Australia

Sydney AUSTRALIA.:

This "maxi card" is a card in a recent released series.."Animals in War " and is also a commemoration of those animals that were in the various wars affecting Australia. This card shows the fantastic (Waler Horses ) of the Australian Light Horse  ( A.L.H. ) These horses were all Australian horses that were procured for the military from many parts of the country. that went on board the many ships with the men That sailed from King Georges Sound in Western Australia to the many various battlefields in the middle east and north Africa. This conflict had a huge affect on the country and its peoples as the losses were so many for such a small population  so much so, that there were some country towns and villages that were virtually devoid of men after this war..This photo showing a light horse regiment on the march ..could be in Egypt , Syria , or Palestine. I have such an admiration for these soldiers and their amazingly tough horses ...some carried their riders thousands of miles into the many different battles..My father was a light horsemen in Egypt and Palestine.

Australia

 ( top left ) Arrival on the Western front 1914.          (Top right) Nurse Matron Grace Wilson.

(bottom left )  The Somme Offensive .                     (bottom right ) Writing Home.





 Sydney : AUSTRALIA.:

 This   First Day Release of  Maxi cards with  World War 1 postmarks  is commemorating the Centennary of Australia's participation in World War I  and Anzac day 2016 . These cards show some scenes from that massive conflict that changed Australia forever..some great pics on these cards.

Australia.

Bowral.: NSW,
 This is a card that I got for myself as a Souvenir from my visit to the Bradman Museum that is located in Bowral in the Southern Highlands of N.S.W.   A truly interesting Museum on cricket...and really a cricket lovers "must do ". The card shows "The Don"  Don Bradman in England when he Captained the "Invincibles" team on the 1948 tour. He retired from cricket after this series with an average of  99.94 / innings...AMAZING..One of the greatest and fairest sportsmen that ever played the game of Cricket. This was on my road trip through New South Wales and Victoria in 2004.

Australia.

Indian-Pacific : (Journey #1 )
ACROSS THE CONTINENT OF AUSTRALIA
This was my first train journey to start my "Around the World by Train" adventure that was to last over two different journeys totaling nine months ..  I must say that I was excited as this first part of the trip would be on this the Indian Pacific train from Sydney Central Railway to Adelaide "Parklands " Central Railway Station in South Australia some nearly  two thousand kilometers and 26 hours away..This is one of the very few truly Trans Continental train journeys in the world left to do..
 Departing Sydney Central Railway Station late in the afternoon.the train quickly leaves the city and suburbs behind as it winds its way through the beautifully forrested Blue Mountains and the Grose Valley.this wonderful scenery unfortunately diminishes as the sun sets leaving it all in a orange glow and night time arrives...I am traveling budget and have a comfortable sleep seat (aircraft like ) and always as with train travel there are just so many fellow travelers to talk with over the course of the journey..The train arrives at a major stop in the far western New South Wales town of Broken hill around 6.30 am.. Time for breakfast.
 Broken Hill is world famous for its copper and silver mines and B.H.P. which started as Broken Hill Propriertry Limited is now the biggest mining Company in the world ..BHP Billiton. The next eleven or so hours go by as I see the train pass through very dry drought stricken areas, as this part of the country has suffered from a long drought affecting all farming communities..also I see the results of heavy bush fires leaving so much of the trees and land blackened.Losses to livestock, wildlife animals and farming infrastructure is very high more so to the fires..
  Train Arrives at Adelaide Central early evening and it has been a marvellous start to my long journey ahead but, for the moment I have all of Adelaide to enjoy plus a few country excursions.

 SYDNEY CENTRAL STATION TO ADELAIDE "PARKLANDS" CENTRAL STATION    NEARLY 2000 KLMS. AND 26 HOURS.

Australia

Bourke : N.S.W.

 This is a souvenir card that I got while visiting Bourke..The town of Bourke is in far west N.S.W. and is synonomous with its citrus orchards and Cotton..This card was especially a must souvenir for me as it shows The World Record breaking attempt for the Guiness Book of Records of a Truck pulling the most weight.. This was achieved in the Easter of 1994 when a 500 HP. Mack  "Superliner" pulled 29 trailers 4.5 kilometers weighing 500 tonnes..A NEW WORLD RECORD  for the Guiness Book of Records..Look at the card....it's amazing.. A great souvenir card from Bourke.

Australia

Christmas Is. AUSTRALIA.

 A new release card by Australia Post of the "Great Red Crab Migration " (Gecarcoidea Natalis ) as seen yearly on Christmas Island in their millions on their migration to the ocean. Great card.
Posted 10 November Christmas Island: Arrived Sydney 16 November 2014 Traveled 6 days.Thank you for this Karen..

Australia

Point Cook : VIC.

A new postcard release by Australia Post. "First day of Issue", Stamped 05 August 2014 Point Cook Victoria. This card depicts The Centenary of Australian Submarines as this coincides with The Australian centenary of the First World War and our first submarines in action.

Australia

 Point Cook : VIC. AUSTRALIA.

 A new release from Australia Post. A First Day of  Issue Stamped 05 August 2014 at Point Cook Victoria a" Maxi Card" depicting The Centenary of Military Aviation in Australia.This coincides with the Centenary of the First World War. This is an extremely attractive card..

Australia

Australia.:

Joint "First day  of issue"stamp release with Israel by Australia Post. Commemorating the Australian Light Horse Cavalry Charge at Beersheba. A painting by George Lambert  (oil on canvas ) at the Australian War Museum entitled "The Charge of the Australian Light Horse at Beersheba "Great card and stamp

Australia

Australia.:

 A great photo of  a group of  Australian Light Horsemen of The 4th A.L.H. taken in  Israel. This is a recent joint stamp release ( with Israel )  A first day of Issue by Australia Post commemorating the Battle of Beersheba.
 This was reputed to be the  last  Cavalry Charge in history but there were more in the following period although this was the largest. Known as the" Battle of Beersheba" which was fought on the 31th October 1917  included many different English Expeditionary force (EEF ) under the command of General Allenby  attacked and captured the Yildirim Group Garrison at Beersheba beginning the Southern Palestine Offensive of The Sinai and Palestine campaign of World War 1. The Anzac Mounted Division  (Desert Mounted Corps ) launched a series of attacks these were mounted against very strong defences which dominated the eastern side of Beersheba ,eventually resulting in their capture in the late afternoon shortly after a mounted infantry charge by The Australian Mounted Division (The Fourth Light Horse Brigade ) with bayonets in their hands as this was their only weapon for mounted attack as their rifles were slung across their back. While part of the two regiments dismounted to attack entrenchments of Tel es Saba defending Beersheba the remainder of the Light Horse continued their charge into the town capturing the place and part of the garrison as it was withdrawing.. (this is a very condensed description of events..) see Wikipedia..Thank you..

Australia

THE ANZAC MEMORIAL TO THE LIGHT HORSE ALBANY WEST AUSTRALIA.

Albany : WA.   (Journey #2 )     ANZAC LIGHT HORSE MEMORIAL  ALBANY .WA.

 This place to visit was very special for me as This Memorial high up on Mount Clarence and overlooking King Georges Sound in Albany Western Australia for this is where all the ships gathered in " The Sound" to load the 30,000 Troopers of The Australian Light Horse (ALH ) and New Zealand Light Horse . Also being loaded were some 7,477 horses and many thousands of tons of  supplies, stores and ammunition for the task ahead."The Great Convoy"( of over 40 ships)  as it was known  was to take some of the  biggest and the best boys from both Australia and New Zealand as it steamed out of King Georges Sound that day at dawn on the 1st November 1914.This was the last view that the boys would ever see of Australia.as over 8,000 never returned. This magnificent Memorial that is dedicated to all those boys stands as a silent reminder of their and their special (whaler) horses endurance. The Memorial shows an Australian light Horseman bending down from his horse to offer assistance to a New Zealand "cobber" who is wounded along with his horse.
    This Monument was originally erected in 1932 at Port Said in Egypt but was destroyed at the huge riots in 1956. The Lovely stone base was saved and transported to Albany. There was good fortune when the replica of the statue was recast and the Memorial was reconstructed on its present site in 1968. There was conjecture over it being placed here but as most of the monies that were needed for reconstruction was by military personnell's donations..as the Government of the day wanted it placed  in Canberra..but this idea was quickly quashed.. As I said this was a very special place to visit on my journey as my father was one of the Light Horsemen that was to go to Egypt and, allover the Middle East with the (A.L.H.). Anyone visiting this site can also,  in Albany visit the Military Museum..
  The tradition of ANZAC Day " dawn service" was started by Padre Arthur White who, on the 25th April 1930 led a small group here to the top of Mount Clarence to commemorate the many fallen from that "great war". He wrote in his church register ."this was the "First dawn Service held in Australia"
I might mention that in World War II Albany was the secret Allied submarine base of operations.
A special visit to Albany on my Road-trip in the south west of Western Australia. this was another stop on my "Around the World by Train journey . Albany was a special visit on my road trip SW.

Australia.

Australia : 1914.                         " Little did they know what was awaiting them".

This is another of The cards recently released by Australia Post commemorating 100 years since the departure of Australian troops "Off to The First World War"  in the Middle East and France.
They all gathered in Albany Western Australia and at dawn on November the 1st 1914  "A Great Convoy " of over 40 ships loaded with 30,000 Australian and New Zealand troops along with 7,477 horses and many thousands of tons of supplies  steamed out from King Georges Sound  in Albany bound for the Middle East.  Subsequently most landed in Egypt and went onto Gallipoli and also Syria, Palestine,and Jordan where the A.N.Z.A.C. legend was born. For many of the boys on these ships this would be their last sighting of Australia as over 8,000 were never to return. sadly, along with all their wonderful  horses ..only one horse ever returned to Australia..These horses were a magnificently strong breed of horse known as "whalers " as they came from New South Wales..and the men that rode them were tough country boys that signed up for The Australian Light Horse. A.L.H..  along with their New Zealand counterparts they were a force to be reckoned with. Many troops would follow this initial contingent and be shipped off to build the forces and replace the huge amount of Casualties being suffered within the ranks of The Australian Forces..
  My father was one of these mounted troopers in the Australian Light Horse. Looking back now it is hard for me  to believe that it has been one hundred years........ Lest We forget..

Australia

Australia :1914                                        OUR BOYS..

 A wonderful set of cards recently released , First day of Issue by Australia Post "stamped " Albany WA. Commemorating 100 years since" Our Boys" left to travel overseas to the Middle East and France for their effort in the First World War.  At this time Australia had a small population and this war was to deplete the population severely as so many were not to return, leaving a lot of small country towns completely devoid of men and as a result women had to do everything that was needed for the towns to function. Australia was so affected by this war and the loss of the biggest and the best of the nations male population that now sees a war memorial in every town and city  that one visits in the country..The card shows the uniform of the time. as in the early stages the majority of the boys were with (troopers ) The A.L.H. The Australian Light Horse .Mostly recruited from farms and outlying properties and were excellent horsemen as that was the form of transport on the majority of Properties and farms. A wonderful card commemorating this devastating time in Australian History.

Australia

 N.S.W.  Gundagai :
 The famous "Dog on The Tuckerbox" five miles from Gundagai.. This monument is a tribute to the early pioneers that made the first tracks here that later became what is today  The Hume Highway. The ruins of the old Five Mile Hotel can still be seen at the rear of the monument.. Many people believe that this is also a monument to the hard working Blue Cattle Dog  ("bluey" ) ..an Australian icon..Posted home as a souvenir from here on our way back north..

Australia

Bowral : NSW.

The Mighty" Don." 1908 - 2001
 Donald Bradman..Australia"s finest cricketing batsmen and also one of the finest batsmen in the world to ever play the game..The card depicts Don Bradman walking onto The Sydney Cricket Ground (S.C.G. ) for the second Test against India in 1947. (Will write more on this..).
  This is a  (stamped ) First Day of Release" Maxi Card" issued by Australia Post..Issued in Bradman's home town of Bowral located in the southern Highlands of N.S.W.. Also located in Bradman's Hometown of Bowral is the Bradman Cricket Museum and Oval. Where on lovely sunny days one can watch a game of local cricket.
  Posted home Bowral. 13 March 2001. Souvenir from this cricket "buff".

Australia

AIRLIE BEACH VT MEETING SEPTEMBER 2009.

Airlie Beach .: QLD.

Whitsunday Islands..Barrier Reef.. This is Whitehaven Beach. The most beautiful beach that I ever visited. The beach is the most pristine strip of silica sand and is seven kilometers long..We stopped by here for a fun afternoon with the many VT members on the Airlie Beach and Whitsundays meeting...a great week everyone..This is one of the Top Ten Beaches in the World.
 Posted  Home from Airlie Beach  my souvenir of this great destination..14 September 2009.
 Thanks to everyone ..

Australia

 Locomotive 3801 4-6-2 Pacific.  Designed for express Passenger services by the N.S.W.G.R.  Mechanical Branch. The 38 class proved to be one of the" Great Locomotives" of Australia. Five Locomotives of this Class were built at Clyde Engineering and were streamlined, while the other twenty five in the Class built in the Departments Workshops were of a "Standard Design". Class leader no.3801 is the best of The Locomotives having served on Major Passenger train services particularly "The Flyer" to Newcastle.  During the 1960's the 3801 gained fame when it hauled many railway "Enthusiast Specials" Culminating in the historic "Sydney to Perth" run in 1970.
 The 3801 entered into Service in January1943 and is now in preservation and used only for excursions..
 I travelled on this iconic train when it was used as a Charity Run for the victims of the Darwin Cyclone Xmas Eve 1976.   Souvenir card from The Railway Shop ..Sydney..

Australia

Royal Flying Doctor in Australia.. A really wonderful Organisation saving lives in Australia's far outback and isolated farms and properties.. This was Souvenir Card after Visiting and donating to support this great cause in their Queensland Office in Charleville.. while on the great Road  trip in FNQ..This is and has always been a wonderful Australian Organisation  of medical assistance to the people of the Outback wher help is a long way off...Posted Home 12 July 2002

Australia

Normanton..Far North Queensland.. The famous Aussie iconic Hotel.. "Purple Pub" in Normanton FNQ. One can't visit Normanton without have a beer at the Purple Pub..just be careful walking home at night..this is crocodile country..
 A souvenir postcard of our visit here on the  Great Northern Road-trip. Also a great stamp of "The School of the Air"  Posted  15 July 2002

Australia

The Scenic Train from Cairns to Kuranda in Far North Queensland Australia. This is truly a great scenic train journey to take travelling through the tropical  Rain Forrest  crossing many Tresssle Bridges and its many waterfalls .. One of the most scenic train journeys that I have taken, I loved it..
Thank you for this card Masako from Kuranda..
 Great memories here.Posted Cairns 02 September  2013