2026 Sydney Royal Easter Show
Photo Competition
1) In a 2024-December bushwalk,
John Graham took this photo, depicting a
Megadolomedes australianus
(Giant Water Spider).
- Just so that there is no misunderstanding ...
The giant spider is not me ... ok 😊
Location: A Gerringong Creek waterfall
Unofficially known as Pensions Falls
Budderoo NP, NSW, Australia
Date: 2024-December-05
Trip report and photos of the bushwalk are here:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2024/12/pensions-falls-gerringong-creek.html
2) John Graham submitted the above
for a photo competition in the
2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
- It was displayed in the 2025 Easter Show's
Arts & Crafts Pavilion.
Unfortunately, the photo didn't win a prize ðŸ˜
3) I attended the 2025 Easter Show.
- Complete with the same outfit as in John's photo
😊
- And ...
4) ... And submitted the above
for the photo competition
in the 2026 Easter Show.
- It was displayed in the 2026
Arts & Crafts Pavilion.
5) Zooming to my photo on the display board.
Unfortunately, the photo also didn't win a prize ðŸ˜
6) In retrospect, I should have submitted
this picture instead.
- It may win the 1st prize 🙂
7) But I think all the previous photos lack colour.
- So I asked ChatGPT to give me
• a red shirt
• a red hat
• and red gloves
- I'll submit this picture to the 2027 Easter Show.
- I bet this one will win the 1st prize 😀😀😀
Please visit my main page at
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/
A group of us went to
Pink Caves, Central Coast, NSW, Australia
in 2025-April:
Paul, leading ...
- Ai Ling Lim
- Amy Chi
- John Graham
- Karen Lee
- Lyndal Tegel
- May Yang
Detailed trip report is in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-part-1.html
Below are the pictures only.
Pink Caves entrance
1a, b) Pink Caves entrance.
- Amy takes the honour for the 1st person
to get there.
Inside Pink Caves
2a, b) Wonderful pink-coloured rocks in the cave !
- 2 white arrows: Same as the 2 white arrows in photo #3
Photos by John
3) Inside Pink Caves.
- 2 white arrows: Same as the 2 white arrows in photo #2
4) Left to right: John, Amy
- Red arrow:
• It is the top white arrow in photo #3.
• Also, Amy will be standing over it
in photo #5.
5) The pool here is the red arrow of previous pic.
- Lyndal, Amy, John
6) Lyndal, Amy, John.
- The pool in the front is the one
in the previous pic.
7) Amy ... on the pink rock.
8) May on the pink rock.
- In the background, left to right:
Karen, Lyndal, Amy
9) Lyndal, John.
10) Nice colour !
To the back of Pink Caves
11a, b) Walking towards the back of Pink Caves.
- Upper pic: Ai Ling, Lyndal, John, Amy
- Lower pic: Lyndal, John, Amy
Upper pic: Photo by May
Back of Pink Caves
12) Back of Pink Caves.
- Karen, Lyndal, Paul
Photo by Ai Ling
13) John, May, Karen, Ai Ling, Lyndal, Paul.
Photo by Amy
The other side of Pink Caves
14) Looking across the channel
at the other side of the cave.
Photo by John
15) Looking across the channel
at the other side of the cave.
- John, Lyndal, May
16) Lyndal, John, Karen.
Photo by May
17) May, Karen.
Looking out from the cave
18) Fantastic colour !
- May
Photo by Karen
Warning / Danger
You should only visit the Pink Caves
during low tide and low swell.
It is suicidal to go at other times.
Peolple have died there !!!
Detailed trip report
Detailed trip report is in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-part-1.html
Please visit my main page at
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/
2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show
Photographic Competition
John Graham submitted 3 pictures for judging
in the Easter Show's photographic competition.
Photos:
1 - 3 Paul Ma looking at a giant spider
7 - 8 Sornkin Lam
in Grand Canyon, Blue Mountains
9 - 10 Tracey Coates
also in Grand Canyon, Blue Mountains
Paul Ma
1) Original photo by John Graham, depicting a
Megadolomedes australianus
(Giant Water Spider).
- Just so that there is no misunderstanding ...
The giant spider is not me ... ok 😊
Location: A Gerringong Creek waterfall
Unofficially known as Pensions Falls
Budderoo NP, NSW, Australia
Date: 2024-December-05
2) Displayed in Easter Show's
Arts & Crafts Pavilion.
2025-April
3) Display board in Arts & Crafts Pavilion.
2025-April
4) I attended the Easter Show.
- Complete with the same outfit as in John's photo
😊
It was pointed out that
I can pose in front of the above photo.
5) And so, I did 😊
6) And again 😊
And I can keep doing this ...
forming an infinite progression 😊
But I think I'll stop here 😊
Sornkin Lam
7) Original photo by John Graham.
Location: Grand Canyon, Blue Mountains, NSW
Date: 2024-December-22
8) Displayed in Easter Show's
Arts & Crafts Pavilion.
Tracey Coates
9) Original photo by John Graham.
Location: Grand Canyon, Blue Mountains, NSW
Date: 2024-December-14
10) Displayed in Easter Show's
Arts & Crafts Pavilion.
11) Display board in Arts & Crafts Pavilion.
The bushwalks
where the photos were taken
Photos #1 was taken in a bushwalk
to a Gerringong Creek waterfall,
(unofficially named Pensions Falls)
in Budderoo National Park, NSW, Australia.
2024-December-05
Trip report and photos are in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2024/12/pensions-falls-gerringong-creek.html
Photos #7 was taken in a bushwalk
inside Grand Canyons,
Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia.
2024-December-22
Photos #9 was taken in a bushwalk
also inside Grand Canyons,
Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia.
2024-December-14
Many interesting photos from the trip are
in this link:
https://onemanadreaming.blogspot.com/2024/12/shafts-of-light-grand-canyon-blue.html
Post Script
Unfortunately, none of John's photos won a prize
ðŸ˜
It would help if I wear:
- Red dress
- Red Hat
- Red gloves
I think John and I should collaborate
to do just that for the 2026 Easter Show 😊
Please visit my main page at
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/
An intereresting abseiling adventure !!!
in Alcatraz Canyon, Newnes Plateau,
NSW, Australia
2025 January 5
Background
Altracraz Prison
There is an Alcatraz Island
off the coast of San Francisco, California.
On this small island was
a maximum security prison.
It was closed in 1963.
Now, the prison is a major tourist attraction.
And Alcatraz means the Alcatraz Prison.
A flim was made in 1979,
called "Escape from Alcatraz"
starring Clint Eastwood.
It was a story of 3 inmates
escaping from Alcatraz Prison.
The film was a success
and well-known to this day throughout the world.
Altracraz Canyon
Named by David Noble.
More on this canyon is in this link:
http://david-noble.net/blog/?p=51651
Devils Throat
Named by Michael Keats.
Reference:
https://www.bushexplorers.com.au/encyclopaedia/devils-throat
It refers to the waterfall in Alcatraz Canyon,
and the chamber where the water falls into.
At the bottom of the chamber is a letter box slot.
You crawl out of the slot
to get out of the chamber.
I called the chamber "Alcatraz Prison".
The letter box slot is where you escape
from Alcatraz 😀
Our group in this trip
5 of us:
John Graham - leader
Amy Chi
Elizabeth Zhu
Paul Ma
Sornkin Lam
Video
I have created a short video of our adventure.
1 minute 30 seconds.
In this link:
https://youtube.com/shorts/pIF3PNjflhA
Some images from the video
1) Hi Clint, you had your fun.
My turn to be a star 😀
2) From a distance, we can see
what we are getting ourselves into.
- Alcatraz Prison: Named by yours truly 😀
3) Zooming in.
4) Now, go and watch the short video
on me abseiling into Alcatraz Prison.
This link:
https://youtube.com/shorts/pIF3PNjflhA
5) The 3 escapees from Alcatraz Prison:
Amy, Sornkin, Elizabeth
- They crawled out through the letter box slot.
Please visit my main page at
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/
Amazing wonderful shafts of light !!!
in Grand Canyon, Blue Mountains,
NSW, Australia
2024 December 14
Time we were down in the canyon, in the creek:
2:30pm to 4:30pm
Background
I had been to the bottom of Grand Canyon at night,
to see the glow-worms inside the canyon.
That was a fantastic trip.
This one, in daylight, is just as amazing !
It is also the first time
I'm inside the canyon in daylight.
And get to witness the magical light show.
But note:
You need abseiling gears to do our trip.
Also, there are sections that require a swim.
Hence you should wear a wetsuit
as water is cooold ... bbrrrr !!!
(There is a foot track through the canyon.
But it is above the canyon floor.
No abseil, no swim ... meant for normal hikers.
The downside:
You won't see the fantastic light show
from the foot track ðŸ˜)
Our group
7 of us:
Lyndal Tegel - leader + all rope work
Amy Chi
Helen Heng
John Graham
Paul Ma
Tracey Coates
Vijay Kini
Abseil down into Grand Canyon
First thing is to abseil down into the canyon.
1) Lyndal abseiling down.
- Watched by John
Photo by Amy Chi
2) Abseiling down into Grand Canyon.
- Amy
Photo by John Graham
Shafts of light near abseiling area
3) Group photo of the 7 of us:
- John, Lyndal, Amy, Vijay, Helen, Tracey, Paul
- Shafts of light behind us ... not waterfalls
Photo by John Graham
4) Vijay in the limelight.
- White arrow: Only this one is a waterfall.
The rest are all shafts of light.
Photo by John Graham
5) Amy's turn in the limelight.
- White arrow: Only this one is a waterfall.
The rest are all shafts of light.
Photo by John Graham
6) Amy again.
- White arrow: Only this one is a waterfall.
The rest are all shafts of light.
Photo by John Graham
7) Left to right: Helen, Tracey, Vijay
- White arrow: Only this one is a waterfall.
The rest are all shafts of light.
8) The lights are sheer magic !
- White arrow: Only this one is a waterfall.
9) Left to right: Tracey, Helen
- White arrow: Only this one is a waterfall.
The rest are all shafts of light.
Shafts of light at another part of the canyon
10) Lyndal under the lights.
11) Beam us up, Scotty 😀
- Vijay, Tracey, Helen, Lyndal
Photo by John Graham
12) Beam us up, Scotty 😀
- Vijay, Amy, Helen, Paul, Lyndal, Tracey
Photo by John Graham
Another shafts of light
13) Shafts of light at another part of the canyon.
Photo by John Graham
14) Same scene as previous pic.
- Lyndal, John, Tracey
15) Same scene as previous pic.
- Lyndal, John, Tracey
16) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey, Helen, Vijay, Paul
Photo by John Graham
Yet another shafts of light
17) At another part of the Canyon.
- 2 in the front: Amy, Paul
- Lady in black at the back: Not our group
Photo by John Graham
18) Same scene as previous pic.
- 2 in the front: Vijay, Tracey
- Lady in white at the back: Not our group
19) Same scene as previous pic.
- Vijay watching ...
- Helen, Tracey ... at the back
20) Same scene as previous pic.
Fantastic shafts of light !
Photo by John Graham
21) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey
- Lady in black up on the rock: Not our group
Photo by ???
Walk/swim downstream a bit more,
then another shafts of light
22) We are meeting more bushwalkers now.
They didn't abseil into the canyon.
They walked/swam in
from where we'll exit the canyon.
- 3 with helmets: Tracey, Helen, Vijay
- Others (without helmet): Not our group
23) Same scene as previous pic.
- Helen, Tracey, Vijay
Photo by John Graham
24) Same scene as previous pic.
- Amy
Photo by John Graham
25) Same scene as previous pic.
- Vijay in the limelight
- Paul, Tracey ... photographing Vijay
Photo by John Graham
26) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey, Lyndal
Photo by ???
27) Same scene as previous pic.
- Tracey, Lyndal
Photo by ???
More shafts of light
28) These shafts of light never ends 😀
29) Amy ... the star !
- Behind her is Lyndal.
Photo by John Graham
Swims
There are swimming sections inside the canyon.
You should wear a wetsuit.
There are cases where hikers without wetsuits
suffered hypothermia.
They had to be rescued by helicopters.
30) One of the swimming sections.
- Clockwise from bottom:
Helen, Vijay, Tracey, Lyndal, Amy
Photo by John Graham
31) Another swimming section.
- Lyndal ... standing
- Amy... swimming
Photo by John Graham
Please visit my main page at
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/
