Wednesday July 3rd to Sunday July 7th, 2024 - From Sydney to Canberra

 

Wattles in Bloom

The wattle (a type of acacia) is a native plant here and is represented on the Australian 'national crest'. It was delightful to see them in bloom, but confusing, as spring is still a ways off. It seems they are thinking it is late winter - so hope they don't get surprised before real spring arrives.

Mosman Beach, Sydney

My last outing in Sydney with my aunt was a trip to Balmoral Beach in Mosman. It's a suburb on the north shore, midway between the city and the 'Heads', where Sydney Harbor opens out onto the ocean.

Bottom of the Harbor - 'Best Fish and Chips in Sydney'

The 'Fish and Chip Shop' is standard fare in Australian towns and cities, so how could I refuse to eat at this one at Balmoral Beach that bills itself as the best fish and chip shop in Sydney. We were able to get our fish grilled, but the fatty saltiness of chips is impossible to 'make healthier'. I got a very nice piece of barramundi and enjoyed every last chip (which to my American friends means French fries!) I'll spare you the photo of my meal!

Active Marina - Note the Manly Ferry in the background

There were many boats moored off the shore. It was fun to see one of the iconic Sydney ferries tootling back and forth in the background - still bearing the yellow and green coloring that has been in use for years. There are now faster boats as well - hydrofoils - but the good old ferries still travel around the harbor. This one was probably headed back to Circular Quay from Manly, which is a famous beach on the Pacific Ocean.

Looking Toward The Heads from Rocky Point Island, Balmoral Beach

There was a lovely little island, Rocky Point Island connected to the shore with a footbridge. From it you could see the narrow opening of Sydney Harbor into the Pacific Ocean - the gap that they call Sydney Heads. The cliff you see off in the distance is the North Head - the South Head is blocked by the curved hill you see in front of it. The narrow heads led into this lovely, deep harbor and the English settlers decided it provided a lot of security for their ships. So although they originally stopped in Botany Bay to the South of here, they quickly moved north to this place because of the protection offered here.

Sandstone Shoreline From Rocky Point Island, Balmoral

I enjoy seeing rocks again - living in Florida, they are few and far between - especially such a nice sandstone showing the diagonal lines of cross-sedimentation.

Just a Little Evening Light at Rocky Point Island, Balmoral

I'm told that Mum used to bring us to this beach often when we were children, but I have no recollection of that. It was a very lovely way to spend an afternoon, even in the winter cold. The gum trees (eucalypts) show up clearly in the light and must have been a strong contrast from the soft English vegetation the first European settlers were accustomed to.

Kookaburra Waits for the Bus, Too

As we were waiting for the bus, we saw a kookaburra sitting on bench on the other side of the road. He was a lovely and nostalgic sight for me. He did no laughing, though.

Bus to Canberra - Three and a Half Hour Drive

Friday morning saw me down near the Central Train station to catch a bus to Canberra, where I was meeting up with one of my sisters. I'm embarrassed to admit that I spent three days in Sydney and didn't manage to get a photo of the bridge or the Opera House! Oh, well - you'll have to Google those and trust me hat this really IS Sydney! The bus 'station' was tiny, just a little office with two buses sitting outside!

Parliament House from Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, Canberra

Canberra is the capital of Australia, in an area called the Australian Capital Territory. Similar to Washington DC, it is not a state. This Parliament House is the second one built - opened in 1988. The grass that you see here is the roof of the building, which is built into the sides of the hill. The idea behind the design is to represent that the government is not imposed on the people - rather than having a building that towers over the Australian population - the fact that the people can walk over the roof is seen as extending an invitation for all to participate in democracy and are able to stand above the government.

Construction on the Waterfront at Lake Burley Griffin

Construction of Canberra began in 1913, just over a decade after  Australia's federation in 1901 (Independence from England). Since I lived here in the 70's, it has exploded in size and construction or reconstruction is still taking place in many areas. This lake is named after Canberra's designer, who was an architect from Chicago - Walter Burley Griffin. The waterfront is being completely re-designed now.

Sunrise Over the Brindabella Range

It's surrounded by hills and mountain ranges can be seen off in the distance to the south. They are not part of the southern alps, but can be dusted with snow at times. At the present, in spite of people complaining of the cold, there is no snow visible.

Gums Trees on Black Mountain.

As I drove down in the bus, seeing the gum trees, soft colors, and the rolling hills brought my affection for this landscape to the fore of my heart. An afternoon walk through the forest on the side of Black Mountain, which is in the middle of Canberra, showed the ghostly shapes of the gums in the evening light. I can't tell you what variety they are - there are over 600 species!

I Think It's Lovely! What About You?

I rather Liked This Old Tree Root - Probably Had Bee Burned

As you can tell, I loved the colors, shapes and textures of the vegetation we saw on our walk.

The Entrance to Lake George Winery

Before I let you go, I want to share briefly some of the highlights of the visit my sister and I made to Lake George Winery today. It is about 40 minutes north of Canberra, and is a special place in my heart, as it was established by my father and mother in the early 1970's.

The Plaque Honoring Mum and Dad is still There

It has been bought and sold a few times since Dad sold it in the 1990's, and my mother died here of a massive heart attack in 1988, so it was pleasing to see that the plaque recognizing them is still there.

Westering Restaurant and Tasting Room at Lake George Winery

There is now a very nice restaurant on the property. I was pleased to see it retains the name 'Westering' - Dad had chosen that name for the vineyard as he knew it was going to be his last big venture. He started it when he had retired from the Australian Navy at the age of 55 and built it from the ground up. It was always his idea, but Mum would often work alongside him, although she always refused to move out to live on the property.

Posing With the Chef - Praneel, From Fiji

We had a very delicious meal, and of course some wine. We started with  Fijian Ceviche, called Kokoda, which was made with Port Augusta yellowtail Kingfish and served with freshly fried taro chips which were yum! I then had a very superb roasted White Pyrenees lamb rack and my sister had Butter Chicken Coq au Vin. I was so pleased with the meal, I indulged myself by posing with the chef - a young man from Fiji who had most interesting tattoos.

The Little House That Dad Built

There are now a number of new buildings on the property, but we think this is the little house that Dad built so that he didn't have to come into town every night. The siding is new, but he designed it with four rooms with walls that run diagonally across from corner to corner. I don't know if it is still like that. It's now called Olive Cottage and is one of the spaces that it rented out to visitors.

https://www.lakegeorgewinery.com.au/stay/

Looking Toward the Restaurant With Lake George in the Background

As it is winter, we didn't have the sight of lovely rows of green vines, but it was remarkable to know that Mum and Dad had planted many of the vines we could see.

One of the Tiny Houses a Lake George Winery

The new owners have put up a number of tiny houses to provide accommodation. This one was my favorite, as it was named after my mother - Rae Hood!

The View From Little Rae

Mum would have loved sitting by this firepit in front of Little Rae, with a glass of wine in her hand and without anyone telling her what to do. 

Sunset Over Lake Burley Griffin

You know I have many more photos I would love to share with you and I have even resisted sharing food photos. Although many aspects of Australian life resemble many ways of America, here is no denying that the vegetation is quite different, and I hope you have enjoyed my attempt to share some of that with you.

Thanks for joining me.