Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #6 Mangrove Swamps

This is the sixth part of my Highlights. I love mangrove swamps: and enjoyed exploring those on the Boardwalk at Nudgee Beach on the shoreline of Moreton Bay, and also the swamps along the riverside walk at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. Mangroves play a vital ecological role: they help to stabilize shorelines and reduceContinue reading “Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #6 Mangrove Swamps”

Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #4 Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane

Here is the fourth post of my Highlights. Today, Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane. Reclaimed from a railway goods yard (and using land which was, of course, prior to that, used for thousands of years by the local indigenous peoples for ceremonies and meetings), these exquisite parklands are a joy to wander through and to restContinue reading “Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #4 Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane”

Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #3 The City of Brisbane, South Bank

Here is the third post of my Highlights; today, the south bank of the Brisbane river, with its Art Galleries, Performing Arts Centre and State Library, along with the headquarters of the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where my daughter Abigail works on the news programme), the Big Wheel, and the inspired South Bank Parklands, formerlyContinue reading “Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #3 The City of Brisbane, South Bank”

Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #2 Mt Nebo, Mt Glorious, the Great Dividing Range, and Somerset Dam

Here is the second post of my Highlights: and today, one of my favourite areas, the mountain backdrop behind Brisbane, which is of course part of the Great Dividing Range. First of all, Mt Coot-tha and its Lookout, a hugely popular destination for tourists which also has a lovely restaurant/cafe where visitors may enjoy theContinue reading “Highlights of My Australian Journey 2022: A Travel Diary #2 Mt Nebo, Mt Glorious, the Great Dividing Range, and Somerset Dam”

My Australian Journey  2022 #6: Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane

In Brisbane we find a stunning display of landscape architecture and horticulture at its best: created from reclaimed land, a former railway stabling yard beside Roma Street Station, inspired by Colin Campbell, Australian Horticulturist. Starting at the Garden Room Cafe we meet the wildlife straight away. The ibis is Brisbane’s answer to a seagull. IContinue reading “My Australian Journey  2022 #6: Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane”

My Australian Journey 2022 #4: #ShiotaGOMA

This post is dedicated to an amazing exhibition we saw at GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) on Brisbane’s South Bank. Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota presented ‘ The Soul Trembles’ – an astonishing collection of artworks and installations with the power to change the way you see the world. The first installation put these ideas intoContinue reading “My Australian Journey 2022 #4: #ShiotaGOMA”

My Australian Journey 2022 #2: Mount Coot-tha and Mount Glorious

Continuing my journey in Australia, today’s photos are from the Brisbane region, and I share photos of Mount Coot-tha Lookout, the Lookouts from Mount Glorious (Jolly’s, Westridge and Wivenhoe), and Somerset Dam. Somerset Dam, northwest of Brisbane.

My Australian Journey 2022 #1: Arrival in Brisbane

I flew out from London Heathrow to Australia via Doha on Qatar Airways on 16 August 2022, for a two-month trip to see my sister Julia, brother-in-law Bruce and daughter Abigail in Brisbane. So what better than to share my photos with you here over the next two months? Watch out for several blog postsContinue reading “My Australian Journey 2022 #1: Arrival in Brisbane”

Australia and New Zealand Mini Series Part 28: Queensland, Australia: from University Campus to Botanic Gardens and Iconic Lookout: Brisbane Highlights

This is the twenty-eighth and final post in my series of short reflections on different places in Australia and New Zealand, as experienced during my November 2019 visit. In my last post I wrote about our final visit in New Zealand: Auckland Botanic Gardens. Whilst there we enjoyed the outstanding Sculptures in the Gardens exhibitionContinue reading “Australia and New Zealand Mini Series Part 28: Queensland, Australia: from University Campus to Botanic Gardens and Iconic Lookout: Brisbane Highlights”

Australia and New Zealand Mini Series Part 16: Queensland Maritime Museum, Brisbane

This is the sixteenth in my series of short reflections on different places in Australia and New Zealand, which I visited in November 2019. In my last post I wrote about the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens which may be found inside a big loop of the Brisbane River, opposite the Kangaroo Point cliffs on theContinue reading “Australia and New Zealand Mini Series Part 16: Queensland Maritime Museum, Brisbane”