Gallery Pick of the Week
Instead of just showing pretty pictures only, here we have space for contributors to discuss their images every week.
This is a great opportunity to get some insight from the original photographer and the content is entirely open. It could be anything from the personal feeling of the photographer about the image to any photographic techniques or location knowledge he/she would like to share with our visitors.
Gallery Pick of the Week > August 2009
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Australian Place Names, 27/8/09, Pele Leung When we visit a place and are fascinated by its scenery and culture, our visiting experience would be richer if we know some history and background of the land where we stand. Knowing the origin of its name would be a good starting point. |
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Blue Mountains - A Wilderness in Town, 20/8/09, Pele Leung When Grand Canyon was still a shallow creek, Blue Mountains had already become what it looks like now.You can imagine how ancient Blue Mountains is. |
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Flight Over Arnhem Land and Kakadu NP , 13/8/09, Barbara Bryan My long term passion for geography was intensified when seeing the weird and varied rock formations covering vast swathes of the rarely seen Arnhem Land region. |
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Landscape Photography In The UK & Australia, 6/8/09, Peter and Jill Myers My trip back to England has inspired me to look at my new home Australia differently, and perhaps see if I can find some new ways to photograph the character, diversity and rugged beauty of Australia. |
Pele Leung - Australian Place Names, 27/8/09
Believe it or not, Australia has four million place names and three quarters of the names are of Aboriginal origin. With this massive number on our list and many of them do not come with much information. We have no ambition to document all of them here but hope that some well known places would be of interest to our visitors. When we visit a place and are fascinated by its scenery and culture, our visiting experience would be richer if we know some history and background of the land where we stand. Knowing the origin of its name would be a good starting point.
Yarra River with the Melbourne City as its backdrop
Australia - It is orginated from the Latin word "australis", meaning "southern". The earlier word used was Terra Australis, meaning "South Land" - a southern land mass predicted in the earlier days.
Canberra - The name of the current national capital is originally from an Aboriginal word, nganbirra meaning a camping or meeting place. However, the translation is not unique and another suggested meaning is 'a woman's breasts' which would describe the hilly landscape around Canberra. In the near history, Canberra was also named 'Canberry' by by an early settler. After a hundred years later Canberry had evolved into Canberra.
Sydney - The First Fleet was commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip and he was also the first Governor of New South Wales. Sydney was named by Phillip after Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney who was Secretary of State at the early history of New South Wales.
Melbourne - The early name of the capital of VIctoria was Dutigalla or Bearbrass. Sir Richard Bourke, Governor of New South Wales, selected Melbourne as the administrative centre of the region in 1837. He named this administrative centre Melbourne after Lord Melbourne, who was then prime Minister of England.
Brisbane - The capital of Queensland was named in honour of Sir Thomas Macdougall Brisbane, who was a Governor of New South Wales in 1821. Brisbane is the only state capital to be named after a governor.
Adelaide - The capital of South Australia was named after Queen Adelaide, the wife of William IV.
Perth - The capital of Western Australia was named by Governor Stirling in honour of Sir George Murray, the colonial Secretary who was born in Perth, Scotland. Perth was established in 1829.
Darwin - The capital of Northern Territory got its name from Port Darwin, which was sighted by John Lort Stokes of HMS Beagle in 1839. Captain J.C. Wickham called
it after his friend Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist who first introduced the concept of species evolution.
Hobart - The Capital of Tasmania is named after Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies from 1801 to 1804. Earlier names of Hobart were Hobart Town, Hobarton and Hobarttown and was shortened and approved until 1881.
Warrawarrapiraliliullamalulacoupalynya - This unknown place in Northern Territory was claimed to be the longest place name in Australia. The name was first collected by John Flynn of the Australian Inland Mission but could not be verified of its existence by the official. Its meaning is unknown.
Highrises in Gold Coast / Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Surfers Paradise - This famous tourist town in Queensland was known by the local Aboriginals as Kurrungel due to the massive supply of a certain hardwood tree. A hotel named Surfers paradise Hotel was established in the area in 1923. Then it was officially changed to Surfers Paradise at the request of local residents.
Alice Springs - It is not the capital of Northern Territory but the largest town in Central Australia. Its name was chosen to honour the wife of Charles Todd, who was in charge of construction of the Overland Telegraph.
Marysville - This little town in Victoria was almost completely destroyed by bush fire recently. It was named by workers in a water supply camp after Mary, wife of engineer John Steavenson.
A fish-eye view of Port Campbell, the nearest town to Port Campbell National Park
Port Campbell - It is a small town right next to the famous Twelve Apostles area. It was named after Captain Alexander Campbell, a Scotsman who was in charge of the Port Fairy Whaling Station in the 1830s.
Kakadu National Park - It is one of the most important natural and cultural regions in Australia. It takes its name from the original people in the region, Gagudju.
Ayers Rock / Uluru - Our national icon was first visited by the explorer, William Gosse in 1873 and named in honour of Sir Henry Ayers. Its Aboriginal name, Uluru, is used widely nowadays and it has no literal translation into English.
Murray River - This important river in the South East region of Australia was named after Sir George Murray by Charles Sturt, one of the greatest explorers in the early settlement history.
The bloom of wildflowers on Mount Kosciusko in summer
Mount Kosciusko - The highest mountain in Australia is named after Tadeusz Kosciusko, the Polish patriot by Paul Edmund Strzelecki during the exploration of the Australian Alps in 1840.
Port Jackson - It is the official name of Sydney Harbour where is the landing place of the first settlement fleet in 1788. It was named after Sir George Jackson by Capital Cook on 6 May 1770.
Nullarbor Plain - The name of Nullarbor came from the Latin words meaning no tree. In Latin, null means 'no' and arbor means tree.
Arkaroola - It is a rough and amazing land in Flinders Ranges, South Australia. In Aboriginal culture, Arkaroola means a great legendary Dreamtime snake.
Pele Leung - Blue Mountains - A Wilderness in Town, 20/8/09
When Grand Canyon was still a shallow creek, Blue Mountains had already become what it looks like now.You can imagine how ancient Blue Mountains is. In Blue Mountains, waterfalls and cascades are almost everywhere. Walking tracks are abundant from 15-minutes walks to overnight crossing country hikings. Although many walking tracks appear to be quite close in town, venturing into any unsigned tracks without any preparation could be a potential nightmare. As long as visitors stay on track, Blue Mountains would be an enjoyable place for the great outdoor and nature lovers.
Sudden mist at the Wentworth Falls. The weather in Blue Mountains could change quickly particularly in winter.
Your hiking experience in Blue Mountains would not be complete without taking the Federal Pass - a track running about 4 km from Leura Forest to Katoomba Falls and a further 3.5 km to Golden Stairs. This walk takes you through the natural environments beneath the cliffs in the Jamison Valley.
If you think hiking is too much for you, watching sunset at the Echo Point could be a good alternative. At Echo Point, you can also see the Jamison Valley like those hardworking walkers. In addition, Three Sisters, the famous Blue Mountains icon, would be right at your doorstep. When the sunset light strikes the scene, the view at Echo Point could be one of the best scenes you would see in Australia.
Three Sisters. A striking sunset view at Echo Point
Govetts Leap Lookout is an excellent sunrise watching spot in Blackheath for early risers and photographers. This convenient spot is basically located right next to the car park and you just can't miss it. Blackheath is only about 12 km from Katoomba.
Sunrise at the Govetts Leap Lookout in Blackheath
If you have seen enough the scenery above the ground, Jenolan Caves would be the next natural choice for you. This amazing group of underground caves is only 74 km from Katoomba and should not be missed by any visitors to Blue Mountains. Although there are ten choices of caves for you to choose from, most visitors would pick 2-3 caves only for their day visit as some caves are quite physically demanding. If I was allowed to choose two caves only, Orient Cave and Lucas Cave would be my personal preference.
Orient Cave, one of the most popular caves in Jenolan Caves
After a long day walk out of the civilisation in Blue Mountains, the restaurants in town would not disappoint you. Although Katoomba town centre offers most dinner choices, all other towns nearby would provide good alternatives as well. So try them all and feel free to explore the hospitality offered by Blue Mountains.
Barbara Bryan - Flight Over Arnhem Land and Kakadu NP , 13/8/09
How awesome does our Australian landscape look from above the earth?
To view our ancient land from above is inspiring indeed and I had this privilege at Kakadu NP recently.
The World Heritage listed Kakadu NP is in the Northern Territory of Australia and is a very popular destination for both international and domestic visitors.
My flight over this land also covered parts of the adjoining Arnhem Land which is owned by the indigenous people of Australia and has restricted access.
My long term passion for geography was intensified when seeing the weird and varied rock formations covering vast swathes of the rarely seen Arnhem Land region.
Arnhem Land, Top End, Northern Territory
Arnhem Land, Top End, Northern Territory
Snapping away from the plane window whilst viewing many aspects of the earth beneath was hard work when having to twist and bend to get the best shots I could, but it was so exciting to see the wonderful formations on mother earth.
Every minute brought a new breathtaking vista below including gorges, a rift valley, escarpments, rock shapes, river valleys, wetlands, and the distant Arafura Sea with the East Alligator River snaking towards it.
Wetlands in Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
East Alligator river, Top End, Northern Territory
I was thrilled to be seeing the extensive wilderness areas where no white man may have been and very few indigenous people too – they are the custodians of this remarkable land and may it always be so - as our world needs these places which have not born the obvious impact of humanity and remain ever decreasing examples of a pristine environment on this planet.
Peter and Jill Myers - Landscape Photography In The UK & Australia, 6/8/09
I have just recently completed a holiday back in the UK, and for the first time since moving to Australia I took my camera with me. It was a revalation looking anew at my hometown, Barnoldswick, in North East Lancashire. For 40 years I lived in the area and never really stopped to look from a photographer's perspective. It is often said that you do not appreciate what you have until you no longer have it, and that was certainly the case on this trip.
Barnoldswick is dominated by Pendle Hill, and the entire area surrounding the town is known as Pendleside. There is an old local saying..."If you can't see Pendle Hill it's raining... and if you can see Pendle Hill it's going to rain". Not this time, the weather was perfect, with wonderful soft light, ideal for photography.
So what are the main differences between photography, particularly landscape photography, in the English summer as opposed to the Australian summer?
Firstly, the light... I had never appreciated just how soft the light is in England compared to the harsh light in Australia. Taking photos during the daytime in either country can be a problem, but in the soft summer evening light of England, photos take on a completely new dimension. The light just seems to wrap around the entire landscape making harsh shadows almost non existent.
Light in UK (left) and Australia (right)
In Australia, as we all know the light can be very harsh, particularly during the main daylight hours. We can often get dramatic sunsets and rich colours, but we have to deal with harsh light. The photograph above was taken in early spring time in Melbourne and shows the typical contrast range we have to deal with.
The second major difference....was the lush colours of England, particularly the greenery. In Australia we can certainly get some spectacular colours, particularly on the coastline or in the desert areas, but nowhere do we see the lush greenery which dominates this part of Northern England. The significant rain which falls on this part of Northern England is of course the main reason for this...green...green everywhere!
Please help to save our water. UK (left) and Australia (right)
I almost felt as though the country was in the grip of a terrible green virus attacking the place. I guess Tom Jones sang about "The green, green grass of home" for a reason, and maybe William Blake was right when he wrote "Jerusalem"...
"And did those feet in ancient times, walk upon England's mountain's green...in England's green and pleasant lands".
In Melbourne, 2009 marks the 13th year of continuing drought, so rather than the lush greenerey of England, we have all become accustomed to brown parched landscapes. We can certainly get dramatic landscapes in Australia, always with a cobalt blue sky, and great colours as this photo taken in early winter, from "Hanging Rock" shows...but brown rather than green is the dominant colour.
The third major difference is the quaint picturesque nature of the rural towns. Once again, I know that in Australia we tend to live in the major urban cities, with smaller towns in the mountain, coastal and rural areas, but nowhere do we see the small hamlets such as Downham and Barley, nestling in the foothills of Pendle.
Township in UK (left) and Australia (right)
Melbourne of course is a magnificent vibrant place to live with always lots to do and see, which certainly is not the case in North East Lancashire!
But the cities of Melbourne and Sydney tend to dominate, and in Australia our small towns tend to be highway towns, built originally as stop over places for travellers between Australia's great cities. The town of Gundagai is one such example, a small highway town built not necessarily to create a local community, but to support and entertain the many travellers who passed through the town many years ago.
The fourth major difference is the inherent history of England as manifested in the architecture...or to put it another way...England has old buildings!
UK has more older buildings than Australia. A monesterian abbey built in c1147 (left) and Montsalvat in Melbourne (right)
But not just old buildings, but old ruins...
Just a few miles outside of Barnoldswick for example is Sawley Abbey, which is actually the ruins of a monesterian abbey built in c1147...
For us Australians that takes some thinking about, this place was built over 860 years ago, long before our Australian convict ancestors were even born!
In Australia, we really have to search around to find examples of great architecture, as in the example above from Montsalvat in Melbourne.
Another major difference is...WATER!...not just the plentiful supply of water which frequently falls from the sky, but also the water which forms a natural part of the infrastructure in England...canals..lakes...rain clouds, and damns.
Once again, please help to save our water. UK (left) and Australia (right)
Every where you look in the English countryside, water plays a major part, irrigating, transporting and generally balancing the environment. The Leeds to Liverpool canal is almost as pervasive in this part of the world, as the Yarra river is in Melbourne, except the canal is always full! Canal boats, these days, act as holiday "homes" for people who don't want an overseas holiday in Benidorm, Majorca or the Greek Islands. But it's not too difficult imagining, in years gone by, the canals acting as the major transport routes between Leeds & Liverpool, long before the cursed M62 was built!
Now we have plenty of water in Australia, the only problem being it is salt water...in the sea which surrounds us. We have mile upon mile of spectacular coastline, nowhere more so than the Great Ocean Road on the southern edge of Victoria. But our freshwater lakes are few and far between, and often we are left to photograph nothing better than a dried up lake bed.
In conclusion...
So, a very quick tour of my roots in England lasting less than 2 weeks. I learnt to appreciate my home town from a very different perspective, and I learnt to appreciate the natural beauty of the area, which I had previously taken for granted.
It's true that for 3/4 of the year the area is covered in grey cloud and is cold, wet and windy. But when it's not, as was the case this trip, it is truly stunning.
Australia, by comparison is a much easier climate to live in, but a much harsher climate for photography. We get stunning sunsets and sunrises in Australia with spectacular coastal scenery and occasionaly, great landscape shots, taking advantage of the deep colours of the land.
We get extremes of weather in Australia and very different terrains, but we also get very harsh light, particularly in the long hot dry summers.
My trip to England has inspired me to look at my new "home town" differently, and perhaps see if I can find some new ways to photograph the character, diversity and rugged beauty of Australia...