For The Love of Travel

Leaving the hustle and bustle of Sydney, we travelled to Cottage Point in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, just in time for the kiosk to be closing and boats being moored – too funny!

Next, the Wattamolla picnic area in the Royal National Park the next morning – a popular spot for fishing, swimming, snorkelling and bushwalking – we walked to the lookout …..

Otford lookout provided lovely ocean views

Bald Hill lookout is internationally known as a major hang-gliding point and overlooks the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge, which extends along Grand Pacific Drive for an award winning 140 km coastal drive!

We drove to the 1 km long Mollymook beach just as a storm was developing – with lovely threatening cloud formation over Thirroul as well…

Batemans Bay’s Pebbly Beach didn’t disappoint with kangas munching grasses on the foreshore, with joeys in their pouches

Bermagui Blue Pool – one of the prettiest ocean-fed rock pools along the NSW coast. This gem has opaline hues – think azure fading to turquoise to blush, then canary yellow. Whale spotting in Winter and Spring from the viewing platform.

Shell Harbour “rocks”…over summer months, there is often a concert at the marina and Shell Cove.

Sale Botanical Gardens…our last stop before heading for Melbourne, rewarded with a sighting of a white peacock. White peafowl have a genetic mutation called leucism, an inability of pigment to stick to their feathers. However their trains tend to be longer than their blue counterparts, with about 150 mesmerising feathers.

When we first arrived at our hotel, my first landing point was at the Laundrylab @ Kings Cross – to do our smalls washing. Loved the new technology…..no coins needed and washing powder and fabric softener supplied – yay!

Caught up with friends Carla and Antony @ Buffalo Dining Room for dinner, with Mitzy accompanying me and being very spoilt by the Chef, with delicious morsels. Amazing pasta with cheese was served!

Lynne and Suki relaxed at a concert @ the Opera House. Next morning, a gorgeous blue sky, just beckoning for a photo from Observatory Hill.

Then to Wendy Whitely’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay for a stroll…..she still tends to the plants in this garden!

Lunch @ Watson’s Bay…..

Early morning walk, Bondi to Bronte… and coffee @ Icebergs

Museum of Contemporary Art at the Rocks had a few fab exhibitions…here are some artworks I liked..

Sydney Jewish Museum and Sidney Nolan exhibition – best known for his bold modernist work, Nolan’s response to the Holocaust is uncovered at this exhibition, a series of images painted with great intensity during 1961 as the Adolf Eichmann trial came to a close and as Nolan prepared to visit Auschwitz – what he saw there overwhelmed him so completely, that he refused a commission from the Observer, to illustrate the prison camp.

Caught up with friend Robin at the Royal Oak hotel. So good to see her after decades!

A day spent visiting the Blue Mountains via the Big Merino @ Goulburn!

Stayed at beautiful Liliansfels Resort and Spa – luxurious accommodations for humans and pooches alike.  The history of this beautiful property……in August 1888 Sir Frederick Darley purchased over 11 acres of land adjacent to Echo Point in Katoomba. He built a summer residence for the family over the year of 1889, designed by architect Varney Parkes (son of Henry Parkes).The Darleys had seven children and it was Lilian, who died of tuberculosis at age 22, for whom the Katoomba property was named.  The property was used for a summer residence and nearly every noted visitor to Australia accepted the Darleys’ hospitality enjoying the magnificent outlook.  

The Three Sisters have an Indigenous backstory. Sitting 3000 feet above sea level, the story begins with three sisters from the Katoomba tribe who fell in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe. As a tribal law forbade them from getting married, the brothers decided to capture the sisters, and a result created a war between the tribes. To protect the three sisters, a witch doctor cast a temporary spell on the sisters transforming them into rocks, to be turned back after the danger had passed. Unfortunately, during the war, the witchdoctor was killed and the sisters remained rocks for eternity. The best lookout to see the Three Sisters is Echo Point.

The views go on forever at Sublime Point lookout. Located in Leura, overlooking Blue Mountains National Park, this spot offers sensational views of the Jamison Valley, Gang-gangs and cockatoos feed in the casuarinas. You’ll cross a bridge over a dramatic ravine before arriving at the lookout platform. We gazed across the scenic valley views and soaked up the unending wilderness.

Katoomba Falls…(photo courtesy of Walk My World), looks particularly splendid after its rained! We did a short walk from the Katoomba Falls Park, exploring a few cliffs and dense vegetation to enjoy the stunning views of the Kedumba Valley.