The ancient continent Down Under, with awe-inspiring prehistorical landscapes, tropical beaches and unique flora and fauna.
The tropical wilderness of Hinchinbrook Island.
Hiking Mount Amos with a view over Wineglass Bay.
The opal fields of Lightning Ridge.
Opal fever is real. It will draw you in and take hold of you if you venture into the opal fields of Lightning Ridge and The Grawin. The only place in the world where the elusive black opal is found. It’s like northern lights and a volcanic eruption simultaneously frozen into iridescent stone, forged from the ancient depths of Gondwana. And it’s difficult not to get enchanted by its beauty.
At just over 450 metres, Mount Amos isn’t really that high, but its inclination gets rather steep & challenging. You’ll have to scramble your way up (and down again!) over huge granite boulders to reach the top of this peak in The Hazards mountain range. Once you’ve braved the hardcore scrambling bit, you will be rewarded with awe-inspiring views over Wineglass Bay and the Freycinet Peninsula on the east coast of Tasmania.
Hinchinbrook Island in Australia is pure bliss. Rugged mountains covered in lush jungle vegetation, broad sweeping beaches and meandering estuaries. Unspoiled wilderness that can only be explored on foot. The Thorsborne Trail follows a 32 kilometre route along the east coast of Hinchinbrook Island. It’s one of the most beautiful hikes in the world.
The landscapes of Australia are truly out of this world, and so are the sunsets. This is the incredible sunset at Wollemi National Park, home of the prehistoric Wollemi Pine. It was like an Aurora Solaris – the sunset version of northern lights.
GeekPic at the Lightning Ridge opal mine underground museum. Opal fever is real. It will take hold of you if you venture into the town of Lightning Ridge, where the cracks in the earth are filled with the most precious stone of them all. This is where the elusive black opal is found. And it’s difficult not to get enchanted by its beauty.
The Art of Nature – Wollemi Protea. Originally native to South Africa, but now widely spread across the Southern Hemisphere. The Wollemi Protea is closely related to the Australian waratah, banksia and macademia. All come with huge bulky intricate flowers, producing pretty seedpods & bushnuts that are truly works of art.
The Art of Nature – Australian Flower & Bushnut Art. A series of pictures featuring the colourful art & contrasts made by nature. Natural works of art produced by flowering plants and trees. A celebration of spring, the resilience of nature & life itself.