Benz World Blog » Tourism

Wineglass Bay

Jason Benz — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 05:13:45 +0000

This is Wineglass Bay on Tasmania’s South East coast. This view is from the top of Mount Amos. It provided the best perspective and most challenging bushwalk. You even have to sign a safety sheet in case you do not make it back.

I had been waiting for good weather and low tide to coincide for a couple of weeks. Finally, I decided to risk it with a wet morning which had a forecast for a mostly clear afternoon. There are many warning signs advising you not to attempt it in the wet as it is essentially a climb. Imagine steep slabs of rock covered with rivulets and very little to hold on to.

I was reminded of my first off-piste skiing attempt when I discovered, regardless of posture, every mountain surface has an angle which, if you lose your grip, accelerates you towards a cliff.

After covering myself with cuts and scrapes I finally reached the top with a couple of English lads who shared their bananas with me while we waited for the mist to clear. After an hour of sitting in the clouds, they started back down. I told them if it gets better they can pull my image from this blog. email benzworldblog@gmail.com if you would like high res.

I am going into Hobart this evening to get some night shots of the city for my Australian Skylines Collection.

This image has been accepted by Shutterstock for Stock Photography and is available for download here.

Powered Paragliding

Jason Benz — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 10:28:38 +0000

There seems to be no end of ways you can get around the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

This form of ultralight aviation is called powered paragliding or paramotoring.

The aircraft can be used to herd reindeer, transport soldiers or hire to adrenaline junkies.

This image has been accepted by Shutterstock for Stock Photography and is available for download here.

Petra Monastery

Jason Benz — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 14:01:52 +0000

This is the Petra Monastery in Jordan. It is know as the rose city due to the colour of the rock. In 2008 it needed to be processed using HDR to get accepted by Shutterstock for Stock Photography. It is available for download here. This time I used standard tone adjustments in Camera RAW and a little split-toning to match the texture to this jungle temple. The RAW file developer in Photoshop has improved so much since this shot was taken it has made using HDR to extract detail redundant.

Keppel Konnections

Jason Benz — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 09:01:57 +0000

This is the ferry we took to Keppel Island recently. It is a new service which started a few months ago. Last year we took the more expensive Freedom Fast Cats which had a monopoly at the time. Either way at around $50 return it is the cheapest way we know of to see the Great Barrier Reef. The bloke with the boxes is Geoff Mercer who was our host at the GKI Holiday Village. He then became our boss when we decided to spend an extra week on the island working for our accommodation.

Keppel Return

Jason Benz — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 07:26:22 +0000

This is Great Keppel Island in Queensland off the coast of mainland Australia. If you are reading this I have posted it using solar powered pre-iPhone technology, a Nokia N-95. This is the first place Karen and I have re-visited in more than a decade of travel. It has everything you would expect from an exclusive resort without any of the cost.

This image has been accepted by Shutterstock for Stock Photography and is available for download here.

Mulgildie Pub

Jason Benz — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 10:03:41 +0000

Tonight we are staying outside the Mulgildie Pub in Queensland. I am starting to notice a trend developing in Karen’s choice of campsite. I can hardly complain as pubs in Australia have everything a traveller on the road could need. This one arrived on the back of a train from Gayndah in 1927.

Masked Lapwing

Jason Benz — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 08:59:37 +0000

This bird is one of a family of Masked Lapwings which have become our latest neighbours since we hit the road again in our van. Tonight is our first stop in a place call Tiaro. It is a free campsite behind a friendly local pub, with showers and bounded by horse pasture. It is also half a day’s drive from our start point in Southport and puts us within striking distance of Keppel Island and the Great Barrier Reef.

The Broadwater

Jason Benz — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 10:50:18 +0000

This is the Southport Broadwater on the Gold Coast. It is a shallow estuary of water fed by several rivers including the Nerang and Pimpama. The area is one of the fastest growing regions in the developed world and contains 90% of Australia’s canal estates. After local protests, plans for a cruise ship terminal were rejected by the Queensland Government in 2015. However this issue keeps returning around each election. Sand banks which have built up due to lack of dredging are now being used by endangered migratory birds. Plans to name them, effectively turning them into islands should give them greater protection from developers.

Esperance Stonehenge

Jason Benz — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 13:04:54 +0000

This is a full size granite replica of Stonehenge in Western Australia. Although it is not as old as the original Stonehenge in the UK, it is complete, and access is better. When we visited the owners let us stay in our van overnight so I could easily photograph it at sunset and sunrise. I experienced an unexpected sense of awe as the sun light filled the stones.

Gaol Girl

Jason Benz — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 11:30:38 +0000

This is Trial Bay Gaol in New South Wales, Australia. Building began in 1877 and inmates moved into the prison in 1886. A breakwater and wharf were built on the coast creating a harbour which could be used by ships too big to navigate the river. It currently holds a museum and is promoted as a wedding venue by the tourist board.

This image has been accepted by Shutterstock for Stock Photography and is available for download here.