But the bit I found most impressive was the enormous concrete forest through the middle of it, comprised of all those support pillars for the M2 motorway.
In fact it was quite a welcoming space under there. Roomy, easy terrain, and no unwelcoming signs or anything. You're clearly supposed to be there. I quite liked it!
A pretty small one, this one. More of a picnic park really. But a very nice one.
This time it's Westleigh's Ruddock Park, which has probably never seen such picnicking popularity! But Gladys did tell us to go forth and picnic.
It's often mistaken for a funnel-web spider, and it is indeed venomous, but not deadly. It's to be found all over our houses, usually in or around its big funnel-shaped or furry-sheet-shaped webs high on our walls. Funnel-web spiders tend to be low down, usually on the ground, and their homes are underground.
This one was behind the garden hose reel which I rudely removed the other day.
The black house spider also goes by the name of Badumna insignis.
We're still supposed to be in lockdown, but Premier Gladys was determined to give us some new freedoms. This weekend it was all about picnics.
"You're allowed to have a picnic" said the good lady. And look what happened! The people clearly wanted their picnics. Enough of this exercise nonsense!
Here's the view in Wahroonga Park today.
It started as a conventional enough bushwalk along fire trails, starting at Galston, near the swim centre and Hayes Park.
Before long I was circumnavigating an amazing 16 Hectare paddock, buzzing with electricity, power pylons, transformers, switching machines.
Blackwattle Trail
Patricia Trail
Right & below: Carmen Trail
Ms Fraser's family ran a poultry farm in the area about 100 years ago. She herself was an agricultural scientist. When the farm was sold off for housing blocks, she kept the house and garden, but in later life donated the place to Hornsby Council. You can wander in any time. More here: Hornsby Council brochure
It's in Wahroonga, near the southern end thereof. It's a pretty simple rectangular field, probably only rating 3 stars. Except it's got views of the San hospital, and connects to an excellent network of walking tracks and the Great North Walk. And some rather colourful crimson rosellas too. Definitely worth another star or two.
Five stars!
