Cromer Heights delights

'Cromer Heights delights' was the name aptly chosen by one of my bushwalking companions recently for her outing to the Northern Beaches bushland  inland from Dee Why, Collaroy, and Narrabeen.

I'd never explored this area properly before, so I was suitably delighted.

There was a large coloured rock platform, providing some rather convincing aerial views of the surface of Mars.

And another rock platform with aboriginal carvings, like this ancestral being one, I think.

We started our walk at Dee Why, and finished at Narrabeen, with the last section being along the recently renovated Narrabeen Lagoon circumnavigation track.



A fine day out, as ever.

The greatest game in town

For many years now the greatest game in Sydney has been real estate. Buying and selling, renovating, borrowing, negative-gearing, raking in massive profits in the usually booming property market.

The other great game is attending auctions. They're always good entertainment. Full of drama and suspense. A great show, whether you've a personal interest or not.

We went along to an auction today in the Northern Beaches suburb of Collaroy. And I did have a personal interest. It was the sale of the two bedroom unit of an old friend of mine. John was a funny old chap. He was an eccentric hoarder, and when he died early this year his flat was frankly rather grotty. A hoarder's hovel, at first sight unsaleable, you'd think.

Fast forward a few months, and with the Herculean efforts of John's friend and will-executor Marcel, it's a whole new ball game. Just look at what he's created!

Every Saturday there are suggestions that the real estate bubble might have finally burst. One day it will. But not today, apparently.

LOTS of people turn up. Many of them are serious bidders. It starts at $700,000, and moves rapidly up in $20,000 increments. Seven or eight bidders are fighting it out. It goes to $5K increments, then $2K, and eventually one thousand dollar increments, and only two couples are left. All heads are swinging right, left, and right again, and then, on the third count, it's "SOLD!" For $844,000 in fact.

John paid $96,500 for it in 1986, so he's done alright. Pity he's not around to enjoy today.











Here's a triumphant trio of auction organisers.

Batman vs Superman

Actually Eagle vs Osprey. a juvenile White-bellied sea-eagle, in fact. I was watching whales at Long Reef, near Collaroy, when I saw the eagle pounce on something. A rather big fish, by the look of it.

Then it was on. The Osprey chased it for several minutes. They twisted and turned, dived and parried. Eagle held firm, and eventually Osprey had to admit defeat. It was a close thing though.

Funny, there was a school group on an excursion there. They were standing around, the teachers barking orders about some project they'd dreamed up. None of the teachers  and none of the students noticed any of the whales, nor the battle of the raptors that was going on around them!

Collaroy collapsing

We've visited Collaroy's Beach Club many times, usually in the company of an old friend who lived in the area. He died a few months back, and then two weeks ago a big storm came through and nearly washed away his beloved club.






 Several waterfront homes were nearly washed away too. Collaroy's been front page news, and there's lots of debate about sea walls, whether they're more trouble than they're worth, and who should pay for them if they do get built.