More Photo Favourites

Worth over a billion dollars a year to the Australian economy, koalas sleep 20-22 hours per day because their staple, eucalyptus leaves, has so little energy. The word "koala" is aboriginal for "no drink", so named because the aboriginal people never saw these bears drinking water. They get water from the gum leaves.




















Lonely beach chairs on the main beach at Palm Cove.
















Base of a tree trunk in Mossman Gorge. The buttress roots creep out in every direction in search of moisture. While very hard to the touch, this tree and its roots look as though they are made of paper mache.















One of the most well-preserved lava tubes in Undara National Volcanic Park.




















Whether it be Rugby League or Rugby Union, the family now watches with zeal and follows the sports and its famous players in the same manner most Canadians live and breathe hockey. Most often, we cheer for the home team, the Wallabies, but Dale usually finds occasion to dress in the visiting team's supporter gear, inviting all kinds of abuse. Here, Hannah proudly wears the National team's authentic winter playing jersey while Dale taunts everyone with the New Zealand All Blacks jersey and hat.




















Coconut Beach, near Cape Tribulation. A vast expanse of sandy beach with plenty of coral and shells washed up on shore. This is really quite spectacular, as on the left side of the beach, it is rainforest and on the right, reef. It is one of the few places in the world where rainforest meets reef and you can literally stand in two World Heritage sites at one time.
















Mangrove forest near the beach in Cape Tribulation. Mangroves are a vital part of the ecosystem in areas near beaches. They provide shelter and protection for many different species of frogs, fish and turtles.




















Creek in Mossman Gorge, north of Port Douglas in Northeastern Queensland. The various shades of green are too numerous to count.
















Our first night on Dunk Island, and this is the view to which we were treated. This picture is taken from our dinner table. We were seated each night either by the cascading pool or in a dining area through which the ocean breezes blew. Paradise...
















Dale enjoying the pace of life and view from the main beach out into Brammo Bay on Dunk Island.
















Lush vegetation in the tropical forests of Daintree National Park.





















A Gold Coast Hinterland drive took us into tropical rainforest once again. A hike into this region brought us a close-up view of the Natural Arch, an area of stone that has been eroded by a nearby waterfall and creek. You can just see the bottom of the waterfall and the sunshine streaming through in the middle of the photo.