Upper Lane Cove National Park - City View Lookout

 

Upper Lane Cove National Park - all burned out!

 

There were a lot of hazard-reduction burns around Sydney over the last couple of weeks. A lot of smoke too. One of them was in the upper Lane Cove National Park, rather closer to home than I'd realised. Here are some pictures from my stroll through the area this morning. 

Back to Castle Hill Heritage Park

 

Looking better and better, and ably delivering its history lessons too. Of early agriculture and the early colonial settlement. Of the 1804 convict rebellion (also known as the second battle of Vinegar Hill - the first one, in Ireland, was what caused the Irish rebels to be sent here in the first place). And then the lessons of the lunatic asylum that was later put here.

More here from my 2020 lockdown explorations: 2020 post

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.87: Arcadia Oval

 

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.86: Hayes Park, Galston

 

It's just next door to the Galston Recreation Reserve, and it's home to these two fine sports clubs.

 

 

 

A nice big space to run around too.

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.85: Galston Recreation Reserve

 

Another fine discovery!

Further explorations up Cockle Creek

I ventured into deepest unexplored bush country this morning. Or that's what it felt like. There were hints of disused walking tracks. There were no other humans to be glimpsed, but a large wallaby hopped past at one stage.

Yet the M1 motorway was just above and to my east, and the suburbs of Wahroonga and Asquith were a couple of hundred metres away to either side. What a discovery!

 

 

 

 

I'd entered this secret world by way of an opening in the bush at the end of Stokes Aveue, Asquith, and I exited with the help of a fortuitously placed footbridge which led to a track up to King Road, Hornsby.

 

 

 

 

I think the footbridge is there to service the mysterious 'Chemical Dosing Unit' which is located near there. I feel the need to research this more, but suspect it's more to do with removing nasties from the creek than with adding them.