Walking at Mt Banks and Mt Wilson – 5 December 2015

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Dave Noble

I was heading up the Blue Mountains with friends John and Chuin Nee, and their young sons Jasper and Sebastian. We were heading up to the Wollangambe River Clean Up organised for the next day. We intended to camp the night at Mt Wilson. So that gave us all Saturday for some walking.

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On the way up, we stopped at Mt Banks Picnic Area, and then walked up to the summit of Mt Banks. This is a pleasant and short walk with good views for a lot of the way up. There was also a lot of good wildflowers out to enjoy. Continue reading →

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Darling Mills Creek and Lake Parramatta Walk – 4 December 2015

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Dave Noble

This is another walk I did in a series exploring the remnant bushland in Sydney. Travelling along the M2 at various times, I had noticed that the motorway crosses what seems to be a fairly good section of bushland a little south Pennant Hills Rd. The sign at the bridge there says “Darling Mills Creek”.

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My friend Bob knew the area fairly well and mentioned a series of tracks down the valley. After more discussion with Bob and some internet research ( see here and here) I was on my way by bus (a Hills Bus from Wynyard along the M2) to near the start of the walk. Continue reading →

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Wolli Creek – Flying Foxes – 3 December 2015

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Dave Noble

After the nature walk the day before, I headed back late in the afternoon of the 3 December to try and get some better photographs of the flying foxes. I went straight to their camp and then started photographing.

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This is the the time of year that many of the female flying foxes have babies. The babies are usually born in October. And a baby flying fox has to hold on tight to its mother for a few months till it gets big enough to support itself. The mother carries he baby on its nightly flights for food. I did see quite a few baby flying foxes – but they and their mothers were often asleep. Continue reading →

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Wolli Creek Nature Walk – 2 December 2015

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Dave Noble

This was another walk organised by Brian Everingham from the National Parks Association. It was on the walks program as a nature and photography walk. Last week, Brian had led a walk along the nearby Cooks River.

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We met at Bexley North station and then proceeded down the Two Valleys Track along Wolli Creek.  Continue reading →

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Hole in the Wall Canyon – 1 December 2015

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Dave Noble

A very hot day was forecast. It would be a good opportunity to visit Hole in the Wall Canyon in the Wollangambe Wilderness. I was travelling up the Blue Mountains with Bob, and we headed out through the now logged pine forests to the carpark on the Waratah Ridge.

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It is quite interesting to see the difference now that many of the pine trees have been logged. The views from the road are far more extensive. We could see right up to Tayan Pic and Mt Coricudgy and also a maze of pagoda ridges in the headwaters of the south branch of Bungleboori Creek. Continue reading →

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Sydney People’s Climate March – 29 Nov 2015

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Dave Noble

Here are a few photos from the march at Sydney. Heaps of people in attendance. Lets hope there is some real action taking place in Paris.

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Feeding Time at the Cooks River – 28 November 2015

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Dave Noble

I spent an interesting few hours along the Cooks River watching the birds having their lunch. An egret seemed to be doing the best. It was standing in a shallow part of the river (the tide was out) and was regularly catching small fish.

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Here are a few photos –  Continue reading →

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Bowens Creek Canyon (Lower Section of the North Branch) – 26 November 2015

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Dave Noble

This was a very hot day in Sydney and almost as hot in the Blue Mountains, so an ideal day to visit a canyon. Bob had not been to Bowens Creek for a long time, and thought that a visit to the lower constriction of the north branch would be good.

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So we headed up to Mt Wilson and out to the carpark near Wynnes Rocks. We noted a sign saying that the land here has recently been sold. Perhaps in future we will have to park a little further away? Continue reading →

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Taronga Zoo – Visit on 25 November 2015

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Dave Noble

Having a yearly zoo pass makes it easy to visit the zoo many times. This visit I wanted to get some more photos and to try a different camera system to what I took on my visit the week before.

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It was another hot day and conditions at the zoo were quite similar to those of the previous visit. One difference, was in Sydney Harbour. There was a flotilla of P&O cruise ships moored in various places. I counted four huge ships, but apparently there was a fifth one somewhere.  Continue reading →

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Cooks River Birds – 24 November 2015

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Dave Noble

Brian from the National Parks Association had organised a walk from Wolli Creek up the Cooks River to Canterbury. I had hoped to join his party, but I had to stay home early in the morning to wait for a delivery. When my parcel arrived, I rode my bike down to the river and met Brian and his party on the path close to Wardell Rd.

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We proceeded upstream, past Ewan Park to the Boat Harbour. There we were fortunate to observe a Striated (Mangrove) Heron. It was soon scared off by some cockatoos flying past, but not before we were able to get some good photos of it. Continue reading →

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