Mount Mulligan & Kondaparinga
Mount Mulligan Store & Residence
I took the Prado on a day trip to Mount Mulligan & Kondaparinga Stations with the in-laws on the weekend.
Photos here - http://www.ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/outandabout/mmk
Mount Mulligan was a mining town in northern Queensland, Australia, the site of Queensland’s worst mining disaster.
A railway connected Mount Mulligan with Dimbulah on the Chillagoe Railway. It opened on 7 April, 1915 and was officially closed in January, 1958.
It was a coal mining town from 1910 until 19 September 1921 when an underground explosion killed 75 miners (all the miners in the town). The mine closed, but reopened in 1923 and continued in production until 1957 when a hydro-electric scheme eliminated the need for the coal.
The town’s coal was mined from shafts dug into a Permian layer within the cliff face or escarpment of a large 18 km x 6.5 km free-standing conglomerate and sandstone massif (rising up to 400 metres above the township) known by the name given it by the small group of prospectors who first sighted it in 1874 while searching the Hodgkinson River for gold, under the leadership of James Venture Mulligan.
The conglomerate and sandstone massif known to local Djungan aboriginal peoples as Ngarrabullgan was given James Mulligan’s surname. The name Mount Mulligan was later given to the township that grew in the shadows of the massif’s escarpment.
The area of the township itself remains gazetted as a township, but is now a ghost town, with a single cemetery, a single occupied residence, a single chimney stack, and the overgrown remains of the once busy mining operations and electricity generator. At the 2006 census, Mount Mulligan and the surrounding area had a population of 55.
King’s Chair
Daniel took us up to a little known spot in Kuranda yesterday nicknamed the King’s Chair.
Overlooking the Barron Gorge, this is one sweet spot for it’s commanding views, cool breezes and refreshing water.
Photos here - http://ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/camping/kingmar09
Stony Creek to Glacier Rock Hike
Zoe, Jenn, Marisa & Matty at Glacier Rock
Disregarded the heat & humidity to undertake the Stony Creek to Glacier Rock hike today with friends.
Photos here - http://ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/camping/glacierjan09
Trail stats here - http://www.trailguru.com/wiki/index.php/Track:3Q62
Full Moon Hike
Jenn & I pleased to be at the top of Glacier Rock
Spent Sunday evening with friends hiking up to Glacier Rock under a full moon.
Photos here - http://ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/camping/glacierdec08
Glacier Rock Hike
Half way up to the top of Glacier Rock
Daniel, Shean & I spent the afternoon hiking up to the top of Glacier Rock. Here is a wonderful spot to rest and take in the glorious scenery of the gorge below and the coastal vista beyond.
Photos here - http://ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/camping/glacier08
Anzac Bridge Walk
Anzac Bridge & Sydney city
Today I walked over Anzac Bridge, around Black Wattle Bay, past the Sydney Fish Markets and back home.
Photos here - http://ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/sydney/landmarks/anzacbridge
The ANZAC Bridge spanning Johnstons Bay is one of Sydney’s outstanding landmarks. Opened in December 1995, at a cost of $170 million, it provides a key link between Sydney City and the suburbs to the west. Via the City West Link and Victoria Rd it is the major east west route to the M4 toll way at Concord and the Homebush Bay Olympic 2000 site.
The bridge has a main span of 345m, a total length of over 800m with the two towers supporting the 128 cables 120m high. It is the longest cable-stayed span bridge in Australia and amongst the longest concrete cable-stayed span bridges in the world.
This new bridge replaced the old Glebe Island bridge and initially adopted that name.
On the 80th anniversary of Armistice Day, the 11th November 1998, the premier of NSW, Bob Carr, renamed the bridge as the ANZAC Bridge as a memorial to members from both sides of the Tasman who formed the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps – the ANZACs. Flags were placed on the tower tops, an Australian flag on the eastern tower and a New Zealand flag on the western tower.
Circular Quay to Lavender Bay Walk
View of Sydney Harbour from the Bridge
I completed this walk today with Kelli, Carly, Tamara & James from work.
This walk starts at the Rocks end of Circular Quay. After enjoying a freshly cooked corn cob, we set on our way ascending the stairs to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The path over the Bridges is about 1.5 kilometres to Milsons Point train station and the cafes of Kirribilli.
From the bottom, we walked along the foreshore of Kirribilli and enjoyed the harbour views right along to Milsons Point with the North Sydney Olympic Pool and Luna Park.
We then followed the waterside path into Lavender Bay, leading down to McMahons Point Wharf. Most people would have caught a ferry back to Circular Quay but we walked back via a stop at the fish & chips shop in Kirribilli.
Photos here – http://www.ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/sydney/daytrips/cq2lb
Manly to North Head Coastal Walk
Scenic North Head on Sydney Harbour
On Sunday morning, Kelli, Carly and I walked the Manly to North Head coastal walk.
It all started with Kelli & I catching a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly. This was followed by an 8km round trip to North Head.
Photos here – http://www.ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/sydney/daytrips/northhead
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
Million dollar views along this coastal hike
Jason and I spent a few hours this morning walking the Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach coastal walk.
This is Sydney’s best known coastal walk and for good reason. It’s a stunning path that hugs the clifftops and beaches all the way to Coogee. There are cafes or kiosks at every beach, lifeguards to look out for you in the surf and saltwater pools at Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly and Coogee.
Photos here – http://www.ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/sydney/daytrips/btc
Blue Mountains
Hiking in the Blue Mountains
I’ve visited the Blue Mountains twice now yet still have so much left to see. I’ve stopped at Katoomba to see the Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters, the Jamison Valley, Mount Solitary and Orphan Rock.
At Scenic World I experienced the world’s steepest railway, the Skyway, Cableway and rainforest walkway. At Blackheath, I visited Govetts Leap (named after a daring bushranger), Bridal Veil Falls & Evans Lookout. I’ve walked halfway along a cliff-edge track towards Pulpit Rock and hope to complete this next time.
Photos here – http://www.ozmatrix.com/gallery/v/sydney/daytrips/bluemtns
The Blue Mountains acquired their name because of the blue haze produced by the scattering of the sun’s rays striking dust particles and droplets of moisture in the atmosphere. The blue haze effect is magnified by the droplets of oil produced by the extensive population of eucalypt forest within the Blue Mountains.
It is an interesting scientific phenomenon called ‘Rayleigh Scattering’ named after Lord Rayleigh who in 1871 first published his investigation of the scattering of light. He was the first person to be able to explain why the sky was blue.
