely 
Pigfaces as a foreground.