NSW Archives - The Land Down Under

Last house sit

So after the stunning beauty of the the Blue Mountains we travelled down to warmer weather at North Richmond in the Hawksbury River Lowlands

Looking after Murphy the crazy ball chasing black Labrador

The house was the parents home of the farm owners – if that makes sense . It’s a complicated

The hills around are Apple and Cider country

The farm looking across the paddock on Murphy’s favourite walk

Our last night of house sitting visitor . Thank goodness I am the only one with a mild fear of spiders

Luna and the chooks

As we approach the end of the trip , it’s time to visit old friends . After a while on the Northern Beaches with a few days spare and a very kind offer , we head back to Yarrawarrah

Back in Yarrawarrah first thing to see is burnt bush . Fortunately it’s a controlled burn and the bears are safe

Fleur and Andre let us spend a few nights in her mums flat , with a chance to visit old haunts with Luna

But the main reason for the southward trip was a final trip with Matt and Heather

Who had free run of the kitchen and garden

And a posh night out in my OP shop shoes and trousers

Just down the road from Mona Vale , lies the swamplands of North Narrabeen, home to Maya the cat . So it’s back on the antihistamines for me and another 10 days in the Northern Beaches , this time a little further inland

A cosy little house & very kind owners , who spent a fair amount of time in a hotel in Sydney waiting for the wind to change and their flight to set off for Lord Howe Island

With no dog to walk and a painful shoulder preventing swimming , exercise was still on foot & this part of Sydney has tracks aplenty

So whilst Anita swam I trod the cliff tops – this one terminated in terrific downpour

However, not all walks were solo . Just next to the house were the Warriewood Wetlands & every morning we did a 2.5k loop

Plenty of wild life , I think this is an Eastern Brown Snake

Usually early morning walks after a night of listening to poor old Maya the cat scratching on the bedroom door and crying

Another one off my dangerous Ozzie snakes list , a Red Bellied Black

Last wild walk on the Northern Beaches , up to the Ku – Ring – Gai NP and views down to Smiths Creek

Mona Vale

Staying in Sydney , but heading back to the Northern Beaches . Our first house sit there . And they are not that easy to get . Summer moves into Autumn , but the days get hotter

What the Northern Beaches do best is sand

With temperatures rising up to 39 c , this was the best place to be

Bella the Labrador had a few favourite walking places . The first was a dog park on top of the cliffs South of Mona Vale . Dogs are banned on the beach

Of course I found places dogs are also banned away from the beach

This was the Angaphora reserve near Avalon

And great coastal walks up and down the coast

Blue tongued skunk

Bella was well known in the local cafe – Ruby’s, especially for her big appetite

One of Bella’s longer ventures to Warriewood Beach

Our house was a beautiful weatherboard cabin

Bella’s other favourite walk is to Bay View dog park , with Scotland Island behind

Bella liked a bed time walk through the park and around the life saving club

Some creatures were keen to get out of my way

There was often a great surf out , Warriewood beach from the Sunrise Kiosk

One morning we took a risk and ventured onto the beach

But Bella knew Bay view dog beach was legal and swimming allowed

Gordi and Alison visited with their friends Simon and Gail on the way to Tasmania . A fleeting visit to Palm Beach after a long lunch in Avalon

With my dicky shoulder , Anita was dropping me off on her way to the swimming pool

Our house had a rather long and thin drive

Sunny evenings we often spent above the beach , catching the last few rays

Whilst Anita was swimming I wandered into the surrounding bush

Last few of Bantry bay and desperate for a drink

Ed Sheeran and Stanmore

Having splashed out on Ed Sheeran tickets whilst in a bar in Brisbane, we needed a Western Sydney sit . Stanmore is Inner West , Bohemian and we had 3 dogs including a 3 legged Huskie

Out with Rory the Bordoodle at Glebe Foreshore

The back garden and pool of Cardigan Road

When the Whites arrive you know it’s group selfie time

Matt and the dogs . Neither keen to dive in

The inner West is great for breweries. So with the Sinclairs in town , what better than a brewery tour

The Grifter I think . We nearly bought shares

Dobby and Rory’s favourite game

Canberra tourists part 2

With our list of things to do in Canberra gradually being ticked off , days were passing before the long drive to Adelaide approached

First port of call was the Australian war memorial

Looking down Anzac parade to the Parliament

Plenty of sun and wide views just behind M&H ‘s house

Then our for breezy fish and chips at the yacht club

Next touristy bit is the bridge to bridge walk in central Canberra

And who did we meet , blow me , the “ Angel of the North “

Poor old Matt was given a clay pigeon shooting experience for his Christmas

The result will never be published ( in order not to embarrass the Australian military) , but Matt would have had more chance with a Howitzer

For the best views of Canberra

A trip to Canberra

So after picnics and birthday parties in Manly it was time to head to meet up with Matt and Heather in Canberra

Bad news again. . After stopping for a few hours in Wollongong for a swim , poor old Norm the travelling Desert Rose sadly perished. Someone didn’t learn from previous mistakes

Stopped of in a winery at Coolangatta, NSW. In the blacksmith’s house

Then headed overland through countryside ravaged by firestorms in 2020

M &H were working so there was time to be tourists in the Capital

Starting on a wet day at the New Parliament

In the great hall with an Aussie tapestry

And as parliament wasn’t sitting a chance to see the Congress

And the Senate

And when the rain eased I did what I am best at ..

With the dog and a load of Kangaroos to the observatory

With views of the ranges around Canberra

When the sun came back next day , another walk with Luna

And in the afternoon of to the Arboretum, to see the Bonzai & see how much they’ve grown since last time Anita was here in 2017

Australia Day

Australia Day or “ Invasion Day “ as some call it , came at the end of our Northbridge sit . Everyone partied either discreetly at home or in the case of Sydney, on the nearest beach or beach park

So , while Anita and Daniel drove to the beach in Manly to snorkel. I decided to do the 12km Spit to Manly walk

Be prepared for a long series of photos of my walk to meet them

Past parks and beaches packed with Aussies

As the walk went on thunder clouds came in

Finally reached Fairlight and nearing Manly

All that walking generated a hearty appetite for a picnic on the promenade

For his last few days in Australia & ours in Sydney , Daniel joined us . And Timmy loved him ( neither liked going for a walk )

It coincided with his birthday. So back to Manly

With a few others , Charlie, Ella and Katherine

And whilst the youngsters were out partying, we got back first to tuck into his cake

Northbridge in Sydney

So finishing if this leg of the Sydney trip , the next stop was in Northbridge. A leafy suburb of Sydney, central and near the mid harbour with a lovely dog called Timmy – famous 5 !

A Sheppa Doodle . Part Old English sheep dog . Shaggy and big feet

Plenty of good dog walks around the house , but a bit of a climb up and down to the best parts

Fortunately, unlike Luna , Timmy is not a water fan

Anita’s old junior minister from Cambridge now works locally, so we had a morning at Balmoral beach

More inlets , bays and creeks . Timmy is there somewhere

Northbridge also had a saltwater baths . Daniel spotted stingray

And Anita jellyfish, so only lasted 2 lengths

After a while Timmy smelt too much so Daniel cleaned him in the shower

A big day there for the Surf Lifesavers. Teams came from all over Australia, but weren’t allowed in the sea . Evidently a dolphin was attacked by a Bull Shark . Didn’t stop the surfers . Safely in numbers

Walks with Luna

So when you’re living in the bush by the sea , the best thing to do is get out into the bush and who loves the bush and the beach , but Luna

We had a few last days with Amy before she went back to college in the US

So with the sun out and it was after 4pm it was off to Cronulla dog beach with the masses of dog walkers

Next day Amy’s fairwell meal at Cronulla

Next day I set off into the national park again on a creek walk

Perfect walk and weather on empty trails

Following a local recommendation we had a day at Stanwell Park beach

It had a small dog friendly area of the beach

And the beach got to hot . A good place to hide from the paragliders

Out and about with Luna

Passing the summer days in Yarrawarrah on the edge of the bush isn’t a bad way to pass early January . The pool man came and was very impressed that I’d kept the pool clear , though slightly green

An alternative to having my nails done was a walk home from the nail bar

What way to dry your nails , though getting out not always easy

The local King Parrots were regular visitors to the balcony

Anita often joined the morning dog walks down to Lina’s favourite creek

King parrots gorging , despite our feeding them

Days in the country

With the weather very changeable around Sydney we spent the next week passing our time not doing a lot , hiking , dog walking and checking out the area

The next week or so was mixed weather with heavy showers, especially whilst dog walking

On the only local dog walking beach at Cronulla

Below us is some wild country and creeks for dog walks

With the wind up on the storms further north we had a day trip to Wollongong

21st Birthday Girl

All the way from America, Amy came to see us and so Anita & Ella organised a big 21st day

Behind Amy is today’s first birthday objective

On which she will be joined by her brother Daniel, who admits fear of heights

Whilst the kids are climbing, the rest of us had 3 hours to kill

And then up , there they are , 3rd & 4th from the back

After the climb , off to Manly for Ella’s party

Yarrawarrah

Next stop was 3 weeks in Yarrawarrah. Very South Sydney near the Royal National Park . The house was at the end of a cul de sac and pretty much in the bush

Rather than drive into Sydney we found a spot at Kurnell on the southern end of Botany Bay , a stone’s throw from Captain Cook’s landing place

At 9 o’clock crowds appeared from the surrounding party to join us for the early fireworks

Rather distant on a night that felt more like Redcar than a Sydney , so we upped our stuff and went home to watch telly .

New Year’s Day , first Koala and a dog walk into the bush down to Loftus Creek

Lover of the creek and a good stick chase

While the girls went shopping, I wandered into the National Park

After a hot trail l enjoyed a stroll up the motorway, guided by google maps

Gerry and South Shields

So after a night in Coogee we didn’t need to travel far , staying in Waterloo , still in the Eastern Suburbs. A weekend with Gerry the Jack Russell

Gerry’s owner hails from South Shields and supports the proper team

Now Gerry had some slightly strange habits and foibles eg on the chair behind us for meals

He was also a fan of the fountain in the local park

But we treated him to a trip up to the Northern Beaches

Christmas

So for Christmas we had a full house . Ella & Charlie had made a mad dash up the M1 from Manly with Daniel . So that made 6 plus Lucy & Marley

So the surfing crew headed off to the main beach , but someone had to take the dogs

The beagles aren’t allowed on the surfing beach

Jolly old Christmas Day , excited about the Hello Fresh chicken

Waiting for Santa

So with my arms getting longer , we spent the last few days waiting for family to arrive, along with our Hello fresh Christmas box

Fortunately the rain kept the beach quiet

Managed to get a helper when the rain had passed

Amy takes to the surf

As Christmas approaches, the weather heats up again . But, Ella and Charlie are coming so we can expect rain soon

The lively and lovely Beagles . Resting after a good long session of chasing and sniffing

I just put my ear buds in and listen to a podcast

Chill out , zone out and let them get on with it

After a big lunch and hard morning surfing , time to relax

Whilst I head into the local National Park for a hike despite the broken toe

And one nudist – old and possibly a looney hermit

Urunga Boardwalk

Sawtell is a typical NSW surf beach , so Anita had booked Amy in for lessons . We also took the chance of exploring locally with an afternoon trip to Bellingen and the famous boardwalk at Urunga

First thing first though , a dog walk down to the local dog beach at the Boambee river

A view up stream to the park under the railway bridge

The dog beach is accessed via the walkway next to the bridge . The dogs love the dog beach , many other dogs keeping them happy. I bottled out of releasing them as I probably would never have seen them again

That afternoon we headed to Urunga after a shopping trip to beautiful Bennington

Joining the local visitors from the Caravan ( holiday) park , who weren’t preparing for Christmas in the village hotel

Next morning Amy has her first Sawtell surf lesson. Mates rates , as Caspian our house sit owner also owns the surf club

That night after a trip to the local festivities, the dogs had had their own party

Sawtell & the Beagles

Christmas is going to be at Sawtell . A small beachside town in NSW just south of Coffs Harbour. A lovely two storey town house looking over the bush , with a pool .