# View from the back paddock.



## Roy (Sep 14, 2008)

My daughter & I took the dogs for a walk this afternoon & I grabbed a few shots on the way back.


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Sep 14, 2008)

Now that's a view!


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## JeanLux (Sep 14, 2008)

very nice countryside!! looks as if you have a lot of hills for walking! What species is that tree??? Jean


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## Roy (Sep 14, 2008)

Jean, only the tourist are silly enough to walk in those hills. There the Park Rangers who do it but they are paid.
BTW, in 2006 those hills were all on fire and lots more to go with it.
The tree is a River Red Gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis.


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## Heather (Sep 14, 2008)

Gorgeous! How lucky are you?!!!

The tree shot reminds me of going to see Phish at Maggie's farm in Maine (I think it was Maine) and there was this big tree, out standing in the farmland, that just looked like a huge head of broccoli. That was cool trip. (no, not that kind of trip!) :rollhappy:


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## tocarmar (Sep 14, 2008)

Woo Hoo, I just went to Australia!!! Very nice Roy!!!
Roy, Want some company??

Tom


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## goldenrose (Sep 14, 2008)

Isn't there's one thing missing? ....... where's the roos?


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## Roy (Sep 14, 2008)

Rose, if you drive along the main road outside our place there are plenty of dead ones on the side. Plenty of damaged cars too. 
Actually, the roos haven't been close to here yet, need the summer to come & they will be here. We have a family of Emu as constant visitors. Always seem to come back even with their young.
True story, I was working in the back shed one day with the radio on & the Emus were standing at the fence listening to the music. Honest truth.


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## SlipperFan (Sep 14, 2008)

Roy said:


> Jean, only the tourist are silly enough to walk in those hills.


Educate me, please. Why???


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## Roy (Sep 14, 2008)

Dot, there are very few tracks to walk in the Park that are user friendly to every one. Most are very steep, rocky and have a big drop to the bottom on one side. There is no water anywhere & in summer many walkers don't take any or enough water & suffer dehydration. We would average 2 major rescues a week in summer because someone has heat illness or fallen down a cliffe. Many have to air lifted out by Chopper because of their injuries, once they have been rescued and taken to a suitable chopper landing location. Probabaly get one LOST person search a week also because there is very little signage and if you walk off the beaten track too far you cant see where you are. Because of the terrain, there are few roads so if you walk down many of the tracks and get lost, you may not hear cars or other walkers and mobile phone don't work in 99% of the park. Its usually human stupidity that causes the problems. Includes car crashes, 2 crashes on one of only 2 major roads in the park on Saturday, requiring all major services, the roads are narrow and people drive on them like they would a multi lane freeway. As part of the local Fire Brigade, I've been to 2 fatal crashes in there.
The Grampians cover 167 000 hectares. 
http://archive.bigben.id.au/victoria/maps/pdf/grampians.pdf


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## Scooby5757 (Sep 14, 2008)

that's really beautiful.


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## JeanLux (Sep 15, 2008)

Roy said:


> Dot, there are very few tracks to walk in the Park that are user friendly to every one. Most are very steep, rocky and have a big drop to the bottom on one side. There is no water anywhere & in summer many walkers don't take any or enough water & suffer dehydration. We would average 2 major rescues a week in summer because someone has heat illness or fallen down a cliffe. Many have to air lifted out by Chopper because of their injuries, once they have been rescued and taken to a suitable chopper landing location. Probabaly get one LOST person search a week also because there is very little signage and if you walk off the beaten track too far you cant see where you are. Because of the terrain, there are few roads so if you walk down many of the tracks and get lost, you may not hear cars or other walkers and mobile phone don't work in 99% of the park. Its usually human stupidity that causes the problems. Includes car crashes, 2 crashes on one of only 2 major roads in the park on Saturday, requiring all major services, the roads are narrow and people drive on them like they would a multi lane freeway. As part of the local Fire Brigade, I've been to 2 fatal crashes in there.
> The Grampians cover 167 000 hectares.
> http://archive.bigben.id.au/victoria/maps/pdf/grampians.pdf



Roy, you made me google a bit!! official tourist info does not sound bad however!!! Jean

The picturesque mountains of The Grampians cover 1000 square kilometres and form the southern extremity of the Great Dividing Range. The Grampians is Victoria's largest National Park, comprising of outstanding landforms, dense rainforests, unsurpassed mountain peaks, sparkling waterfalls and superb lookouts. ....There are well over 50 walking tracks catering for everything from the casual stroll to the overnight trek. The Grampians region is also home to an enduring wine growing   district. 
...... Superb water stretches include Lake Bellfield, with 12 reservoirs and lakes which form the heart of massive water supply system. ...... These lakes are a fisherman's haven (with redfin, rainbow trout and blackfish) and the forests are home to a variety of Australian wildlife including koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, emus and many native birds. Over a thousand different species of plants are found in the Grampians, including *almost 100 varieties of orchids*. Twenty of these species are found *nowhere else in the world*.

http://www.oztravel.com.au/travel_mall/destinations/The_Grampians_VIC1.html


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## Roy (Sep 15, 2008)

Jean, what you have read & written is true, very true. Its as I noted, the idiot tourists that come here to do all the things you have said but are totally unprepared to do it. Generally speaking, the Park is very safe and enjoyable provided you go prepared for what you want to do, like the walking tracks, strong boots, water, sunscreen, hats, emerency 1st aide kit and leaving your schedule with the Park Rangers or Police AND staying on the actual walking track. BTW, the tourist brochures don't mention the number of poisoness
snakes in there either. There are a couple of place that used to mined for Gold and Copper, there are the odd few OPEN shafts as well which are deep and are usually hidden by the undergrowth. 
The wines in the district are very nice !!!!!
So is the bush tucker ( food ) like the Kangaroo & Emu steaks, stir fries & burgers.


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## NYEric (Sep 15, 2008)

Is that little pond where you keep the poisonous brown snakes!?


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## Roy (Sep 15, 2008)

NYEric said:


> Is that little pond where you keep the poisonous brown snakes!?



Nope, they only visit there to get the odd frog on their way around. That depends on the Tiger snakes and what they are doing also.


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## NYEric (Sep 15, 2008)

Sounds like a party!


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## Roy (Sep 15, 2008)

If I see them they a "holey feeling". Things go off with a bang!


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## NYEric (Sep 15, 2008)

Can you eat them, I bet your daughter would have great stories to tell!


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## Roy (Sep 15, 2008)

They can be eaten, haven't tried them. The daughter likes the bush tucker, particularly Crocodile in the way I do it.


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## NYEric (Sep 15, 2008)

Mmmmmmmmmm. I could have a great time there; and chickies w/ sexy aussie accents too!! Ooh lala!


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## Candace (Sep 15, 2008)

I spent 8 days in Australia, visited the Blue Mountains, Sydney, and fell in love with your country and the people. Awesome views.


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## Roy (Sep 15, 2008)

The Blue Mts are nice Candace and there are so many little towns throughout that are unique. Sydney would be the Australian version of New York I think & I won't comment any more or I might upset Eric......


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## SlipperFan (Sep 15, 2008)

Roy said:


> Dot, there are very few tracks to walk in the Park that are user friendly to every one. Most are very steep, rocky and have a big drop to the bottom on one side. There is no water anywhere & in summer many walkers don't take any or enough water & suffer dehydration. We would average 2 major rescues a week in summer because someone has heat illness or fallen down a cliffe. Many have to air lifted out by Chopper because of their injuries, once they have been rescued and taken to a suitable chopper landing location. Probabaly get one LOST person search a week also because there is very little signage and if you walk off the beaten track too far you cant see where you are. Because of the terrain, there are few roads so if you walk down many of the tracks and get lost, you may not hear cars or other walkers and mobile phone don't work in 99% of the park. Its usually human stupidity that causes the problems. Includes car crashes, 2 crashes on one of only 2 major roads in the park on Saturday, requiring all major services, the roads are narrow and people drive on them like they would a multi lane freeway. As part of the local Fire Brigade, I've been to 2 fatal crashes in there.
> The Grampians cover 167 000 hectares.
> http://archive.bigben.id.au/victoria/maps/pdf/grampians.pdf


OKay, thanks! Now I understand.


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## NYEric (Sep 15, 2008)

Cities were formed by necessity to ease commerce and organize institutional and government centers.


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## streetmorrisart (Sep 15, 2008)

It's not a remotely original thing to say, but that is really beautiful. I love the lone tree.


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## cnycharles (Sep 15, 2008)

NYEric said:


> Cities were formed by necessity to ease commerce and organize institutional and government centers.



 ...and to think I thought it was more that they were settled by people who arrived by ship, and were too lazy to leave! that and all the farmers who got tired of wrangling cows and headed in to check out the bright lights and never left oke: besides, once they found out that there were hookers in cities they never went back to the country (humor!)

now, if the tourists in the mountains had a compass and a topo map with them, and/or a gps they would have been fine. I also learned while living a few winters in jackson hole that often 'tourist' was a four-letter word to many locals


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## Roy (Sep 16, 2008)

now, if the tourists in the mountains had a compass and a topo map with them, and/or a gps they would have been fine. I also learned while living a few winters in jackson hole that often 'tourist' was a four-letter word to many locals

If is the biggest word in the world, generally speaking tourists here are from almost every country in the world and are the ones most likely to get into trouble. The tourists from Aust' that are used to Mountain areas are fairly good because of experience. The ones that come here for the 1st time from Major cities and think they know it all fit into the O/seas tourist class. ( idiots )


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## NYEric (Sep 16, 2008)

cnycharles said:


> besides, once they found out that there were hookers in cities they never went back to the country (humor!)



One word about that statement! Parumph! :evil:


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