Thorsborne Trail: Mulligan Falls to Zoe Bay, Hinchinbrook Island

After light rain in the night, the rainforest at Mulligan Falls exuded moisture, creating a steamy atmosphere that pervaded our clothes and senses. Sweat beaded from our skin even before we began hiki...

Thorsborne Trail: George Point to Mulligan Falls, Hinchinbrook Island

At 12:30 p.m., Vilis and I boarded a small, covered ferry that pounded away from Dungeness over murky, green-brown water bordered by mangroves. Grey cloud hung over our destination of Hinchinbrook Isl...

Burdekin Falls Dam and Lake Dalrymple, Queensland

I had read and heard that the Burdekin Dam south of Townsville is a good area for birding (particularly for sightings of emus, ground cuckoo-shrikes, and spotted bowerbirds), so I suggested to Vilis y...

The Significance of ‘Bush’

During the eight months we’ve lived in Australia, Vilis and I have frequently encountered the word ‘bush’ and various permutations of it. Take for example the devastating Black Satur...