AUSTRALIA

    SYDNEY
    We touched down in Sydney on the morning of March 22nd and were greeted by our dear friend Matt Lang, whom we met while trekking in the Everest region of Nepal.

    Matt, his sister Heidi and her boyfriend Greg share an apartment in the Randwick section of the city, just off Centennial Park, and they were kind enough to put us up for the first 9 days of our month-long visit to Australia.

    We spent the majority of day 1 relaxing after a long and tiring night flight from Bali, but, by evening time, we were ready for some fun. We met my old childhood friend, Ronnie Cairncross (who had emigrated from Scotland to Australia 6 years ago) at one of the well-known seafood restaurants on Oxford Street, in the predominantly Gay section of the city. It was wonderful to see old friends, catch up on stories once again and enjoy the hip atmosphere of a big, buzzing city. Sydney is home to a large and active Gay community that hosts an annual Mardi Gras extravaganza in February, which has become internationally renowned and attracts visitors from all over the world. We thought it only appropriate that our evening end with a 'Drag Show' at one of the city's most famous Gay bars, the 'Aubury'. They have performances every hour at the weekends and the acts were colorful, expertly choreographed and very funny at times. We laughed and cheered and had a great time watching these men, who were certainly some of the most put together women we had ever seen.

    The following morning, Matt took us on a tour of his beautiful city. We began by walking along the rugged cliff tops that overlook the ocean, with the surging surf crashing on the rocks below. Then it was on towards the world famous Bondi Beach, popular with surfers. The sea was a wonderful aquamarine color, while sweeping white sand beaches dotted with people, fringed the many coves and bays that comprise Sydney's coastal area.

    We found the city to be very clean and tidy and the mass transit system was excellent, making it easy for us to travel around. Sydney is an extremely progressive, cosmopolitan city of just over 4 million people and covers an area the size of London. Home to the 2000 Olympics and such notable landmarks as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, it is a vibrant, buzzing place that is alive day and night.

    The Downtown area is a wonderful balance of new, avant-garde architecture and design, mixed with old Georgian and Victorian buildings from earlier (settlement) days. Many open green spaces and park land, with towering mature trees, punctuate the harmonious blend of commercial and residential real estate. The larger parks, such as Centennial (reminiscent of Central Park or Golden Gate Park), cover a vast area and have many trails and footpaths for running, horseback riding, cycling, roller blading, skateboarding or just strolling with the baby carriage.

    Darling Harbour is the main waterfront focal point and consists of numerous restaurants, bars, shops, casino, IMAX theater, Convention Center, Aquarium and Maritime Museum. Nearby are the Chinese Gardens and the Asian section of the city. A 'Sky' train, for commuters and visitors, weaves its way overhead, threading a circuitous route through the Downtown area.

    The Old Pyrmont Bridge, now strictly for pedestrians and cyclists, traverses Darling Harbour and connects Downtown with the new developments of the Pyrmont section, where our friend Ronnie lives. Sydney is built around water and bridges figure prominently in the cityscape.

    The Anzac Bridge, commonly referred to as 'Madonna's Bra', because of its two giant, pointed piers that support the suspended roadway, is simple in design, but striking. It links Pyrmont with another of Sydney's contemporary and lively suburbs, Balmain, noted for its great restaurants, bars and Artsy community.

    The Sydney Harbour Bridge is undisputedly the granddaddy of all bridges, with its parallel arcs of riveted grey steel, commanding attention from many perspectives throughout the central area. More recently, the Bridge has been receiving substantial revenue from pedestrian customers. For $117 (Australian dollars) you can have the privilege of walking up to the top of one of the arcs, which would afford you incredible views out over the city - if you have a head for heights!

    Directly across from the Bridge, on a prominent point that juts out into the Bay, is the wonderful Sydney Opera House - simply a marvelous and elegant piece of timeless architecture that continues to draw people from across the globe. It is flanked on one side by the extensive Botanical Gardens, which contain a diverse range of endemic and introduced species of trees and plants, and is a terrific place to spend the day. It is here that we got a brief but exciting look at just how prolific the bird life is here in Australia. Many different species seemed to be making the Botanical Gardens their sanctuary, including Parrots, Cockatoos, Ibises, and numerous types of waterfowl. The dark, winging silhouettes of large fruit bats whirred overhead and hung from the branches of a giant tree in the center of the Park, squawking and depositing large quantities of guano below.

    Across the bay is Tarronga Zoo, which lies on a gently sloping, tree studded hillside, with wonderful panoramic views back over the Downtown skyline. We spent one day here with Ronnie, who suffered through our intense intrigue with all the magnificent caged birds on display. We saw our first live, captive Koalas! As far as zoo's go, Sydney has a beautiful facility and was well worth the visit. It has a great selection of animals and birds from across the globe, most of which have adequate space - though, as is true of all zoos, they are really no substitute for seeing the animals wild and free.

    And on this note, we made tracks to some of the more remote and less disturbed sections of this great land.

Australian bushland

    Australia is a huge country with the majority of its 19 million population concentrated along the coastal areas. The greater part of the country is rural, agricultural, desert and bushland and in parts, due to the dry climate and summertime temperatures, inhospitable to most people except the native Aborigines who once thrived here.

   Our first ten days in Sydney passed quickly and then it was off to the countryside to experience the Australian bushland for two weeks. The hired station wagon came complete with cooking and camping equipment, so we were able to be self-contained and independent at all times. After a shaky start, in which the car battery died and had to be replaced before we had even left Sydney, we headed south along the coastal highway in the rain, as evening descended. With no definitive plans or scheduled itinerary, we left our journey to the whims of discovery and chance, allowing us the freedom of wandering gypsies. This served us well over the next two weeks as we sampled a cross section of National and State Parks in New South Wales and Victoria States, covering around 3700 km’s in total.

    It is autumn here in Australia and the weather has been unseasonably warm, as an Indian summer persists. It is also a fabulous time to be travelling as most people are back at their respective jobs, roads are relatively quiet and the leaves are beginning to change, with certain areas a blaze of color and the majority of the National Parks pretty much empty.

   The rain ceased at some point and a clear evening sky opened up overhead. The map indicated a small side road heading inland from Shell Harbour to the Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, which sits on tablelands, surrounded by eucalyptus trees and heath scrub. We pulled into a secluded spot in the Park and camped in the back of the vehicle, rolling out our foam mattresses and sleeping bags and leaving the tailgate open for fresh air and a view of the stars.

   The following morning we walked the Illawara Lookout trail, leading to the edge of the escarpment, which drops off sharply to the valley below. It afforded sweeping views of the surrounding eucalyptus forest and farmland below, extending out to the coastline and ocean beyond. Barren grounds is the home to the elusive and endangered Ground Parrot as well as several rare species of mammal. Birds abounded and we spent a part of the morning excitedly passing the binoculars back and forth in search of new species.

   Australia (a close second only to South America) is noted for its diverse bird species, many of which are native to this country, with quite a large number either rare or endangered. It’s a bird watcher's paradise and the exotic colorful ones made the past time all the more enjoyable. Annette developed a love for bird watching several years ago when she would sit at our kitchen window and spy on the birds in our backyard. My love of birds extends back to childhood in the countryside, when I was a member of the local Ornithologists club. So it was especially great to be here in this significant part of the world sharing these precious experiences. Many of the birds you see with the naked eye look alike, just small flitting, flashes of feather. But on closer inspection with binoculars, you see all the subtle distinctions and colorful markings that make each species unique. It wasn’t until a week into the trip, that we purchased a field guide to Australian birds and were finally able to positively identify different varieties. This made it all the more fun and exciting. By the end of the trip we had managed to spot over 90 different bird species. Just a short drive across the Mesa top from Barren Grounds was Budderoo National Park, which boasts a number of beautiful waterfalls and walking tracks. We first visited Carrington Falls, which drops 450 feet into a narrow gorge and is surrounded by forests of silver top ash and old man banksia. Afterwards we visited the similarly sized Belmore Falls in the Yawara State forest area.

   The National Parks in Australia are numerous, but in fact represent such a small part of the total continent and are sometimes no more than token environmental gestures. During the country’s early settlement, farmers were encouraged to clear the land for agricultural purposes and were actually paid by the government per hectare to remove the native bushland. For example in South Australia, 98% of the native bush was cleared by farmers, leaving only very small pockets of land in its original state. Much of it has been forsaken for the rearing of livestock and crops. The animals and birds suffer as a result of habitat loss, and many species are in danger of extinction. The balance of things has been upset, with natural perdition systems undermined. The kangaroo is now considered a pest in a lot of areas and are culled annually to control numbers. At the same time, fences are erected to keep out the dingoes, which are one of their natural predators. There are all sorts of laws and lobbyists which protect sheep and livestock, but few spokespersons for the ‘Roo’, Australia’s national emblem. How ironic! We learned that Kangaroos graze only on the grass shoots, moving on when a pasture has been cleared, but unlike sheep they do not pull the plant up by the roots. So environmentally they are less damaging. Over the next two weeks we encountered all too many dead kangaroos and foxes at the roadside, a sad sight indeed.

   But on a brighter note, what does remain of Australia’s natural habitat is awe-inspiring, strikingly beautiful and when you are surrounded by it, seemingly abundant and endless.

   Our journeys pink highlighted line, bobbed and weaved through a series of back roads and connecting main roads that led to the next green marked space on the map. Driving through 7 Mile Beach National Park, which is a small strip of protected beach land and eucalyptus forest, we slowly made our way down the coast to Boyd Lookout in Morton National Park.

   Like the Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, Boyd Lookout sits on top of an escarpment at the end of a rough and in places, heavily rutted red dirt road. Our two-wheel drive hire car was taxed way beyond its normal course of duty. By law, you are supposed to remain on paved roads only in hired vehicles, but the temptation to deviate was all to compelling. Nothing chanced, nothing gained!

   The views from this rocky plateau were of a dense canopy of green that spread out as far as the eye could see. Behind us lay dry sandy scrub and semi-desert terrain. From this vista point we watched the sunset while cooking dinner over our simple propane stove. Primitive maybe, but the meals were never compromised. We had an abundance of quality foods with us, stashed in a box in the car and a cooler for the refrigerated goods. Gourmet meals all the way, with the occasional bottle of Aussie Red to wash it down.

   We sat on the edge of the cliffs under a black night sky, where the stars shone brightly and the stillness of the night was all too apparent. Only the occasional rustle or call of night creatures broke the silence intermittently. We would often be in bed by 8pm and our days would typically begin around sunrise when I would get up and start the morning brew. With only 12 hours of daylight on average, it was important to make the most of it. There is nothing worse than trying to locate a decent campsite in the bush after dark, so we always tried to make a policy of finding an appropriate site by no later than 5pm.

   The following morning we walked a trail that led through a portion of the forest that abuts the sheer overhanging sandstone cliffs at Boyd Lookout. Sydney peppermint, turpentine, NSW sassafras, lilly pilly and coachwood were just a sampling of the diverse species of trees here in this forest. Three main rivers, the Shoalhaven, Kangaroo and Clyde, all flow through the wild and untouched rainforest of Morton National Park, in turn feeding a whole host of smaller creeks. There are several spectacular waterfalls here too.

   One of the things we endeavored to do on this trip, was to find a balance between long driving stints and actually getting out there and walking in these beautiful environments. We were definitely not going to be slaves to the automobile, and as a result our cherished memories were not of the vehicle but the wonderful landscapes it allowed us to penetrate.

   As we were about to leave Boyd Lookout, an older couple pulled up in their camper van. In the course of conversation we learned that the man was in the process of compiling a book of ‘off the beaten track’ camping places and they made a number of suggestions concerning great places to stay along our proposed route, which proved very helpful.

    From here we attempted to cut across the upper section of the Park to the Braidwood road, but progressively deteriorating rustic road conditions (only really suitable for 4x4 vehicles) forced us to back track down 12 Mile Road to Highway 1. This had the effect of completely changing our whole day's proposed direction and set us on a new course. Every moment was a bit of an adventure, not knowing what was awaiting us at the end of the day, especially on the back roads, which we naturally gravitated towards. You certainly don’t find the peace, quiet and seclusion we were searching for on any of the main paved routes.

   We were not long on the coastal highway before turning back inland once again on a dirt road that led back into the gum forests. These roads are often heavily corrugated (I presume for traction in muddy conditions, but have the effect of shaking your vehicle wildly at times) and sandy in places, so travel slows down substantially. We passed through a series of State Parks that bordered the southern section of Morton Nation Park.

   National Parks typically have clearly designated camping areas whereas State Parks pretty much allow camping anywhere, though because of the high risk of fire at peak times, both post strict rules as to where and when open camp fires are permitted.

   Clyde Ridge Road follows the spine of the north/south mountain range through some beautiful old eucalyptus forests. We stopped at a crystal clear stream that passes under the road and went skinny-dipping to cool off in the afternoon heat. This 100km stretch of dirt road took us virtually all afternoon. The map indicated a Lyre Bird Sanctuary on the southern edge of the Park, a small-protected pocket of old growth forest that perked our interest. There are two varieties of Lyre bird in Australia and this particular bird of paradise is known as the ‘Alberts Lyre Bird’. They are noted for their superb tail feathers, resembling a shimmering fan, which are thrust forward over their heads during courtship display. They have the unique ability to mimic many other native birds, so it is difficult to know sometimes whom you are listening to. They are the size of a pheasant and are among the largest of the songbirds. But sadly, we did not have the pleasure of spotting one of these beautiful and rare birds.

   Waterfall road, which cuts through the sanctuary for about 10km was no more than a basic one lane track, that obviously received extremely infrequent vehicle visitation. It was overgrown in many parts, the bushes scraping along the outside of the car – ouch! At one point, with absolutely no chance of turning around, we got out and scouted the trail ahead to see if it was possible to continue. With a few more deep ruts to negotiate and a stream crossing, we finally made it out to the other end where the track connected with the main dirt road. It had us sweating bullets at times and thankfully the adventure ended without incident. Just a short distance ahead, we found a secluded place to park the vehicle alongside Currowan Creek and passed the remainder of the afternoon walking the nearby trails and bird watching. Along the way we happened to encounter a man on a horse, dressed in a wide brimmed leather hat, flannel shirt and denims, your quintessential Aussie cowboy. He and his horse were quite surprised to see us – ‘we don’t meet many people back here’ was his comment. We preferred it this way!

   Towering gum trees, which created a shady canopy and left only enough light for ferns and the invasive blackberry bushes to thrive, surrounded our chosen campsite.

   The following morning, as the first rays of sunlight hit the water, I went for a bath in the cold, slow moving river. Annette passed on the invigorating experience saying I was nuts! I warmed up over breakfast and the two of us continued our journey, this time heading in a westerly direction over open prairie and farmland to Australia’s capital, Canberra. The Fall colors of this region were quite pronounced.

   Canberra seemed a very pleasant city, but with the outback on our minds, we made a quick driving tour of the downtown area and Capital Hill and new Parliament House.

   At Cotter Dam about 20 km’s west of the city, another smaller dirt road splits and veers northwest to Brindabella and filters out 80km’s later in Tamut. The steep winding road took us through lush rainforest of primary eucalyptus (there are around 400 varieties of this genus), then over large tracks of commercial pine forest, which bordered the northern section of Kosciuszko National Park.

   Our proposed destination for today’s long drive was nothing more than a scribbled note on our map, made while talking to the older couple at Boyd’s Lookout a few days earlier. It indicated a waterfall and camping area near Tumbarumba. A fortuitous stop for ice in Tamut, led to us having an opportunity to view a more detailed map of the area in which we located our desired destination of ‘Paddy’s River falls’. We felt doubly fortunate, as our route passed over part of a historic walking track known as the ‘Hume and Hovell’ track. This solved the issue of what we would do the following day. Paddy’s River Falls was only 5 km away and became our camp for the following two nights.

   As we entered the descending dirt road to the camping area that overlooks the falls, Annette spotted our first ‘ live’ Australian wallaby outside of Tarrronga Zoo in Sydney! We had so far seen plenty of evidence that wallabies and kangaroos existed, but unfortunately none of them were alive, so this was an exciting moment for us. This wallaby was quietly munching away on some leafy greenery on the slopes above us, partially camouflaged among the surrounding shrubbery and undeterred by our presence.

   The camping area was the most official looking we had stayed in to date, actually having about 5 or 6 designated sites, amply spaced for privacy, each with its own picnic bench. There were even toilets here too! Only one other couple shared this space with us but we were barely aware of their presence.

   As the sun set, Annette and I went for a dusk walk along Paddy’s River Flat trail, which for the most part follows the stream for three and a half km’s, through airy but towering Eucalyptus forest. We spooked another wallaby, which was down at the river drinking and it shot back into the cover of the darkening forest with the speed of a whippet. The forest had a wonderful, magical quality and as darkness set in and the upcoming moon cast its silver light across the shadows, it transformed itself once more. There was sufficient moonlight on this evening, making headlamps unnecessary. We moved along a narrow path back towards camp.

   Paddy’s River falls was a wonderful sight to awaken to. The first rays of sunlight struck the open hillside opposite, turning the long native grasses a rich golden color. The river acted as a natural separator between the gum tree forest that surrounded us and the pastureland beyond, where cows grazed. We sighted a family of four kangaroos here, bouncing around intermittently, dipping back down occasionally into the protective cover of the tall camouflaging grasses. It was wonderful to watch them from a distance, undisturbed in their natural setting. After all, this was the kind of Australian experience that we had come here for.

   The Falls were not huge, dropping only about 40 feet, but it was the setting and the sound of the cascading white wall of water that made the scene so postcard perfect. The falls dropped into a large, deep circular pool below, with walls of columnar basalt rock forming a natural bowl, undercut behind the cascade making it possible to stand behind the curtain of water. The fine spray kicked up by the tumbling water acted as a natural mister and the surrounding vegetation here thrived as a result.

   The Hume and Hovell walking track was conceived as part of Australia’s 1988 bi-centennial celebrations, undertaken by the department of Lands. It consists of approximately 400 km’s of walking track that closely follows the principle route taken by the nation's most important explorers, Hamilton Hume and William Hovell in the spring and summer of 1824-25.

   The section of track that we walked today began at the Henry Angel Flat Track Head, which is an extremely well appointed facility, consisting of campsites, toilets w/hot water, BBQ’s, picnic benches and a very informative center, which related the history of the track and the flora and fauna to be found in the area.

   There are two, 1-day walks that can be done from this starting point, each one about 13 km round trip, which follow alongside the Burra Creek. Annette and I ended up hiking both legs of the track in one day, as our time here in the area was limited. The first section of the trail took us north towards junction campsite where Hume and Hovell camped in 1824.

   The trail began by meandering through pastoral farmlands, where willow trees predominated along the waters edge. Cattle grazed nearby and a fox crossed our path with a kill in its mouth. Moving on through some lightly timbered land where songbirds gathered, we spent a great deal of time just gazing through the binoculars trying to identify species. The latter section of trail finished up in old growth eucalyptus forest where we ate lunch in a grassy open glade. Having the trail to ourselves all day was very enjoyable, after all the driving we had been doing lately. The southern aspect of the track continues along the creek, which was mined for gold, beginning in the 1850’s and continued on until 1954. Evidence of these alluvial workings are dotted along the creek and at one point we came across a 70m tunnel that had been blasted through rock to drain a swamp area adjacent to the main river, so excavations could continue. During the course of our day's hike we encountered numerous new birds and animals including parrots, kookaburras (Australia’s ‘laughing jackass’, nicknamed for its riotous laughing call), fox and echidna (looks very much like a porcupine). We returned to Paddy’s River Falls for the night and this time had the place entirely to ourselves.

   Our 6th day out of Sydney saw us driving a fair distance once more, crossing over from New South Wales into Victoria following the Murray River Valley up to Albury. Passing through forestry lands of pine, grassy plains and agricultural farmlands and around the southern shores of Lake Hume, which was created by damming the Murray River. Thousands of dead trees eerily protrude from the waters surface. In Albury, we stopped to re-supply and clean up a bit. It is here that we had a bit of a nightmare scenario unfold.

   Stopping at an Internet café to do a couple of quick e-mails, we left behind our daypack, which contained all of our money, TC’s, camera and vital travel documents. It was not until later and 100km further westward, that we realized this mistake. Cruising back to the city at warp speed and white knuckled, we were very concerned with the possible ramifications of this circumstance. To compound matters, it was by now 5pm on Saturday and the place had closed for the weekend. With a lot of desperate searching around this sleepy town, we finally located the owner. Luckily for us the bag was exactly where we had left it in the store. What a relief!

   Moving on, passing through the fertile vineyard region of Rutherglen, reminiscent of Napa Valley, California, we continued westward past Yarrawonga to a remote campsite on the banks of the Murray River. Our headlights picked out an owl in the darkness as it flew up and settled on a perch in a nearby tree, silently watching us with big black puddle eyes. The stars glittered overhead and the peaceful serenity of the setting, coupled with a nice bottle of red, helped to put the day’s trials behind us.

   We awakened around dawn to the cacophony of screeches coming from the trees overhead. Hundreds of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Australian Ring-Necked Parrots had been roosting in the canopy of the surrounding gum forest and were just starting their day. They were soon accompanied by the rollicking laughter of the Kookaburra and the hauntingly beautiful warbles of the Australian Magpies.

   The muddy brown Murray flowed slowly in a western direction, snaking a sinuous course through forests of Red River Gum, which tended toward the riverbanks, while the Black Box dominated the land further back. The towering Red River Gums are notorious for shedding limbs and visitors are warned not to camp or park their cars directly beneath them. As a result the river used to have a lot of floating logs, which were historically removed because they were deemed an impediment to boaters. Most recently, these ‘Snags’ have been re-introduced to the river, because they have been found to play an important role in its active eco-system. They create a shady place where fish tend to congregate, while birds such as herons, cormorants and kingfishers have a place to perch.

   The day began slightly overcast and a light breeze rustled the thick clusters of leaves that hung from the Gum trees. The mottled cream and grey colored trunks of these trees, receded into a stubbly forest floor of tufted grasses, while along the opposite shores, where the land gently terminated at the rivers edge, vibrant green marsh grasses thrived. The embankment on our side showed obvious signs of erosion, dropping sharply into the river. We were situated on the outside curve of the river, where its flow is deeper and accelerated, tending to carve away at the banks more aggressively as a result. This erosion process leaves many trees just hanging on by their exposed roots and leaning precariously.

   The Murray tends to flood periodically, evidence is quite apparent in a high water mark that ringed every standing tree four feet up its trunk. It was an eerie forest in many respects and for as many trees that presently stood, there was an equal number of dead stumps, evidence that floods had killed a substantial percentage over time, resulting in their removal.

   Day 7. Today we set our sights on the distant destination of Grampians National Park, in the southwestern section of the State. It was pretty much a full day of driving, passing through Echuca, Bendingo (where we finally got around to purchasing a bird book), Castlemaine and on to Dunkeld which is situated at the southern entrance of the Park.

   Grampians National Park is Victoria’s 3rd largest and one of its finest. There are a number of official campsites throughout the Park and several motels in the northern section where the Visitors Center is located in Hall’s Gap. Rugged sandstone formed mountain ranges, colorful wildflowers and over 970 native plant species, ranging from high altitude montane stunted heaths to stringy bark forests, red gum woodlands and green fern gullies. It abounds with wildlife, which include Kangaroos, Possum, Red Deer, Koalas, Gliders, Echidna and Emus to name a few. The Park has a rich cultural history, with the indigenous Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung Aboriginal having sustained their culture in and around the Gariwerd (Grampians) area, mountains and valleys for thousands of years.

   We would spend almost the next 3 days here exploring the area. From Dunkeld it was a short distance north into the Park, passing by the aptly named jagged crags of Mt.Abrupt and on past Signal Peak. We turned west, down a small dirt road that crested the ridge of the north/south range and located an inconspicuous clearing in the forest, settling in for the evening. Taking a short walk towards the foot of Signal Peak to watch the sun set, we stood upon some marvelously sculpted rock formations that rose out of the surrounding bushland, offering terrific views across the verdant landscape.

   The following morning we drove to the trailhead of Mount Abrupt and spent several hours climbing the trails through lush forests, bird watching and identifying species with the help of our new book. The views from up top were truly magnificent and far-reaching. Jagged rocks protruded out into an infinite space, hundreds of feet down to the valley below.

   Mid-way into the Park is the spectacular Moora Moora Reservoir, a good 20 km off the one main paved road. Back here in the bush we saw many Kangaroos quietly feeding in the meadows and woodland that bordered the red dirt track. Moora reservoir is not publicized in any of the parks descriptive pamphlets and it was not surprising that we encountered nobody back here.

   We first came across a single-track side road, signposted ‘Moora Trak’, which we followed for several Kms until it got too rough to proceed. Backtracking, we finally located the appropriate passageway to the lakeshore. A short walking trail through the woods filtered out at what was obviously a summer camp at the lake's edge. Large canvas tents were set up on what appeared to be a permanent basis. A makeshift sink was fed by water stored in large plastic drums and a covered dining area with tables and chairs stood adjacent to this. Skulls, bones of animals, a fox pelt and shed snakeskins were spread out on a bench. Canoes were neatly stored on racks and several bicycles leaned up against a tree. There was even an ominous looking human skull propped up at the entrance to the dining area! Nobody was to be found here and it became obvious to us that this was probably a seasonal facility. An elevated single-track road behind the camp ran along the top of a retaining dyke that helped contain the waters around this quadrant of the reservoir.

   The Lake itself was just magical, surrounded by gum forests, with the beautiful Serra mountain range in the background. A soft purple light filled the sky and bounced off passing clouds, in turn being reflected in the glassy surface of the water. Skeletal remains of dead trees poked out of the water at the fringes of the lake and acted as perches for the fish eagles, diving birds and Ibis. Clumps of tall green reeds made excellent habitat for the Australian Wood ducks, Dusky Moorhen and Purple Swamphen. We were elated to spot the tiny but brilliant blue, Splendid Fairy-Wren, hopping around on the dirt track.

   With a little more exploration, we managed to locate a truly idyllic setting for the night on a remote arm of the lake. A dirt track with restricted access led down to the sandy edges of the small circular bay, fringed with reeds. Tall mature Gum trees dotted the open, airy primitive camping area, shedding bark on the dry sandy ground, while thick scrub and medium height eucalyptus made up the surrounding forest. Foot prints of deer and emus where discernable around the wet lakeshore, indicating a well-used watering hole. We backed the station wagon up close to the water’s edge and made preparations for the night. While we sat with a glass of wine (actually a plastic beaker!) enjoying the serenity of this location, a pair of noisy Gang Gang Cockatoos flew over and settled on a branch, high up in one of the adjacent Gum trees. We were thrilled to see yet another new species, and patience rewarded us with this pair (who are monogamous) swooping down to the water's edge, only twenty feet away, for their evening drink. They were exquisite birds, the male having slate grey feathers with pale edging and a brilliant scarlet head with filamentous crest, while his partner sported a barred lemon grey chest and grey crest.

   The setting sun created a spectacular sky, with a fiery orange glow reflecting off the passing clouds turning the distant mountains a purple pink color. It reminded us of all those National Geographic sunsets that you see in the magazines. We sat and stared at the incredible visual transformations happening before us as dusk slowly metamorphosed into night. For a short while everything went very black, the stars shone brilliantly and then the entire scene progressively brightened and took form as a full moon rose from behind the distant peaks. It was intensely bright and stayed with us for a good portion of the night. The bellowing calls of stag deer could be heard at close quarters during the course of the night.

   The morning saw yet another dramatic transformation to our immediate surroundings. This time only faint ghostly images of trees and water could be made out in the thick mists that had settled over the area. The rising sun was a bright stain in the milky white sky. As the morning air warmed, the misty veil ever so slowly dissipated, bringing our surroundings back into focus once more. A simple trail that was no more than an animal track led back into the scrub forest beyond our campsite. A series of inter-connecting mounded walkways traversed the various bodies of water, but petered out in a tangle of thick vines and scrub. It would have been quite easy to lose your bearings in the dense undergrowth. Footprints and fresh droppings were numerous but we had no actual sighting of the animals responsible for them. This location was such a special and intimate place for us and it was only with reluctance that we bid it farewell.

   We stopped back at the Moora Reservoir one more time before venturing onward to other regions of the Park. On this visit we walked about a quarter of the way around the Lake to the southern shores bird watching and trying to track down the source of the intermittent bellowing of the stag deer that could be plainly heard, but always at a distance.

   Another 15 km down the dusty back roads and we emerged at the main paved road once more. We drove towards Halls Gap, curious about one of the Parks highlighted tourist attractions, the Wonderland Trail.

    Having spent the majority of our time on back roads recently, we were truly shocked to find so many cars filling the parking lot at the trail head. It was an ominous omen that we would not find the experience we had hoped for at this location.

    The 3 km trail leading up to a scenic lookout known as the 'Pinnacles', follows a course up through the 'Grand Canyon' which is a small but impressive stratified rock formation that rises either side of a broad gully. It was a bit disappointing to find that this naturally striking formation was bisected by a tubular steel handrail and metal staircases in sections. Further on up, we passed through another long narrow canyon aptly named the 'silent street', with its sheer walls of rock that restrict foot traffic to a single lane and diminished outside noise.

    The trail was very busy with hikers, families, old and young alike making the short walk to the scenic vista point. At the top, the overlook had been fenced off and was not the grand view we had expected from the hyped-up brochure. The busy little village of Hall's Gap lay in the valley below and off to the right was another man-made lake that contained the drinking water for the area.

    MacKenzie Falls was the second of the day's 'tourist' attractions that we visited. Once a sacred place for the Aboriginal people of the area, known as the Jardwadjali, MacKenzie Falls was known to them as 'Migunang Wirab' meaning 'black fish floating on top of the water'.

    A short walk down a concrete path leads to the river. A series of stepped rock formations and small cascades are a preamble to the actual Falls, which drop precipitously down a slick, black wall of stone into a large pool below. A fine mist hangs in the air close to the trail side.

    Unfortunately, the beauty and magic of this location has been lost to the obvious transformations that accompany mass tourism. The splendor and mystical qualities that made these Falls a significant place of power for the Aboriginal people, has been reduced and tamed to just another flyby, must-see/do location on the roster of well publicized 'attractions'.

    Moving on to the upper section of Grampians National Park, past Zumstein's (a small rest area w/picnic tables and a kangaroo viewing area), we turned into the peace and quiet of the bush once more at Brim Springs Road. Heading up the dirt track, we encountered two emus grazing in the lightly wooded scrub, along with several grey kangaroos. The emus, unusual looking, flightless birds, stand over 6 feet (2m) tall as adults, with long slender necks and a thick bustle of plumage on their backs that resembled a straw thatched roof. We had seen numerous emu tracks to date with their large unmistakable 3 toed footprint, but this was our first actual sighting of what would be many more to follow.

    We camped amongst the Black Box Gum trees and desert grasses and as the dark blanket of night fell, I stood outside motionless, and allowed my eyes time to adjust to the blackness. After 20 minutes, I detected movement on the trail ahead and turned on my headlight to illuminate a Brush Tailed Possum out on its nocturnal foraging.

    The following morning, which began with a brief rain shower, we spotted a stag Red Deer and his two female mates, as they cautiously made their way alongside the creek. After hearing the males roaring nightly, it was wonderful to finally witness them at close quarters.

    Our proposed destination of Little Desert National Park was another fairly long day's drive north west, taking us first through the Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park.

    Mt. Arapiles is one of Australia's premier rock climbing areas and is world renowned. The spectacular quartzose sandstone formations rise sharply out of the flat Wimmera plains and the high quality of rock offers over 2000 climbs. Until the 1840's, an Aboriginal clan known as the Djurite Balug inhabited the area until forced out by settlers. Today only a number of archaeological sites attest to Aboriginal occupation. Most of the Arapiles plateau is covered by low forest of long-leafed Box, Buloke and white Cypress Pine. Below the plateau Yellow Gum woodland predominates. It was another beautifully warm day and so we spent time walking the trails that ring the foot of the cliffs, gazing up at the climbers.

    Little Desert National Park was the first of three national parks that we visited in Victoria's Mallee country. Mallee is an Aboriginal word that can be used in three ways. It describes the multi-stemmed growth form of certain eucalypts, the vegetation types dominated by these trees and importantly, that part of north-western Victoria where such vegetation grows.

    Little Desert extends from the Wimmera River in the east to the south Australian border, covering 132,000 hectares (2.2 acres to 1 hectare). It is home to a varied and diverse range of vegetation with more than 670 species of native plants, over 220 bird species and wildlife that include brush tailed possum, kangaroos, bats, reptiles and lizards.

    Little Desert is also a much needed sanctuary for the endangered Malleefowl (or Lowan). This unique and rare bird, the size of a small turkey, is one of 19 mound-building birds in the world, but the only one that inhabits dry, arid areas (all others are found in tropical or subtropical areas). The Malleefowl has the ability to exist without drinking (though if available it will drink), gaining the moisture it needs from its food. Their sophisticated incubation mounds, comprised of a central core of decomposing organic material and piled sand, can be as much as a metre (3.3 feet) high and 5 metres across. These birds have the uncanny ability of being able to accurately gauge and maintain the 33 degree centigrade temperature required for egg laying, by either adding more rotting vegetation to raise temperature or opening up the mound to lower it.

    The male bird is responsible for building and maintaining the mound, spending up to 11 months each year working it. An average pair of Malleefowl produce 90 young in a lifetime but only 2 or 3 of these can grow into successful nesting birds without creating problems of overcrowding. Population densities vary greatly depending on vegetation factors, but generally each pair requires a substantial domain. The Little Desert is far from being a lifeless sandy oasis, instead, consisting of an abundance of life whose intriguing adaptations to the climate and soils belie the apparent monotony of the landscape. We walked for miles on trails that wound through vegetation such as broom brush, yellow gum, common fringe myrtle and daphne heath. We spotted hares, kangaroos, Short-Beaked Echidna and Crested Doves. We were also thrilled to come across on of the huge mounded nests of the Malleefowl, but didn't see the birds themselves.

    Another wonderfully clear but cool evening descended over our camp amidst a clearing of old Yellow Gum Trees and the Milky Way was particularly brilliant.

    The next morning we made tracks to Wyperfeld National Park, only a few hours drive north from Little Desert, through the small but quaint towns of Jeparit and Rainbow. From here we made a quick 20 km detour to 'Birdcage Flora and Fauna Reserve', a noted sanctuary for the endangered Regent Parrot.

    The hot and dry landscape was dotted with huge mature Gum Trees, which manage to survive the adverse conditions by having very long roots that reach down to water supplies in the soils. These old trees tend to have hollows and cavities created by broken-off limbs, which offer perfect nesting sites for many bird species. We did note several new species here, including the brightly colored Mallee Ring-neck Parrot, but unfortunately the beautiful green and yellow Regent eluded us on this day.

    Wyperfeld National Park is Victoria's largest National Park, with almost 357,000 hectares of fascinating Mallee to explore, much of it only accessible by foot. Its central features are a chain of dry lake beds connected by Outlet Creek, the northern extension of the Wimmera River. The Creek flows only when the Wimmera River over supplies Lake Hindmarsh downstream. This happens infrequently. As an example, Lake Brimin last held water in 1921!

    There are about 450 native plant species in the park- River Red Gum and Black Box woodlands cover the flood plains of Outlet Creek and the lakes. Cypress-pine woodlands grow on dunes near the lakes, Mallee covers most of the eastern section of the park and the rolling sand plains of the western sector are covered with heath land. Although the various Mallee Eucalypts (of which there are about 20 varieties) are superficially much alike, there are marked differences in the size, proportions and colors of the leaves. The prevalent and spiny 'Porcupine Grass' tussocks provide shelter for countless insects, spiders, lizards and birds. Emus also choose to lay their eggs in the relative safety of the circular clumping Porcupine grass, which slowly grows outward to form a ring. Emus and Western Grey Kangaroo are plentiful and can be seen grazing on the dry lake beds and surrounding woodlands, especially at dawn and dusk.

    Floods, though not common as rainfall in the Park is low and unreliable, as well as fires, play an important role in determining the distribution of plant and animal communities in the Park.

    We first drove down the 15 km 'Eastern Lookout Nature Trail', which is designed to give the visitor an overview of the Park's attractions and various characteristic landscapes - passing through dry lake beds, flood plains, sand dunes and mallee country to the lookout tower, we gazed out over an endless sea of greenery.

    Back towards the entrance to Wyperfeld, is a track that leads to a trail head which winds for 7 km through the mallee. We based ourselves here for the night and headed out into the scrub for a late afternoon walk. This particular trail was one of the journey's highlights and took us through a series of four characteristically different landscapes - first into an open grass and tussock land, followed by an area of Red River Gums and Black box, segueing to stunted Pine and Cypress forest before ending in scrubby heath of She-Oak and Heath-Banksia, popular with the Honey eaters. These communities supported a wealth of bird life, while the gentle undulating topography and periodic vista points give us a wonderful perspective into the bio-diversity that exists here.

    The setting sun turned the desert landscape first a rich pink, then orange. The cooling air was vibrantly fresh and pungent with the smell of ozone. It was some of the most fragrant and rarefied air we had ever breathed, seriously! To cap off an energizing walk, we settled in for the evening to an excellent dinner of marinated tofu, chicken, couscous and vegetables in a garlic, chili and tomato sauce.

    Once again, the clarity with which the stars shone in the black sky overhead was amazing and the night was unbelievably silent and still. Temperature variations between night and day are quite extreme, requiring down jackets and very warm sleeping bags both at night as well as the early morning hours.

Day 12. Easter Friday, March 13th.

    A three-hour drive north of Wyperfeld took us into Hattah-Kulkyne National Park which borders the meandering Murray River. Like Wyperfeld, this Park is centered on an impressive lake system where some have water and support an abundance of fish, bird and animal life, but most are dry grassy depressions that offer an alternative, but healthy community of wildlife.

    Lake Lockie was not obviously sign posted or referred to in the Park Visitor's Center, only by chance did we encounter it while in search for yet another secluded camp location. It was filled with water, fringed with ancient, majestic River Red Gums and supported a noisy and very active bird population.

    We were elated with the bird watching opportunities that this fortuitous stop afforded us. The water level was low and the lake was edged with dry, cracked mud flats. Several trees and aquatic shrubs thrived in the middle of this fairly large body of water and acted as a roost and nesting site for a number of bird species, including cormorants, spoonbills and egrets. There was obviously fierce competition for these prime locations as the sound of squabbling and fighting could be heard across the water.

    Pelicans, ducks and grebe cruised on the waters surface and around the marsh grasses, while herons and spoonbills searched for food closer to shore. The colorful Galahs, Rosellas and Cockatoos inhabited the taller Gum trees and screeched noisily overhead. The occasional eagle or hawk would come gliding down from high perches on exposed limbs of dead trees and cause havoc amongst the other birds inhabiting this lake environment.

    One of the hardships of this hot dry climate, was the incessant buzzing of the flies which relentlessly landed on our faces and drove us crazy. A small price to pay for the abundance of incredible life we were getting to see.

    Yet another fabulous pink sunset was cast across the sky and over the reflective surface of the lake and a cacophony of noise from the residents ensued, just as the sun dipped out of sight. It was not long before all became quiet, except for the sound of fish slapping on the water's surface during their evening feeding hours.

    Dawn greeted us with a brilliant orange glow and the busy active resident community commenced their daily activities once again. We prepared coffee and breakfast before heading out on another hike into Mallee countryside, around the Mournapal Lake area.

    On this occasion we happened to be rewarded with a Barn Owl sighting and two separate pairs of rare Regent Parrots, in addition to a pair of big Red Kangaroos, which are much larger than their western grey counterparts.

    These 'Reds' were lying in the shade of an old stunted Gum Tree, in a cool depression they had excavated from the soil. We were no more than 20 yards away before they sensed our closeness and bounded off with incredible speed and agility. They were a joy to watch! These were the only 'Red' Kangaroo we saw on the entire journey.

    We settled for a camp along the banks of the Murray River that evening. Being Easter weekend, the river was relatively busy with boaters and all its prime camp locations now resembled mini- settlements. Still, we managed to find a suitable recess where we enjoyed peace and quiet and watched a superb display of the sun's ability to turn the surrounding landscape into a veritable palette of color.

    The following morning, we rose early and said our farewells to the wonderful Mallee countryside. It was the beginning of the return journey to Sydney which would take us clear across the whole of New South Wales over a two day period.

    Passing vast tracks of open scrubland and prairie, then into rich agricultural areas, the miles ticked by. We stopped at a winery in one of the many vineyard regions that flanked our route and enjoyed a bit of a tasting. We settled on a wonderful, organically produced bottle of Cabernet/Shiraz which we proceeded to acknowledge that evening.

    Even the main arterioles in the rural sections of the state are all nearly empty of traffic. The beautiful white, pink and grey Galahs (cockatoos) would gather in huge groups on the roadway, feeding on insects as the sun was setting. They posed a bit of a problem for me driving, as the flock would invariably wait until you were almost upon them before taking flight and dispersing. Unfortunately, evidence would have it that some were not so lucky - a sad sight indeed.

    We pulled off the main highway and headed slightly north to the small, Cocobarra National Park and situated ourselves in the midst of its pine forests, next to a small pond. During the night, we were awakened by a fox who was sniffing around our campsite only five feet away from our heads!

    In the morning we passed a couple of hours bird watching. Many species, including the beautiful Red Capped Robin, would come to drink at the waters edge.

    We finally arrived back in Sydney that night after a ten-hour drive and unceremoniously spent the last two hours in a solid backlog of traffic, due to the Easter weekend holiday makers returning home.

    Our dear friend Ronnie and his roommate Melanie, were kind enough to host us in their lovely downtown apartment for our final week in Australia. We were treated to many more fun times in the city during our stay. Ronnie showed us a bit of the vibrant nightlife he so loves and we shook our booties all night long at Sugar Reef, one of the local clubs! We had a blast and got to know this man as a kind and extremely giving friend, his lively spirit and hilarious sense of humor kept us hopping. Thanks again to Matt and our new found friends Mac and Andie for all the good times.

    We have come to dearly love Australia with its magnificent, varied and unique landscapes and we only wished that more time was available to explore its wonders and riches. But New Zealand beckoned as we head into the final leg of this yearlong journey.