Wollangambe River – Pollution Disaster!

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Dave Noble

The recent news of a pollution spill from the Clarence Colliery into the headwaters of the Wollangambe River is most alarming.

Platypus in Wollangambe Canyon

Platypus in Wollangambe Canyon

The Wollangambe River flows through long sections of canyon – Wollangambe Canyon, near Mt Wilson. These are the most popularly visited canyon during the summer months of all the canyons in the Blue Mountains. The River then flows downstream in a major gorge, right through the heart of the wilderness in the Northern Blue Mountains. Lower down it flows into the Colo River. Continue reading →

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Leura – Katoomba Cliffs – 12 July 2015

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Dave Noble

I was up the Blue Mountains with Digi Dave – we had been to a party at Leura. Before heading back home on Sunday – we visited a few lookouts to photograph the cliffs in the cold inclement weather. Some very light snow was falling.

LKC12Jul15-4

Here are a few of the photos –  Continue reading →

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Wolli Creek Fungi – 10 – 11 July 2015

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Dave Noble

Two more visits to Wolli Ck. The Sydney Fungal Studies Group Inc had a field activity on 11 July at Wolli Creek and I thought since the area is close to where I live that I would visit it the day before to see how the fungi was going – and make sure some was still out, and also I could take my time taking photos.

Hygrocybe collucera

Hygrocybe collucera

The fungi was quite good, despite not very much rain falling in recent days.  Continue reading →

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Sassafras Gully – A Look for More Fungi – 9 July 2015

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Dave Noble

This was another of my regular trips to Sassafras Gully to look for and photograph fungi. It had been quite dry for the period before the visit, so I was not too hopeful.

Hygrocybe graminicolor

Hygrocybe graminicolor

The first fungi I found, was indeed quite poor – quite old and died out. But as I proceeded along the track, I start finding a fair bit of fresh fungi out. One new enlace yielded some nice surprises – some very fresh and viscid Hygrocybe graminicolor. This green fungi is always delightful to find, especially so when it is fresh. Continue reading →

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Gardens of Stone – More Photography – 7 July 2015

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Dave Noble

I headed up the mountains with Bob. Our objective was to visit a canyon in the Gardens of Stone area. It was a canyon that I had visited quite a few years earlier, and one that I thought may provide some photo opportunities for the Gardens of Stone In Focus Photographic Competition.

GOS7Jul15-3

Unlike many of the canyons in the Gardens of Stone, this canyon is fairly wet. It has a fair bit of water going through it and some quite deep pools. But it was a very cold way. Well, we hoped to bridge all these pools. Continue reading →

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Wolli Creek Fungi – 5 July 2015

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Dave Noble

This was another walk down the Two Valleys Track from Bexley North to Turrella (and then a little beyond – to near an old quarry.

WC5Jul15-4

On the first section, heading towards Bardwell Park – very little fungi was out – things were quite poor. I kept going along the track and arrived at the rock climbing crag. This was where I had found some good fungi on recent visits. I did find a few green Hygrocybe graminicolor out, some black clubs and some coral fungi. But not too much. Continue reading →

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Lane Cove Fungi – 3 July 2015

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Dave Noble

Another trip to see how the fungi was going. between this and my previous visit it has been quite dry – so the fungi was not as abundant as before.

Hygrocybe lanecovensis

Hygrocybe lanecovensis

Here is a selection of what I saw –  Continue reading →

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Tahmoor Gorge – Bargo River

Posted on July 4, 2015 by Dave Noble

I am not very familiar with the Tahmoor Gorge on the Bargo River, but I recently watched this very nice video that highlights the area and makes a good case for it being protected by a national park.

It certainly looks a good area.

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Gardens of Stone – Taking a Few Photos – 30 June – 2 July 2015

Posted on July 4, 2015 by Dave Noble

The Gardens of Stone Alliance are currently holding a photographic competition. Details are available on the Colong Foundation website. The idea is to get photographers to go out and record the stunning beauty of the parts of the Gardens of Stone that is not yet protected in any national park.

GOS1Jul15-3

I went up with Digi Dave, both of us with our cameras and we spent two nights camping in the area and taking a few photographs. We had nice conditions for photography and I was reasonably happy with some of the images I took.  Continue reading →

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Some Amazing Fungi at Wolli Creek – 30 June 2015

Posted on July 4, 2015 by Dave Noble

Last year, during the fungi season, I visited Wolli Creek a number of times. It is perhaps the closest fungi area to where I live. But the fungi that I and observed there have not been particularly striking. For a fungi photographer I was looking for bright colours or interesting forms – such as corals or stinkhorns.

WC30Jun15-1

This fungi season seemed to start quiet slowly. I visited the area a few times earlier in the year – walking down the Two Valley Track from Bexley North to Turella or riding my bike over and walking down to the creek from Earlwood. On these trips the fungi I found was pretty poor. In May, I visited the area with the Sydney Fungal Studies Group and we found a reasonable amount on nice fungi – but none of it particulate colourful. Continue reading →

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