palmtrees

Nestled close to the coast northwest of Mackay is a group of hilly continental islands. Newry, Rabbit, Outer Newry, Acacia, Mausoleum, and Rocky Islands are protected as part of Newry Islands National Park. The islands are wild and windswept with rocky, exposed headlands and sandstone cliffs. Rabbit, the largest island, has sandy beaches. A Grassy open forest with gnarled ironbarks, bloodwoods, and blue gums covers most of Newry Island. Small patches of dry rainforest grow in sheltered pockets on the southern slopes. Hoop pines tower over the canopy of Mackay tulip oaks and mountain ash. Orange-footed scrubfowl build nesting mounds in the rainforest. This is the most southerly limit of the pied imperial pigeon, a migratory bird that feeds on rainforest fruits. The islands and surrounding waters are part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and are protected. Seagrass beds around the islands provide a habitat for the threatened dugong. In summer, green turtles nest on Rabbit Island. Source: austhrutime.com/newry_islands_national_park.htm

Newry Island lies 200 m off the south-eastern tip of Rabbit Island. It is a smaller island, just under 1 km long, with a maximum elevation of 75 m. The island is protected from the Trades by Outer Newry Island and conditions are usually calm around the island, apart from strong tidal currents. The island has three small beaches. The northern beach (1084) is 250 m long and is bounded by densely vegetated, 40 m high headlands. It faces northeast and consists of a 50 m wide high tide beach fronted by 100 m wide sand and rock flats. Beach 1085 is a 50 m pocket of sand immediately east of the northern beach and is similar in character. Source: beachsafe.org.au/beach/qld/mackay/seaforth/newry-island-2

As in other cities around Australia, the residents of Brisbane welcomed in the new year, the new century and the new nation on Commonwealth Day, 1 January 1901. The festivities planned for Brisbane were both formal and fun. Churches held services where official prayers were said for the new Commonwealth and for Queen Victoria. Governor Lamington had responsibility for reading the proclamation of the Commonwealth of Australia and the message from Queen Victoria to the Australian people. The people of Brisbane were joined by those from surrounding districts and further afield, who had made the trip by train to see the processions and parades. Women and men were dressed in their finest clothes, and important businesses and public buildings of Brisbane were equally well decorated for the occasion. Source getting-it-together.moadoph.gov.au/queensland/celebration...

Another photo looking toward one of the towers of the Hotel Ponce de Leon in St. Augustine, Florida. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponce_de_Leon_Hotel