Australia Day, 26 January, is the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Great Britain, and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove by its commander Captain Arthur Phillip, in 1788 (you can read a comprehensive history of the evolution of Australia Day here).
On Australia Day we come together as a nation to celebrate what’s great about Australia and being Australian. It’s the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation. It’s the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future. – Courtesy of The Australia Day Council
I live in a unique and truly magnificent part of this world. I am a very proud Australian and have always felt incredibly blessed to have been born and raised in such a gorgeous place.
Early in my twenties I decided to see as much of this grand, and huge, land mass as possible before exploring the rest of the world. I am proud to say I have visited every state and territory and every capital city. There is still so much more for me to see and do, and Ayers Rock still eludes me.
Today I am celebrating this remarkable place, I call home, by sharing a few of my own photos showcasing the unique animals and the incredible natural beauty I get to delight in. So much beauty a picture is often hard to resist.
It was approaching dusk and we were all walking back to the car when we heard the noise. I still remember my Mum scooping up my youngest brother as she protectively herded us together. “What is it?” she yelled to my father, “A wild pig?”
Trust me Koalas are the cutest looking creatures ever and they make a very distinct husky growl, nothing like the sweet Care Bear voice you would expect.
Koalas are also one of the more difficult animals to see in the wild. They love to sleep all day and are well camouflaged high up in the trees. One of my fondest memories happened on a day 20 years ago. A dear friend and I sat reading under the shade of a tree, when a koala went scurrying down the track in front of us. Hot on his heels was his very own paparazzi, a gaggle of Japanese tourists frantically clicking away with their cameras.
These magestic guys are much easier to see in the wild. It is very common to see hundreds of them bounding across paddocks at dusk. Sadly they can cause a lot of damage to your car,and themselves, if they come bounding out of the bush while you race by down the highway.
This little bird does not sing, tweet, chirp or whistle either. This handsome dude is a Kookaburra and he laughs, and he laughs. His distinctive chuckle a true Aussie bush sound and one I absolutely love.
It was hard for me to choose only a few beach photos because we have so many amazing beaches and spend so much of our time at the beach. This is one of Western Australia’s stunning beaches with incredible clean sand and tranquil appealing water.
Same day same beach. Oh the colour of that water.
If you follow me on Instagram you will see many more photos taken on the Victorian beaches close to home.
This park is typical of the many amazing parks lining the coast of Queensland. You can see the beautiful, sparkling water behind us and that tree, wow the shade it offered as we sat and enjoyed our lunch.
The beautiful sand on a Queensland beach was begging for us all to write and draw pictures.
As a child we spent many hours in the car touring around and to pass the time my Nanna would ask us to count windmills. To this day windmills like this one remind me of those family car trips, and yes I do still count them.
This is the very stunning Hamilton Island, located off the coast of Northern Queensland.
Typical of the many tropical islands spread all along the Queensland coast.
This is island life at its best.
No cars at all, bikes are the only mode of transport on many of our islands.
This photo was taken close to my home on a walk along the banks of the Yarra river. Lush, green and naturally beautiful.
Incredibly this is only a very small taste of the exquisite beauty of to be found on my doorstep.
Unfortunately I have no outback photos as they were all taken with film and are yet to be digitalized.
If you live in Australia or have ever visited I hope this generates some fond memories for you.
Everyone else I dearly hope one day you get to experience the natural wonders to be found in my beloved and fabulous sunburnt country.
I have a friend who has been to visit here three times who comes from Koorablyn?? Somewhere in Queensland. She talks of waking up to the Kookaburras at 4 am giggling in her trees outside her house.
The kookaburra I photographed was actually sitting in a tree above the caravan I was sleeping in and chucled away at 4am most days. We had a love hate relationship.
Absolutely beautiful images! You have a true talent for photography and pairing your lovely photos with words.
Monica thank you I honestly felt I could go on all day sharing them.
Such a welcome, warm retreat on this damp foggy morning. A quick check of my phone reveals my son is enjoying -7* C temps which is better than the -35* C windchill of a day ago and my daughter is enjoying a balmy -9. She has blowing snow in her forecast. Me? Fog and 1*C. What I love about this post of yours is that you aren’t boasting you are simply sharing. Thank you for reminding me that I love your country – and yes my Ayers Rock climb was one for the books. Pepsi and all.
Kelly that Rock is on my list, planning has begun. Stay warm dear friend we are expecting 102F here today, very cosy.
What beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing them. I have never been to Australia, but I can tell you it’s certainly on my must list. The minute I get an opportunity to go, I’m there!
Ree you will not be disappointed it is a beautiful place.
What gorgeous photos! Thank you for sharing a lot about Australia I didn’t know, for some reason I had no idea you had palm trees. Those beaches look pretty fantastic on this cold, Canadian winter day.
Christie we have everything from gum tree to palm trees to bright red dirt with no trees, it is tropical, lush, bare, rugged, harsh and remarkable. So thrilled you enjoyed the pictures and please stay warm.
Fabulous peak into your splendid world! Love all the photos, but I really, really loved seeing your Kookaburra! Someday you may need to post a video of the Kookaburra so I can hear it laugh! Lovely! Happy, happy Australian Day!
Debbie I am taking up the challenge to video the kookaburra. I have a friend who has a few that come sit on her back decking and wait for her to feed them I may just take my camera with me next time I visit. The sound will bring a smile to your face.
The koala photo is truly amazing.
Thank you for sharing this beauty.
I’m in Florida this week and today was 79 and sunny. So different from the zero degree days and dark snow I’m used to!
Enjoy a touch of warmth this week Tamara. I chose that koala picture because he looked so cute as he stretched out his legs.
I would love to visit 🙂
Terri I do hope you make that visit, you will not be disappointed.
The kookaburra is my bird of the year (my word is smile and I want lots of laughter). Karen, it’s a treat to see photos YOU’VE taken of your beloved country. I’m wondering, what is the function of the wind mill? Do you get energy from it? (Oh how I love being here in your blog space. xo)
Susan the kookaburra is such a great bird for the year. Windmills are used on farms to pump water from rivers and bores. I am not sure if other countries have them but they are a common sight all over Australian farmland.
I would love to see a Koala and a Kangaroo! We have friends who just immigrated to Aus and I really hope we can go over to visit them at some point, it looks like such a stunning country.
Corlie it is truly magnificent I do hope you make it here one day.
What an absolutely beautiful place to live! I love the picture of you taking the picture. That water looks amazing. I’m following on instagram now!
Thanks Heather, my wonderful friend took that picture and I love it too.
Oh Karen, Australia looks amazing through your eyes. This is the magic of the internet and in my opinion it is one of the best inventions. I get to see Australia, experience it to a point while sitting at my computer in Trinidad. Countries thousands of miles apart…yet here we are forming a lasting connection. 🙂
Tami you actually inspired this post. I had not realised other people would be interested in seeing so much of what I can take for granted. I forget sometimes how far away we are and what a big trip it is to come here. Last week when you asked me about my country I felt so proud and wanted to share it with the world. So thank you.
Love your post. I’ve never been to Australia, but some day hope to. Thank you for sharing a little part of your world for all of us to see. 🙂
Kelli thank you for enjoying my pictures and I hope one day you get to see Australia for yourself.
Karen these images are so awesome! Australia is on the bucket list. Thank you for sharing your lovely country with the rest of us…<3
Belinda it is wonderful to know Australia is on your bucket list and I truly hope you make it here one day.
What an absolute delight to have a peek at your beautiful country through your gorgeous photos! I’m very impressed with your extensive traveling of it. Just yesterday I was viewing a map of Australia with the block of European countries superimposed on it to give a sense of scale. While I’d be most delighted to see a Koala and Kangaroo up close, I’d really love to hear a Kookaburra laugh. What fun.
Deborah what a fantastic way to get a perspective on just how big a land mass Australia is. The laugh of a kookaburra is awesome, that is if it is not 4am and it is sitting outside your window.
Australia is on my travel bucket list and these photos have my wanderlust in high gear! I love the first photo, and the beaches look so inviting!
Nicole our beaches are truly stunning and you would love all the incredible photographic opportunities.
Such beautiful photos. I know two twenty something’s who have traveled extensively in Australia. One back-packed there for two years working odd jobs. The other worked in machine repair for two years. I so wish I would have had the opportunity to do something like this.
Australia is physically such a huge place to see it all you need at least a year of continual travel or keep on coming back. It is never too late.
Those photos are just gorgeous! I can’t get over the blue, blue, blue of the water. And I can’t wait until you get your outback photos digitized!
Harmony that water was stunning, the blue hard to describe. Thanks for dropping by.
I love Australia – it’s the place I would like most to visit. I’m following you on Instagram to see more of these gorgeous pictures. I hear that Aussies are great people too. We have some friends from there and we adore them. #SITSSharefest
Thanks Adrian. We are a laid back nation and I like to think great people too. I hope you get to visit one day.