‘Mackerel sky’ spectacle over Pumicestone Passage and Happy Valley, Caloundra, on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Andrew McInnes Photography

A series of aerial images capturing the sunset progression of a stunning winter ‘mackerel sky’ over Pumicestone Passage and Happy Valley, Caloundra.

Happy Valley 2AM 0183-0185 stitch ©Andrew McInnes.

Happy Valley 2AM-000186 ©Andrew McInnes.

Happy Valley 2AM 0205-0207 stitch ©Andrew McInnes.

Happy Valley 2AM 0208-0210 stitch ©Andrew McInnes.

Happy Valley 2AM 0222-0224 stitch ©Andrew McInnes.

Cheers 🙂

A winter’s day at Cabarita Beach – NSW.

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Andrew McInnes Photography

A serene winters day at Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast of NSW.

All images in this post are via UAV (drone). The first two images are multi-image panoramic stitches.

Cheers 🙂

One Tree Hill and the Glasshouse Mountains, as seen from the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Queensland.

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Andrew McInnes Photography

‘One Tree Hill’ in front of volcanic plugs (remnants of volcanic activity that occurred 25-27 million years ago) known as the Glasshouse Mountains, as seen along the Blackall Range Tourist Drive on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.

Cheers 🙂

Aerial images around Caloundra, plus Trichodesmium sp. – the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Andrew McInnes Photography

These aerial (drone) scenes include Kings Beach, Wickham Headland, Shelly Beach, Moffat Headland, Pumicestone Passage, Bribie Island, the Glasshouse Mountains (in the background), and Caloundra – on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.

The sea-sawdust slicks on the water surface in the following images is likely Trichodesmium sp. – a cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), and is also called whale food, sea scum and, incorrectly, whale sperm. Found in nutrient-poor tropical and subtropical ocean waters, Trichodesmium are ‘nitrogen fixers’- they can take nitrogen gas from the air and ‘fix’ it in a form that can be transferred through the food chain. This function is very important as Nitrogen is essential to life and while there is an abundance of it in the air (air is 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen), most plants and animals can’t make use of it in that form.

Cheers 🙂

Weeping Rock, near Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains of NSW.

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Andrew McInnes Photography

The serene Weeping Rock, near the town of Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

Weeping Rock 2AM 7474-7476 pano

Weeping Rock 2AM 7453-7455 stack

Early-summer thunderstorms, Caloundra.

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Andrew McInnes Photography

We have experienced a few dramatic early-summer thunderstorms at our new home over the last few weeks. These scenes are from Kings Beach and Happy Valley, at Caloundra – on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. Some show storms building, others in mid-action, and others of the retreat.

Kings Beach 2AM 3781-3786 stitch

Caloundra 2AM-003731

Caloundra 2AM-003541

Caloundra 2AM-003548

Caloundra 2AM-003700

Caloundra 2AM-003701

Caloundra 2AM-003712

Kings Beach 2AM-003643

Kings Beach 2AM-003646

Kings Beach 2AM-003647

Fire in the sky – the Glasshouse Mountains, Queensland.

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Andrew McInnes Photography

A fiery sunset over volcanic plugs (remnants of volcanic activity that occurred 25-27 million years ago), known as the Glasshouse Mountains on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. At just over an hour from Brisbane, these hills are well worth a visit.
This is a 12 image panorama stack.

Glasshouse Mountains 2AM 3904-3915_Pano
©Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Days 9-11: Makarora and Fox Glacier etc, New Zealand – December 2015.

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Andrew McInnes Photography

Day 9-11. Makarora and Fox Glacier etc, South Island – New Zealand.

Onwards…
More from Otago, plus some from West Coast. As is the case with all holidays, the end comes too soon.

This last post includes images from Blue Pools on the Makarora River, the Whataroa River, Fox Glacier, and Lake Hawea (near The Neck).

Dusk settles over the Southern Alps at Makarora.

Makarora 2AM-000934.
©Andrew McInnes

Makarora River 2AM-000931.
©Andrew McInnes

Makarora River 2AM-000930.
©Andrew McInnes

The stunning, and frigid, Blue Pools.

Blue Pools – Makarora River 2AM-000916.
©Andrew McInnes

Blue Pools – Makarora River 2AM-000914.
©Andrew McInnes

Happy hour 🙂
Cold beers and conversation in and alongside the Makarora River.

Makarora 2AM-000539.
©Andrew McInnes

A Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), in the honeyeater family, foraging on New Zealand flax (Phormium sp.).

Tui 2AM-004945.
©Andrew McInnes

Dawn over the Southern Alps at Fox Glacier – includes Aoraki / Mount Cook.

Fox Glacier 2AM 1002-4 HDR.
©Andrew McInnes

Fox Glacier 2AM-000957. ©Andrew McInnes

Fox Glacier 2AM-000981.
©Andrew McInnes

The Neck 2AM-000537 iPhone panorama. ©Andrew McInnes

Whataroa River 2AM 1024-1029 panorama. ©Andrew McInnes

Whataroa River 2AM-001017. ©Andrew McInnes

I hope you enjoyed this and the previous posts of my images from a fantastic holiday in New Zealand.

Cheers 🙂

Day 7: The Catlins, New Zealand – December 2015.

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Andrew McInnes Photography

Day 7 – The spectacular Catlins area, South Island – New Zealand.

Spectacular, diverse, ever-changing – we drove through beautiful rural scenes, along a rugged coast, saw a few more yellow-eyed penguins, sea lions, a couple of lighthouses, and low tide allowed us to walk among a 180 million year old petrified Jurassic forest – one of only three such accessible fossil forests in the world! All this and so much more we couldn’t fit in 😦

Nugget Point Lighthouse, built in 1869-70. A place of spectacular views, many rocky islets (The Nuggets), and much wildlife.

Nugget Point Lighthouse 2AM 0739-0744 Panorama_edit

To be able to view, and even walk among a petrified forest in the intertidal zone at low tide was remarkable. There are both stumps and fallen trees, petrified, with some growth rings plainly visible. This is but a sampling of the numerous specimens at Curio Bay.
Curio Bay is of international significance for its fossilised forest dating back to the Jurassic period. The tree fossils you see here are 160 million years old and the forest was alive when New Zealand was part of Gondwanaland. (source: The Catlins New Zealand website).

Four images of the Waipapa Point Lighthouse. This is the site of New Zealand’s worst civilian shipwreck. In 1881 the SS Tararua ran aground on Waipapa Reef and 131 of 151 passengers and crew died. The lighthouse, built after the disaster, stands as a poignant reminder. (source: Southern Scenic Route website).