New Zealand revisited

Lake Tekapo, lakes, Landscape, landscape, mountains, New Zealand, Queenstown, river/creeks, South Island, Southern Alps

Some images from The Doc’s New Zealand trip. Well known locations but from some different angles, like Queenstown, the blue lakes at St Bathans, Moeraki Boulders and the Southern Alps. Click on the images to see the sideshow at full size.

West MacDonnell Ranges – The Red Centre

Alice Springs, Australia, bark, clouds, desert, Landscape, NT, reptiles, sand, States, Textures, The Red Centre

It took some time but The Doc has finished his Guide on the West MacDonnell Ranges. The Guide starts and finishes at Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The Guide is here.

You can then do the East MacDonnell Ranges, that Guide is here.

The Guide on the West MacDonnell Ranges has detailed maps, location notes and images. The number of images meant The Doc had to use high compression and so there are some artefacts in some images. It is a very detailed Guide. You could easily spend 2 or 3 weeks doing the West MacDonnell Ranges and another week doing the East MacDonnell Ranges.

Nissan Patrol Update

Australia, Nissan Patrol

Corrugations over several years have taken their toll on a few items. The Doc is thinking on going to the Kimberley in 2020 and is doing some preventative maintenance and fixing a few things. Changes in February 2020 include:

  • New sensor for the Autron battery voltage and amp gauge. The “Hall Effect Current Sensor” was shaken to pierces by corrugations and replaced;
  • The interVOLT EBI Pro died (do not know why, perhaps too many corrugations) and was replaced with a Redarc 1225D DC to DC charger to charge the auxiliary battery;
  • The auxiliary battery also died (at least it was still under warranty). The Doc can plug a solar panel into the new Redarc charger as well. The Doc is thinking of installing a small solar panel onto the roof rack (EDIT: a 100W solar panel has now been purchased and installed);
  • The coils (aka springs) were replaced after 140,000 hard kilometres;
  • Bushes on the front and rear were replaced. It seems the front bushes on the Patrol need to be replaced about every 60,000km. One of the rear bushes was falling out, which is why The Doc asks his mechanic to do checks on the car. The mechanic identified the bush issue which was fixed when the coils were replaced. This way issues get fixed before they become major problems;
  • Brant Alarm keypad was replaced, it was worn out;
  • Wiper blades were replaced; and
  • New wheel alignment – an alignment must be done after bushes are replaced.

Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby

Arkaroola, Australia, Flinders Ranges, mammals, marsupials, SA, Wildlife

Digging deep into the The Doc’s secret archives comes a variety of images of Australia’s most beautiful macropod, the Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby. The Doc has posted a few in the past, but none of these images.

Cape York revisited

Australia, Cairns, Cape York, clouds, coastal, lakes, Landscape, landscape, mountains, ocean, Qld, reptiles, river/creeks, seascape, Wildlife

The Doc revisited his Cape York images – the 4 Day Helicopter trip around Cape York that is. Bungie was the copter pilot. Enjoy.

Kakadu & Arnhem Land waterfalls

Arnhem Land, Australia, clouds, Kakadu, Kakadu, Landscape, landscape, mountains, Northern Territory, NT

The Doc had a very good response to the last sets images. So he reviewed more photos from his 4 day helicopter trip around Kakadu and Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. It has been almost 3 years since that trip but the images bring back wonderful memories.

The theme this time is waterfalls, some famous like Jim Jim Falls and others nameless. All with good water flow after the wet season.

A second instalment on gorges and rivers will follow. Nick, the helicopter pilot, is in one of the images. The next set of images will have the trusty steed, the Robinson R44 helicopter!

Arnhem Land escarpment

Arnhem Land, Australia, Landscape, mountains, Northern Territory, NT, Uncategorised

There is a massive escarpment in Arnhem Land that divides most of Arnhem Land up on the plateau from the smaller coastal part. Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls are examples of water flowing off the escarpment in Kakadu National Park. It is rarely shown.

During my helicopter trip over Arnhem Land and Kakadu I flew along the escarpment. Here are some images, the escapement is HUGE (especially in a helicopter about 100m away.)