Anderson Park Botanical Gardens, Townsville

At 6:45 a.m., when I entered the Anderson Park Botanical Gardens, I was greeted by a view of massive clumps of bamboo and a stately row of palms which led my eyes to a curving pond. Pacific black duck...

Oak Valley, Queensland

Sun and  cloud vied for airspace over Townsville as Vilis and I drove south out of the city to the rural suburb of Oak Valley and the Oak Valley Nature Reserve next to Sachs Creek. Located about 15 k...

Mount Stuart, Townsville

In early morning, Vilis and I drove south and west from Rosslea toward Mount Stuart, the long, rugged peak rearing into the sky behind James Cook University. A black kite flew alongside us for part of...

Paluma Rainforest, North Queensland

By 9:15 a.m., Vilis and I were on our way to the highland village of Paluma and its rainforest 65 kilometres north of Townsville and 22 kilometres inland. Highway A1, the Bruce Highway, carried us nor...