Port Macquarie

On the first day of the year 2011, we are off to the beautiful Port Macquarie visiting friends. It was a lovely getaway and a beautiful place to be...

The Hastings River at Wauchope

Fuzzy lilac...

Some thistle alongside the river

Leafless

Knotted

One of a few dolphins that swam alongside a boat we were
on, it was just magical to be there with these beautiful creatures

Some more wildlife; a white-bellied sea eagle

This little chappy was having lots of fun on
the boat, 'dolphin spotting', after the original sighting...

This is the life eh? Living on the water and a boat in the
 'backyard'

Magic colours

The sun was beginning to set and the colours in
the sky were changing...just lovely being there on the water

I loved the glow of the sun on the trees and this lovely boat 

Ahh the magic of sunset...

Coming back towards land... 

Atop North Brother Mountain at Laurieton

A paraglider, doing his thing...

A view from the other side of the lookout

Some weed perhaps? But I thought
it was pretty..and photo-worthy

Purple throughout the greenery caught my eye

A knotted tree

A ray of light under the dense 'rainforest' at the lookout

Back into the light, from the darkness

Shoal Bay, part 2

Just a few more images from our time at Shoal Bay, we were treated to a magnificent sunset on our last evening there and the following photos are the result.

Tomaree Head and the blanketed Yacaaba Head
with the glow of the sun as it was setting

Two little runabouts on the bay

The colours of the clouds above Yacaaba Head
left me in awe of Mother Nature

The sky was absolutely stunning and the reflection
on the water just as lovely

The colours in the sky were forever changing...

...as well as the cloud formation

I just couldn't get enough of that table cloth on
Yacaaba Head!

Magnificent deep pinks settled in the sky...

...before it darkened, yet still with enough light to
give Tomaree Lodge a glow

Shoal Bay, part 1

This was one of those awesome spur of the moment trips. Our lovely friends Karen and Ken invited us to stay with them at their holiday rental for a few nights. It was just gorgeous there and over the next two instalments, you will see this beauty through my eyes...

A view to our right from the apartment, shows Tomaree Head

The jetty on our left

A rusty cleat on the jetty

This is taken from a lighthouse on Nelson Head

Another shot from the lighthouse

A currawong

Mother and daughter enjoying a moment

A nice rustic looking old boat

A small jetty on Little Beach

Tomaree Head again with the sun's reflection on the tip

This tree and the beautiful sky behind it
caught my eye...

What I enjoyed on an early morning walk along the bay

Some pretty little orchids we came upon, whilst
meandering up Tomaree Head. I have since found out they
are the slender hyacinth orchid  (dipodium variegatum)

These gorgeous little ones are called fringe lillies
(thanks Judi!)

A shimmer of sea, through the bushes at Tomaree Head

A view of Yacaaba Head and Cabbage Tree Island

The path...

An orb web spider, we saw a LOT of these!

Fenders along a pontoon at the
Nelson Bay Marina

The Wild Cherry at the Nelson Bay Marina

One of the locals, having  a rest...

A pied cormorant

This pelican was too lazy to get his
own dinner...

A breadfruit plant, a rather interesting look

A 'tablecloth' over Yacaaba Head

Best friends...