Birds at Barton Park and Landing Lights Wetland – 22 September 2017

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Dave Noble

This was a very pleasant afternoon spent wandering around Barton Park and the Landing Lights Wetland with Digi Dave  photographing the birdlife.

Here are some more photos – Continue reading →

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The Royal Coastal Track – 21 September 2017

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Dave Noble

This was my first time walking all the way along the Coastal Track in Royal National Park as a daytrip. Royal is such as beautiful national park that it is worth spending more time there if you can. As a daywalk, its not too hard. There are a few hills, but none of them are too big and most of the way you follow a very good track.

I did the walk, with Bob. We caught the 8:30 am ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena and so started walking about 9 am. We finished at Otford in time (just) for the 4:19 train back to the city.  My phone GPS measured the distance from Bundeena Wharf to Otford Station as 28 km. We didn’t walk fast, but we did walk at a steady pace without too many breaks. I had time to take a few photos – but really just snaps rather than waiting for good conditions or taking time to improve composition. And – not many photos of the abundant birds. Continue reading →

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Taronga Zoo – Visit on 20 September 2017

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Dave Noble

Since my last visit to the Zoo, I had heard of a new baby Gorilla. Time to go along and see if it was on display to the public.

I started my visit with a walk through the Blue Mountains section – and again I found that one of the Platypus’s there was quite active, and as long as you were patient, then a bit of waiting would be rewarded when it surfaced in the pool. So – not too hard to see, but still hard to photograph. It only surfaces for a short while – and then splashes around a bit, and the pool is quite dark and gloomy, so not the best for photography. Continue reading →

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Field of Mars Reserve – 19 September 2017

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Dave Noble

The Field of mars Reserve is another bushland remnant in Sydney and one that I had not visited before. Before starting my walk through the Reserve I downloaded two maps – one here (from the City of Ryde Council)and the other here (from The Ryde – Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society).

I caught a bus from Sydney Town Hall to the western entrance of the reserve (a 506 bus, to the corner of Higginbottom and Cressy Roads). I then started walking down the Kunzea Track which I followed through attractive forest until it became boardwalk near the Education Centre.  Continue reading →

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South Head, The Gap and Sunset at Dudley Page Reserve – 18 September 2017

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Dave Noble

Roughly a year ago, I had visited Dudley Page Reserve for some sunset photography and that had been worthwhile. It was the right time of the year for the unto set behind the buildings of the city. So, I thought it may be worth another visit.

This time, I also visited South Head and The Gap. I caught a ferry from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay. From the wharf, it a short walk to The Gap and a slightly longer one to South Head.  Continue reading →

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Vale Les Southwell

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Dave Noble

Les Southwell recently died in the mountains of Victoria doing something he loved. He was 88. He was reportedly a very fit and well equiped bushwalker and cross country skier.

Talking to Les Southwell at the Labyrinth, April 2008. Photo by John Robens.

I knew Les as a wilderness photographer. His images of South West Tasmania taken during the 1970’s inspired many of my generation of bushwalkers to also become conservationists and join the fight to save the remaining wilderness in SW Tasmania from destruction.  Continue reading →

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Budderoo National Park and The Barren Grounds – 16 – 17 September 2017

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Dave Noble

John and Chuin Nee and their family were planning on a camping weekend at Carrington Falls in Budderoo National Park on the Southern Highlands. Quite a few friends joined them. In the party were – John, Chuin Nee, Jasper, Seby, Digi Dave, Wendy, Su Li, Brent, Gab, Burnsie, Eva and myself.

Carrington Falls

We met at the Cheese Factory at Robertson, and after a walk through the remnant rainforest close to the centre of town we headed out to the camping area at Carrington Falls. On the way we stopped off at the Robertson Pie Shop. John, had booked us all in on three sites at the campground. This is done online. When we arrived, rain was threatening, so we pitched our tents and then started exploring the area.  Continue reading →

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Cooks River Birds – 15 September 2017

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Dave Noble

Here are a few photographs of birds taken along a short section of the Cooks River and the Cup and Saucer Creek Wetlands.

It was nice to see a few baby birds in the wetlands – Continue reading →

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Yardleys Cave and Houris Kitchen – 14 September 2017

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Dave Noble

I can remember years ago on a trip to Blue Gum Forest via Lockleys Pylon stopping just above the decent down to the Forest from the cliffs to take some photos and seeing people having lunch in a nearby cave across a small gully. I thought this may have been a cave used by either Frank Walford or Eric Dark and thought it worthy of a visit some day.

Later, a bit of internet research, I saw various bushwalking clubs walks programs that involved a cave called “Yardleys Cave” between Lockleys Pylon and Walford Gully. This sounded like the cave I had seen. So Bob and myself got around to visiting the cave on a walk.  Continue reading →

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Photography at Cape Banks – 13 September 2017

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Dave Noble

David Hufton was keen for an afternoon of photography. I suggested a few places and we decided on Cape Banks at Kamay – Botany Bay National Park. We parked at the carpark for the Westpac Helicopter Base, and from there it is only a short walk to the headland.

We first investigated the old cemetery near the carpark. Many of the graves are around 100 years old and the tombstones show many of them were where children were buried.  Continue reading →

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