Meet Harris Sullivan the "Australian Bush Pilot"
Harris Sullivan's "Air Safari " in Australia
Check here regularly to follow Harris' journey throughout Australia. Date last updated: 10 / 06 / 01
|
Meet Harris Sullivan the "Australian Bush Pilot"
|
|
Click on the photos below to see a larger view
|
A map of the Australian Continent: Date: August 4, 2001 |
 |
| Harris's first photo in Sidney of
the Opera House with the Bridge in the background.
Date: August 4, 2001
|
 |
| The flight of six GOANA planes in
the parking area.
Date: August 16, 2001
|
 |
| The approach into the Cherrabah
International Airstrip.
Date: August 16, 2001
|
 |
| Flying in formation with GOANA 3
over Queensland, Australia
Date: August 20, 2001
|
 |
| A seven trailer road-train. Imagine
coming upon this on I4 while on your way to Disney
World.
Date: August 20, 2001
|
 |
|
An abandoned uranium mine in the mineral rich hills southeast of Mount Isa in western Queensland, Australia. There is still uranium in the mine, but it was closed when cheaper uranium from Africa made the operation of this mine unprofitable. Date: August 20, 2001
|
 |
| The original QANTAS hanger in
Longreach, Queensland Australia. From this hanger
QANTAS began its operations in 1922. In this hanger they
maintained their aircraft, and built DeHaveland model
DH-50s under license. The hanger served as the corporate
headquarters until the operation was moved to Brisbane.
Date: August 20, 2001
|
 |
| Dagworth Station is the site of the
events told in the poem "Waltzing Matilda"
written by Banjo Patterson in 1895. He was a favorite
Australian bush poet who lived and wrote in the late 1800s
to early 1900s. When the words were placed to the tune
"Bonny Wood of Craglea" it became Australia's
favorite song and an icon to the rest of the world.
Date: August 20, 2001
|
 |
| Because the cattle and sheep
stations (a.k.a. ranches) do not cross state boundaries,
the fences that define the East/West property lines of the
stations combine to make a continuous fence that marks the
boundary between the state of Queensland and the Northern
Territory of Australia.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| The transition from the green to
the straw colored ground cover marks the end of the red
sand soil and the beginning of the more fertile black soil
grasslands. These grass lands are used for grazing sheep
and cattle, and will support more animals per acre than the
red sand soil grazing areas.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| Some of the mountains that form the
McDonnell range between Alice Springs and Ayres Rock in the
Northern Territory of Australia. The plane was at 2,900
feet.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| Uluru (Ayres Rock) seen from 4,000
feet while flying along the published scenic route. Uluru
is the aboriginal name for Ayres Rock.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| Uluru (Ayres Rock) seen from the
road leading into the national park. The rock is the
hard sandstone that was in the floor of the ocean that once
covered Australia. Over millions of years, the softer
sediments eroded away leaving only the harder sandstone
rising above the ground. The rock is just the tip of
sandstone layer that runs under the soil in the reign.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| The climbing path on the face of
Uluru. What looks like the top of the climb is only
one-third of the way up to the top. The round trip takes
approximately three hours. The aborigines would like it if
there was no climbing on the rock. They believe that anyone
who climbs the rock leaves his soul at the top.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| The desert around Uluru (Ayres
Rock) is actually rich with a variety of plants and
animals. Notice the sharp dividing line between the rock
and the sky.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| The sun has just set, and the
shadows have just reached the bottom of Uluru (Ayres Rock).
The rock is still illuminated by the sun.
Date: August 22, 2001
|
 |
| Pilotage navigating across the
arid, featureless region of outback Australia is not as not
as difficult as it might at first appear. Even though
the rivers are dry most of the time, the river beds are
defined by a line of trees that grows in them. In the
picture you see small streams flowing together to make a
larger stream flowing into an even larger river. The
dark lines of trees are easy to match up with the blue
river lines on the chart especially when seen from a high
altitude.
Date: August 27, 2001
|
 |
| Across the arid regions of
Australia, there are places where the softer top sediments
have been washed and blown off the harder clay sediments to
form clay pans. In case of an emergency landing, any clay
pan large enough to land your airplane becomes an off site
landing strip. Seen from 7,500 feet the large clay
pan shown in the center of the picture could be safely used
by a small business jet.
Date: August 27, 2001
|
 |
| The sand dunes in the picture are
part of the Simpson Dessert as seen from 7,500 feet. These
dunes were formed thousands of years ago when the wind
pattern across Australia was quite different. Heading
west from Birdsville you will have to cross approximately
1,100 dunes before reaching the western edge of the desert.
Since there is no road only four wheel drive vehicles with
a lot of supplies and a front winch can make the journey.
During the journey the vehicle will have to be winched over
a majority of the 1,100 dunes.
Date: August 27, 2001
|
 |
| The western portion of Queensland
sits over the Great Artesian Basin Thousands of holes have
been bored into the basin to supply water for livestock and
city uses. The output from the bore shown is the water
supply for the town of Birdsville. The bore goes down 4,200
feet. The water at that depth is at boiling point.
When it reaches the surface it is still quite hot as seen
by the steam in the picture. The water goes into cooling
ponds before being pumped into the city water tanks for
distribution. In the summer with temperatures around
120 degrees in the shade, water heaters are not needed, and
a cool drink of water is hard to find.
Date: August 27, 2001
|
 |
| Coober Pedy in South Australia
produces seventy percent of the world's opals. With
temperatures reaching 120 degrees in the shade (if you can
find a tree to give you shade) the residents use mining
machines to carve out the sides of hills for their homes.
The resulting cave like living space with its constant
temperature eliminates the need for air conditioning. The
picture shows a new home in the process of having the
openings to the excavation being closed with cinderblock.
Date: August 27, 2001
|
 |
| This picture shows a portion of the
living room of a home in Coober Pedy that has been carved
out of the side of a hill. Notice how portions of the
rear wall were carved out with a mining machine using a
rounded bit to form the shelf for the TV.
Date: August 27, 2001
|
 |
| This is Brogla water hole, one of
several water holes on Avington Station in Queensland,
Australia. The station raises both cattle and sheep. When
released the live stock run wild, but by carefully placing
the water holes, the stockmen can control the movement of
the stock since they will range within a known radius of
water. The stock are feral; so when two of the bulls took a
step forward and began to paw the ground, that was my cue
to move on down the track.
Date: September 1, 2001
|
 |
| Besides sheep and cattle Avington
Station is the home to emu, kangaroos and wild pigs.
Date: September 1, 2001
|
 |
| This paddock is one of several
paddocks that are once again ready for grazing. In
September, after the sheep are shorn, they will be released
onto this paddock, and the paddocks currently used for
grazing will be allowed to recover. This process will take
three to four years given an average amount of rain.
Date: September 1, 2001
|
 |
| Fishermans Beach runs in front of
the Great Keppel Island Resort. Great Keppel is the largest
of the Keppel Islands which lie inside the Great Barrier
Reef. The resort has had many owners through the years one
of which was QANTAS Airlines.
Date: September 1, 2001
|
 |
| Sunset as seen from my room at the
Great Keppel Island Resort.
Date: September 1, 2001
|
 |
| These volcano plugs north of
Brisbane are called the Glass House Mountains. They are
sitting on the floor of an old volcano. The ridge
line in the rear is part of the rim of the volcano.
Date: September 7, 2001
|
 |
| The soil in the area of the Glass
House Mountains is rich volcanic soil. This results in a
large number of farms in the area.
Date: September 7, 2001
|
 |
| Even with both anchors deployed and
both engines at full power, a storm still swept this ship
ashore just south of Double Island Point on the eastern
shore of Queensland Australia.
Date: September 7, 2001
|
 |
| Fraser Island is the largest all
sand island in the world. This is one of the fresh water
lakes several hundred feet above sea level on the island.
Decomposing organic matter has sealed the bottom of the
lakes so that the water does not drain off through the
sand.
Date: September 7, 2001
|
 |
| At the end of winter, the humpback
whales begin their migration from waters off northern
Queensland Australia to their summer home in Antarctica.
During the migration, the groups of whales stop for a week
in Platypus Bay to feed and rest. From August through
October whale watching is the principle activity of Hervey
Bay, Queensland Australia.
Date: September 7, 2001
|
 |
| While the tour boats engaged in
whale watching in Platypus Bay can only approach within 100
feet of the humpback whales, the whales are free to
approach as close as they want. These two whales came up to
the boat, paused, then dove underneath, surfacing on the
other side for another look.
Date: September 7, 2001
|
 |
| The kangaroos add an interesting,
moving hazard to the fairways and greens of the Brampton
Island Resort golf coarse off the northern eastern coast of
Queensland, Australia.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| Pictured are the remains of a lava
tube in the Under National Park. The rubble on the floor of
the tube is where the ceiling has collapsed. 190,000 years
ago lava from 164 volcanos flowed through tubes like this
one for two years. The temperature of the lava was 2200
degrees Fahrenheit One of the Undara lava flows extends
more than 100 miles making it the longest, single lava flow
in the world.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| This eighteen foot salt water
crocodile was spotted in the Yellow Waters section of the
Kakadu National Park at in the Northern Territory of
Australia.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| Brisbane City Rail cars have been
refurbished to provide dining rooms and bedrooms at The
Undara Experience in Queensland, Australia.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| There are no FBOs at the airstrips
in Australia because there is not enough activity to
support one. Refueling is usually done by the pilot after
swiping a credit card through a card reader attached to the
fuel pump. At Cooktown, Queensland Australia, the
refueling is done by hand pumping from fifty-five gallon
drums sitting on a flatbed truck.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| This New Zealand crop duster was
converted to a geophysics aircraft by adding an
instrumentation boom to the tail. This plane has been used
to map the mineral locations in the Northern Territory of
Australia.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| If you ever go to Jabiru, Northern
Territory in Australia, I suggest staying at the Crocodile
Motel which is shaped like a crocodile.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| The red soil at Nhulunby, Northern
Territory in Australia is rich with bauxite. The soil
is transported by conveyor belt (shown exiting the top of
the picture) to a refinery along the shore. From
there aluminum is shipped to manufacturers around the
world.
Date: September 17, 2001
|
 |
| Pearl farms operate in the tropical
waters from Broome on the west coast of Western Australia
around the top end to Cookville on the north east coast of
Queensland. The pearl oysters hang in wire frames just
below the water surface from ropes strung between the
buoys. Once seeded the pearl will grow for two years before
it is harvested.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| Beagle Bay is named for the H.M.S.
Beagle upon which Charles Darwin served as the naturalist.
The animals on Australia, which was of Australia from the
rest of the continents, helped Darwin formulate his theory
of evolution.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| Geologists have determined that the
dark rock in the Kimberly Mountains of Western Australia is
the oldest rock on the planet. They believe these
rocks may be part of the original crust of the earth.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| North of Broom, Western Australia
the west coast of Australia is wide beaches interrupted by
bays and rivers.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| South of Broome, Western Australia
the west coast of Australia there is has a stretch of beach
called Eight Mile Beach. This beach is uninterrupted by
bays, rivers and property development.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| South of Shark Bay, Western
Australia the west coast of Australia is formed by rugged
clefts.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| Salt is being harvested from these
evaporation pans at Port Hedland, Western Australia. Port
Hedland is the major export port on the western coast of
Australia for iron ore.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| Around Geraldton, Westen Australia
cattle stations give way to fields of wheat and alfalfa.
Geraldton is a port for the export of wheat.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
 |
| Around Geraldton, Westen Australia
cattle stations give way to fields of wheat and alfalfa.
Geraldton is a port for the export of wheat.
Date: September 23, 2001
|
|
| Perth, the capitol of Western
Australia, is sited on the Swan River. Situated
in the Southwest corner of the country (continent), Perth
is known as the most isolated city in
the world. Western Australia is the largest state,
with a land mass approximately equal to one-third of the
United States. The population of
Western Australia is 1.8 million with 1.5 million living in
Perth and the surrounding suburbs. Most of the rest live in
towns along the west coast. When you
fly over the vast majority of Western Australia, it is
still in its natural state.
Date: October 2, 2001
|
 |
| Kings Park is the major city park
in Perth, and the home of the Botanical Gardens. Most of
the park has been left in its natural state with sidewalks
and an occasional bench cut through it. These trails
provide numerous bush walks for the park
visitor.
Date: October 2, 2001
|
 |
| A portion of Kings Park has been
developed with fountains, cascading
water falls and pools.
Date: October 2, 2001
|
 |
| The formal gardens in Kings Park
are planed with the indigenous plants
and trees of Australia.
Date: October 2, 2001
|
 |
| Kings Park is home to the Perth
city war memorials. The obelisk in the background is
in memory of those who served in W.W.I; the eternal flame
in the foreground for W.W.II. There are numerous other
statues to other campaigns. Two streets in the park are
lined with trees planted in memory of individuals who lost
their lives in W.W.I and W.W.II. Kings Park is home
to the Perth city war memorials. The obelisk in the
background is in memory of those who served in W.W.I; the
eternal flame in the foreground for W.W.II. There are
numerous other statues to other campaigns. Two streets in
the park are lined with trees planted in memory of
individuals who lost their lives in W.W.I and W.W.II.
Date: October 2, 2001
|
 |
| The city of Fremantle at the mouth
of the Swan River is a major sea port for Perth and the
rest of Western Australia.
Date: October 2, 2001
|
 |
| Fremantle Prison was built between
1850 and 1860 during the reign of Queen Victoria, using
convict labor. It remained in service untill
1998. The prison is now on the National Heritage Site list
with two tours available for the price of admission. Shown
from right to left is the second section, the Church of
England chapel, and the third section. The newer, detached
building at the far left is the women's prison.
Date: October 2, 2001
|
 |
| When you look at a salt water lake,
the surface looks hard. But when you
look straight down on the lake, you can see the glistening
of water.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
| One of the products of the Mudgee
Valley in New South Wales is grapes.
The picture shows one of the tasting and sales rooms
outside of Mudgee.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
| The fields shown in the foreground
have been planted in a dried lake
bed, one of many in the area southwest of Broken Hill in
New South Wales. Two other lakes shown above the fields now
serve as water retention ponds to irrigate the fields. The
water is channeled to the fields using the network of
streams that connected the three lakes before they dried
up.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
| The land west of the Great Dividing
Range is used to grow a variety of agricultural products.
These fields are north of Moree Queensland. The dark land
has just been cleared of a crop of cotton. The golden
colored fields are winter wheat ready for harvest. The
green fields are summer wheat just beginning to sprout.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
| There is evidence that aboriginal
communities lived on the shores of Lake Mungo as long as
45,000 years ago. After the lake dried up 5,000 years ago
vegetation took over the old lake bed. Today the old lake
site is a national park, and home to emu and several
species of kangaroo. The sand dunes on the left mark the
eastern edge of the lake.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
| The Wall of China has been formed
by wind erosion on the sand dunes that formed the eastern
edge of Lake Mungo. When Lake Mungo was a fresh water lake,
sedimentary layers were laid down. After the lake dried up,
wind erosion began blowing away the softer sediments,
leaving the harder sediments exposed above the sand.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
| During the one day layover at
Arkaroola, a front swept through. For the next two days we
played leapfrog with the front, passing through it in the
morning only to have it sweep over us in the afternoon. As
the picture shows, we had no trouble remaining VFR as we
passed through the holes between storm cells.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
| With this landing the adventure is
over. During the six weeks it took to fly the Frontier
Explorer and Circumnavigator tours offered by GOANA Air
Safaris, I logged 105.75 hours, and flew 11,397 statute
miles.
Date: October 6, 2001
|
 |
