Australia

[Brainache]

There can be only one.

Yeah, but he's French.

 

[Akhenaten]

Time for another one of these? Must be.

Identify the Place - Part 8

Cocklebiddy Cave, Cocklebiddy, Western Australia

A single passage more than 6 km long, of which around 90% is underwater and only accessible via cave diving. In August 1983, a French team set a world record here for the longest cave dive in the world. In October that year, the French record was beaten by an Australian team when Hugh Morrison of Western Australia pushed another 280 metres beyond where the French had tied off. In 1995 South Australian cave diver Christopher Brown went another 20 metres further again, and in late 2008 much of the cave's more distant regions were explored, mapped (using radio-location "pingers" designed and operated by Ken Smith) and videotaped by Craig Challen and Dr Richard ("Harry") Harris et al. using hi-tech rebreather technologies.

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National Museum of Australia, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation.

It did not have a permanent home until 11 March 2001, when it was officially opened in the national capital Canberra.

The Museum profiles 50,000 years of Indigenous heritage, settlement since 1788 and key events including Federation and the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The Museum holds the world's largest collection of Aboriginal bark paintings and stone tools, the heart of champion racehorse Phar Lap and the Holden prototype No. 1 car.

The Museum also develops and travels exhibitions on subjects ranging from bushrangers to surf lifesaving. The National Museum of Australia Press publishes a wide range of books, catalogues and journals. The Museum's Centre for Historical Research takes a cross-disciplinary approach to history, ensuring the museum is a lively forum for ideas and debate about Australia's past, present and future.

The Museum's innovative use of new technologies has been central to its growing international reputation in outreach programming, particularly with regional communities. From 2003 to 2008, the Museum hosted Talkback Classroom, a student political forum.

In 2005 and 2006 the National Museum was named Australia's best major tourist attraction.

The Museum is located on Acton Peninsula in the suburb of Acton, next to the Australian National University. The peninsula on Lake Burley Griffin was previously the home of the Royal Canberra Hospital, which was demolished on 13 July 1997.


Home page:

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Conrad Jupiters Hotel & Casino, Broadbeach (Gold Coast), Queensland

Jupiters Hotel and Casino was officially opened in 1986 and was Queensland's first casino and hotel complex. Originally owned by Conrad Black it is now operated by Tabcorp Holdings.

The seven acre complex is located beside the Nerang River and includes 8 bars, 7 restaurants, conference facilities, a ballroom, theatre, health spa, gym and a monorail which connects the property to the Oasis shopping centre across the road.

One per cent of the casino's gross gaming revenue is deposited in the Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund. This fund was established in 1987, supports non-profit community based groups and is administered by the Government of Queensland.

Wikipedia
Home Page​

The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge, Brooklyn, New South Wales

This bridge was to be the last link in a railway network that linked Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and was a major engineering feat at the time

The original bridge, the pylons of which can be seen in the picture, was officially opened on 1 May 1889 and remained in service until 1927 when it required strengthening. During the 1930s cracks developed in one of the piers and it became necessary to replace the entire structure.

Work on the new bridge was commenced in 1940, however, owing to delays caused by World War II it was not opened until 1 July 1946.

The new bridge was located 60 metres (197 ft) to the West (upstream) of the original bridge and consists of eight spans in three different lengths and piers sunk to depths of up to 56 m (183 ft). New tunnels were bored through Long Island to the south and Cogra Point on the northern approach.


A very detailed description and history of the bridge can be found at the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage website and a more condensed version is available on Wikipedia.

The Pinnacles Desert, Nambung National Park, Western Australia

The Pinnacles are located in Nambung National Park, about 25 kilometres south from the town of Cervantes and about 250 kilometres north of Perth.

The limestone formations of the Pinnacles vary in size and shape; some are as small as a mouse whilst many are as tall as 3.5m and have been likened to tombstones, termite mounds and even fingers.

The Pinnacles are is best seen at dawn or dusk when they cast long, strange shadows over the rippling yellow sand dunes. The best season to see them from August to October, as the days are mild and wildflowers are starting to bloom.

Although the desert teems with wildlife most of the animals are nocturnal, although it is not uncommon to see western grey kangaroos, emus and many sorts of reptiles and birds like black-shouldered kites hanging around the strange stones.

More pictures and some tips for photographers

More pictures and some tourist information

More pictures and some scientifical stuff (and a video)​

Umm . . . I mean, if one were to accidentally fall in, this would be the best place to do it.

It's about a 12 metre drop and the water is way deep.

Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park, Numinbah, Queensland

The Natural Bridge is a naturally formed rock arch over Cave Creek, a tributary of the Nerang River. It was formed from a waterfall which undercut a cave beneath the waterfall and dug a pothole on top, until the two joined and the creek flowed through the cave, leaving an arch across the front.

The the cave and the rainforest surrounding it are home to the largest glow-worm colony in Australia and it is ostensibly to protect these little fellers that leaping through the hole and swimming inside the cave are no longer allowed. Not that I know anyone who would be that silly.

More information​

 

[Sideroxylon]

Got 3,5 & 6. An edumacatioanal read, too.

Much seasonal variational in water depth at the last one? If you were to accidentally fall in ...

 

[lionking]

A tough one. I only got 4-5 and 6.

 

[Akhenaten]

3 out of 6 is pretty good for that lot, I reckon. Some of them are pretty obscure.

There's only a couple of feet difference in the depth of the pool, which is really neither here nor there since it's something like 10 metres deep in the middle.

However . . .

The pictures shown here were all taken in the dry season. Falling in after a bit of a shower is quite OK, but when the Summer storms have it running a banker the pothole at the top of the waterfall looks exactly like a giant toilet has just been flushed, the cave looks like the inside of a front-loading washing machine and the creek under the arch and downstream is a raging torrent over nasty, sharp, bitey rocks. Accidentally falling in at a time like that would be deadly.

I'll see if I can find a photo.

 

[Akhenaten]

A tough one. I only got 4-5 and 6.

I thought you'd get №4. IRC you recently mentioned once having had lunch near there with the lionqueen.

 

[MG1962]

I got 3 of the 6

If you have never been to number three, you need too

 

[lionking]

I thought you'd get №4. IRC you recently mentioned once having had lunch near there with the lionqueen.

Bloody great recollection, and spot on. I actually dragged her in there once, but she has a great aversion to the thought of losing money.

 

[arthwollipot]

I only got the obvious one - the one that I drive past almost every day.

 

[Akhenaten]

I got 3 of the 6

If you have never been to number three, you need to.

I think I've been there too many times. I helped to pay for the bloody thing.

I only got the obvious one - the one that I drive past almost every day.

Thought you might.

I haven't had a chance to visit since it's been finished, but I have many happy memories of exploring the foreshore there with my daughter in a pedal boat when the hospital was still there.

 

[arthwollipot]

I know a couple of people who work there.

 

[MG1962]

I think I've been there too many times. I helped to pay for the bloody thing.

The company I used to work for back home supplied all the panelling you see on the outside. We charged base rates then provided all the coatings and such for free - used it as a showcase for our advertising.

So thanks for helping to make me look good

 

[Akhenaten]

The company I used to work for back home supplied all the panelling you see on the outside. We charged base rates then provided all the coatings and such for free - used it as a showcase for our advertising.

So thanks for helping to make me look good

Always happy to help.



If you were out and about on the Gold Coast around that time you might well remember the caravan park that used to be across the canal from the casino site where Pacific Fair is now. My sister used to live there and at night my BIL and I would grab a few beers and go fishing in the canals in his tinny for Mangrove Jacks and and Blue Swimmers. There were other things in those canals too that were every bit as big as our boat - bull sharks, we believed - and I wouldn't have swum in that water for all the tea in China.

These days I believe most of the sharks are out on dry land, selling real estate.

 

[MG1962]

Always happy to help.



If you were out and about on the Gold Coast around that time you might well remember the caravan park that used to be across the canal from the casino site where Pacific Fair is now. My sister used to live there and at night my BIL and I would grab a few beers and go fishing in the canals in his tinny for Mangrove Jacks and and Blue Swimmers. There were other things in those canals too that were every bit as big as our boat - bull sharks, we believed - and I wouldn't have swum in that water for all the tea in China.

These days I believe most of the sharks are out on dry land, selling real estate.

Used to be a similar issue up on the Sunshine coast. The sharks would cruise up and down the canal developements picking off the occasional family pet that went for a swim.

Sydney's Georges River had the same problem, got so bad they had to post signs saying keep your dog out of the water

 

[Akhenaten]

Used to be a similar issue up on the Sunshine coast. The sharks would cruise up and down the canal developements picking off the occasional family pet that went for a swim.

Sydney's Georges River had the same problem, got so bad they had to post signs saying keep your dog out of the water.

Heh. The coincidences keep mounting.

I know Georges River very well. I did most of my growing up in the Shire (at Gymea) and my Dad now lives at Sylvania Waters, about 200 metres from Gwawley Bay (where all the canals are).

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[MG1962]

Heh. The coincidences keep mounting.

I know Georges River very well. I did most of my growing up in the Shire (at Gymea) and my Dad now lives at Sylvania Waters, about 200 metres from Gwawley Bay (where all the canals are).

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Sylvania Waters - I used to fish there before the developement went. At low tide used to be the most awful stench from the mangrove mud.

I would never have picked you for a shire boy lol

 

[Akhenaten]

Sylvania Waters - I used to fish there before the developement went. At low tide used to be the most awful stench from the mangrove mud.

I would never have picked you for a shire boy lol

A fair bit of water has gone under Tom Ugly's bridge since those halcyon days, I'm afraid to say.

I recall the smell of which you speak, and the even worse one that came from the mangroves in Quibray Bay when the old tip was there before they built Shark Park (Endeavour Field, I think it was originally, and more recently, Toyota Park). We did most of our fishing in various bits of Port Hacking, usually at either Gymea Bay baths for bream or on the sand flats at Grays Point for Lizards and Winter Whiting.

Great memories.

 

[Sideroxylon]

Whenever I hear Sylvania Waters, I think of this:

 

[Akhenaten]

A tragedy on so many levels. Those abominable people should have been sent into exile on the Sun for what they did to the reputation of our beautiful shire.

 

[arthwollipot]

By the way, if you want to spend the afternoon at a museum in Canberra, this is a much better one:


106_0641 by arthwollipot, on Flickr