Tahmoor Canyon

Last Sunday I went with the bushwalking club to a great new area. New to me and to the club too, according to the elder stateswalkers of the august institution.

Tahmoor Canyon and the Bargo River are not far from Picton, on the edge of the Southern Highlands, about an hours drive south west of Sydney. You can walk fairly comfortably along the canyon rim or along the river bed beneath, you can perch on rock platforms overhanging spectacular views, and you can even swim in rock pools or shower under bracing waterfalls. One of our group even wanted to try his luck climbing down inside a waterfall on a flimsy looking rope, with no apparent means of getting back up. He was talked out of it, fortunately.

We walked out through a scenic forest with the usual angophoras and scribbly barks (look at the way each scribble has a loop at each end, where the scribble bug turned around to retrace his steps). Then on to the rather pleasant and modern Tahmoor pub for recovery drinks and meals.

A great little day out.

N

Getting to know Glebe

We've often strolled around Glebe but until yesterday we realised that all we'd ever done was walk up and down Glebe Point Road and then veer off east to the city.

We did a bit of that yesterday but our friend and guide Zak had plans for us to do a lot more.

On Glebe Point Road he pointed out a grand mansion, complete with circular drive, built and occupied by the architect of Sydney University. Something we'd walked past often enough but never noticed.

Moving westward off Glebe Point Road, another world of gracious living in spacious tree-lined streets awaited us. Here were buildings, churches and homes going back at least 150 years and now beautifully restored.

Historical sites included the first women's refuge in Australia, an early centre for Aboriginal further education, St. Scholasticas Catholic boarding school and last but not least, a Chinese temple. The latter set in spacious grounds and busy with visitors.

We ended our walk at Blackwattle Bay Park, home to magnificent harbour views and the historic Walter Burley Griffin incinerator, before taking a comfortable tram ride back into town.

F

Look who's lurking

Look at this little fellow. He's the Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko, and he's really interesting. He's only a few centimetres long, but when threatened he makes a loud barking, hissing, squealing noise and bares his tiny teeth rather impressively. As a last resort he is said to shed his tail, which then wriggles around to create a distraction while he runs off. The tail then regrows, but bigger and less spikey.

We've seen only two of them about the place so far. One was on a piece of rough sawn treated pine timber, the other on the the brick wall of the garage. And look how they fit in to their respective surroundings. Must read up a bit more about him.

N

Oasis

The finest garden path in Westleigh now completed and inaugurated, it was time to deck out its borders and the island it created with appropriate plants. We chose a life size garden gnome in the likeness of the chief footpath engineer, and some stunning bromeliads, cordylines, queens of the night, and a few green spikey things. We think it'll be the best oasis in the street.

N

Going Solar (again)

I actually went solar nearly 30 years ago. When I built my house in the bush in Tasmania, solar hot water was already a well established and economically viable option. I was a member of the Solar Energy Society, protecting the environment was all the go, and it seemed like every home would have one before the 1980s were up.

Didn't quite happen like that. People became more and more short sighted about their housing investments. They even stopped using insulation again. Apart from places like Western Australia and Darwin, you got to see fewer, not more of the things, on the rooftops.

Well it's all changed again now. It's thanks to the various government rebates and renewable energy payments, plus the Commonwealth Government's latest stimulus package which includes a sudden relaxation of the eligibility rules for the above. I'd been planning to get moving on it shortly anyway, but suddenly the time was ripe, and yesterday saw the installation of our super duper new Edwards L Series thermosyphon solar hot water system. I've already switched off the electric back-up, and we seem to have an excellent on-going supply of piping hot water.

The whole thing, installed, costs around $5000, but you get back around $3500, and the difference pays for itself over a few years. Funny, back in the old days it cost a few hundred dollars, there were no rebates, and the investment paid for itself over a few years then too. Whatever it takes, I suppose....

N