These photos were taken as The Spirit of Queensland train, returned me to suburban Brisbane, [22 hour journey] after my 2 weeks of hiking in tropical north Queensland with my brother and a friend.
The photos are not of good quality. This is the result of the position of the sun, train speed and glare, but for my OS readers, I wanted to show that the Aussie landscape changes little over our vast distances. We have areas of incredible beauty, but because of the distances, it is difficult to advise travellers how to see it all.
I have just been reading this blog, of an English family of 4, choosing to just see a small part of
https://surfnslide.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/and-so-it-begins-journey-to-the-far-side-of-the-world/
Queensland. I have completely enjoyed reading of their visit. They only scratched the surface of what there is to see, but they did see it memorably.
The coastal strip from Brisbane to Cairns [1700 kms] is renowned for its sugar cane production. Some areas have beef cattle, bananas, citrus, and mangoes. Towns average an hours drive between them with not a lot to see in between. Queensland's population is only 4.6 million with 2 million living in Brisbane.
Our landscape is totally different to European landscapes and definitely boringly flat, in comparison to the magnificent Rockie Mountains, that I have just visited.
I love where I live, but just sometimes I wish the distances weren't quite so vast.
Interestingly, North America has the Rockies Parrelling its west coast. Australia has its Great Dividing Range, on the east coast, doing the same thing. Its 'full height' can be spotted in many of these shots. Its average height is 606 metres / 2000 feet.
Views from the train, from 11 am until sunset.
Herbert River
The mighty Burdekin River.
A dam built across it upper reach, holds 4x the amount of Sydney Harbour.
Only a few farmers burn their cane before harvesting now. The others cut it 'green' and the dry leafage is baled for mulching.
Baled sugar cane mulch.
Loaded sugar cane carriages, waiting to be taken to the mill.
Very typical country view.
Dry river beds are not uncommon for most of the year.
This is Queensland.
I would love to read your comment.
Beautiful farms and nice click from Train.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed all your photos of the Aussie countryside.
ReplyDeleteI liked traveling through Queensland with you by train. It looks very green. I took a train trip with girlfriends last fall and really enjoyed it. (Except, I wished our train windows weren't so dirty!)
ReplyDeleteI think the photos are very good!
ReplyDeleteThe views do look a little bit flat, but I feel homelike because they make me think of the plain of the Po, with farmland, a big river, and even dry river beds. :)
Thank you for the trip!
We travelled up that way a couple of years ago and I found none of it boring. I love to see the way landscape changes as the miles get eaten up. I had not been in the far north since I was 15 years old so loved every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am also all of the detailed short trips. I have decided that is how I really like to trace ... the essence of wayfaring.
Thanks for linking to the start of our blog posts Helen. Even two years on I still read those posts regularly. Queensland is a wonderful place with so much to see yet just a small corner of your fabulous country. We are hoping to go back in the next couple of years and see Sydney, the Top End and Red Centre this time
ReplyDelete