Lithgow's Exhibition Pagoda

On the way back from Canowindra last week we called in on the 'Exhibition Pagoda' exhibition in Lithgow's Gang Gang gallery. 

It's a collection of photos, watercolours, and an amazingly 3D collection of fabric landscape chunks, titled 'Gardens of Stone'. They're based on actual pagoda rock formations in the Gardens of Stone area, and the exhibition is in support of the push for an enlarged Gardens of Stone national park. Lithgow could benefit greatly from such a park, and the niche tourist industry that it could support.

The exhibition is on display Thursdays to Sundays, until 20 June. The real pagodas will be on display for much much longer, we hope, a few kilometres to the north.

 

Artists are Anne Graham and Boyd McMillan

Malabar Headland

The headland between Maroubra and Malabar beaches has in recent years become a national park, and more accessible to the public. Part of it is still a rifle range though, and not always open. It was the other day though, so I was able to stroll at leisure.

Damp but delightful: Lane Cove's bushwalk bonanza!

 

Our unseasonably cool and damp summer weather hasn't destroyed  the bushwalking opportunities around here. Between showers it's actually been quite conducive to a pleasant and scenic outing.

 

Yesterday I was introduced to a nice little 20km circuit walk, starting and finishing in Lane Cove village. It took in Swaines Creek, Stringybark Creek, and both sides of the Lane Cove River.

In fact there are dozens of excellent bush tracks in the area, and I'm still discovering them.

 

 

This summer has been an exceptional one for the New South Wales Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum). There were many fine specimens lining the banks of the river.

Bound for South Australia - 7: More Flinders Ranges scenery

 
 

The view from the Heysen Viewpoint just off the Yuluna Circuit. Heysen was a German-born Australian artist who came to the Flinders Ranges  to do much of his fine work, and who now has a 1200km long distance walking track named after him. It goes to here from somewhere south of Adelaide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are, in the Bunyeroo Gorge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: the Heysen Range from the Aroona campsite

Right Royal revisit (to 2nd oldest park)

 

The world's second oldest national park is just south of Sydney. Royal National Park is big, and there are lots of great bushwalks to be done there. Many of them can be done train station to train station, and the other day I did Heathcote to Engadine, via Karloo Pools, Uloola Falls, Robertsons Roundabout, and Kangaroo Creek.

Ku-ring-gai trails 2: Centre Track

Ku-ring-gai trails 1: Koolewong Track

 

 

 

The Koolewong Track is a short, scenic sightseeing track, going off to the left towards the end of West Head Rd. At this time of year it's a good place to see the winter wildflowers, as are all the other West Head tracks. And from the lookout at the end, there are good views over the Hawkesbury mouth and Lion Island.

Fires? I see no fires

I went up to the Blue Mountains today to photograph the big fires. There have been dramatic ones in the news lately. But the smoke was preventing any views of anything much. It was rather spooky being up there surrounded by all that bush, but being unable to see whether fires were approaching or not.




At Echo Point the tourists were posing in front of the pictures of the views rather than the views themselves.



There's a fire down there, the 'Ruined Castle' fire. But I couldn't see it for the smoke.

Most of the smoke is from the Wollemi National Park etc 'mega-fire' to the north. I'd hoped to maybe get a bit of a view of that one from Evans Lookout, but the road was closed,and the walking tracks too.

Worst air in the world

Our Sydney air is usually pretty good, as big city air quality goes. Last week it was about the worst in the world, with air visibility index numbers higher than Beijing's and Delhi's.

It's been caused by the massive bushfires raging around us. The nearby mega-blaze they call the 'Gospers Mountain' fire could more accurately now be called the 'Whole of Wollemi National Park, whole of the Yengo National Park, Much of the Blue Mountains National Park, and Many State Forest and Recreation Areas' fire. It's horrendous. Most of the best bushwalking areas I've been visiting in recent years are gone. All the other parks are closed, and it's looking like the whole Blue Mountains region will soon go up in smoke. As well as the bushland, that's also a serious number of towns and homes now under threat. Temperatures across Australia are the highest ever recorded.

So far nothing much has happened here in Sydney proper, though that could change at any moment. Everyone's screaming for much more support for the fire brigades and much more action on climate change. The Prime Minister has taken his family overseas for their holidays. The Acting Prime Minister says this concern about climate action is just something the 'raving inner city loonies' worry about. We're in good hands!