FARMS, NOT COAL – Breeza, on the Liverpool Plains of NSW, Australia.

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Andrew McInnes Photography

‘nuf said?

The Liverpool Plains is a prime food and fibre producing area that is under imminent threat from several coal mines – at least one of which, the Shenhua Watermark mine, is foreign-owned (Chinese). These companies seek to rape and scar the land, deplete and contaminate aquifers, then pack up and leave once the destruction is no longer financially viable. Never mind that there are farmers, you know, living breathing hard-working people, with families and dreams, enduring incredible stress as they seek to remain being outstanding stewards of the land they sweat for. How and why our political “representatives” allow this is beyond me – I suppose it goes along with their belief in continued economic growth year on year. Well, let’s inform them that exponential growth is unattainable and to seek it is ignorantly irresponsible (but I guess it is politically astute?).

I am not against mining, per se, however I do have issues with “the commons” being over-extracted for the profits of a few whilst the landholder has little recompense for the invasion, and the people of this nation see very little direct financial benefits. As another roadside sign in the area states: “Wrong mine, wrong place.”

A pre-dawn light painting at Breeza, on the Liverpool Plains, NSW. Breeza 2AM-001230 ©Andrew McInnes.

Silos at dusk. Breeza 2AM-001216 ©Andrew McInnes.

I hope you enjoyed these images.

Cheers 🙂

Thunder and lightning – Wombarra and Austinmer, NSW.

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

Last week (early December, 2015) we witnessed a wonderful series of lightning storms in the northern Illawarra area of New South Wales, Australia. Surrounded, but not underneath any particular cell, the light and drama at Austinmer and Wombarra was spectacular!

Here is a panorama of one of the lightning storm cells bathing Austinmer Beach in amazing light.

Austinmer 2AM 9850-9852 Panorama © Andrew McInnes

Stormy light over the Pacific, incorporating a little of Keswick House.

Keswick House 2AM 9854-9856 HDR © Andrew McInnes

Just a little further north is the village of Wombarra, from where the following three images were captured.

Wombarra Headland 2AM 9864-9866 Panorama © Andrew McInnes

Wombarra Headland 2AM 9867-9869 Panorama © Andrew McInnes

Wombarra Headland 2AM 9887-9888 stack © Andrew McInnes

The final two images include the Wombarra rock pool.

Wombarra Rock Pool 2AM 9900_9903 stack © Andrew McInnes

Wombarra Rock Pool 2AM 9913-9914 © Andrew McInnes

’twas a wonderfully dramatic sky, with quite the lightning show that was ongoing for quite some time. I hope you enjoyed these images.

Cheers 🙂

A few beach and intertidal images from Iluka, NSW.

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

An assortment of subjects from the beach and intertidal zones near Iluka, NSW.

A winding path with a turn back – a gastropod trail in the sand.

Beach Tracks 2AM-007195 © Andrew McInnes

Iluka Dawn 2AM-007196 © Andrew McInnes

Dawn Fishing 2AM-009847 © Andrew McInnes

Ghost Crab 2AM-009873 © Andrew McInnes

Ecklonia radiata – kelp 2AM-007210 © Andrew McInnes

Neptune’s Necklace 2AM-007209 © Andrew McInnes

Cheers.

Empress Falls in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

Empress Falls is a stunning waterfall near the town of Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains of NSW, Australia. The Valley of the Waters Creek pours over fern-fringed ledges as Empress Falls, a 30 metre fall into a cold deep pool.

The hike in and out from The Conservation Hut is slightly vigorous (about 30 minutes hike each way), yet absolutely worth it if you are hesitant, especially if you like waterfalls.

This image shows the final section of descent to the bottom of the waterfall.

Empress Falls 2AM-009335 © Andrew McInnes

On the lower section of the bushwalk there are numerous seeps and soaks, especially if there has been recent rains.

Empress Falls 2AM-009339 © Andrew McInnes

Abseiling (rappelling) is very popular and the Blue Mountains Adventure Company can provide the experience for you.

Empress Falls 2AM-009348 © Andrew McInnes

A little further downstream of Empress Falls are a series of smaller, but no less beautiful waterfalls such as the following image of Sylvia Falls.

Sylvia Falls 2AM-009358 © Andrew McInnes

Cheers.

Minnamurra Rainforest

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

These images capture a portion of a remnant pocket of subtropical and warm temperate rainforest that is the Minnamurra Forest – within Budderoo National Park near Jamberoo and Kiama, NSW.

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM 7191-7193_HDR © Andrew McInnes

Australian water dragon 2AM-009846 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Falls 2AM-007179 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Falls 2AM-007183 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-007145 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-007154 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-007161 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-009815 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-009818 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-009821 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-009822 © Andrew McInnes

Minnamurra Rainforest 2AM-009825 © Andrew McInnes

Cheers 🙂

Fallstreak Hole (cloud)

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

A fallstreak hole (also known as a hole punch cloud, punch hole cloud, sky punch, canal cloud, or cloud hole) – a large gap phenomenon that sometimes appear in cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds. I captured this recently at Lawrence Hargrave Memorial Park south of Sydney while we were whale watching.

Fallstreak Hole 2AM 2338-2344 Panorama © Andrew McInnes

Fallstreak Hole 2AM-008451 © Andrew McInnes

Fallstreak Hole 2AM-008452 © Andrew McInnes

Cheers 🙂

Autumn colour, toadstools, and a train station in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

This past weekend I spent a brief couple of hours photographing near Mount Wilson and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia.

Although it is the end of the season, remnant autumn colour abounds at Breenhold Gardens. I went looking for colour and fanciful toadstools on a brisk and breezy dusk and was fortunate to find both.

Autumn Leaves 2AM-008205 © Andrew McInnes

This quintessential toadstool, Amanita muscaria, is commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita. I looked hard but unfortunately I failed to find any gnomes or fairies 😉

Amanita muscaria – Toadstool 2AM-001323 © Andrew McInnes

A bit more colour…

Autumn Colour 2AM 8175-8177 HDR © Andrew McInnes

Autumn Leaves 2AM-008172 © Andrew McInnes

Pink Spider Lily 2AM-001341 © Andrew McInnes

More fungi – clumps of mushrooms.

Mushrooms 2AM-001314 © Andrew McInnes

On the way home after dark I stopped in Katoomba as the train station caught my eye. The first two images were on the way to the platform…

Katoomba Railway Station 2AM-008226 © Andrew McInnes

Katoomba Railway Station 2AM-008229 © Andrew McInnes

This is the view of the Katoomba train station that enticed me to stop and photograph on what was fast becoming a bloody cold evening.

I hope you enjoyed this very limited discovery of a portion of the Blue Mountains.

Cheers 🙂

“OMG – Mine Your Food Bowl?” Open-cut coal mines on the Liverpool Plains?

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

I recently conducted a 36 hour reconnaissance drive up to Breeza and Caroona on the Liverpool Plains area of NSW to examine the area where several open-cut coal mines have been proposed – at least one of which, the Shenhua Watermark mine, is foreign-owned. The Liverpool Plains a highly productive region of Australia with vast acres in production of barley, chickpeas, faba beans, sorghum, sunflowers, soybeans, maize, wheat and cotton, plus grazing of beef cattle and sheep. I concur with the protesters slogan of “Wrong mine, wrong place.”

On the drive up I hoped to photograph the extensive raping and scarring of the land through the Hunter Valley but opportunities are not prevalent from the roadside due to significant concealing of operations and the resultant ramifications. I am not against mining, per se, however I do have issues with “the commons” being over-extracted for the profits of a few whilst the landholder has little recompense for the invasion, and the people of this nation see very little direct financial benefits.

The following two signs are in close proximity, located alongside the Kamilaroi Hwy, near Breeza.

Should they be able to mine this…

and turn it into this?

Here is a warning sign to the public (the same public who paid for the road) that as a result of mining activity in the Hunter Valley the public infrastructure is likely compromised…

Let’s Lock the Gate “to protect our common heritage – our land, water and communities – from unsafe or inappropriate mining for coal seam gas and other fossil fuels.”

To wrap this blog-post up here are several images capturing a very small portion of the scenery, productivity, and lifestyle of this magnificent agricultural region. I am very grateful to the property owners for their time and the access to their properties.

These first four images were captured as I arrived just prior to dusk at “Rossmar Park” near Caroona.

The next morning, along Coonabarabran Rd, near Caroona.

“Breeza Station” – Breeza.

“Drayton” – Breeza

Cheers 🙂

ANZAC memorial statues and the ANZAC Bridge – Sydney, NSW, Australia

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the ANZACs – the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Anzac Day – 25 April – is one of Australia’s most important national occasions; it marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. For further information click here.

In Sydney there is a fabulous bridge named in honour of these brave heroes. At the western end of the bridge stand two bronze statues – one an Australian and the other a New Zealander. Each supporting structure has atop it a flag, one is that of Australia, the other of New Zealand.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors, Sydney.

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Andrew McInnes Photography

As part of the 2015 Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year (the Year of the Sheep), the famed “Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors” by Chinese artist Xia Nan are currently on display at Dawes Point, Sydney. These fabric and wire structures were originally created for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.