Sunrise and Sunsets...Video

Sunsets and sunrises from different locations in Australia
Photos by Maggi Carstairs

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tides at Burrum Heads

Kangaroo Watching

Watching, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Kangaroos at North Shore National Park

They were very timid but did graze near the Campers.

Flight of the Eagle

Flight of the Eagle, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Sea Eagles at Tin Can Bay

They came to the cruise boat to be fed

Maggi on the beach

Maggi on the beach, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

My Favorite John Donne Poem

The Sun Rising

Busy old fool, unruly Sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows and through curtains call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers' seasons run?
Saucy pedantic wretch, go chide
Late schoolboys and sour 'prentices,
Go tell court huntsmen that the King will ride,
Call country ants to harvest offices;
Love, all alike, no season knows, nor clime,
Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.

Thy beams, so reverend and strong
Why shoulds't thou think?
I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink,
But that I would not lose her sight so long;
If her eyes have not blinded thine,
Look, and tomorrow late, tell me,
Whether both th'Indias of spice and mine
Be where thou left'st them, or lie here with me?
Ask for those kings whom thou saw'st yesterday,
And thou shalt hear, 'All here in one bed lay.'

She's all states, and all princes, I;
Nothing else is.
Princes do but play us; compared to this,
All honour's mimic, all wealth alchemy.
Thou, Sun, art half as happy as we,
In that the world's contracted thus;
Thine age asks ease, and since thy duties be
To warm the world, that's done in warming us.
Shine here, to us, and thou art everywhere;
This bed thy centre is, these walls, thy sphere.

Molten golden skies reflect in Seas

Molten golden skies reflect in Seas, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Sunrise 25th March

I heard the distant waters dash,
I saw the current whirl and flash,
And richly, by Burrum Heads silver beach,

....If thou art worn and hard beset
With sorrows, that thou wouldst forget,
If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep
Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep,
Go to the Beach and watch the sunrise over the sea

(Apologies to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Sunrise on the Hills)
http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/longfellow/12198

Sunrise over the sea

Sunrise over the sea, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

25 March 2010

The third morning of walking for the sunrise.
The mornings are beautiful...and now the sunrise is getting later. It was 6am today

The lights caught the yachts in a rosy glow

Without a sound the Sun rose calmly from the East

Without a sound the Sun rose calmly from the East, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Golden Sunset...March 23rd 5.45am to 6.45am

The full sunset in 44 photos

Sandblow at Rainbow Beach

Sandblow at Rainbow Beach, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Sandblow at Rainbow Beach

Noosa Front Beach

Nooss Front Beach, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Front Beach at Noosa....beautiful surf and a very special small beach very popular with the surfies and tourists

Bream Lunch

Bream cooked in butter and garlic,freshly ground pepper, and Lemon.
It was served with served with Potato Chips and  lemon wedges.
It was delicious.

From 2010-03-21

From 2010-03-21

The bream was flapping and alive when it was given to me.
I sat it in the sink and went to Google to find out how to prepare it.
Using scissors, I cut the gut and cleaned it, and took off the scales with a small vegetable knife.
The fish was very slippery and the fins were sharp. I held it with a facecloth, and cut the sharp fins off first.

From 2010-03-21

Cyclone Ului downgraded to category one - Seven News Queensland

Cyclone Ului downgraded to category one - Seven News Queensland

Cyclone Ului has washed ashore boats, damaged homes and cut power to 60,000 properties in Queensland's Whitsunday region.
But early reports suggest the damage is moderate.
Authorities are just beginning to assess the damage after Ului crossed the coast as a category three system with winds of 200km/h near Airlie Beach early on Sunday morning.
It has since been downgraded to a category one and is weakening as it heads inland.
Forecasters expect it to deteriorate into a rain depression by Sunday afternoon.
Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts says there's been some structural damage to homes, such as broken windows, leaks and damaged roofs.
"The early reports we're getting in is minor to moderate damage in a number of homes, power outages across the region," he told the ABC.
"The SES had about 600 calls so far but we are expecting that to escalate significantly" as the day progresses, he said.
Mr Roberts said communities had been well prepared for Ului and that had helped limit the damage.
Ergon Energy says about 60,000 customers are without power in the region, and generators are being sent to affected communities to ensure emergency and other services can keep working.
"We won't be putting crews back on the road until the weather improves and it's safer for them to get out and do some work," an Ergon spokesman said.
In Airlie Beach, close to where the cyclone made landfall, one of the biggest tasks will be salvaging about a dozen vessels washed onto the rocks.
They include the 26-metre Anaconda II, a former racing maxi that has sailed round the world and competed in the Sydney to Hobart race. It's now used to take backpackers on sailing trips.
Most appear to be private vessels but all are of a substantial size.
The town itself has survived relatively unscathed, with no obvious damage other than many trees down, the power cut and shade sails ripped apart.
The Department of Community Safety said many of the 600 calls it received were made before the cyclone hit, and between midnight and 5am (AEST) the State Emergency Service responded to 30 jobs, most in Mackay.
"To date, the jobs reported are for minor structural damage consisting of damaged roofs and windows which has caused some water inundation into homes," it said.
"Trees have also come down on homes and roads."
At 7am, Cyclone Ului was a category one system and about 120km southwest of Bowen and 60km west of the mining town of Collinsville, moving west-southwest at 30km/h.
Heavy rainfall and flooding is expected in coastal and inland areas between Bowen and St Lawrence, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
Damaging winds are also expected between Ayr and Bowen for the next few hours.

Kangaroo and her large joey

Kangaroo and her large joey, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Kangaroo and Joey at Sandy Shore National Park

Kangaroo and Joey

Kangaroo and Joey, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Kangaroos are here in Burrum Heads, and driving at dusk and night can be dangerous as Kangaroos may be on the roads.

These photos were taken at Sandy National Park where I stayed a week.
The Kangaroos would come out in the evening and in the early morning.
They were quite happy to graze the grass, and some even let the children pat them, but they are wild and not tamed at all.

This joey was quite large to still be with his mother.
He was very nervous and timid.

Walking back from the yacht at Low tide

Walking back from the yacht at Low tide, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

At low tide all the water in the River vanishes. There is a deep channel where the boats go, the rest is sandbank.
Here I am walking back to Burrum Heads, from the yacht moored on the river. It is walk of about 25 minutes over sand shaped by the tides as they come and go.

The sand is littered with debris from soldier crabs which are plentiful in this area. By the old tree trunk embedded in the sand the fishermen pump for yabbies for bait.

Its a very unshaded walk. The reflection from the high sun at noon is very sharp and the sand underfoot is not easy to walk on because of the hard sand ridges.
The last photo shows the yachts I have walked from. The first photo, where I am walking to.
At High tide all this is under water and boats can row to shore.

Moon River on the River

Moon River on the River, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Living a life on the Water

Turtle at Burrum Heads

Just near the Boat Ramp, the turtle came to see who was there.
Roz was there with her camera and she caught these awesome photos..

Sunrise 6 ... 11 March

Sunrise 6 ... 11 March, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.

View of the Mangroves at Burrum River at sunrise

View of the Glasshouse Mountains

View of the Glasshouse Mountains, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

The Glass house Mountains were wonderful...marred only by the mosquitoes in hungry hordes after the rains.

I did 5 walks and sweltered in the heat, whilst amazing at the views and beating off mosquitoes that were attracted to the only human on the mountains in this time.
The quietness was wonderful, broken by the call of the bellbirds, and the silent fluttering of the occasional butterfly as it lured me to stand still, bait for the mosquitoes.
The damp undergrowth was rich in fungi and lichens and I saw many beautiful examples that are now immortalized.
It was a beautiful walk and experience, and if not for the mosquitoes I would have done the 12 walks as planned.

http://www.australianexplorer.com/glass_house_mountains.htm

Glass House Mountains were named by Captain Cook and are fantastic volcanic crags, just 20km north of Caboolture. There are some fabulous scenic drives through the Glass House Mountains, which are also popular amongst walkers and climbers due to is fabulous bushwalking trails, and rock climbing. The Glass House Mountains also hold a rich Aboriginal history.

Glass House Mountains Glass House Mountains
Within the Glass House Mountains you will come across the small Glass House Mountains township. You can also visit the four smaller national parks set within the Glass House Mountains National Park, all offering more walking trails and rock climbing.

The national parks include Mt Beerwah which is an intermediate climb, Mt Coonowrin which is an advanced climb, Mt Ngungun which is a fairly easy walk, and Mt Tibrogargan which is also an intermediate climb.


Further walking trails can be found around Mt Tibrogargan, which is set within the Mt Tibrogargan Relaxapark. You will also find accommodation at Mt Tibrogargan. For fabulous views head to the lookouts at Beerburrum and Mary Cairncross, and don't forget your camera.
Surrounding the Glass House Maintains are the Beerburrum State Forests, which offer a number of different lookouts across the Glass House Mountains. You will also find several picnic areas, as well as some wonderful walking trails.

View through the Pandamus

View through the Pandamus, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

A popular walk is the 3km coastal path from Hastings Street along Main Beach boardwalk past the beautiful and secluded Tea Tree Bay, Dolphin Point and through as far as Sunshine Beach for those wanting a full hike.

The views out to sea are stunning. The Pandamus provides silhouettes through which the brilliant blue of the sea sparkles through. On the right are Paper Barks and Native Australian Bush where you can see butterflies, birds and the occasional koala high in the trees.

Below in coves the surfers sail though the waves on their surfboards, and young people watch from the safety of the shallow waves.

Coastal Walk...Walking through Paper Bark Trees

Walking through Paper Bark Trees, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

The coastal walk started at the parking spot at the entrance to the National Park at the top of the hill.

The walk wound its way up and down the coastline, following the rocky inclines. Steps were cut in places, and all the track was sealed for wheelchair access and prams as far as Dolphin Point.
It was very beautiful.

The Australian bush edged the tracks and the paper barks made an attractive backdrop to the blue of the water below the cliffs.

A popular walk is the 3km coastal path from Hastings Street along Main Beach boardwalk past the beautiful and secluded Tea Tree Bay, Dolphin Point, Fairy Pools, Noosa Head, Hells Gate and into Alexandria Bay.

The views out to sea are stunning and give the illusion you are on a tropical island not on the Queensland coast of mainland Australia.

There is a walk back to Noosa through Tanglewood which runs through the national park.

The walk actually ends at Sunshine Beach Surf Club..and you can take a bus back from there to Noosa. Its about 7 kms to Sunshine Beach.

I shall be back to do more of the walks here. There are 5 different walks in the Noosa National Park.

Koala at the Noosa National Park Coastal Walk

Baby Koala, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

I was really lucky to see this Koala and reported the sighting to the Indigenous Art Gallery and Information Center at the Park, who keeps records of the Koala sightings.

Noosa Coastal Walk

Rocky Shores Below, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

I did the Coastal Walk which took almost 3 hours walking along the coast to Dolphin Bay and back.
It was very beautiful.
I could see to the Glasshouse Mountains.

It was very hot, and the shade from the Paper Barks and Gums made the walk pleasant.
A small koala sitting high up in a tree was a delight.

http://www.noosaeguide.com/noosa_information_walks.php

Noosa National Park

The park first created it in 1939, and officially opened in 1949 by Sir John Laverack, the then Governor of Queensland has become one of the most visited national parks in Australia. The park is very organized with an information centre (07 5447 3243), picnic areas and a number of well marked walking tracks covering an area of 2290 ha. The main entrance is at the end of Park Road a 15 minute walk from the end of Hastings Street, car parking is available at the park entrance. From the main entrance a number of walks are possible. There are a number of marked tracks in Noosa National Park.

Coastal Track

The coastal track starts immediately out of the car park and follows the coastline. This provides wonderful views and passes by Tea Tree beach that provides good surfing. This beach is not patrolled. You will often see koalas in the tall blue gums that line the path. The coastal track end at Hell's Gates with good view over the ocean and along the coast. The return distance is 5.4km and will take about 2 hours.

Palm Grove Circuit

A short 1km circuit that passes through rainforest. The track starts at the picnic area.

Tanglewood Track

The Tanglewood track is an 8.4 km return walk. It starts from behind the picnic area and follow the signs along the Tanglewood track. The walk takes you through the forest and eventually emerges at Hell’s Gate. The route back along the coastal path provides wonderful views across the Pacific Ocean.

Alexandria Bay Tracks

The secondary entrance to Noosa national park at Park Edge Road at Sunshine Beach provides a chance to walk to Alexandria Bay, a distance of about 3km. After entering the park take the track which goes straight ahead.

North Shore Beauty

North Shore Beauty, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

I camped at the Beachfront Camping Park at North Shore Great Sandy National Park. Cooked on my Campervan stove, and sat in front of this glorious view, when not walking the beach or tracks, and read books. It was  idyllic.
At night, when the light was low, I simply turned off the interior light and went to sleep listening to the sopunds of the waves. The Birds sang me awake with the dawn, and I crawled out to walk the beach.
My Van was parked on the sandy shore overlooking the beach.
I got the sunrise in the East and the Sunset in the West, so was able to see both sunrise and sunset from my Position on the dune.
It was very beautiful.




http://www.maroochypark.qld.gov.au/noosanorthshore/noosanorthshore_features.asp

Noosa North Shore Caravan Park is a popular location for recreational activities such as camping, fishing and beach walking, but  note that the beach is not patrolled.

The Park is quite large and visitors are welcome to choose their own site. There are a small number of powered sites, suitable for caravans, which can be booked. Bookings are taken up to 12 months in advance. Camping is not permitted on the beach or foreshore in the Noosa Region.

Even though the Park is mostly in its natural state, there are toilet and shower amenities onsite. As Fauna and Flora in the reserve are protected, animals are not permitted in the reserve or the Park. There are no streetlights at the park, so we suggest you bring a torch.

There is no vehicle access to the beach from the park, however access to the beach by 4WD vehicles is located at the “third cutting”, which is less than 1km north of the park entrance. There are definitely no fires, braziers or webers allowed in the park or on the beach: all cooking on gas appliances only. There are no cooking facilities provided at the Park.

Tin Can Bay Dolphin Centre

Tin Can Bay Dolphin Centre, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

http://www.australianexplorer.com/tin_can_bay.htm

I wanted to see the dolphins being fed, so headed to Tin Can Bay in time for the feeding at 8am.
There was only one dolphin and with numerous tourists clamoring around to feed the one dolphin, I watched the pelican and explored the area while waiting for the 9am Cruise, which took me back to Rainbow Beach, but to the opposite side.
The trip was uneventful...more a ferry ride than a cruise, even though a commentary relayed what was around once we neared Rainbow Beach. The sea eagles came to be hand-fed, but they swooped so fast that I was unable to get any worthwhile photos. It rained most of the trip, which also did not help. It did not seem to affect the tourists as the little boat was chockfull on its return trip back to Rainbow Beach.


Tin Can Bay Tin Can Bay

Tin Can Bay is located on the Fraser Coast in Queensland, just north of Rainbow Beach. You can get to Tin Can Bay by heading East from Gympie. The attractive drive, passes plenty of fantastic landscape scenery along the way and so is worth the effort.

Tin Can Bay is a very pretty place, with its main attraction being the early morning dolphin feeding.

Dolphin Feeding, Tin Can Bay Tin Can Bay
Tin Can Bay is one of only three places around the whole of Australia, where you can officially hand feed dolphins in the wild.

If you are interested in feeding the dolphins you should head to Barnacles Bait and Cafe, which is located at the end of the Tin Can Bay Marina.

Barnacles Cafe is open from 7am each day, so arrive early, enjoy a coffee or snack and take in the views as the dolphins make their way in.

Feeding starts at about 8 am. The dolphins generally arrive quite early and depart soon after feeding, so please plan to arrive between 7.00am and 8.00am. As dolphins are wild animals these times can not be guaranteed but the earlier you arrive the more chance of success.
Tin Can Bay Dolphin Feeding, Tin Can Bay
Fish for feeding is available on site. As of 4th December 2009, fish for feeding is $5.00 per person to cover costs.
The dolphins that you will see at Tin Can Bay are Pacific Humpback Dolphins, which are slightly different in shape to the well known Bottlenose Dolphins.

Tin Can Bay Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Tin Can Bay

Due to the fact that the dolphins are wild, times cannot be guaranteed. It is worth arriving well before 8am to maximise your opportunity of feeding the dolphins.
There are a number of rules to abide by which the volunteers will explain. Only fish purchased at the site can be fed to the dolphins with a maximum of 3kg fed to each dolphin per day. Please no flash photography and only enter the water with a volunteer.

Tin Can Bay also offers dolphin cruises, allowing you to see the dolphins and the beautiful bay from the water, as well as deep sea fishing.

 

 

Barge Mooring Point at Inskip

Barge Mooring Point at Inskip, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

Inskip is where the barges take vehicles across to Fraser Island.
It is the tip of Rainbow Beach, and the barge goes across to the tip of Fraser Island.