Jenolan Caves, Katoomba area

From the Hunter Valley we took to the Blue Mountains and into Katoomba area where the famous Jenolan Caves are found.  A friend of mine had recommended we see these, and we weren't disappointed.  We couldn't believe the road down into the cave area...basically one lane with a few spots to pass and large grey-hound type buses also use this road.  Thankfully, we didn't pass any of those on either or descent or ascent.  We were unsure of what cave tour to sign up for (there were 3 of varying difficulty and steps).  I wasn't sure if I'd make it as periodically, my left ankle packs it in.  However, we chose the most difficult/longest (Lucas cave) and I managed OK.

 This is the entrance to the car park...we all drive through here and then up the road to the car park.

This is where the cave tours start.

 The photos just don't do it justice, but we've never seen caves like this, in size or formations.

 Here I am heading down the many, many stairs...but first we went up...that's the hard part.

This "curtain" type formation was entirely new to us and quite beautiful.

 Here's Blue Lake outside the caves...quite beautiful~

This is one of the staircases out of the caves.

Next stop Sydney for New Years Eve.

Brisbane to Hunter Valley

We left Brisbane on Dec. 27th and headed for the great Hunter Valley, one of Australians prime wine producing areas.  It poured rain for two straight days enroute.  This didn't make for a pleasant drive, but we weren't actually sight-seeing so it was OK.  We arrived in Cessnock and checked into our hotel then had a little drive through some of the vineyard areas.  We were surprised to see that it wasn't miles and miles of vines, but many vineyards with cow pastures in between.  We were to take a wine tasting tour the next morning, so didn't stop at any of the vineyards we passed..  We got up early the next day, had breakie, and put a load of wash on ($6 per wash!!) as we weren't to be picked up till 10am.  At 9, there was a knock at the door and the guide was there...we hadn't adjusted our watches for the fact that Queensland has no daylight savings!  So, took out the wet wash and saddled up.  By "our" 10am we'd already sampled at least 5 types of wine...we don't usually like to start before 11am :=)

 This is what I mean about cow pastures in amongst the vineyards. It's a very green and pretty area.

 These were our drinking buddies, on the tour, Gail and Joe...both Aussies.  We had a good time, but I  can honestly sat we were "sipped out" long before the end. 

 We didn't really tour vineyards, which we'd both kind of expected, but only wine-tasted.  We had at least 5 different samplings at 3 or so vineyards before lunch.  These samples were from whites, reds, sparkling, and port-like wines...maybe a little much, ya think??!!  Again, this was just BEFORE lunch...still at least 2 other wineries after lunch.

 One of Ralph's artistic shots!

 We don't look all that inebriated, do we??  Well, looks are deceiving!

Because it's so warm in this area, these grapes are almost ready for harvesting and summer just started here Dec. 22nd or so.

Next on to Katoomba and the Jenolan caves.

Brisbane for Christmas and Boxing Day

From Hervey Bay/Fraser Island we drove down to Brisbane to celebrate Christmas and Boxing Day...albeit one day earlier than at home!

On Christmas Day we went off to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary...probably the most unusual Christmas Day we have ever spent.

These are "flying foxes" which are fruit bats...they are HUGE!!  We couldn't get over the size of them...hard to tell here, but their bodies are at least twice the size of a big squirrel and their wings are huge!  We have seen people riding bikes with their helmets and the helmets have spikes on them...supposedly to protect themselves from being attacked by these and birds!

 Australia has some absolutely beautiful flowering shrubs and trees. This is a bit blurry, but you get the picture.

 Here's what we really came to see!

 I got to hug a real live Koala on Christmas Day...how many people can claim to have done that??

 These lizards were roaming everywhere.

 This is a  cassowary, third largest bird in the world and almost extinct.

 'Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree-ee, merry merry king of the bush is he-ee'...someone should write a song about them!!

 Koalas have 2 opposable thumbs on each front leg...who knew?? They also are marsupials, like kangaroos...didn't know that either.

 How could you possibly be comfortable in this position??

 These are not the boxing kangaroos, apparently!

They ate right out of your hand...then you had to quickly find somewhere to wash off all the kanga-saliva!!

 On Boxing Day we went for a little walk-about Brisbane.  They've done a fabulous job with the river's edge with a walkway/park area on both sides for much of the way. These boats were all moored fore and aft to pilings.  Apparently the river is subject to flood and in 2011 there was quite a flood in this area with the water being at least 3 or 4 metres higher and about 1 or 2 metres in the streets.

Just a beautiful walkway along the banks.

This is Streets Beach which is also along the river's edge and walkway. Expo 88 (two years after ours) was held in this area.

 We took a ride on the big ferris wheel (for some reason the photo of the wheel won't load on here correctly).  This is us at the top.

 This is the view over the river from the top.

That is Streets Beach from the ferris wheel.

This is one of the two pedestrian/bike bridges crossing the river.

Ever onward...we leave tomorrow and heading south toward Sydney.  We've planned for a stop in the Hunter Valley wine area, on to Jenolan Caves, then into Sydney for New Years!

Hervey Bay and Fraser Island

We next headed for Hervey Bay to visit a friend I haven't seen in 35 years.  We met in Buenos Aires in 1979, when Greg was a baby. We also had a tour of Fraser Island booked.  This is the largest all sand island in the world.

 This is the Hervey Bay area...a lovely town!

 This is me and my friend Una Hill.  She and her husband took us on a drive-about and later than night we all went out for dinner.

 This is the view from our hotel...it was one of the cheapest places we have stayed, so far, and also one of the nicest!

Roos on the side of the road in the field...mostly we've seen "not so healthy ones" on the highway, and few live ones.

 We got up bright and early the next day for our trip to Fraser Island.  The sand was so deep on the 'roads' that it was much like driving in the snow...glad we had a driver who was experienced with this!

 There is a freshwater lake there (MacKenzie) and Ralph had a swim.

 The beach there is called 75 mile Beach...and is just that.  We drove along it for most of it's length.

 Enroute we were lucky enough to encounter this young dingo.

 There is also a large wreck there and has been there for 75 odd years.

 Planes also land here and bring in tourists for quite a large fee, I would imagine.

It is quite spectacular!

 These are the vehicles we used to travel the island.  We only had 6 passengers and the driver.

 We got to and from the island by this landing-craft type ferry.

There was no swimming recommended here as this is a turtle breeding ground and just off shore the waves are full of tiger sharks feeding on the turtles. Didn't have to tell us that info more than once!!
After this stop, we are off to Brisbane to celebrate Christmas in the heat, and without our kids and grandbabies...  :=(