travelling allrite

One thing astronomers and geologists have in common is that they both look back in time. The Warrambungles is a place that combines astronomy with a geologically fascinating landscape. I also have personal history with the town, having visited twice before with my parents and siblings. It wasn't our original intention to head north to Coonabarabran, but I did want to share the area with the rest of the family and I am not sure when we would ever return. So we packed the car and set off along the highway. Most of the countryside is unremarkable scrub. It is only northeast of Gilgandra that you finally get a view of the distant but distinctive Warrambungles, the eroded remains of ancient volcanic plugs. On arrival at the tourist information I am disappointed to discover that the Siding Springs Observatory visitors centre is closed for maintenance. The observatory houses Australia's largest optical telescope, the 3.8 metre AAT. Though I have been there before, I had hoped to take ...

So no Japan trip last year and who knows if we'll be able to go this year? But who would expect to find a piece of Japan in country Dubbo? The Shoyoen Japanese Garden in the Dubbo Regional Botanic Gardens was surprisingly authentic, one of those unexpected gems we are more used to finding in random Japanese locations than in our extended Australian backyard. Huge koi carp suck at the sky, hoping for food. Beyond them, a stone lantern and, hidden away, a pebble garden, the raked curves marred by footsteps. At the other end of the gardens, a waterfall and a tea house, two waiting rooms with benches besides it. They appeared to be constructed in the Japanese way, without nails. The miniature fan leaves of the ginkgo trees offering shade from an increasingly hot day. But for the bone dry heat of the Australian interior I feel like I could be in Japan. It is a pity that the tea house is closed, possibly only open for special events. I could quite easily imagine taking tea, or maybe a bo...

Sydney's Taronga Zoo is famous not just for its animals but its spectacular views of the harbour. Its offshoot in Dubbo, the Western Plains Zoo, lacks the views. It attempts to make up for it with a spacious environment for its many large and endangered species on display.  It is my turn to drive today and Google Maps sends me off on an odd route, up Obley Road instead of the Mitchell Highway. Despite the poor state of the road at times I prefer it due to the lack of traffic, especially trucks. After we arrived at the zoo there is a lot of debate over whether we hire bikes or walk. We didn't realise that we could have driven around the zoo, otherwise we wouldn't have hired the orange bikes.  Maybe we would have enjoyed the visit more. There were some interesting animals, a hippopotamus playing in mud, white, black and single horn rhinoceroses, elephants and giraffes. We could barely see the famous lions.  But cycling around in the heat was tiring and the surrounding envir...