Voices From The North
Hear the latest from the team at Faraway Bay where guests experience the remarkable beauty, isolation, history, and natural and cultural significance of this remote slice of outback Australia.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A painted ship on an ocean
July has proved to be a gem. Glassy oceans has given our guests the opportunity to explore this remote coastline and surrounds.
Fishing has been excellent and some guests had the pleasure of travelling out to Leseure Island for a look around at the plethora of shells, turtles and unique crystal clear lagoons. A mummified shark was found along with baby turtle shells.
Graeme Edwards and his lovely wife Noelene blessed us with their presence at the camp. Graeme, a double amputee, finally got to see rock art, something that has been on his wish list throughout his full life.
Bruce and Liuda, from Cairns had a break from catching all the Barramundi in Cape York to catch a few for us over in this neck of the woods.
We were also able to showcase some of our freshly shucked oysters to Glyn and Pam Owen who are Oyster Farmers from Coffin Bay.
Idyllic Kimberly days, restful, peaceful, plentiful...
Simone
Fishing has been excellent and some guests had the pleasure of travelling out to Leseure Island for a look around at the plethora of shells, turtles and unique crystal clear lagoons. A mummified shark was found along with baby turtle shells.
Graeme Edwards and his lovely wife Noelene blessed us with their presence at the camp. Graeme, a double amputee, finally got to see rock art, something that has been on his wish list throughout his full life.
Bruce and Liuda, from Cairns had a break from catching all the Barramundi in Cape York to catch a few for us over in this neck of the woods.
We were also able to showcase some of our freshly shucked oysters to Glyn and Pam Owen who are Oyster Farmers from Coffin Bay.
Idyllic Kimberly days, restful, peaceful, plentiful...
Simone
Labels: barramundi, Faraway Bay; Kimberley; outback; outback Australia, fishing, rock art
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Faraway Food
We are overjoyed that Mirra has returned to the bay to cook now that Gary Fishwick has left us.
We were all putting too much weight on with Gaz around and his amazing culinary skills. He has returned to his lovely wife Amy and their exceptionally cute 8 month old Kyuss. We will miss him.
But just when we thought we would lose a couple of kilos Mirra has started baking her irresistible muffins. She has the title here of being the Muffin Queen - and no one can refuse! One of her secret recipes is Orange and Chocolate Muffins. I managed to snaffle the recipe - but don't tell Mirra! And don’t lose this recipe - it is worth its weight in gold!
Bring a whole orange to the boil twice to remove bitterness from skin.
Mix 2 eggs, 230ml milk, 175ml vegetable oil and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. Add whole orange and blend.
Mix in 3 ½ cups of self raising flour, 1 cup sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon and a BIG handful of choc chips.
Place a piece of thinly sliced orange dipped in sugar on each muffin before baking.
Bake at 200C until risen and golden brown.
Then enjoy!
Simone
We were all putting too much weight on with Gaz around and his amazing culinary skills. He has returned to his lovely wife Amy and their exceptionally cute 8 month old Kyuss. We will miss him.
But just when we thought we would lose a couple of kilos Mirra has started baking her irresistible muffins. She has the title here of being the Muffin Queen - and no one can refuse! One of her secret recipes is Orange and Chocolate Muffins. I managed to snaffle the recipe - but don't tell Mirra! And don’t lose this recipe - it is worth its weight in gold!
Bring a whole orange to the boil twice to remove bitterness from skin.
Mix 2 eggs, 230ml milk, 175ml vegetable oil and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. Add whole orange and blend.
Mix in 3 ½ cups of self raising flour, 1 cup sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon and a BIG handful of choc chips.
Place a piece of thinly sliced orange dipped in sugar on each muffin before baking.
Bake at 200C until risen and golden brown.
Then enjoy!
Simone
Labels: Faraway Bay; Kimberley; outback; outback Australia, Kimberley Cooking School
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Olive Comes to Visit
An exciting visitor who's decided to visit Eagle Lodge is a rather large Olive Python. He gave Lucy, one of our guests, a hurry along at sunset nibbles as she came down the stairs. After making sure it was indeed a python and not the often mistaken King Brown, all guests enjoyed holding the friendly fella, which made for some great photos.
There are two sub species of Olive Pythons in Australia. The Pilbara Python can reach up to 6.5m in length and our resident Olive measures up to 4.5m. Dentists would love these guys as they have approximately 120 teeth. This beautiful creature only eats a few times a year. The lip area around their mouth has infra red heat pits which detect warm-blooded prey. After massive feasts they have the potential problem of poisoning themselves if the temperature is not sufficiently warm enough for digestion. If the prey is consumed when it’s too cold the animal will decompose too slowly causing poisoning of the blood.
Anyway, we're pleased he came to visit and that he provided everyone with another Kimberley wilderness nature lesson!
Simone
There are two sub species of Olive Pythons in Australia. The Pilbara Python can reach up to 6.5m in length and our resident Olive measures up to 4.5m. Dentists would love these guys as they have approximately 120 teeth. This beautiful creature only eats a few times a year. The lip area around their mouth has infra red heat pits which detect warm-blooded prey. After massive feasts they have the potential problem of poisoning themselves if the temperature is not sufficiently warm enough for digestion. If the prey is consumed when it’s too cold the animal will decompose too slowly causing poisoning of the blood.
Anyway, we're pleased he came to visit and that he provided everyone with another Kimberley wilderness nature lesson!
Simone
Labels: Faraway Bay; Kimberley; outback; snakes; olive python; king brown snake
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A mix of weather, guests and animals!
It’s been wonderful having such an eclectic mix of personalities at the camp recently…not to mention an exciting array of animals as well.
Steve’s mum (Patsy) sighted the elusive Brush-Tailed Phascogale. The name is derived from the meaning pouched weasel and is a carnivorous Australian marsupial. These shy animals are active at dawn and dusk, the males are a little too active in their lifespan, which is only one year due to the frenzied mating they do in their short existence. They are here for a good time not a long time!
The Air Adventure Australia group visited in mid June. This group were travelling around Australia on a photography trip, learning new skills from Ewen Bell a well known photographer. Visit the web site for some great shots of Faraway Bay www.ewenbell.com .
The Burke Family brought in 4 of their adventurous children Sam, Jack, Lilly and Lucy. Steve sent them on a mission to find the turtles that had been sighted by another couple a week or so ago at the billabong. Mission accomplished, they sighted 2 long necked turtles, however, we will need a better look at them to identify exactly which species they are.
Simone
Steve’s mum (Patsy) sighted the elusive Brush-Tailed Phascogale. The name is derived from the meaning pouched weasel and is a carnivorous Australian marsupial. These shy animals are active at dawn and dusk, the males are a little too active in their lifespan, which is only one year due to the frenzied mating they do in their short existence. They are here for a good time not a long time!
The Air Adventure Australia group visited in mid June. This group were travelling around Australia on a photography trip, learning new skills from Ewen Bell a well known photographer. Visit the web site for some great shots of Faraway Bay www.ewenbell.com .
The Burke Family brought in 4 of their adventurous children Sam, Jack, Lilly and Lucy. Steve sent them on a mission to find the turtles that had been sighted by another couple a week or so ago at the billabong. Mission accomplished, they sighted 2 long necked turtles, however, we will need a better look at them to identify exactly which species they are.
Simone
Labels: Air Adventure Australia, brush-tailed phascogale, Ewen Bell, Faraway Bay, Kimberley Cooking School, outback, turtles, wilderness