Monday, January 28, 2013

Taralga Rodeo

I visited my first rodeo at Taralga in 2012 and was keen to visit again, however I've decided I don't enjoy them. Apart from there being a serious accident and injury to one of the riders, I'm not convinced that the safety of the animals is paramount and I really object to the use of spurs. It was unsettling to observe the look of panic on the faces of some of the horses and steers.

Rodeos however are great locations for 'characters' and people watching and they provide a glimpse into country life in rural Australia - a healthier, happier, less hectic life in tune with the land.

One of the young cowgirls riding the ferris wheel

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Travel Backlog

My stock of photographs is growing and I fear it may be almost impossible to catch up so I've decided to document them according to date and take it one small step at a time and hope I can make some headway. :-)
I have to say that now it's all itemised I've become even more fearful of never catching up. However I'm reassured by the fact that if it's the case, it really doesn't matter, because the fun is in the processing and recalling fond memories. Perhaps one strategy is to publish one image from each of the locations in the interim. So it's off to the post processing I go

January 4 - Hyde Park
January 7 - Sunflower fields at Quirindi
January 11 - Potter Point
January 17 - Clovelly
January 19 - Wilton sunrise, Austinmere and Tooths Brewery
January 25 - Wombarra
January 28 - Wollongong Lighthouse
January 28 - Taralga Rodeo

February 2 - Lightpainting
February 9 - Coledale
February 10 - Colour Run
February 23 - Wet day at Wollongong Lighthouse
February 24 - Mystery Tour to Warragamba

February 27- Sandon Point, Wombarra and Wollongong Harbour

March 2 - Sussex Inlet and Sandon surfers
March 4 - Glebe and Sylvania Jetty
March 13 - City sights

March 15 - Watamolla
March 17 - Oak Park 
March 24 - Clovelly to Coogee Walk

March 22 - Shelly Sunrise
March 27 - Shelly Sunrise
March 29 - Hydro Majestic Hotel and Lithgow Blast Furnace

March 31 - Shelly sunset

April 2 - Blue Mountains

April 5 - Canberra Balloons, Goulburn Orphanage and Sandon Sunrise 
April 12 - Cronulla sunrise
April 14 - Cahill Walk
April 16 - Graffiti
April 19 - South Coast Holiday
April 21 - Coastal drive home
April 23 - Cronulla Sunset
April 25 - Anzac Day March 
April  28 - Harbour Mystery Tour and Solander sunrise

May 4 - Autumn at Mt. Wilson
May 9 - Tamworth and Scone
May 17 - Potter Point
May 19 -Audley Walk
May 25 - Little Bay
May 26 - Yena Gap
May 28 - Foggy Day
May 29 - Pelicans

June 2 - Railway Tunnel
June 6 - The Nuns Pool and Shelley Beach
June 8 - Point Perpedicular
June 14 - The Leap
June 16 - The Big Swell
June 21 - Yena Surfing
June 25 - Stormy Day
June 28 - La Perouse
June 30 - Yena Gap

July 1 _ Bombo
July 7 - Little Austi
July 8 - Inscription Point
July 12 - Leura Waterfalls
July 21- Kites at Kurnell
July 26 - Cecil Hills
July 31 - Potter Point


2012
January 5 - Sydney Harbour
January 11 - Como
January 13 - Hyams Beach
January 26 - Australia Day at Cronulla

January 30 - Goulburn and Taralga Rodeo


February 12 - Mystery Tour 4
February 9 - Mogo

March 6 - Explorer Bus Trip
March 8/29 - QVB
March 13 - Norah Heads
March 13 - Newcastle
March 18 - Lavendar Bay


April 6 -  Moonrise
April 9 - Centennial Park
April 11 - Pelican Feeding
April 13 - Murrays Beach
April 15 - Bare Island
April 17 - Greycliffe
April 26 - Anzac Bridge
April 27 - Milsons Point


May 4 - Manly
May 6 - Airshow
May 6 - Full Moon at Wollongong
May 10 - Collector
May 12 - Canberra
May 13 - Goulburn and orphanage
May 18 - Auburn Botanic Garden

May 22 -  Callan Park

June 2 - Bats
June 8 - Lithgow Blast Furnace

July 2 - Cockatoo Island
July 6 - Parramatta
June 11 - Vivid
June 12 - Vivid 2
July 15 - Gosford Society Trip
July 16 - Parramatta
June 20 - Mystery Tour Tunnel


???? 25 - Port Kembla and dandelions

September 7 - Parramatta 2
October 4 - Symbio

October 9 - Bowral
October 10 - Tuggerah Lakes Jetty
October 10 - Passion Flowers
October 14 - Camden
October 15 - Banjo Patterson Cottage
October 16/November 19 - Loftus House
October 18 - Audley Weir
October 18 - Gladesville Mental Hospital
October 19 - Tram Museum
October 19 - Buddhist Temple  
October 23 - Goats Farm

October 25 - Sculpture by the sea
October 30 - Bat pups


November 3 - Tooths Brewery ( Mittagong Maltings) http://cosmicthunder.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/abanoned-beer-halls/


November 10 - Flannel Flowers

November 11 - Mystery Tour
November 13 - Port Kembla 
November 25 - City at night and ALs Party
November 29 - Bargo
November 30 - Northbridge

December 6 - Woy Woy
December 29 - Saddleback Mountain

Friday, January 4, 2013

Pelican Antics

I was mesmerised for over four hours watching pelican chicks in the pelican nesting colony situated at Woy Woy. The colony is on an island in the middle of the river and using my Canon Powershot like binoculars I was able to zoom in and observe the interaction. The island was a few hundred metres away so the images are very grainy but hopefully it won't be the last time I visit this colony so next time I'll inquire into renting a boat in order to get within a reasonable distance without disturbing them.

Feeding Time On The Island