This time I was joined by Digi Dave and we spent an interesting and enjoyable few hours on the Cooks River near the Old Sugar Mill. We spent our time between the Dog Area and the Boat Harbour.
On the bridge over the river, we spotted a White Faced Heron flying along, and then landing on the bank. It soon moved off however to the other side, very close to where a Cormorant was hunting. Continue reading
More local birdlife. During the afternoon, I cycled down the Cook River Cycleway to Barton Park, and there visited the Landing Lights Wetland. I then continued on to where the Cooks River flows into Botany Bay. I later returned the same way and then further up the Cooks River to the Dog Area and The Boat Harbour.
Here is some of what I saw. At the Landing Lights Wetland – Continue reading
I spent a very pleasant day with Bob visiting Bell Creek Canyon near Mt Wilson.
We entered the canyon via the usual route – from the RFS building at Mt Wilson, along the fire road and then crossing Du Faurs Creek at the usual start for Clatterteeth Canyon. Then we climbed up the other side. There was a faint track at times, but this vanishes in the thicker scrub at the crest of the hill and some navigation is needed to find the start of the ridge down to Belfry Canyon. Continue reading
I spent a few hours in the afternoon down on the Cooks River photographing the birds. I started at the Dog Area and looked without success for the Tawny Frogmouth family.
Downstream was a nice Cormorant sitting on a pipe in the river. Continue reading
This was a very pleasant walk along a nice part of Sydney Harbour. It was organised by Brian Everingham for the National Parks Association of NSW. On the walk was Brian, Chris, Mary, Maureen, Mary 2, Derek, Roy and myself.
After a trip from the Quay to Manly in the ferry, we set off along the foreshore. Continue reading
Over the weekend I made a visit to Wolli Creek and two visits to the Cooks River to look at birdlife and other aspects of Nature.
Firstly, Wolli Creek on Saturday morning – Continue reading
This was a very pleasant day spent in Dharawal National Park in the South West of Sydney. Digi Dave was keen to get out and we decided to visit the Minerva and Jingga Pools. These were places that I had never been to before and sounded interesting. I had also talked about a visit to these pools with David Hufton, and by coincidence we met him at the carpark at the entrance to Dharawal National Park at Wedderburn.
Minerva Pool
This carpark is at the end of Victoria Road at Wedderburn and there has recently been some upgrades there. Near the carpark is a nice picnic area and toilet block. Signs with maps indicated the way to the pools. Continue reading
The Supermoon had produced another King Tide, so I ventured agin down to the Cooks River for some photos. A month earlier, there had been a King High Tide (and that was about 4 cm higher) and then I had visited the Cooks River downstream from the Wardell Road crossing. So this time I ventured upstream.
The Boat Harbour was certainly very full – Continue reading
During the night, a rather rare astronomical event was going to take place – a “Supermoon” that also coincided with a total lunar eclipse (“Blood Moon”). And as it was also the second full moon of the month, it was also a “Blue Moon”.
Sydney was in a prime position to see the total eclipse, but on the night, it was very cloudy. The forecast was for the clouds to gradually clear, so I went outside several times during the evening. No luck. Continue reading
Hobnail Canyon lies in Range Creek, a small tributary of the South Branch of Bowens Creek. It was first descended by members of the Hobnail Club – probably in the late 1960’s. The Hobnails were one of several bushwalking clubs affiliated with the YMCA in Sydney. Others were the YMCA Ramblers and SPAN. By the mid 1970’s the Hobnails had dissolved. I think many of the members joined other groups like the YMCA Ramblers.
Hobnail Canyon
I had never been down Hobnail Canyon before, but had explored the lower part from Bowens Creek on several trips. I was perhaps discouraged by trip reports indicating that it was not too special as a canyon. Continue reading
