Although I had limited the walk number to 10, in accordance with COVID19 rules, and the walk filled up, Celina Li had to drop out, opening a space for Reece. Then on Friday and Saturday, three more had to drop out, leaving us with seven. One other person who signed up, Vasu, was nowhere to be seen on Saturday, so must be regarded as a “no show”. The weather…
Unfortunately one outright “no show”, from whom I have still heard nothing. Note that this trip occured in pre-COVID19 conditions hence the numbers. There were a few changes made in the itinerary, some made as we went along to suit the conditions, and a couple forced by unexpected track closures. The day…
Matthew was the first to arrive at Kangaroo Valley on Friday and checked us in to the campsite. Another 14 people showed up between 6.00 and 11.00 and so the party grew larger, first at the pub and then sitting around Jen’s immaculately restored VW camper for tea, timtams and whisky. We had…
Most of met up at Central Station, with Lily getting on at Redfern and Matthias, Nathalie and Patrick getting on the train at Helensburgh. At Coalcliff station I showed the group the top of the Illawarra Escarpment where we were headed (see photos) and then set off along the relatively new footpath and bicycle way that goes from Coalcliff to Stanwell Park (It was completed in November 2018 and eliminated a dangerous walk along the narrow verge of this busy road). The Wodi…
After the walk set down for here on 31st August was cancelled due to rough seas, this was put on on the next available day for a low Spring tide at the right time on a weekend. Even then, it was originally set down for the previous day (28/9), but a sea swell of 2.3 metres again made it too unsafe to go to figure 8 Pool that day. The forecast…
Quite a long report but I think you will find it interesting. This trip was originally planned for Coolah Tops but that park put on a local fire ban on the weekend intended for the walk, so that would mean no camp fire. So instead I decided to do Mount Royal National Park instead, as there was no park fire ban there, so a camp fire was allowed in their campfire sites (but not elsewhere). It also…
A planned mid morning departure from Strathfield got delayed due to my being delayed by a car breakdown right in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge on the M1 (F3), causing an initial half hour delay. Of course the delay meant I ran into heavier traffic on the Pacific Highway and Ryde Road which meant I was 45 minutes late getting to Strathfield. Eventually I…
Valley Heights steam tramThings didn’t work out quite the ideal way I had planned it. Most of the group had turned up 15 minutes before train departure time, so I got them to go into the second front car to get seats in one group before the tourist hordes arrived. Unfortunately just 7 minutes before train departure, the train staff discovered a broken window in the second car and moved everyone out of it and into the remaining cars (two of which were “quite carriages” not suitable for our group!). And it…
We all met up at Central for the long train trip to Mount Victoria, except Zhong who met us up there. I think that a few of us had had a late night the previous night as some of us dozed on the way up. We got a later train than normal for a Mount Victoria walk, as I wanted to get to One Tree Hill – Elevation above sea level 1111 metres – at 11.11am on 11/11. The date…
Couranga TrackA computer “meltdown” affecting the rail system the previous day caused some anxiety about whether the trains would be mucked up on the Sunday. As it turned out the trains on Sunday (walk day) were OK. Not so OK for me though, as in the government’s usual wisdom it closed down all trains running between Strathfield and Brisbane for trackwork, thus requiring me to meet everyone at Hurstville Station instead of Central. While waiting…