Gidday peoples...

I thought it was time to update again.
So much happens in so short a period of time while we're travelling, and my photos accumulate way too fast so, i have to update you all before i get too far behind...

So last time i updated, it was all about the Peninsulas in S.A and Christmas & New Years and camping at Walkers Flat S.A.

We've covered some ground in that time, and still managed to explore from there on pretty extensively. We are now on the Great Ocean Road Victoria...about 4hrs away from Melbourne Vic.

SO...here are some images from the last months worth of travels..
A few people requested that i post some of my Wildlife images as well so...they're mainly of birds so...hope you can still enjoy those too

Take care out there
The Hardy's

This is the Church seen on the $50 Australian note

Time for some sand boarding

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Amazing Birding experience at Sunset with other bird watchers in Deniliquin NSW, looking
for the rare PLAINS WANDERER (Saw 3 that night)

 Tantanoola caves
Amazing with crystals and incredible Stalactites and stalacmites

 My little girl, her toy fox and i had a nice breakfast together...No we didn't
eat all the croissants...tempting though

 Sunken Gardens
Mt Gambier S.A

 Mt Gambier Art Gallery S.A

 Kids bought me Lego for my birthday.
Thoroughly enjoyed putting this together ha ha

 Robe S.A had a nice turn out for Louise Adams...I think came 2nd in X-factor 2015?
Very unique voice

 Beachport S.A

 Centenary Tower/Mt Gambier S.A

 Feeding the Brush tailed possums
Mt Gambier S.A

 Blue Lake...AMAZINGLY Blue in the Summer time...
Grey in the Winter
Mt Gambier S.A

 Little Blue Lake/Mt Gambier S.A...They all went swimming after this pic was taken

Exploring the fresh water flowing from Picanninie ponds to the Ocean

SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER (Muttonbird)
Amazing to watch 1000's of these turn up on dusk to their breeding grounds.
Very fast ocean pelagic birds. They migrate from Arctic waters 15,000kms away to Australia etc
to breed...Amazing to see them crash into the bushes and waddle along like penguins and dig out their
burrows of sand to reach their chicks that have been waiting all day patiently for their parents to catch fish..

Black Wallaby
Towerhill/before Warrnambool VIC

Hello from a cute Galah
Walkers Flat S.A

Australasian Darter chicks/waiting for their parents to feed them
Walkers Flat/Murray river S.A

Black-tailed native hen (Turbo chook)
Mannum S.A

Looks like a boring Turkey right...wrong...highly endangered
MALLEEFOWL..2 yrs of searching and i FINALLY saw two attending their mound/nest
at the Coorong S.A...Happy moment to photograph this species in the fading afternoon light.

Hoping to get a better image BUT...this is a RUFOUS BRISTLEBIRD..
VERY shy...amazed that it popped up in low fading evening light for this blurry but quick snap..
Robe S.A

LATHAMS SNIPE
I've had a great time seeing some difficult to locate species...USUALLY
This lovely specimen migrates from Japan to Australia to feed....
Robe S.A

The kids found a rock pool area of Starfish of all colours
Port Fairy Vic

AUSTRALASIAN GANNET
Another great species. We watched these soar next to the cliffs and
then return to their breeding colony at Point Danger/Port Fairy VIC
Only mainland colony in Australia...lots of chicks..special

Until next time

Hope you enjoy the images and updates

The Hardy's

O.k so...i just accidentally deleted what i just wrote...so here we go again
I'm not very good at this 'blog' thing...difficult to get motivated...BUT...lets begin..

What have we been up to...hmmmm....i'll start before Christmas, & keep it short and sweet...i'll try anyway...

We had the pleasure of visiting/exploring the Fleurieu Peninsula & Yorke Peninsula in S.A
Both a little similar, and very different at the same time....VERY unique places, with that rugged feel to it...which Caleb and i LOVE!!
We spent 5 nights on Fleurieu Peninsula & 3 nights on the Yorke Peninsula...we cut the Yorke short randomly....to drive a random 9 hrs to Yarrawonga VIC for Waterskiing with mates over Christmas and New Years...TOTALLY unplanned but...worth it!!

We loved hanging out with some mates in Victor Harbour/Fleurieu Peninsula...Chris & Ross Bassham.
They were so kind as to show us around Victor Harbour, and some of their fav spots and eating areas. Such as the Port Elliot Bakery...Delicious food indeed!!

Here's a few pics from Fleurieu Peninsula & Yorke Peninsula (P.S...don't expect quality images...my Camera body was getting fixed in Adelaide over the last month...so i've been usin the iphone...PURE torture i tell you. Although i do love the Panorama setting :

One of the many beach access areas on the Feurieu Peninsual S.A

Cool cave the kids found on the Yorke Peninsula S.A
Caleb and Jake watching some teenagers fill their undies with sand in the waves...

One of the 6 Lighthouses on the Yorke Peninsula S.A

Innes National Park ruins/Yorke Peninsula S.A...The SILLY Malleefowl bird eluded me and i never layed
eyes on one...many others did...thats how it goes sometimes. Peaceful area but the MARCH FLIES WERE CHRONIC!!

Morialta Falls/Adelaide Hills S.A

Lots of Koala's in the Adelaide Hills...vocal too.
This one was on the main road, next to the road. Sienna spotted it

Whispering wall...Amazing dam wall which gives you the ability to whisper at one end
and somehow, the person at the other end of the wall 150metres away can hear you clearly...funny

Cherry season/Adelaide Hills  YUM!!

Draught horse at Victor Harbour...

Draught horse, pulling a carriage at Victor Harbour S.A
Not sure how i felt about this at first...its a strong horse and pulls it with ease
They have horses that take turns

Victor Harbour/ Granite Island S.A

Fleurieu Peninsula/Kangaroo Island in the distance
We swam on the beach down on the right with the beautiful water

Exploring an old Ore mine site...we found a litte cave above the kids
on the hill, which gave access into the area behind the bars

Sienna had her 8th bday in the New Year
We went to Mt Buffalo and went exploring some caves...
Victorian Alps are beautiful

We randomly drove 9 hrs to be with some mates over xmas and New Years
at Yarrawonga Vic on the Murray River...This was the area to start skiing from

Beautiful Victorian Alps/Mount Buffalo area near Lake Cattani VIC

The awesome fire for New Years night

The kids enjoyed being towed by our tinny, in the Kayaks.
This is one of the back water areas of the Murray

Some of the Skiing equiptment

When we left the River after New Years...we went via the Historic town of Echuca Vic
Also went on a tour to see some very difficult birds in the area of Deniliquin nearby...

Caleb carving up the Murray River/Yarrawonga VIC, early morning

Ali & Leighton Heise...Awesome to have hung out with them when we could over Christmas
Parked our bus in their backyard in the Adelaide hills over Christmas...So grateful..

Walkers Flat/ Murray River S.A

Walkers Flat lookout S.A

Our backyard for 3 days recently
Walkers Flat/Murray River S.A

Kneeboarding at Walkers Flat/Murray River S.A

So...thats about the end of it...

It was very difficult to select images from the last month and a half....

Hope you've all had a GREAT Christmas & New Years...and that 2016 will be AWESOME!!

God bless

The Hardy's......