#MemoryLaneMonday: Vivid Sydney Lights Up Taronga Zoo (2016)

As one of my favourite Sydney events grows nearer, I’m feeling quite nostalgic about last year’s Vivid Festival. In particular, the inaugural debut of Taronga Zoo and its wonderful animal lantern installations.

I have attended every Vivid Festival for the last five years and it is a highlight in the cold, dark days of a Sydney winter. While I was initially skeptical of the zoo’s contribution, a friend’s photos convinced me otherwise, and I am so glad they did.

Quite aside from the projections and music at the entrance to Taronga Zoo, it was a delight to follow the pathways, barely recognisable in the dark, and see beautiful illuminated animal creations.

From “adventure species” (Pangolin, Sumatran Rhino, Greater Bilby) to “legacy species” (Brush-turkey, Funnel-web Spider, Cicadas), there were times you forgot you were in the middle of Sydney’s landmark zoo.

Until, of course, you reached the Corroboree Frog and saw the bright, vibrant, colourful city lights just across iconic Sydney Harbour. While the event really does get bigger and better every year, 2016 will be a hard one to beat.

Taronga Zoo Entrance

Pygmy Tarsiers

Platypus

Echidna

Chameleon

Marine Turtle

Regent Honeyeater

Saltwater Crocodile

Sumatran Rhino

Sumatran Tiger

Asian Elephant

Sun Bear

Corroboree Frog

Gliding Down the Great Ocean Road

Two years ago, I finally visited the Great Ocean Road with some friends. While I was most interested in the destinations I had pinned out (Cape Otway, 12 Apostles, Lorne, Apollo Bay), I didn’t expect that one of the greatest pleasures would be in the drive itself. Lush green meadows, tree-lined roads, sheer cliffs on one side and ocean (in the most spectacular shades of blue) on the other.

As an avid explorer, I very rarely return to places I’ve already been but, this past weekend, I did just that and found myself back on one of the most scenic drives I have ever taken. Just an hour south of Avalon airport, the rural country roads give way to breathtaking scenery and the views from the car are almost as wonderful as those from the stops along the way.

Last time, we focused on the road between Lorne and Port Campbell. This time, it was Geelong to Lorne. We stayed at Aireys Inlet, did some paddle-boating in Anglesea, stopped off at Queenscliff, Barwon Heads, and Bells Beach, and trekked along the coastline in between.

Given my affinity with lighthouses, I was most excited to be staying right beside Split Point Lighthouse, which Australians of a certain age may recognise as the one made famous by Round the Twist. Our holiday rental featured sweeping coastal views from each bedroom, as well as the kitchen/dining/lounge area and outdoor deck, which made for plenty of photo opportunities.

In our two nights, we saw stunning sunrises, sunsets, tidal changes, and had one beautifully clear night, on which I captured my first ever starlit sky. And, following on from such a fantastic stay, we’ve decided this will be our annual retreat. It’s serene, stunning, and simply spectacular… After all, what’s the point of discovering amazing places if you can’t go back to enjoy them?

Queenscliff in one image

Just one of the lookouts at Barwon Heads

Split Point Lighthouse beneath a blanket of stars

Sunrise from the Lighthouse Lookout

Aireys Inlet has some amazing rock formations and a stunning beach below the lighthouse

Pretty flowers on the road leading up to the lighthouse

Split Point Lighthouse at sunset

Sunrise from the deck of our holiday rental

Swept Away by the Super Moon (2016)

Chances are, if you were alive last week, you found it impossible to miss the hype surrounding the super moon which would be gracing our skies for the first time in over 70 years. Photographing the moon is one of my favourite things so I was interested to see whether or not there would be a notable difference in size.

On the official night of the super moon, Sydney was covered by a blanket of cloud and only snatches of the moon could be seen (once it was high in the sky, sans any ‘super’ qualities).

But the following night provided far clearer skies and another opportunity to see an engorged (almost) full moon. While Sydney’s eastern beaches provided a fantastic vantage point to see the moon rise from the ocean, I opted for somewhere a little more local in Ramsgate and was pretty impressed by what transpired. The giant orange orb emerging from behind Port Botany looked otherworldly and the amount of light it shone across the bay was incredible. It was remarkable how quickly it rose (and shrunk) but it was perceptibly bigger than the regular moon upon rising.

Whiling Away on Wine Island (2016)

Last year, Sydney hosted its first ever Wine Island and we didn’t end up getting tickets (thank goodness because it ended up raining for the whole weekend) but we thought we’d give the Friday afternoon session a try this year and found it was the perfect way to end the working week.

Submerged in Sculpture by the Sea (2016)

While I have been aware of Sculpture by the Sea for most if not all of the time it’s been running, I’ve either never been interested enough to go or haven’t gotten around to it in time.

However, this year, I was eager for a new environment in which to pull out the DSLR and planned well in advance. I headed out with family and friends one afternoon last week and we got to see most of the installations, especially enjoying them at Golden Hour:

Reconnoitering the Red Centre (2014)

Several years ago I decided to make a Bucket List so I could start planning trips based around the places I wanted to visit and explore. What I quickly realised was that I’d seen more overseas than I had in my own backyard, so I started rectifying that.

While Australia has some incredibly beautiful and diverse landscapes, the red earth of the outback seems to be the most unique and iconic so it’s no surprise that Uluru was the first ‘local’ destination to get ticked off. Despite its desolate and isolated location, the Red Centre is such a popular tourist destination that it warrants its own airport, making for one of the most spectacular arrivals I have ever experienced.

Prior to this, the only desert I had seen was on the plains between Texas and California, including New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, so I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong. The sun is relentless and unforgiving. The desert trees look more like overgrown twigs and don’t provide any shade or respite from the searing heat. And I have never seen such an expanse of flat earth; Uluru and Kata Tjuta are all the more striking because of their oblate surroundings.

There are plenty of tour options for the big red rock but we didn’t want to climb it out of respect to the traditional owners of the land so we opted to explore it ourselves. It meant we could: choose a spot for the sunrise which wasn’t overrun with tourists; loop back to the viewing spots in the middle of the day and have them to ourselves; and trek around the base at our own pace. The walk is about 10km and took 3-4 hours. Halfway through, we started feeling the sun and the last half hour was a real struggle. But there is something incredibly humbling about standing at the foot of a monolith which is hundreds of millions of years old and whose artwork predates written word.

The heat is stifling. The flies are relentless. Prices can be astronomical. But there is nothing quite like seeing that vivid red sand for the first time. Or seeing the sunrise over Uluru. Or watching the sunset over Kata Tjuta. Or gazing up at the blanket of stars and constellations strewn across the inky night sky. This is a trip that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.

Uluru.

Cheers from Sounds of Silence!

Uluru.

Sunset over Kata Tjuta.

Flying into the Red Centre.

Wing-mirror view of Uluru.

Uluru.

Sunrise over Uluru.

Panorama of Kata Tjuta and Uluru.

Uluru.

Uluru.

Kata Tjuta.