bioneural.net » australia

Australians consider invading New Zealand

Bruce — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:25:08 +0000

But how would they sell the idea to the Aussie populace? These two marketing campaigns are worth a watch, and earned a mention in the New Zealand Herald. Do many Kiwis know there is provision in the Australian constitution for NZ to become a State of the Commonwealth? Watch out Ockers, we have bioweapons and these guys are good in a fight too.

Aussie location humour

Bruce — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:45:03 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Photos are sometimes turn out beautiful if you have the necessary skills and/or the luck. Sometimes they turn out rather ordinary, yet you still keep them because they tell a story about the life or habitat of the subject. Sometimes they raise more questions than they answer. Here are two images that raise questions about why people put things where they do. I'll let them speak for themselves. Crossing to nowhere, Nornalup National Park [sidewalk AWOL] Bench beside in Blackwood River, Augusta [bank at bottom left]

Aussie West Coast by camper

Bruce — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:38:05 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

After leaving the outback we flew to Perth and picked up a camper van, first heading north to Shark Bay and then south-east via an inland route to Albany, before following the coast west then north to Perth. After landing in Perth we took a taxi to the Kea depo to collect our 2-berth Ford Transit-based camper. After an introduction to the vehicle and completion of paperwork, we bought supplies from a local supermarket and hit the road proper around 2pm. This put us in the Pinnacles Desert near Cervantes just before sunset, an ideal time to catch the evening light and long shadows cast by limestone pillars up to 3m in height. Our caravan park was right beside the Cervantes beach, itself festooned with seaweed. Pinnacles Desert near Cervantes Passing through Jurien Bay and Dongara we took the Chapman River Scenic Route north of Geraldton, enjoying the wild flowers and rolling crop-covered inland hills before entering Kalbarri National Park. Within the park we viewed the coastal features of Island Rock and Natural Bridge (noting also the off-shore whale spouts) followed by the less remarkable Grandstand Gorge, Shellhouse Gorge, Eagle Gorge, Pot Alley, and Red Bluff. We spent the night in the resort town of Kalbarri. Natural Bridge in Kalbarri National Park In the morning we drove to Hawks Head and Ross Graham Lookout on the Murchison River, still within Kalbarri National Park. Leaving the park to join the North West Coastal Highway, long stretches of straight road took us to Shark Bay, where ...

A dingo stole my sock

Bruce — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 10:30:43 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Australia is well known for its "outback", the semi-arid scrubland that occupies most of the continent. At the heart of the outback is the so-called Red Centre, with the famous landmark of Uluru (Ayers Rock). Although Uluru is an impressive chunk of rock it is far from the beginning and the end of all the Red Centre has to offer, as a few days more exploring other attractions with Wayoutback proved to us. Day 1 From Alice we commenced the 450km drive to Uluru, stopping to collect firewood and at Stewarts Well (with its tame-ish dingo) and Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse, taking in the semi-arid (cf. true desert) landscape punctuated by semicircular clumps of spinifex grass (looking a bit like a fungal skin infection!) and spindly juvenile desert oaks (the mature trees look quite different). We had views of Mt Conner, a.k.a. "Fooluru" according to our guide Carolyn, before arriving at our campsite within Ayers Rock Resort to make sandwiches for lunch and top up with water to keep us hydrated for the hot walk around the base of Uluru. Before the walk we visited the Cultural Centre. Displays described the importance of Tjukurpa, the law and basis of Anangu life and belief. A number of the photographs of Aboriginal people were blacked out, being "covered to conceal the image and identity of a recently deceased person as prescribed by Anangu Law". Anangu is the collective name for the local Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people. Uluru (Ayers Rock) is 348m high, made of sandstone that has ...

Adelaide to Alice by Ghan

Bruce — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:07:47 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

During our return to the UK from New Zealand, we spent three weeks in Australian campgrounds. The first leg of our journal involved a 24 hour train journey from Adelaide in South Australia to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory's Red Centre. Our hotel was litterally in centre of Adelaide. We grabbed lunch on Rundle Mall and then took the tram to Glenelg, where we saw dolphin swmimming off the pier. In the morning we bought supplies for our train journey from the large and colourful Central Market. Gavin had arranged a hire car and drove us first to Mt Lofty for views over this city of 1 million inhabitants, and out to the coast. Handorf was next, drawing tourists on the basis of the towns early German history and plying them with cakes, sauerkraut and bratwurst. We stopped at several wineries in the very green MacLaren Vale before returning to the city for dinner at The British. Glenelg is a short tram ride from Adelaide's centre There was time in the morning for a brief walk with the Carmonts before catching a taxi to Keswick train station for The Ghan check-in. On the Red Kangaroo service we had a two-berth sleeper cabin with shared toilet/ shower facilities. The cabin itself contained two chairs in "day" configuration, and two bunks in "night" configuration; some of the older passengers must have been more agile than they looked to get into the top bunk! There was a pull down sink and compact wardrobe, and a ...

The silent kingdom

Bruce — Tue, 30 Mar 2004 16:31:05 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Coral reefs really are magical places. Do see one if you get the chance, before there are none left... The first time I left New Zealand was in 1985. My parents took my two brothers and I to Raratonga, in the Cook Islands. I recall the thrill of escaping the ground in a Boeing 747, bound for distant shores. Almost twenty years on and it still amazes me that such an aircraft should be capable of flight. Nevertheless it was, and we were transported safely to our destination for eight days worth of tropical island adventure. I was 17, and eager to spend all my time exploring, most especially in the lagoon. At the time I could not understand how my parents would wish to spend their escape relaxing, lying in the sun (I have more insight now). I had always been a keen snorkeller, and lost myself in the clear waters near our hotel. The experience of swimming over my first coral reef prompted me to write a poem at about it: Plunge into the silent kingdom, Midst a swirl of bubbles that fizz to nothing. Water as clear as glass, fading to turquoise, Wrapping the limit of vision in a green mist. Beams of light filter down from above, Shadowing surface ripples on white sand. Fish opalescent, keeping their distance; Yellow bands, flecks of colour Blue and silver, red and orange And cream and black. Clams with lips of purple, Castles of coral with turrets. And a mushroom. Large brains and stag antlers, Small polyps and crinkled crepe. Mustard tipped and covered pink. I have ...