News
Thursday, 4 March, 2010 "Tidbinbilla is part of the Australian Alps national parks, a series of parks and reserves that span Australia’s High Country. The Visitors Centre can provide maps and other information for a journey either by car or for choosing from walking trails of many lengths."
Barbara Bryan takes us to a relatively unknown nature reserve near Canberra. Here is what she found during her recent visit - Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve - ACT.
Thursday, 25 February, 2010 "Other than news, most newspapers come with articles and columns of all sorts. The topics of columns could be anything from philosophy of life to anything the writers like. Sometimes even potato could be the subject of a story. Today we are not going to discuss potato although we can possibly link up any potato stories to scenery. Let us try something more interesting than potato."
Pele Leung wants to show us something vibrant, attractive and also informative. Here is his story about canola - Canola Landscape.
Thursday, 18 February, 2010 Imagine... In 2030, tree became an extremely valuable resource on Earth. The reason was simple - most trees on Earth had already been chopped down for our uses. As per the predication from the computer scientists in 20th century, we finally entered the era of paperless society. This was not simply because of the advance of digital and electronic industries but also the scarce resource left to produce paper. Now paper became priceless...
With some imagination, Pele Leung predicts the future of books in his latest article - Imagine there is no such thing called 'book' anymore.
Thursday, 11 February, 2010 It has been a year after the Black Saturday bush fire in Victoria. Although the rebuild process is still in progress, most victims are thinking positively for their future. While we all want to forget this sad experience, there are always something worth remembering.
Pele Leung briefs us his memory with an excellent sculpture garden he found in Marysville in 2002. Now this sculpture garden is back to life - Bruno's Art & Sculpture Garden in Marysville.
Thursday, 4 February, 2010 "How good are our photos? I bet you many photographers had asked themselves this question before and their answers were, as usual, quite positive. Why? Because uncle Bob and aunt May had also said their photos are great. Of course!."
The quickest way to impress your audiences is not to enhance your photos and there is a shortcut to make this happen immediately. Pele Leung shows you how in his latest article - Can We Make Our Photos Look Better But Without Changing Them?
Thursday, 21 January, 2010 "This high country land has its own character offering sweeping wide vistas towards higher mountains surrounding Canberra, and further south towards Australia’s highest mountain range at Kosciuszko National Park..."
Monaro Plains may not be known to many tourists or even locals but it plays a classical role of Australian pasture land. Our contributor Barbara Bryan reports what she found - Monaro Plains.
Thursday, 14 January, 2010 "When the temperature rises over 40 degrees there are not many holiday places you can choose from. Our great Outback is certainly not the ideal choice to go. Perhaps some coastal resorts are the preference of many people but there is one place up there waiting for you..."
While the Northern Hemisphere is in a fridge, Down Under is more in an oven. Apart from going south to avoid the heat, there is also one more choice - going up. Pele Leung, takes us to the top of the country and hope it is a place to cool us down. Enjoy The Snowy Mountains - the Top of the Country.
Thursday, 7 January, 2010 "As one of the principal contributors of this site, my mind has already been filled up with all sorts of ideas before the arrival of 2010. Although our main aim of portraying Australia will not change, new elements are essential to our growth."
It is a tradition to set a goal and outline a plan for the beginning of a new year. Pele Leung, one of the principal contributors of this site, makes more than a wish in his latest article, Our 2010 Plan.
Thursday, 17 December, 2009 "While most people probably haven't thought of the need to be a part of history but the continuity of human civilisation heavily relies on what we contribute today. What we do today basically leads us to the future. If you are a keen photographer, you have a slightly better chance than others in crafting a page in history."
While philosophy is not directly related to Australian scenery, Pele Leung expresses his personal view by marrying the two in his latest article, Life could be much shorter than what we might think.
Thursday, 10 December, 2009 "Since the arrival of digital era, photography has become a popular hobby and interest to many people once again. How nice would it be if someone pays us to take photographs? I am quite sure this dream is in almost every photographer's mind. However, running a professional photography business is not that easy or enjoyable as most people hope."
Pele Leung reports his interview with the emerging business advisor Dr Greg Chapman in his latest article, Do You Really Want to be a professional Photographer.
Thursday, 3 December, 2009 "But the thing was, it was different rubbish, and it opened up a whole new way of thinking about photography. For the last two years I have done abstract images, layered multiple exposures, and experimented with both in-camera and in-computer effects that totally disregard what I used to think of as sacrosanct (in particular, the ‘real’ rendering of colour)."
Some photographers like realistic photographic subjects and some don't. Our contributor, David Bruce, explains his feeling to both realistic and abstract subjects in his latest article, Photographic Impressionism.
Thursday, 26 November, 2009 "Although there is a gap of more than 230 years, two individual persons in different era share the same goal of circumnavigating the world. These two persons are unique and different from other sailors and explorers who had done the same voyage in history."
Captain Cook and Jessica Watson - how much do you know about them? They are both explorers in ocean with their unique link to Australia. Pele Leung compares their goals, equipment of circumnavigating the world and what they achieved and will achieve in his latest article this week, Captain James Cook and Jessica Watson.
Thursday, 19 November, 2009 "How can the divide be overcome to allow every good photograph to be appreciated for its own style of beauty? Put aside preconceived notions, personal prejudice and individual taste and view every photographic work with fresh eyes and the wall will come tumbling down. Vive la difference!"
This is not another debate of film vs digital. Our contributor, Janie News, expresses her opinion on faithful recording vs creative expressionism in her latest article this week, Bring Down the Wall.
Thursday, 12 November, 2009 "So how does one reconcile the creation of art with the commercial reality of making a living? Remember that there is the art of making photographs, and the business of selling them. Don't confuse the two."
Our contributor, Rob Gray, continues to blow our mind with his art vs commercial experiences in his latest article this week, Being a Nature Photographer - Part 2.
Thursday, 5 November, 2009 "So you want to be a nature photographer? To get paid for doing what you love, photographing the rocks and trees and animals. It’s a worthy goal, and one worth pursuing."
Making serious commitment to something is easy to say than done. Our contributor, Rob Gray, shares his view in choosing nature photographer as a full-time business. Is it a right choice for everybody? Not quite but if you have a true will and believe this is what you want to do, Rob's article, Being a Nature Photographer - Part 1 is a must read.
Thursday, 29 October, 2009 "There are not many places in Australia where have not been visited by people. For those unusual places left behind without visitors, they are either too hostile or difficult to be accessed. In certain sense, there is almost nothing people have not seen and heard about."
In Pele Leung's latest article, Off the Beaten Track, he highlights five suggestions to challenge our readers. If you have travelling passion like our historical explorers, this article is tailor-made for you.
In addition, we have two excellent videos After Dark and Road Trip 2009 submitted by our contributors, Peter and Jill Myers. Please enjoy the new multimedia experience.
Thursday, 22 October, 2009 "In 1902 a tram depot was built at the Bennelong Point, Sydney Harbour. The depot was just an ordinary building servicing the trams in the old days of Sydney. After 71 years, a new building erected on the same place became an international icon. This new building is the famous Sydney Opera House."
The Sydney Opera House not only plays a crucial role in Australian tourism but also a brand of Australia. In Pele Leung's latest article, The Sydney Opera House, he outlines the background of the Opera House project as well as the stories behind this great architecture.
Thursday, 15 October, 2009 "In the old days, travel overseas was a once-in-life-time journey but now many people could travel around the world even every year. In certain sense, the world is actually getting smaller. Now travellers become more aggressive in seeking challenging adventures to fill the gap."
In Pele Leung's latest article, Walking in Australia, he brought us a hot walking track list for our consideration.
Thursday, 8 October, 2009 "The first I heard of it was from a phone call about 11pm on Sunday night March 1 2009, the woman at the other end of the phone said she was from the Mercury Newspaper, Hobart and that there was a beached whale at Naracoopa on the east coast of King Island, and did we know anything about it. We live right on the beach at Naracoopa so my wife Rhonda and I went out in the pitch black armed with a torch but saw nothing."
In John Nievaart's latest article, Whale Stranding Naracoopa King Island 2009, he told us his first hand news of this natural tragedy.
Thursday, 1 October, 2009 "It started raining. In Northern Territory, raining could be a sign of danger. Nobody wants to be caught by a swelling river in a remote region. Val was paddling back to her camp after a whole day canoe trip alone. When she turned a fast flowing river bend she saw a driftwood straight ahead. She tried to avoid hitting the driftwood. The fast flowing water dramatically reduced the distance between the driftwood and her canoe. Before hitting the driftwood right on, she saw the eyes - eyes of the driftwood."
In his latest article, Surviving Australia, Pele Leung gathers some advices for surviving in the toughest places in Australia when our life is threatened by the danger we must have to confront.
Thursday, 24 September, 2009 "The discovery of gold in the 1850s and 60s is the most significant event in the evolution of the state of Victoria... One of the more obvious signs of those activities, still with us today, are the many poppet head towers still dotting the region." Gary Chapman takes you back to the old days of Victoria and shows you what remain there now in his latest article, Golden Relics.
Thursday, 17 September, 2009 "Life became safer to emerge from the water when the ozone layer started to form to protect our Earth in 450-350 million years ago. At the end of this life migration period, a sandstone formation was formed due to the sediment of an ancient river in Eastern Kimberley." Pele Leung takes you to Bungle Bungle this week.
Thursday, 10 September, 2009 "An extreme hot summer may be welcomed by some beach lovers but it is certainly a threat to many of us. Drought and bush fire are just two of many known threats in our mind. Why the weather has been changing badly against us? Perhaps global warming is one of the reasons." Pele Leung outlines the environmental issues around us and also provides some tips that everyone could contribute in his latest article, Borrowed from Our Descendants.
Thursday, 3 September, 2009 "According to the latest statistics, the number of Australian travelling overseas grows and exceeds six million per year. In all aspects, this number is fairly high to a country with the population of only twenty-one million. Arguably we would have one less local traveller if we have one more overseas holiday seeker." Pele Leung summarised the root causes and also put through some of his personal thoughts for further collective thinking in his latest article, Can We Do More for Domestic Tourism.
Thursday, 27 August, 2009 "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." Pele Leung collected some of the famous place names in Australia in his latest article, Australian Place Names.
Thursday, 20 August, 2009 "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." Pele Leung brought us some highlights of Blue Mountains in his latest article, Blue Mountains - A Wilderness in Town.
Thursday, 13 August, 2009 "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." Barbara Bryan shares her flying experience over an Australian Eden in her latest article, Flight Over Arnhem Land and Kakadu NP.
Thursday, 6 August, 2009 "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." Peter and Jill Myers illustrate their experiences in photographing the land of England and Australia in their latest article, Landscape Photography In The UK & Australia.
Thursday, 30 July, 2009 "The reflection of Melbourne City on the Yarra River created a fascinating painting of this most livable city at twilight." To keep this piece of memory in all Melburnian's heart, Pele Leung chose to present it in his own way - an ultra panorama covering the most exciting angles of both the well known icons of Melbourne, Yarra River and its City. Pele shows us the insight of this project with his article, The Ultra Panorama of Yarra River Melbourne Austrlia.
Thursday, 23 July, 2009 It has been more than 220 years since the arrival of the First Fleet and the locals learned a lot about this southern landmass - Australia. Do we know enough of this continent? Pele Leung walks you through some interesting and vital information about the local geology and climate via his article - How Much Do We Know About Australia.
Thursday, 16 July, 2009 Many budding and enthusiastic photographers were lured from their warm homes on chilly winter nights, in an attempt to record the many vivid lighting installations on display around Sydney's Circular Quay, Rocks and Opera house areas. Barbara Bryan reported the Sydney Vivid Light Festival.
Thursday, 9 July, 2009 It is the largest national park in Australia but also has rich deposit of uranium. It is a place with deep local Aboriginal history and culture but also a place of ecological importance in the international standard. Because of these privileges, it gained a badge of world heritage in both cultural and ecological importance. This week Pele Leung introduces the Australian Eden - Kakadu National Park to us.
Thursday, 2 July, 2009 In 1929, when the great depression was on its way, two young men, Jack Bowers and Frank Smith, had taken a plunge and committed themselves to this great Australian dream of riding their motorcycle through the unknown horizon. Pele Leung introduces their journey of Around Australia the hard Way in 1929.
Thursday, 25 June, 2009 Sandwiched between the Whistunday region (Proserpine/Airlie Beach) and the Capricornia Coast (Rockhampton) is the delightful Mackay region with its many superb, less developed beaches and the national parks of Cape Hillsborough and Eungella nearby. Our contributor Barbara Bryan just returned from her trip to Mackay and surrounds.
Thursday, 18 June, 2009 The whole 42-km return journey needs four hours. The experience of crawling the slippery slope could scare some passengers and sometimes the vehicle might slip downhill without traction. When driving uphill or downhill in extreme angle passangers could squeeze each other like hamburger meat. This week Pele Leung takes you to Arkaroola for an adventure.
Thursday, 11 June, 2009 "As soon as I lied down and started to count the twinkle stars in the deep black heaven, I could not help myself to count no more than a few dozens and fell asleep shortly. I was probably the first one regaining the consciousness. The surrounding was still fairly dark and silence was the deafening noise I could hear."
Hiking in the Kimberley is not like walking in the Botanical Gardens. However, after all, it is a wonderful experience. Pele Leung takes you there today - Out There and Back.
Thursday, 4 June, 2009 When visibility is low in foggy days, we all slow down on the road but our contributor, Gary Chapman, will take an opposite action. Why? Because he does not want to waste any time to take the advantage of foggy weather to his photography. This week Gary shares his photographic tips with us in The Magic of Fog.
Wednesday, 27 May, 2009 You only have one day or even only half a day left for your visit to Melbourne! Shopping in Melbourne is great but you just want to see something special which can wrap up your stay here in Melbourne. Ideally you also like to bring a few memorable photos of Melbourne home with you. Walkabout in the Melbourne City is our answer.
Wednesday, 20 May, 2009 The global enonomy is currently still in trouble and Australia now follows closely. What can we do to save our tourism? Before answering this question, perhaps we must ask ourselves what attract visitors to Australia. If we really know the answer, we would know what to do to minimise the impact to Australian tourism.
Wednesday, 13 May, 2009 If you know when and where, there is no need to go far to find a treasured tourist hot spot around Melbourne. This week we have a known local secret to share with you - The beauty of Mount Dandenong. Mount Dandenong is just 50 kms from Melbourne City and now autumn colours make it even more prettier.
Tuesday, 5 May, 2009 Lake Eyre is a prohibited place to most travellers due to its remote location. If a 4WD transport is not available, flying over the lake is the easiest way to see how this wilderness looks. Our contributor, Monica O'Connor shares her knowledge and experiences of this unique place in Australia with us.
Sunday, 26 April, 2009 Scare to be alone? Have you ever experienced a feeling of isolation in a huge land such as Western Australia? Our contributor, David Bruce, shares his love and scared feeling of isolation with us this week.
"To wake up every day and walk down that beach into the unknown must have been quite an adrenaline rush to the right sort of person. But I could understand why not everyone would want to do it."
"When I got back into the car I turned on the radio to get a score in the cricket, and the familiar calmness of my comfort zone returned."
Sunday, 19 April, 2009 Escaping from urban life and pursuing a free style photography interest or even a career is a two-edge sword for most passionate photographers. Our contributor, Rob Gray, has gone through such a pleasure journey and his experience is fascinating and unique. Can we all follow his footsteps to take photographs to please only ourselves? This week article, Assignments from Without or Within, may not give us a soild answer but it certainly shows us some hints how intersting this photographic style would be.
Sunday, 12 April, 2009 "Continuing on with my Sydney coastal walking series, we visit the quiet, understated delightful Greenwich peninsula where you can do a circuit walk of about four kms - or more if you start from the nearest railway station at Wollstonecraft". Our contributor, Barbara Bryan reported her Sydney coastal walk experiences again.
Sunday, 5 April, 2009 Featured photographer of the month, featured location of the month and our monthly gallery pick are now online.
Sunday, 29 March, 2009 "We drove straight past the main bushfire area of Kinglake and its surrounds and boy oh boy does this send shivers up your spine. I cannot begin to imagine what it must have been like for the poor souls who were trapped in this area on Black Saturday" - Our contributors, Peter and Jill Myers reported what they saw on the Black Saturday scenes.
Friday, 20 March, 2009 Unless you have a fat wallet capable of purchasing a true landscape camera that can capture a large expanse of scenery in one gulp, you will probably have to resort to a cheaper and simpler means of capturing those wide detailed landscapes. Our contributor, John Sheridan, shares his knowledge in shooting digital panorama with our readers.
Friday, 13 March, 2009 There are other sides to visiting Sydney.....why not consider walking or strolling along various sections of the beautiful northshore coastal walks? There are many hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Our contributor, Barbara Bryan reports the nature she found at the doorstep of civilisation.
Monday, 9 March, 2009 Featured photographer of the month, featured location of the month and our monthly gallery pick are now online.
Saturday, 28 February, 2009 Planning a visit to Central Australia? Interested in photography? Why not try your hand (and camera) at some long exposure night photography? Barry Allwright gives us a quick rundown of what he learned from the Outback in the past few decades.
Thursday, 19 February, 2009 Along with Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast and Bass Strait itself, surely one of the most dangerous stretches of water surrounding Southern Australia is the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. Known locally as “The Rip”. Our contributor, Gary Chapman, walks you through his understanding and feeling to the lighthouses.
Thursday, 12 February, 2009 If you do not live in Victoria, you might not know Marysville until its name is now well known to most Australian. I prefer you remain as a stranger to this lovely town 100kms north east of Melbourne if we could reverse what mother nature has done to it lately. This week we bring you back to Marysville in 2002.
Thursday, 5 February, 2009 After travelling more than 4,000 kms, our contributors Peter and Jill Myers brought us much more than just a few words and photos. The immensity of the New South Wales Outback is one of their travel experiences they would like to share with us.
Tuesday, 3 February, 2009 Featured Location and Photographer of the Month and Gallery of the Month have been updated.
Thursday, 21 January, 2009 I have recently received an email from an overseas amateur photographer from Barcelona, Spain and was given a compliment as below. I would like to take this opportunity to offer all photographers an itinerary if they really have two months to tour Australia.
Monday, 12 January, 2009 With over 500 square kilometre (50500 hectares), Wilsons Promontory is one of the largest and diversified natural reserves in the Gippsland region. If you cannot wait to see before getting there, here is your opportunity.
Wednesday, 31 December, 2008 What can we learn from the experiences of First Fleet that arrived in Australia in 1788? There are certainly more than one thing but their persistence to survive is probably one of the most important mindset we should have now. Here are their stories that could stimulate our hopes to challenge any hard times ahead in the future.
Monday, 22 December, 2008 Our contributors Nadia and Steve Paul show us their recent exploration of Kanangra-Boyd National Park in New South Wales. Although Kanangra-Boyd may not have a well known icon like Three Sisters in Blue Mountains National Park, its less visited spots will certainly attract and excite us.
Monday, 15 December, 2008 Bill Bryson may not be the best travel writer in history but he is certainly one of the most popular ones who are still alive. He first dragged my attention when I first noticed one of his funny books - Down Under.
Thursday, 4 December, 2008 The weather might not be at its best but our contributors Peter and Jill Meyers still have a great time for their weekend trip to a quiet corner of Victoria - Inverloch. Let's see what images and experience they brought back for us this week. On the other hand, don't forget our monthly update: Featured Location, Featured Photographer and Monthly Gallery Pick are also revised.
Friday, 28 November, 2008 If you are a visitor, how much do you know about Australia? This week we have a short story for all visitors to Down Under. Enjoy your stay and Australia will not disappoint you.
Thursday, 20 November, 2008 What are the hottest topics these days? Financial turmoil and environmental crisis? Beating the potential recession by improving our environment is a sword with two edges. But you have to imagine first and then act later.
Monday, 10 November, 2008 "By doing less driving distance, we feel like we are getting to know a place more. Have seen awesome wildlife and birdlife so far including heaps of emus and chicks but less kangaroos..." Barbara Bryan, our contributor, shares her Outback experiences with us this week.
Monday, 3 November, 2008 Will Australian Tourism slow down? The short answer is yes but there are many reasons not to panic. Our latest Gallery Pick of the week article gets you some positive insights. Do not forget other updated sections including Gallery Pick of the Month, Featured Location and Photographer of the Month.
Thursday, 23 October, 2008 What is virtual tour? Can we utilise it for illustrating scenery or locations? Our latest Gallery Pick of the week article gets some ideas for you.
Monday, 13 October, 2008 Have you ever thought about the reasons of your own existence? Our latest Gallery Pick of the week article has an answer for you.
Wednesday, 1 October, 2008 All periodical items have all been updated. Enjoy.
Sunday, 21 September, 2008 Our latest Gallery Pick of the week is now online. Don't forget to check it out every week.
Tuesday, 9 September, 2008 Our latest Gallery Pick of the week is now online. Don't forget to check it out every week.
Wednesday, 3 September, 2008 Featured Location of the Month, Featured Photographer of the Month and Gallery Pick of the Month are all updated.
Friday, 22 August, 2008 Our latest Gallery Pick of the week is now online. Don't forget to check it out every week.
Friday, 1 August, 2008 All main features including Featured Location of the Month, Featured Photographer of the Month, Gallery Pick of the Week and Gallery Pick of the Month have all been changed today - a perfect conincidence.
Thursday, 26 June, 2008 We are pleased to announce our image article section is now officially available. From now on, don't miss our weekly article. More
Thursday, 22 May, 2008 We are pleased to announce our video section is now officially available. Now sit back and enjoy the multimedia experience. More
Tuesday, 15 April, 2008 We are pleased to announce our official opening today. In the coming months, more video footage will be available for public viewing. As expected, we have excellent photographs coming in daily and there is always something new for every visit. No matter who you are, visitor, sponsor or contributer, you are always welcome here. Happy browsing.
Tuesday, 1 April, 2008 We are proud to announce our first video presentation, Australia, on www.youtube.com. Here is our embedded copy. Please enjoy and tell all your friends how beautiful this country is by sharing this video. We are truly lucky to live here.
Monday, 7 January, 2008 Would you like to be one of the first contributors before our official opening? If so, register now.