The middle of Australia is called the Red Centre, most of this is an area (not quite a state) called the Northern Territory. It is called the red centre because of the deep red ochre of the soil, Australians are taught that this is the deeply, iconically Australian and although people don't say it it's implied that this is unique to Australia.
So imagine my surprise to find myself in New Caledonia, which is thousands of Kilometres from the centre of Australia and find that it too have this amazing red soil which makes everything more dramatic.
Here we are at an area just called 'The cascades' it's about a 40 minutes drive south of Blue River park, if you decide to go 'the long way' back to Noumea, and I would say it's the long-way, you will spend a good 50km or so on dirt roads, have to do a couple of small water crossings. We were in a rental car so of course I didn't care.
But I think this ponds, river, cascades were worth the detour, it is something most people will not see, you are in the wilderness (although not that wild given it's a 10 minute walk from the road and there are a set of powerlines running parrarel to the water.) and it feel a million miles from anything else on year.
