Australia Wanderings III Aug 2018 -- "Lizard Island to Uluru Rock"

November 19, 2018 • Leave a Comment

(Part III of "Australia Wanderings" highlights our wanderings on Lizard Island and Uluru Rock)

Lizard Island

We now leave the outback for the more civilized and upscale portion of our Australia Wanderings, this part arranged by National Geographic Expeditions. After a short 2 hour flight from Hobart Tasmania we landed in Sydney for a couple of days at the swanky Shangri-La Hotel. Here we met up with Bud & Trina, two good friends and frequent photography travel partners. After a few days exploring Sydney (blog chapter 5) we flew north to Cairns the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef where we over-nighted before heading off on a puddle jumper plane to Lizard Island, a small tropical island and part of the National Park system smack in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Here we checked into the only accommodations on the island, the very upscale Lizard Island Resort. We spent several pampered days here; hiking, boating, snorkeling, swimming, fine dining and fine wineing.

Next stop, Longitude 131 a beautiful resort overlooking the highly visited Uluru Rock (aka Ayers Rock) in the red dirt desert deep in the middle of the Australian Continent. Not much in the way of wildlife here, but some gorgeous scenery in the heart of the indigenous Aboriginal culture.

Flying over the Great Barrier Reef

On our way to Lizard Island on the northern side of the Great Barrier Reef

Landing at Lizard Island National Park in the Great Barrier Reef

Our arrival to a bit of paradise on remote Lizard Island, our home on the Great Barrier Reef for the next few days

Lizard Island overlook

This is why its called Lizard Island. Yellow-Spotted Monitor Lizard, 4+ feet long

We were told these guys were everywhere on the island but after a couple of days of looking we still hadn't seen one. Then one day we saw about a dozen.

Dinghys available for the guests

Off in a dingy for some snorkeling thru a Giant Clam Garden on the Great Barrier Reef and a picnic on a secluded beach. They say the reef here is pretty healthy and on the rebound.

A nice private spot for a picnic and launching spot for some excellent snorkeling

While I find underwater photography very frustrating, we did have some cool scenes, especially snorkeling through some Giant Clam Gardens.

Giant Clam about 1 meter across

Note Octopus in bottom center of photo, amazing camouflage.

Giant Clam

Rainbow Bee-Eater

Star Trails over Lizard Island

Here in the middle of no-where we experienced a Small World Story. At dinner we introduced ourselves to the waitress who said she was from Marathon up the Florida Keys. Her and her boyfriend were on a 2 year work / recreation visa exploring Australia. The next day she approached us and said she was speaking to her Dad last night and she mentioned meeting two wildlife photographers from Key West. He said, "Are they Bill & Linda Klipp?" Turns out we only know two people in Marathon and they are her dad and his wife. I love Small World Stories.

Flying Fox / Fruit Bat, Lizard Island

Flying Foxes. We hiked over a hill down into a mangrove forest when we started hearing some loud noises in the trees. There they were dozens of Flying Foxes making a racket, hanging upside down, some fighting some having sex.

St Andrews Cross Spider, Stretched across the trail we almost walked right into this

Grasshopper, this guys was several inches long

Rose-Crowned Fruit Dove, one nice looking pigeon

Linda going in for a close-up, I was waiting for the “Money Shot” when it attacks.

What a tongue! Yellow-Spotted Monitor Lizard, 3-4 feet long.

Yellow-Spotted Monitor Lizard

One of the several deserted tropical beaches we hiked to

Torresian Imperial Pigeon, Lizard Island

The Blue Lagoon, Off for a hike, exploring Lizard Island, looking for some of the local Wildlife

Yellow-Bellied Sunbird (male), Lizard Island

Yellow-Bellied Sunbird (female), Lizard Island

Sunset Beach Lizard Island

Night Sky Time Lapse - Click above photo for video

Good Bye Lizard Island, next stop Uluru Rock

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After leaving Lizard Island and the Great Barrier reef we headed inland to the desert in center of the Australian Continent to Uluru / Ayers Rock. Our next few nights will be in a primitive tent overlooking Ayers Rock @Longitude131 Resort

Sunset at Uluru Rock, as the light changes Uluru Rock takes on dramatically different looks.

Kantju Gorge, Uluru Rock

Our primitive tent at Longitude 131 Resort

Tent accommodations at Longitude 131 Resort

View from our tent at Longitude 131 Resort, not bad eh!

Star Trails over Uluru Rock, from our deck

Star Trails over Longitude 131 Resort

Night Sky over Longitude 131 Resort

Kantju Gorge, Uluru Rock

Hiking on Uluru Rock will end in 2020 due to safety concerns as well as respect to the Aboriginals for this sacred site

Hiking on Uluru Rock

Pano of Kata-Tjuta Rock

Hiking up gorge at Kata-Tjuta Rock

Field of Light -- Artist Bruce Munro has transformed Australia’s Red Center near Uluru into a field of 50,000 swaying solar light buds, covers 4 football fields. It’s an other worldly experience to wander at night thru the paths of his art installation.

Field of Light

Night Sky over Uluru Rock

If you missed Chapters I & II of my “Australia Wanderings" blog, click below:

Australia Wanderings I July 2018: "The Outback"

Australia Wanderings II July 2018: "Tasmania"

For more photos visit Bill’s Wildlife website at: Wildlife Photos

* Any use of these images requires the prior written permission of Bill & Linda Klipp the photographers, no other uses of any kind including print or electronic are permitted without the prior written permission of the photographer.

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