Heron Island

A family adventure was on the cards, and after some pondering it was decided that Heron Island would be the destination. I had been to Heron Island some years earlier, and had always planned to come back. When I first visited it was due to being evacuated off a nearby island whilst conducting nesting sea turtle research. It seemed like a great location for a young family to stay, and with an off season special on offer we packed our bags.

Unfortunately an extremely out of season tropical low pressure system travelled down the east coast just prior to our departure. This made for a very rough boat trip over to the island, and some poor weather for the first 24 to 48hrs. Regardless of the weather, Heron Island is always beautiful. And fortunately after the first day and a half, the weather cleared to perfect conditions.  

 

Day of arrival..

 

Day before departure. 

 

For the kids, who are content with a muddy puddle, the light rain and wind was no distraction. It was time to explore. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Within an hour of being on the island, the kids had seen free swimming sharks, turtles, rays and plenty of birds. Over the next few days, I also managed to do my fair share of bird watching..

 

Eastern Reef Egret are plentiful on the island, so much so that rock space can be hard to find. 

 

Both colour morphs are present. White morph Eastern Reef Egret

 

 

The birds scour the reef at low tide.



And retreat with the incoming tide.

Black-naped tern

 

 

 

Sacred Kingfisher.

 

 

The kids were pretty stoked on this little ball of fluff, a Silver Gull chick.

 

 

For the creatures that survived the low tide antics of the Reef Egrets the next obstacle is the reef sharks that poor over the reef flat as soon as the tide permits.

 

 

Buff-banded Rails strut around your feet throughout the day, this one just finished its morning dip in the resort pool.

The Pisonia trees are so full of Noddy's that some take up residence on the veranda.

Our resident veranda Noddy, feeding its offspring.

 

Afternoons were usually spent on the jetty with the kids watching the abundant fish, turtles and rays swim in the crystal clear water below.

 

Next time, if the weather is looking that rough on the boat, on the way over.....this will be my mode of transport.

 

 



March & April

As the weather cools, spectacular sunsets prevail. The cool clean air also makes for incredible star filled nights. 

 

A truck travels through in the distance under the Milky Way. 

 

Lonely desert water trough.

Afternoon desert scene

My travels presented this Dingo cleaning up a roadside Red Kangaroo carcass.

I also managed to come across this good looking King Brown travelling across the vast flats of the Cooper Creek floodplain.

 

 

 

A roadside water bore had Whiskered Terns fishing, and the ever present White-plumed honeyeaters in the surrounding vegetation.

 

 

 

 

 

Back at home a mate of mine was seeling his pride and joy and was keen to get a couple of shots o it before he parted with it. This was definitely not my usual photo subject but I was more than willing to give it a go. It was a fun a experience and I was pretty happy with a couple of the shots. And  more importantly... so was he.