When I was a kid, we used to come to these sand dunes and slide down them. Sometimes my son's school cricket team goes there to train by running up and down them.
Now they are far less extensive than they were then. They once reached a height of 40m above sea level, and 90m below. Originally covered by timber, they were cleared, and became unstable. They were mined between 1930 and 1990. In 2003 they were placed on the State Heritage Register.
Several Australian movies were filmed amongst the Kurnell sand dunes, including Forty Thousand Horsemen, The Rats of Tobruk, Phar Lap, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.
Read more about the dunes here. And about sand mining here.
Now they are far less extensive than they were then. They once reached a height of 40m above sea level, and 90m below. Originally covered by timber, they were cleared, and became unstable. They were mined between 1930 and 1990. In 2003 they were placed on the State Heritage Register.
Several Australian movies were filmed amongst the Kurnell sand dunes, including Forty Thousand Horsemen, The Rats of Tobruk, Phar Lap, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.
Read more about the dunes here. And about sand mining here.
These are beautiful. Give me a sand dune - a natural beach - anytime to a crowded holiday beach here. Pity, such a pity, that destabilisation has occured. Super photo as always.
ReplyDeleteGreat shot and very interesting narrative, I love sand dunes and we just don't have any here...we did in Colorado (USA) though and little neon green bees would live in them...just fascinating! I really enjoyed the photo below the post as well, great perspective and a good companion for the close up...Mahalo~
ReplyDeleteYour story is another example of public things being used and sold. I would never have thought that sand dunes would be mined for money like whales are slaughtered for cash or forests are felled or lots of other things are taken out of the world and never replaced. It seems like stealing to me but those in charge in 3-piece business suits say otherwise.
ReplyDeleteMy wife, Patty, and I have been married for 52 years today. Imagine that.
52 married years
I adore this panoramic. A wild and beautiful dune without any
ReplyDeleteconcrete
Let us hope that it remains it
You country is fascinating, Sally.
ReplyDeleteFantastic photos.
Thank you for your comment on my blog. If you see my friend Alex Rusinko who lives in Sydney, say hello to him for me :-))
Is wheeled vehicle access limited or are they still doing their bit to destroy the dunes?
ReplyDeleteNice images, Sally
Ah ah you seem to know a lot about French politicians' "habits", Sally!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photo. There are sand dunes in Colorado that you should view, too. We've camped there when our children were small and it's an awesome place. I think I'll google that site, too, just to see if it has changed.
ReplyDeleteSand is worked in Brittany too, into the sea, with many repercussions on the shore...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sally, for your visits to ArradonDP. Coming here, I'm sure to learn something new every day (and to improve my English!)
Beautiful photos Sally and a thought provoking subject. Mineral sand mining is experiencing a boom at the moment. If one thinks of some of the practical and artistic glass objects and monuments, then one can forgive some sand mining but the deserts are full of it; why not leave the beach sand alone or is it the purity which is sought?
ReplyDeleteKewl It looks like something from Mad Max alright!
ReplyDeleteSorry Sally, I took another weekend on the beach in Algarve and was too lazy to carry a laptop to post or comment... Anyhow, I'm glad I came back on time to see some beautiful posts and pictures! The dunes look great.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I miss your comments on Blogtrotter
Another childhood memory of mine too, Sally...we used to take a sheet of cardboard and sit on it to slide down the Kurnell sand dunes.
ReplyDeletesuperbe panoramique, j'aime beaucoup
ReplyDeletesuperb panoramic, I like much
I have never seen a sand dune with an overgrowth of plants like that. It's quite interesting.
ReplyDeleteMost of the sand dunes I've seen are on the beach or of the dessert.
Ming: stabilised dunes are usually covered with vegetation like my Kurnell ones; these are behind a beach....there are certain types of grasses which stabilise them, then the humus build up allows larger plants to grow - up to and including quite tall trees! Amazing really.
ReplyDeleteCaba: happy memories, eh!
aloha: I wouldn't automatically associuate Colorado with sand dunes - mountains, yes! Guess they were a relic from a previous age.
abe: yes, those spivs in suits....
marie: I sure will!
bergson, jilly, jb, kate, alice, poody., mme b, gmg : thanks