tiabunna's photos with the keyword: Northern Territory

It was a pleasant surprise to come across a flock of these cockatoos near the road. Thankfully they stayed when we stopped and didn't go far when they took off as I took this image. See PiPs for later images. They have helmet-like crests, males have the red tail panels, the females have small yellow spots and black barred yelllow-orange on the tail feathers.

When I took this, the sign that caught my attention was the one in the middle (to assist the ipernity translator, it reads "ALL DOGS must remain confined to the vehicle".) :-) Wishing everyone a Happy Fence Friday and a great weekend to follow. This PiP with the vintage petrol pumps was taken near the main image. Leaded petrol was stopped in Australia late in the last century.

Many small Eucalypts were growing along the roadside. I'm fairly certain they were one of the Mallee variety, possibly Round-leafed Mallee, which grows in the inland. Either way, it was a bonus to find these flowering and with seed pods .

This fascinating structue is a Termite Mound, essentially a giant ant nest. These are found across Australia, though most are not as big as this one, which is the largest along the Plenty Highway. You can read more about them here. My friend and I were travelling in this vehicle.

The dust in my previous image was from vehicles travelling in the same direction as us. When it's coming the other way, be sure it's not a Road Train as they have right of way - and use it! On a narrow unsealed road, that means pulling over and stopping. View large for maximum impact.

There's a bench here for everyone - in the open or under the shade. An interesting arrangement I'd not seen previously (may need to view large) with the recycled windmills providing the shade. Wishing everyone a Happy Bench Monday and a good week following.

This is the limit of the tourist trail in Kings Canyon. Beyond this point is restricted to the traditional owners, as there are several places with sacred significance. Just a little light flare over the top of the canyon rim in this image. Heading up the canyon.

Although Central Australia is generally arid, there are little areas of what could be called 'oasis'. Kings Canyon is one such area. It is part of a National Park and there are several possible walks - one being up Kings Creek (see PiP).

Although Central Australia is generally arid, there are little areas of what could be called 'oasis'. Kings Canyon is one such area. It is part of a National Park and there are several possible walks - one being up Kings Creek (see PiP).

The road from Alice Springs to the Uluru National Park passes by Mt Conner (Attila or Artilla in Arrentje). You can read more about it here. It's a big landscape out there, so maybe pop this up large to get the feeling. Meanwhile, it's time to again wish everyone a very Happy Fence Friday and a great weekend to follow.

These colourful birds are found in association with (dryland) spinifex bushes from central Australia to the northwest coast. As seen in the PiP, this one is in the process of doing a courtship ritual for another which looks suitably unimpressed. :-)

Yes, when driving in Central Australia, it is necessary to watch for wandering camels! Camels were introduced to inland Australia in the mid-late 1800s to provide transport with "camel trains" in remote areas. This continued until the advent of roads and trucks, when many were released - and we now have probably the largest free-roaming camel population in the world ! More detail here.

This panoramic view of Uluru and the distant Kata Tjuta was taken from a viewing platform sited to give a good sunrise view of them both - I'd have to admit somewhat after sunrise here! Best viewed large on black. Another week almost gone, so it's time to wish everyone a very Happy Fence Friday and I hope you all have a great weekend to follow.

We walked part of the way around Uluru (PiP 1 shows the tracks). It does become more impressive with proximity and, although the Aboriginal owners prevent access to some areas with traditional links, it is possible to visit Aboriginal cave paintings from earlier times.

Sunsets in central Australia tend to be about clear skies and strong colour. Viewing the light of them on Kata Tjuta and Uluru is so popular that special parking areas have been provided for optimum viewing.

Continuing on my helicopter trip (see previous image of Uluru), we headed westward towards Kata Tjuta (see PiPs). I must admit I find this rocky complex more interesting than Uluru itself, and the main image was my favourite from the entire outing, as it includes both. If you enlarge this, beyond Uluru in the far distance, you will also see flat-topped Mt Connor. Should you find the geology of this area as fascinating as I do, you can read more about it here.

Whether you prefer to call it Uluru (the Pitjatjantjara name for 40,000 or so years) or Ayers Rock (the colonial name for just under 150 years), it's an impressive lump of sandstone. It rises almost 350 metres above sea level and, like an iceberg, it seems most of its bulk is below the surface of the surrounding terrain. When I took these images (see also PiPs) it was still popular to climb to the top on the ridge to the right of this image (also PiP 3) though the Aboriginal people disapproved - the climb has since been closed. I decided to skip the climb and instead to do my viewing from a helicopter, putting it in context. Best viewed large.

Some 4,700 years ago, what is known as the "Henbury Meteor" weighing several tonnes, crashed here in the Central Australian desert, leaving 12 craters of various sizes as it broke up. The largest crater, shown in this stitched panorama, is 180m wide and 15m deep and now is part of the Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve. One to view large.