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Landscape Photography
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This is a selection of landscape photographs I've taken around Australia. I hope they encourage you to get out and see this wonderful country for yourself.

Wild Horse Pines

Early morning as seen from the side of Wild Horse Mountain.

Wild Horse Mountain, Queensland, Australia

The Pinnacles

Western Australia's limestone monuments north of Perth are a fascinating place to visit. There is even an odd emu or two walking around, as can be seen in the Birds section.

Nambung National Park, Western Australia, Australia

Cape Bruny Lighthouse

The Cape Bruny Lighthouse on Tasmania's beautiful Bruny Island is Australia's second oldest lighthouse having been built by convicts between 1836 & 1838. It was permanently lit for over 150 years but is no longer operational - they ran out of sperm whale oil long ago! Now it's just there to look good.

Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia

Cainbable Light

Late one afternoon on the drive back from O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat I stopped at a vantage point overlooking an area called Cainbable. It wasn't yet sunset but the beautiful light made it feel like it was.

Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia

Turbine Charged Sunset

I was trying to make it from Deep Creek Conservation Park to the west coast for sunset, but didn't make it - thankfully! I was blown away when I saw this!

Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, Australia

Wallaman Falls

At 268m Wallaman Falls, North Queensland, is the highest, permanent, single-drop waterfall in Australia, although it is actually 305m from top to bottom. I think it's pretty cool how it bounces to the left. I took this photo around noon. Yes, the rainbow was there and gradually moved from right to left.

In contrast to some other photos of the falls you will see online this is exactly how it looks. While I was taking this photo a lady complained that the pool at the bottom wasn't blue like it was in the photo her daughter had emailed her. She genuinely went away disappointed. So sad.

Girringun National Park, Queensland, Australia

Canola Field

I saw this canola field as I was driving through rural New South Wales. The yellow is very bright and if you haven't seen a canola field - yes, they are this yellow. So where might normally be a tree standing in a field of green it’s essentially a tree standing in a sea of margarine. Oh, did you spot the canary?

No, there’s not really a canary there.

Somewhere in New South Wales, Australia

Beauty By The Pound

The magnificent Wilpena Pound is the crowning jewel in South Australia's Flinders Ranges. Its iconic bent & twisted escarpment dominates the surrounding outback countryside & draws people in from across the country and around the globe. It really is one of the places you have to visit - if you like this sort of thing.

Interestingly, it's the only pound I've ever visited where I haven't been tempted to go home with a new dog or cat. There were plenty of wild goats there though, but they really smell!

Flinders Ranges, South Australia, Australia

Hillarys Boat Harbour

Hillarys Boat Harbour really is a nice place to hang out to watch the sun go down. If you like food, there's plenty of that. And if you like boats, well there's plenty of that too.

Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia

Three Sisters At Sunset

The Blue Mountains has some beautiful, rugged escarpment - none more iconic than the Three (well-fed) Sisters. This photo was timed to coincide with sunset. The only thing was to get off the cliff edge I was on before it got too dark. I don’t mind suffering for my art, but slipping off a cliff? Nah, not THAT much!

Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia

Farm Window To The Moon

I love this tranquil rural scene, taken somewhere on the way back from Mt Barney. The moon (you know that big spacey, planety thing) is the small white dot in the sky.

Mt Barney region, Queensland, Australia

Richmond Bridge

The Richmond Bridge was built in 1823 by convicts who wanted to make a quicker getaway - convicts couldn’t swim. It was constructed using local sandstone and is the oldest bridge of its kind in Australia. Most of that is true.

I’d just got out of the car and made my way down the bank from the carpark when someone called out, “It’s back! It’s back!” I asked, “What’s back?” “The platypus!”

So I spent the next half an hour chasing the platypus around trying to capture a few good shots before it swam off upstream. You can see it in the Wildlife section. In the meantime the crowd dispersed and I was able to get a shot of the bridge without anyone in it. Pleased!

Richmond, Tasmania, Australia

The Shire

Where are the Hobbits? In New Zealand, I guess. This is somewhere in Tasmania.

Somewhere in Tassie, Tasmania, Australia

Lightning Swarm - Composite

Electrical storms can be absolutely incredible. The power, the energy, the fear:) They have it all! This is one such electrical storm over Brisbane, as seen from Mt Coot-tha, Mon 06 Nov 2017. There’s even a plane flying through the lightning swarm on the right. I hope they were wearing their seatbelts.

As is common for lightning pics, this is an overlaid compilation of photos. But it's all the one storm taken from the one place. Lightning photos are often more than one photo overlaid because a single bolt of lightning will white out the sky. So if you want to show multiple strikes from the one storm in the one picture you have to overlay them and modify the exposure etc.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Beautiful Point Danger

Don't be a stranger to sunrises at Point Danger. They can certainly be worth the early rise.

The only thing dangerous about being there is accidentally walking across the border and finding yourself in New South Wales :)

Point Danger, Queensland, Australia

Sunrise Bruny Style

Taken from Truganini Lookout on The Neck, the narrow stretch of land connecting North and South Bruny Island, this photo shows what a truly beautiful part of the world we live in! Incredibly I was the only person there to witness it - maybe God did it just for me:)

Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia

Island In The Sky

Pelorus "Yanooa" Island in the Great Palm Island group has a mythical appearance to it here, suspended above a beautiful glassy blue sea. The horizon is barely noticeable (technically you can't actually see it on the left - that line on the water is actually below the horizon). If there ever was a time to walk on water, today would have been it.

The tiny spec on the horizon to the right of the island is the fishing trawler you can see in the 'Great Calm' photo below.

I haven’t added or taken anything from this photo. It’s as is. The water looks computer generated but it's not. It was the calmest day in the universe, or at least felt like it.

Pelorus “Yanooa” Island, Great Palm Island Group, Queensland, Australia

Currimundi Lake Sunset

Currimundi Lake is a jewel of the Sunshine Coast, a place of tranquility & bliss only metres from the ocean. If you’re looking for a nice place to watch a sunset you can surely do worse than this!

This photo was taken looking upstream with my back to the beach. The pelican can be hired from the shop for $15/hr - hehe just kidding - the pelicans are free.

Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Beautiful Burleigh

Burleigh Heads is a favourite place on the Gold Coast. Such a pretty place, far enough away from the hustle & bustle of Surfers Paradise, seen fading off into the horizon. No trip to the Gold Coast is complete without a stop here.

Burleigh Heads, Queensland, Australia

Story Bridge

Ah, if a bridge could talk, the stories it could tell! The Story Bridge connects the north and south of the city of Brisbane with a sense of grace and an air of sophistication. It might not be as big as the Sydney Harbour Bridge but it looks great lit up at night with the city behind and the river below. That reminds me of a story...

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Pelican Sunrise

This photo was taken from dry land in the mighty Burdekin River. Although it floods annually, for much of the year it shrinks considerably leaving the sandy riverbed exposed.

It was just myself and one lone pelican for sunrise. I thought it’d be pretty awesome if the pelican swam through that brilliant beam of reflected sunlight as it casually ambled about seeking something for breakfast. So I waited, and waited, and hoped, and possibly prayed hehe, and finally the moment happened. Very happy! (And if you are wondering, the pelican has not been photoshopped at all. It's definitely one single & intact photo.)

Burdekin River, Queensland, Australia

Mountains Of Jupiter

The mountains of Jupiter are silhouetted against the swirling bands of red and orange that make Jupiter look so amazing. Or not. But you have to admit it looks like it could be.

This sunset was really remarkable for a few reasons… 1. For the intense colour. 2. It was south-southwest rather than west. 3. For the fact it was just a really thin band on the horizon rather than the whole sky due to most of the sky being covered in very thick cloud. Thus this photo was taken using a big zoom lens, certainly not one normally used for landscape photography.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Milky Way Before Dawn

A shooting star shoots straight towards the Southern Cross during the Geminids Meteor Shower, Dec 2017. The Milky Way looks magnificent if you can find a dark area on a moonless night. The glow above the tree line is from the rising crescent moon. It was getting time to leave anyway as it'd be morning soon.

Cunningham’s Gap, Queensland, Australia

Thrill Of The Chace

Chace Range is one of many that form part of South Australia’s breathtaking Flinders Ranges. Amazing part of the planet.

Flinders Ranges, South Australia, Australia

Brisbane River Wow

The opposing riverbanks of West End & St Lucia on this river-bend blend seamlessly into one under a magical painted sky, reflected in the tranquil Brisbane River below. Brisbane really can put on a show!

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Wondrous Wunjunga

Wunjunga, to me, is a magical place. There is no one else around apart from a jabiru, a few spoonbills, cows and a brolga or two. You might suspect this photo has been over-coloured, but I can assure you it hasn't. As I said, it is a magical place.

Wunjunga, Queensland, Australia

Forest Alight

I was on my way out of Deep Creek Conservation Park to head to the west coast for sunset. That's when I saw this! So delighted!

Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, Australia

Great Calm

In the shadow of Hinchinbrook Island, the crew of a fishing trawler take a rest on their way home to Mooloolaba. Dropping anchor between Orpheus (Goolboddi) Island (left) and Pelorus (Yanooa) Island (right) in the Great Palm Island group, they couldn’t have asked for a calmer day. Thankfully I’d 'dropped anchor' before we set out:)

Great Palm Island Group, Queensland, Australia

Same Tree, Consecutive Mornings

This is the same tree on two consecutive mornings, from slightly different vantage points - inside then outside. It was the big weekend of racing at Bathurst, 2015, so all those camping got caught up in a wild storm Saturday morning. And to think I actually slept through the worst of the storm and only caught the tail end!

Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

Snapper Sunrise

I watched the sun hold out its hand
I turned the other way
It said it didn’t understand
I didn’t know what to say
But wave on wave of sheer delight
Washed clear my troubled mind
I turned and said, “Nice to meet you”
And left my fears behind.
~ Geoff Rankin, 2017

Sunrise at Snapper Rocks.

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Midnight Skies

I'm always gobsmacked by how many stars there are out there. We normally can't see all that many due to light pollution - sadly a problem that keeps on glowing. The Milky Way is present in the lower part of the photo. The glow is from lights, not the sun, and I'm looking west if that interests anyone. The ground is curved because I was using a fish-eye lens.

Jondaryan, Queensland, Australia

Tyto Sunset

North Queensland's Tyto Wetlands is a haven for many birds species including the endangered Eastern Grass Owl, although I've never seen one. It's also a pretty cool place for sunsets.

Ingham, Queensland, Australia

Pelican Sunset

Moreton Island is a beautiful place. And it's a beautiful place for sunsets. In this photo a pelican has just taken off, hence the water drops, and is flying along the west coast just before sunset. The Glass House Mountains are silhouetted in the background.

If you are wondering, the pelican etc has not been photoshopped or moved around at all. It's definitely one single & intact photo.

Moreton Island, Queensland, Australia

Sydney Harbour Pre-sunrise

Pre-sunrise in Sydney. There isn't much that's more iconic in Australia than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This photo shows it's occasionally worth getting up early.

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Sydney Harbour Sunrise

Sunrise in Sydney from a slightly different vantage point to the photo above.

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

McLeods Shoot

Overlooking Byron Bay is a pretty lookout. You think it's all serene and wonderful until you read the threatening sign on the fence... "NOTICE TO HANG-GLIDER PILOTS. McLEODS SHOOT". Now I don't know whether McLeods actually shoot hang-glider pilots or not - chances are if they do they're already in jail - but if you're hang-gliding in this neck of the woods I wouldn't be hanging my neck out just in case an angry McLeod is within firing distance.

Coolamon Lookout, New South Wales, Australia

Noosa - Day’s End

After spending the day at Noosa National Park trying to get a few nice photos, particularly one of a koala (which I didn’t see), I was heading back to the car a little miffed, especially as I’d just been talking to a German couple who said they'd seen six echidnas (of which I didn’t see one). But that’s when I saw this. Super nice and worth the trip itself! But Noosa is always worth the trip, echidnas/koalas or not.

Noosa, Queensland, Australia

Vineyard Symmetry

The view between rows of Chardonnay grape vines at Watershed Winery in Western Australia's beautiful Margaret River wine region. I thought the cloud was very accommodating.

Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia

Foggy Brisbane

The sun rises over Brisbane, shrouded in fog. Quite spectacular. Quite chilly too.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Russell Falls

Russell Falls were raging! There had been wild storms, snow, rain - and it was all coming down Russell Falls Creek at once. It was impossible to take a photo without getting the camera drenched in spray - not that I'm worried about the weather-sealed camera body & lens - but you can't take a clear shot with your lens covered in spray. So in embattled conditions (hiding behind trees, jumping out for one shot, hiding behind trees to wipe the spray off my lens, jumping out for one shot, then hiding, wiping, jumping etc) I got this shot - looks really nice in black & white, but in colour it was a waterfall of chocolaty proportions as the raging water was abnormally brown, brown, brown.

Mount Field National Park, Tasmania, Australia

Sunrise Jetty

The jetty at Hervey Bay is a popular location for locals, tourists and people fishing. It's really quite long and actually bends back to the left, though you can't see that here.

Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia

Stream Of Gold

The small coastal town of Alva Beach, close to Ayr, North Queensland, has this low-lying swamp area adjacent to the beachfront. The mosquitoes I fought to get this shot were unbelievable - easily the worst mosquitoed I've ever been! The only bare skin I had showing was my face and my hands. By the time I stuck my camera up for 2 seconds to take the photo they were covered with mozzies. I've never experienced anything like it! I had to run down the street, just to get them to chase me away from the car, then swing around and race back to the car and jump in. I've done that with flies before, call me pedantic, but it takes it to a whole new level when there's a blood-sucking army right on your tail. But it was worth it.

Alva Beach, Queensland, Australia

Sunrise From Mount Inkerman

This photo shows the low-lying area between the coast and Mount Inkerman as seen from atop Mount Inkerman, on a crisp 7 degree morning. It’s a beautiful and quiet part of the world, and is one of the only places I've ever had to stop and wait for an echidna to amble off the road.

Inkerman, Queensland, Australia

Ingham Dawn

Not long after dawn in the green North Queensland town of Ingham. Although I've been to Ingham a few times I've never seen any chickens!

Ingham, Queensland, Australia

Winter Sunrise

This photo was taken one icy morning from Picnic Point, Toowoomba. It was a couple of degrees above freezing but the wind-chill meant it felt a few degrees below.

Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

Downstream - Ebor Falls

This scene oozes ‘cold’. You can almost feel it. The moss, the lichen, the colours, the mist - it has all the striking beauty of an oil painting without actually being one. The palette in nature is incredible!

Ebor Falls, New South Wales, Australia

Picnic Point Dawn

A very cold and foggy morning - with loads of diffused morning light.

Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

Seeking On Sunset

A couple of people stroll around looking down, looking for something. I don't know whether or not they found what they were seeking. I did.

Wellington Point, Queensland, Australia

Alma Bay

Magnetic Island, just off Townsville, is a beautiful place to visit with lots of small bays and beaches. Alma Bay is just one of them. I recommend you check them out for yourself.

Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia

The Pinnacles On Dusk

This 1/2 second hand-held photo was taken at Phillip Island on dusk. It can get pretty rough down there. I walked to the Pinnacles for sunset but sunset was a fizzer as the sky was crystal clear without a cloud. That, however, made for perfect conditions to see the Aurora Australis - the Southern Lights. Unfortunately I hadn't much practice with Astro Photography at that stage so sadly all those photos are blurry. (Don't you just focus to infinity? Nope.) Oh well, next time.

Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia

Wunjunga Beach Sunrise

I took this sunrise photo at the beach at Wunjunga, North Queensland only to read there had been a crocodile in the surf only a couple of days earlier, right where I’d been. I'm glad I wasn’t taken, but would have loved to have taken a crocodile snap.

Wunjunga, Queensland, Australia

The Journey

I love dirt roads like these - winding through trees - the colours, the shapes, the shadows, the leaves - it all comes together to demonstrate once again that the journey can be just as remarkable and enjoyable as the destination. And even more so.

Don’t you find that sometimes too?

In this case the destination of Whites Beach was very beautiful anyway, but the journeying there and back made it all the more special. And it also reminds me too - to slow down and look up.

Broken Head, New South Wales, Australia

Everyone Else Just Stayed In Bed

This striking Brisbane sunrise taken from Mt Coot-tha Lookout is unusual for three reasons. The first is that it is taken facing due east so does not include the cityscape. The second is that it looks like the sun is rising from behind a mountain, a mountain that doesn’t exist - it’s just cloud and the throw of light around it. The third is that it was very overcast and had been raining pre-dawn, and I was the ONLY photographer there. So in a city with 2.4 million people everyone else just stayed in bed.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia