carnarvon gorge

We set off early because we knew we had a big hike ahead of us - I didn't expect it to be 23km, but we made it to the end of the gorge and back. Carnarvon is magnificent. The variety of flora and fauna which is mixed in with creeks and towering cliffs is overwhelming. My camera felt completely inadequate to capture what we were hiking through. The kookaburras greeted us with laughter as we stretched our aching muscles the next day.

A boulder had fallen against this tree, so the tree was gradually growing around it.

I kept slipping down this embankment, trying to get a good photo - hence the worried expression.

"Big Bend" is at the far end of the gorge. The little red speck at the bottom is Claire.

There is extensive Aboriginal art throughout the gorge. These paintings are 4500 years old.

longreach

Longreach is deeply steeped in Australian history. It is the home of QANTAS and the Stockman's Hall of Fame. We stopped for lunch at a cafe and watched the big utes and four-wheel drives pass by - all coated in the fine red dust of the Outback. There were lots of well-worn boots and hats around. There were no pretenders... it's the real deal out here.

The ringer outside the Stockman's Hall of Fame

This is the first jet-powered plane bought by QANTAS, and one of the most valuable planes in the world. Some its passengers have been soldiers going to the Vietnam war, The Beatles on their Australian tour, Michael Jackson on his Thriller tour, Madonna and Saudi Arabian royalty. The interior is very opulent, there are two vases worth $20 000 each. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take photos inside!

prairie

The Prairie Hotel has a few stories to tell. There are 87 Akubra hats on the walls, some only consist of a tattered rim. The hitching post out the front is the final resting place for some well-worn saddles. There are a few wise words uttered by the barman: "yeah, it's nice here... sometimes it's busy... you can take photos inside, but none of my daughter, you'd be surprised how many people try".

Gaj

A small section of the random pub memorabilia

A photograph can only capture a small section of the enormous outback sunset.

Our campsite