One day in history

Each day we had passed a tourist sign that pointed down a side road to Patchs beach (not a spelling mistake, its possible there was a person named Patchs). Today we followed that road to take a look. It was worth the effort. The beach is another part of that same beach that is close to the caravan park where we are staying and the sand stretches for miles into the far distance. I could just make out the glint of sunlight on the window of a vehicle but not the vehicle.

The beach is used by surf fishermen and in different places there is access to the beach for four wheel drives. Not far from where we walked to the sand I spotted a single man up to his waist in the sea gamely trying his best to catch a meal.

Leaving the fisherman behind we again drove from Wardell to Alstonville because the scenery is so beautiful along that road. This time we were to visit the house of one of the founding members of the township, Ambrose Crawford. It has been converted into a museum.

The house is weatherboard and was Crawford's second house, built especially for his wife. Their first home was a very simple cottage and that no longer exists.

When the family moved out the house was gifted to the local council and it was used for as a baby clinic and as a base for Meals on Wheels but a few years ago the Historical Society asked for and were given the building to create a museum of life in the early 20^th century. One of the active members of this society is one of the daughters of the family that lived here, she is now in her nineties. We were lucky enough to be looking around the house when she called in and she pointed out this telephone that she told us was installed in 1913 and told how she would love to listen in to the conversations with the earpiece held to her ear.

Each of the rooms was displayed to show off different features and apparently the displays are changed fortnightly. In the bedroom was a collection of childrens clothing and toys. One large standing doll caught my attention, it was the size of a four year old child and had the most beautiful face and jointed arms and legs. It was standing as if looking down into a little dolls bed in which lay another small doll.

In the living room was yet another doll, this time a full sized adult. Maybe this was a shop display doll. Again the face was beautiful. The pianola (I think that is what it is) was a popular piece of furniture in the 1920's. I have a friend who treasures his old pianola and has hundreds of rolls of music.

Our holiday in the Ballina area is at an end and tomorrow we drive home again to continue with our regular lives. It will be good to be home but I have enjoyed seeing so many of the interesting places down here.

AJ

Beaches and forests

Staying so close to a beach I just had to make the effort to get at least one sunrise over the sea. Back home I am surrounded by tall trees so although I do see colour in the sky it is short lived and unsuited to a photograph. This was my opportunity!

It was cold! Further south they are having snow and blizzards and the chill reached up to us this morning! Brrr! However I resisted the urge to snuggle down into the bedclothes and dressed in warm fleece and waterproof jacket to sheild from the wind I lugged my heavy tripod and my trusty Nikon across the sand dunes to the beach. The dune ground cover didn't offer an interesting foreground interest so I had to let the sky take centre stage. What looked as though it would be a spectacular display turned out to be a disappointment with clouds racing in and denying me a sight of the sun rising. However I did get quite a few pretty shots, thanks to my 200mm lens.

It was great to return to a hot shower and breakfast! An invigorating start to the day!

On the way out for our day's exploration, we stopped briefly to take a couple of pictures of the smallest Post Office in NSW. It looks as if one of the veranda railings has been broken and temporary plastic fencing put up to stop customers falling off !

This is the Empire Vale post Office on the Richmond River a few kilometers from Wardell. Empire Vale is a tiny little town – a “blink and you'll miss it” town. Colin and I drive through Empire Vale every day either on the way out or on the way back to the caravan park when we choose not to use the ferry across the river.

Our car trip took us first to Evans Head where we first visited a small sandy bay that even on this cool morning attracted a couple of young boys who, when we were leaving, were splashing happily in the waters edge.

Driving up the hill above this beach we were able to look down on the attractive coastline. Evans Head is a very popular (quiet) holiday destination. I can see why.

On the way to see another holiday destination I took a turn into what was signed as Shark Bay Picnic Grounds and when we left the car we were surprised to hear the sound of many young children. We did not intrude on the groups of children and their teachers but it appeared that an entire school was being conducted here in on the lawns of the picnic area or on the beach and the subject was evidently Aboriginal culture. One group was playing rhythm sticks and chanting and another group were busy painting on sheets of paper spread on the ground using sticks and fingers, The Aboriginal flag was suspended between the branches of one of the low trees.

When we arrived in Iluka, Colin and I walked into the Heritage Listed Rainforest which is right against the beach. Voluteers have spent many hours removing domestic plants from the rainforest that had threatened to smother everything. Asparagus fern is one of those plants – it spreads rapidly and has wicked thorns on it too.

As we drove in to the town of Iluka we drove through patches of rainforest, eucalypt forest and maleluca forest, it was amazing how the pattern of trees kept changing. I could not understand why the little patch of rainforest that was in the township should have been heritage listed and not the forest on the drive in to the town (that did not appear to be filled with feral plants). There must be a reason.

Iluka has a fishing fleet of trawlers and after taking a couple of pictures I amused myself by trying to catch a shot of the terns as they dived for fish in the adjacent yacht harbour. I only caught the splash!

AJ

A place with a lifting bridge

It is so quiet here in South Ballina. No traffic and no sounds other than the sound of rain on the roof last night. When we eventually decided to get out of bed the rain had dried up and the clouds were almost gone. In fact the sky was so blue after we had eaten our breakfast that I persuaded my stay at home hubby to come for a walk to the beach. The beach is almost adjacent to the caravan park we are staying in.

The walk did us both good and Colin looked quite happy to be out on the sands.

There wasn't another person on the beach for as far as the eye could see. This is supposed to be a surfing beach but the waves were very small indeed.

We needed a few pantry items from the shops in Ballina (we are a ferry ride across the river from Ballina) so the day was planned so that I could take a few shots in Wardell which was on the road trip to Ballina from here, There was time for a cup of coffee before we left so I can show you the little cabin that is our temporary home here in South Ballina.

I had read that Wardell had a few historic buildings in it – historic in Australia terms but only just over one hundred years old. I took a few pictures of what I could see were old building – the original Post Office is now closed and empty of everything except a few pieces of large furniture.

Post offices like this one were to be found in country towns all over country Australia. They were painted white and proudly displayed the Aussie flag on the flagpole out the front.

The most dramatic old structure in Wardell is the lifting bridge over the Richmond River that is still used by all the cars buses and trucks that use the Pacific Highway between Sydney and Brisbane. I really do not know if the bridge is still operational or if it even needs to be. Once upon a time paddlesteamers and yachts would sail up and down the river and need the higher clearance. I did once see the bridge lift for a high masted yacht but that was a few years ago.

And under a small road bridge beside the big lifting bridge is this wonderful painting. Obviously done by someone who loves music!

Before heading back to the caravan park I drove Colin along the track I walked along the Richmond River. When I walked it I stopped before reaching landsend where the river met the ocean but this time we bounced our way over deep holes and corrugations on the gravel track and then walked out along the breakwater where we were lucky enough to see whales passing by. The whales did not do anything exciting – like breaching or like tail flapping but they did break the surface of the water and occasionally blew spray into the air. This was a lucky shot! We stayed and watched for half an hour and in that time saw at least a dozen whales – many too far away to see anything more than the spray but a few close enough to capture with the 200mm lens.

As we retreated to the car we paused briefly to watch as an early fishing boat headed out to the open waters, The bar is calmer on the further side, the waves were really rolling towards the rocks on our side of the estuary.

Another fascinating day and lots more photos to pack into my hard drives!

I have made tentative plans for tomorrow but if the weather changes (it is like summer) then our plans will change too! I will tell you about what we did, tomorrow!

AJ

Dolphin video

As well as taking photos of the dolphins as they were being fed by visitors to Tangalooma Resort I attempted a little bit of video using the Nikon D90.
Here is Amanda getting wet - she's the one with the long hair - she held on to her fish in an attempt to keep the dolphin with her!

Click on the title to see the video in Youtube or on the four-way arrows to see it full screen
AJ

Fishing champions

Where ever there is a boat ramp for fishing enthusiasts the pelicans are never too far away. And so it was when I walked down to the water's edge with not another person in sight.

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A wily bird assumed that I would have something tasty to share and came swimming over. Just then a small "tinny" putted around the corner in which were three weary boys who had been out all morning dangling their lines.

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After asking if they had a successful trip and being told "yes" the lad in the straw had reached down in the bottom of the boat and dug out a small fish wrapped in plastic - I guess it was left over bait. "I can get the pelican over for you so that you can get a good shot of it" he offered.

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The intention was to draw the bird over and then toss the fish to it but I persuaded him to try and get it to take the fish from his outstretched hand. "Goodness, look at that hook on the end of his beak" he yelped! I don't think he had done this before! But he waggled the fish enticingly and closer and closer came Pelly.

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The bird was as nervous as the lad with the fish! But hunger overcame fear and with a lightning quick snatch the fish was engulfed in the enormous beak. Oh dear! The shutter speed might not have been fast enough! There is a bit of blur on the head and neck but the picture is not as bad as I feared! Both bird and boy were happy. One had a feed the other did not get injured by the hook on the top beak!

After offering my thanks and showing the shot I managed to take I left the three young men to load their fishing boat (small metal fishing boats are always known as "tinnies" by us Aussies) onto a boat trailer and I returned happily to the car.

Looking up I spotted more winged fishermen.

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The mighty pelicans look so amazing in flight. I took four different photos of this group as they passed overhead.

AJ