As promised , here is the second half of our family trip, We stayed in a very comfortable abode near Byron Bay , Suffolk Park., in northern New South Wales. We were actually closer in proximity to Broken Heads. but most people know Byron Bay as a landmark. I must say I much prefer the area we stayed in. as it is less pedestrian / commercial than Byron Bay. Byron Bay is definitely for the hipsters , the hippies and the youthful overseas visitors ...looking for the bronzed Aussie lifestyle with a twist of country and hippy.
I love it anyway but am grateful for a little distance , allowing me to relax. I am good at that!
Below is Broken Heads - a reserve region.
Our first day was just a little drizzly but not overbearingly wet...it was actually the day of the first downpours in Sydney that caused massive flooding (some 830km away) a natural disaster of phenomenal proportions that caused a call for help to Victoria and South Australia emergency services for assistance
So not a bad day at all when you consider what it could have been. I still was walking around in tee shirt and shorts , only an umbrella in hand.
Dont you love the effect of mist on the hills?
I like nosing around in small crevices and rock pools. the raindrops caused a splattering effect in the photos
Somehow I dont think this is native flora, but has crept into the native shrubbery from the residential areas??
Mangrove along the river (north of Byron Bay)
A trip inland to Killen Falls somewhere between Ballina and Bangalow.
It is a lovely drive up through winding roads. Lots of roadside stalls selling produce. I was most impressed by the macadamia plantations.
Plenty to see on the walk to the falls.
And back to the beach again. Jordy has a new (secondhand) surfboard to try out. I am sure a few guys will let them drop in on a wave???,maybe.
Sandcrab spectacular.
I love the evening light to take photographs...long shadows ...perfect light....great reflection;.
The sun sets over the mountains yet throws great light on the ocean and a pink haze over the hills and beach.
Sometimes you remember to take your camera and you get lucky to spy great birds.
This sea eagle swooped down and caught a fish and then landed up the hill in the tree you see and proceeded to devour it. One of the locals told me that if the bird catches too big a fish they will ultimately drown. They are unable to release their prey from their talons and if too big will be unable to fly, the weight dragging them down, ultimately causing their demise.
A slow day in the water. Just a few surfers even though the waves weren't good.
A series of reflections taken from one of the inland lakes. Sometimes it is hard to tell where the reflection ends,
My two bedraggled boys emerge from the surf
Hi Monique,
ReplyDeleteAnd again something new to me: a bird that catches a fish too big, will eventually drown. Strange, but I believe you.
All the last pictures of the reflections of the trees in the water are amazing. I am in awe. Such scenery. Great stuff, and so calm and peaceful. Not one other tourist in sight.
I also love the picture of the girls in the water. The light is exquisite with the subtle rays coming through. Could be a scene from a movy. Very charming.
And both your boys look terribly handsome. How old are they? Did they get their muscles from their dad? In that case, lucky you.
Brigitte you will laugh when I tell you that right in the middle of taking photos of the reflections a group of three walked straight in front to the camera and waded through the water destroying my photographic opportunities. I waited a full ten minutes for them to disappear so I could take my shots. It is really just meters from the beach so a very accessible area to a lot of people...that day every man and his dog was on the beach but it was a beautiful day.
ReplyDeleteDavid my husband is quite wiry and lean compared to the boys and we are both dwarfed by them in stature.
Wiry and lean is quite sexy too :)
Delete"Dwarfed by someone in stature" really is an expression only native English speakers would use. I LOVE the expression. (put it up my sleeve, will surely need it in the near future, can it also be used metaphorically?)
I mean in the sense of "your work dwarfes mine" ?
DeleteStature can refer both to the height of a person or to their accomplishments and importance of reputation. I referred to the boys being exceedingly tall but as far as work dwarf yours - lets both say we are good at what we do differently :)
Deletewow! I love when you show us what you've seen. Incredible! The bird shots are spectacular and do you have a zoom lens?? You must. Loved seeing your vacation, those dragon flies are huge, over here they are tiny.
ReplyDeleteKaren I have lumix F28 caomera with 25-600mm zoom lens...but the lens is built in and not interchangable. cost around $500. The next step is buying a camera with interchangable lens / SLR but for now this generally does the job. It is hard to take macro shots / really up close but otherwise does a decent job.
ReplyDeleteAlso the dragon flies aren't quite that big maybe 6cm lon and wing span around 12cm (I guess)
Delete