All posts by Sandra Graham

I am an artist and blogger living in Sydney, Australia. I am interested in Australian landscapes and lost suburbia, capturing them in photographs, paintings, prints and mixed media. @s_graham_art

Geikie Gorge

The next day we started our 14-day Kimberley Camping Safari with Outback Spirit. As we travelled the long road to Fitzroy Crossing, it soon became obvious that the Kimberley was a vast place.

Kimberley Highway

In the late afternoon we arrived at Geikie Gorge. It’s where the mighty Fitzroy River winds its way through the Oscar Ranges – remnants of a Devonian reef that formed 375 million years ago – in an age where land had not yet been colonised by animals, and where giant fish where the most complex life forms in the ocean. Nowadays it’s above water and lovely to cruise along in the late afternoon.

Geikie Gorge

Geikie Gorge

The white rock has been bleached by water during consecutive wet seasons. The red rock is the part of the reef that has oxidised (rusted) in the harsh climate. You can see that the water has carved some interesting shapes.

These pandanus palms can survive whatever the season, dry or wet.

Geikie Gorge

Geikie Gorge

Soon the sun sets, and that’s when the rocks really show off their colours.

Geikie Gorge

Geikie Gorge

Broome in the dry

I’m back from a blog break and holidays to start a brand-new series – our recent trip to the Kimberleys. It’s somewhere I have wanted to go to for a long time, and I was given a chance to go this year as part of the Sydney Grammar School science tour.

We started and ended the trip in Broome. It was a shock flying out of 5C Sydney into 32C Broome, but I bore it somehow. Our hotel was a walk away from Cable Beach, which we got to in time to watch the sunset.

Broome Winter

Broome Winter

The beach is much wider than most East Coast beaches, and pretty busy for WA. It’s the Broome dry season – a season of hot days, mild nights, and generally no rain at all. In fact, we saw clear skies for most of the trip.

Broome Winter

Broome Winter

It got much busier as the sun sunk lower. The 4WD’ers were out in force on the northern half of the beach, eager to get the best seat in the house. It was a bit like Sydney traffic at times.

Broome Winter

Broome Winter

Eventually the sun made its final farewell – the end of our first day.

Broome Winter

Broome Winter

A gig at the Opera House

At the beginning of May we saw the Icelandic folk/pop/alt band Of Monsters and Men in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. The Opera House opens its doors to contemporary artists pretty often as I’ve seen a few bands there over the years. We were seated in the stalls for the first time, which gave us a real close up view.

Of Monsters and Men

Listening to their albums, I’m aware that the band is a large one, having two lead singers, but I wasn’t quite prepared for 9 to 12 people on the stage!

The audience was a real mix, from under 20’s to over 60’s – a real surprise given that the group is only 5 years old and doesn’t get a lot of mainstream radio play. I guess these days people can discover new music in all sorts of ways.

Of Monsters and Men

They played the content of their two albums, and a few odds and ends, and their music sounded grander on stage than on their album. To me, they are one of those bands that sound better live than on their recordings. It even brought the crowd to their feet every now and then!

Of Monsters and Men

And yes, the smoke machine and strobe lighting was in use. Not surprising given the atmospheric nature of much of their songs.

Of Monsters and Men

All in all, a good night out.

Autumn Beach Walk – Part 2

I can’t quite believe that Bridie the Beagle is now at the ripe old age of 13. She’s well into pensioner age now and much of the time is content to lounge about.

Old-age pensioner

Unless she senses another dog ‘invading’ her territory.

Old-age pensioner

Or when there’s a beach walk on the cards.

Autumn beach walk

That’s when she gets really active, behaving more like a disobedient pup (do beagles ever grow out of this stage?)

Autumn beach walk

Sprinting, jogging, and all the while sniffing out the many scents on the beach. She particularly likes seaweed!

Autumn beach walk

Strange dog…

Autumn Beach Walk – Part 1

This spell of warm weather seems never-ending at the moment. Today it was 28C here in Sydney, warm enough to enjoy the beach. These photos though were a few weeks ago during the Anzac Day weekend. Umina Beach was surprisingly deserted for a long weekend.

Autumn beach walk

There was very little swimming going on even though the water temperature hadn't dipped as yet.

Autumn beach walk

I think there were more dogs than people in the water that afternoon.

Autumn beach walk

Cruising the Hawkesbury – Part 6

After a light lunch on-board, we arrived at the waterside hamlet of Marlow, on the northern side of the Hawkesbury.

Hawkesbury Riverboat Postman Cruise

Once again, it’s a community with boat-only access – which means no town water or sewerage, although they do have power and garbage collection. Unlike Dangar Island though, it takes a bit more effort to reach this place, the nearest road access being via a track from the M1.

Hawkesbury Riverboat Postman Cruise

Nevertheless, there are some nice houses – some look quite historic.

Hawkesbury Riverboat Postman Cruise

There’s mail to be delivered and collected here, and the local dog to treat. Boots the dog (named because of his white paws) expects a biscuit every day.

Hawkesbury Riverboat Postman Cruise

And all too soon we are cruising back downstream to Brooklyn. A nice way to discover the Hawkesbury.

Hawkesbury Riverboat Postman Cruise