Photo Album

31 March to 20 April 2003

Monday 31 March

Landed in Sydney in the rain, not the welcome we had been expecting from Australia. After passing through customs to check we were not importing anything on our boots or in our luggage to threaten their agriculture we caught a shuttle bus that that quickly transferred us into the city centre. The journey probably took half the time it would have if the driver had kept to the speed limits and obeyed the traffic signs.

Sydney Central YHA - 1913 Daking House was designed by architects Power and Adams on renaissance lines and in the Chicagoesque style. It was built in 1913 for Alfred Daking-Smith as a commercial building and had numerous big and small tenants over its life before its purchase by YHA NSW Inc and conversion to the world's largest YHA hostel in 1996.

Tuesday 1 April

Spent the morning organising our three weeks in Australia, booking accommodation, hiring a car and shopping. We decided to concentrate on Sydney and its surrounding areas rather than journey up the coast.

Sydney Opera House

After lunch we took a walk over to Sydney Harbour Bridge along George Street (originally named Sergeant Majors Row), one of the main shopping streets of Sydney. A pedestrian way crosses the bridge from which we were able to look down into the harbour at the Sydney Opera House and Circular Quay. A short walk along the path brought us to the south east parapet of the bridge which along with the other three parapets contribute very little to the strength of the bridge being mostly ornamentation. Inside the parapet was a display of the construction and history of the bridge. And climbing up to the top and paying A$5 each we were able to look out over much of Sydney. Until the building regulations changed and Sydney took on the appearance of Manhattan this was the highest view point in the area.

Walked back to the hostel, this time along Pitt Street which apart from a pedestrianised area consisted more of offices and hotels.

For the evening we met up with George, who had been with us on two of our North American treks. We visited the nearby China Town for a meal and reminiscences.

Wednesday 2 April

Met up with George again for our personal conducted tour of Sydney. Started off by walking down George Street looking at the Town Hall and walking through the Queen Victoria Building, a magnificent structure that a few years ago had become run down and so was going to be demolished, but the building workers refused to do the work. Continued on to Circular Quay and caught the Manly Ferry which took us out into the harbour with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, then down the channel passing Bradley Head to the north and between Middle Head and South Head into Manly Cove which is part of Sydney Harbour.

Circular Quay, with ferries dominating Sydney Cove and the wool stores taking pride of place on the eastern side. When Sydney was founded in 1788, Governor Phillip enforced a British ruling against boat building in the colony, aimed at preventing convicts from escaping. Early settlers had to borrow a ship's boat to travel around the harbour. The ban proved unrealistic for a town on one of the world's finest waterways and it was lifted a year after settlement when the first boat was built. The early ferries were sail and oar, with steam taking over by mid 1800s. The steam ferries were gradually replaced by diesel ferries this century and they now share the harbour passenger trade with Jet Cats. When the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932 passenger numbers halved, but today's ferries carry millions of people a year and remain a major form of transport for Sydneysiders.

Manly -"seven miles from Sydney, a thousand miles from care" - is a resort town with cafes, bars and souvenir shops but it is not over the top like many sea side towns.

From the ferry we walked along The Corso to cross the isthmus and bring us out to Manly Beach, facing the Pacific Ocean, then along the esplanade around Cabbage Tree Bay. Small sculptures set in the esplanade wall gave added interest to the walk.

Climbed up to the view point at Shelly Beach Park to look back at Manly Beach and along the Northern Peninsula coast with many small sandy bays divided by headlands, each apparently favoured by different groups of people.

Returned to the ferry and recrossed the harbour to walk around Circular Cove, with it past shore line marked by small brass discs and around to Sydney Opera House, which occupies the site of the former tram depot. Continued on around the coast to Farm Cove enclosed on the land side by a stout sea wall. Our walk was shared with hundreds of joggers, who had left their city offices for their lunchtime run. After a while we reached Mrs Macquarie's Chair, a stone seat that had been carved in the rock by convicts, at the request of Governor Macquarie's wife. Returned back to town through the Royal Botanical Gardens, ibis with the bills specially adapted for rummaging in MacDonalds take away bags were scavenging around. And so to Macquarie Street, with the more historic building of Sydney, the old Parliament House, original Hospital, former Mint and Hyde Park Barracks. Turned down Bridge Street (the Tank Stream over which a bridge once crossed was long ago enclosed in a culvert below the city) and right into Loftus Street where in a square stands an obelisk marking point zero for all road distances in New South Wales and subsequently Australia. Turned south to pick up Elizabeth Street and hence into Hyde Park and pass down an avenue of Eucalyptus trees to the War Memorial, closed off for security for the day because an antiwar protest was taking place in the city.

Emerged from the south of the park and turned west down Liverpool Street to take us to Darling Harbour, the old port area that has been regenerated with exhibition centres, conference centres, museums, children's play areas, shops and interesting water displays.

This completed a very full walking tour of Sydney with hardly a step taken through areas without anything of interest. We walked slowly back to our hostel for the evening.

Thursday 3 April

A grey windy day and not one on which to do the Bridge Climb and so decided to retrace some of our steps of the previous day to spend more time at places that particularly interested us, as well as a couple that got missed as we crossed and re-crossed the city.

First off we checked out Paddy's Market that was close to the hostel, this contained a large fruit and veg section as well as all other types of goods commonly found on markets. The stalls were being well patronised by the local Chinese inhabitants so it must be good. The on down to Darling Harbour to look again at the water features and call in at Australia's Northern Territory and Outback Centre for some typical Australian gifts. Strolled through the up market Harbour side Market and turned over the Pyrmont Bridge to pick up Sussex Street and head north as far as we could go. On our left was the port and on our immediate right old port buildings in various stages of renovation. with the bedrock foundations showing through. Behind and rising above the old buildings was today's city of modern sky scrappers.

Following the shore line around the northern end of the city we passed the piers of Walsh Bay, some were in the process of being renovated or rebuilt, others were waiting their turn. It will be interesting to return to the area in 2 to 3 years to see the outcome. From here we passed under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and headed south to Circular Quay where we indulged in a lunch of fish and chips with seagulls and ibis looking on as we sat by the quay side.

Still more to do. Retraced our steps north for a couple of hundred yards to explore the area known as The Rocks, the original settlement of Sydney though all that remains above ground level now is Cadman's Cottage. Headed back into town to call in at the Queen Victoria Building which we had briefly visited the previous day. The interior consists of three floor as well as a basement and subbasement and every retail space was taken. Spent some time on the top floor where we could look down on the floors below as well as get up closer to the two large turret clocks, one of which provided an animated display every half hour. Also on display were replicas of Queen Victoria's regalia and other royal jewellery and a royal Chinese coach made completely from jade.

The Queen Victoria Building 1898 Designed by the City Architect George McRae, the building was intended to house the city markets that were on the site. The architectural design was to resemble a Byzantine palace, and contained a main shopping avenue at the ground floor, two levels of arcade shopping above and a produce market in the basement. A coffee palace occupied several floors at the Druitt Street end and a concert hall was at Market Street. Tenancies at the time included an art studio, herbalists, palmists, piano tuners, clairvoyants, tailors, hairdressers, tea importers and dance teachers. Well-known tenants of the time included Lindemans, Quong Tart and Singer Sewing Machines. The building's prosperity was short-lived. The markets were relocated to the Haymarket area in 1910 and considerable alterations were made to the interior. In 1937 the building was completely remodelled, with galleries floored over, ironwork removed and stained glass panels boarded up. Used mainly for offices and storage, the character of the building had changed and much of its internal architectural assets were hidden. With a mounting maintenance bill, the building came under threat of demolition in 1959, public debate raged and the possibility of restoration was considered. Throughout the 1970s, many proposals - for hotels, arts centres, casinos, apartments - were made by Australian and overseas groups. But only one, the plan to restore the derelict building to its original use as a mixed retail centre, met the requirements of the City Council, the Heritage Council, the National Trust and the community as a whole. In 1982 the City Council and Ipoh Garden Berhad agreed on a 99-year lease and profit sharing contract. Since then the company has invested over $75 million to return "the jewel in the crown of Sydney" to its original glory. Opening the door again in November 1986, the building is the proud winner of many awards.

Queen Victoria Building from Sky Tower

Our last stop was the Sydney Tower, the highest structure in the southern hemisphere. Our admission fee included a virtual Australian tour, which was quite amusing and well presented, as well as a ride to the viewing platform high above the city. Spent some time looking around and orientating ourselves, we should perhaps have made this our first call on our first day rather than our last call.

Late in the afternoon we walked back down Pitt Street to return to the hostel.

Friday 4 April

Now for a brief trip around the Sydney interland. We were picked up from the hostel by Aero Car Rentals and taken out to their depot at Lane Cove. After the formalities we left to head north for a short drive on Route 1, which first passed through residential areas until we reached the freeway where we drove through deep and wide cuts in solid rock and over deep valleys as we passed by the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. At Gosford we turned off to head for the coast at Terrigal, a small beach side town with plenty of cafes.

Located the Youth Hostel without too much trouble, though booking in was a bit more difficult as some errors had been made with the reservation. Soon, however, all was sorted and we off loaded our bags.

The hostel gets a good write up in Lonely Planet but it didn't feel as homely as we were expecting and some of the areas, especially the kitchen, were a little sad, the sheets were thin and the tourist leaflets drooping. We later learnt that the property had just come to the end of its lease and the next people had not taken over and so nothing had been spent on the place for some months.

After lunch we walked out to explore the town [Maps]. A first surprise was a large pelican standing amongst a flock of seagulls waiting for someone to throw scraps, though the pelican didn't seem really that bothered. Walked along the coast to Broken Head, a promontory to the east of the town. Dark skies and a few spots of rain threatened to spoil the afternoon. Continued on passed a car park with a bus of old people just sitting watching, and up to Skillion Lookout. Returned into town and ventured onto the beach, following it as it headed north. A group of fishermen were busy on the beach hauling in a net in which there was a large shoal of fish and loading the fish up onto their trucks. They should have been well pleased with the days catch.

Pelican

Further along we reached the outlet of a lagoon, at this point we decided to turn back which was just as well because as soon as we reached town a down pour drenched the place. But we didn't waste our time, and went and bought some fish for our dinner and a few other items, by which time the rain had eased and we returned to the hostel.

Saturday 5 April

During the night we heard the rain falling again. So as we drove out to Putty Beach about 20km south of us we weren't too hopeful about getting a walk in, and even as we sat in the car at the beginning of the walk spots of rain splashed on the window screen. But as we hadn't had a good walk for some days and any rain was likely to be just a shower we invested A$6 in the car park machine and set off at 10.25 with a stiff but mild wind at our backs to walk the Bouddi Coast.

The first section of path took us east across Putty Beach and over a sand bar separating the sea from a lagoon before climbing steps to bring us out at the top of a sand stone cliff. The path around the cliff tops was extensively boarded. Some of the sandstone formations were interesting with some sections broken up by regular lines to give a pavement appearance and others with concentric irregular rings.

After a short while we reached Gerrin Point with a look out spot over the crashing waves below. It was difficult to tell whether the spots of water hitting us on the wind was rain or sea spray.

At 11.10 we reached the wide sandy sweep of Maitland Bay and followed the beach around. The sun started to contest with the clouds for prominence but not always winning. From the bay the way became rougher with a steep and narrow path, in places turn to mud by the recent rains.

After 40 minutes we reach the small boulder strewn valley of Caves Bay and ascended the path to Bouddi Point from where a fire track took us the rest of the way to Bombi Moors with views south along the coast as far as Sydney, reaching there at 12.25.

Turned around and retraced our steps, stopping at Caves Bay for a quarter of an hour for lunch. Reaching Putty Bay again at 2.40 just as a pair of laughing kookaburras settled into a near by tree.

The flora along the way seemed to be more varied than in New Zealand with the bottle brush shaped flowers of callistemons and banksias very much in evidence with an occasional nectar sipping bird feeding on them. Eucalyptus and tea trees were also much in evidence. Even though autumn was on the way many plants were still in flower, though they were all new to us so we couldn't identify them.

Continued driving around the coast to Ettalong where we stopped for refreshments and shopping and then the ridge route back to Gosford stopping at the Staples Lookout for a view over the bays and headlands.

Sunday 6 April

Off to a good start. Called in at Erina Fair for some shopping and a drink, then returned south on Freeway 1. From there we had to navigate around the north west suburbs of Sydney, fortunately the sign posting and our map were up to it and after a few sharp turns we were heading out to the Blue Mountains on the Great Western road. From Penrith (many of the place names are quite familiar) the mainly dual carriage way road climbed steadily into the hills with towns and small villages following quickly on from each other. The main railway line also followed the route we took.

Reached Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, and after driving past the town without finding the road we wanted turned back and found we needed to be on a local road rather than the main highway. Soon booked in at the hostel and made ourselves at home for the next six nights, our longest anywhere since coming south of the equator.

Land Forms The Blue Mountains have slowly evolved over hundreds of millions of years. The cliffs of the upper Blue Mountains belong to the Narrabeen Group of layers formed 248 to 213 million years ago. At that time huge swamps gradually turned to coal as a result of being covered with river sediment. Ancient river systems dumped vast quantities of sand over the region. About 95 million years ago the sea floor spread between Australia and New Zealand. The entire Eastern Highlands was uplifted by massive earth movements. The coastal plain then dropped, leaving the Eastern Highlands as an exposed plateau. The Landscape Today Mountain streams cut through the upper layers of sandstone, following vertical joints in the strata. Soft claystone layers halfway down and at the bottom of the cliffs are more readily eroded. As the softer layers are eroded, unsupported sections of the cliff collapse. Erosion continues today, allowing the valleys to very slowly widen. Flora & Fauna The most common trees in the Blue Mountains are gum trees: there are over 90 different types here. Gum trees have co-evolved over millions of years with the insects, birds and mammals that rely on them for food and shelter. Some Blue Mountain flowers produce large amounts of nectar in the colder months to attract birds and small animals. These animals can pollinate the flowers when insects are not active. Most animals of the area only come out at night. Gliders and possums live in hollows in the trees; small bandicoots, wallabies and wombats live on the forest floor. There are many reptiles, including rare lizards and snakes. The chattering and whistles of honeyeaters, the squawks of parrots, and the 'curr-e-wong' call of the large black and white currawong are common bird calls in this area. Bellbirds can be heard in the gum trees hundreds of metres below Echo Point. Millions of migrating honeyeaters pass through here on their way north in autumn and south in spring. Development In May 1813 Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Wentworth became the first British colonists to cross the Blue Mountains. William Cox and 30 convicts built a road to Bathurst between 1814 and 1815. A little over 50 years later, a railway line was built across the mountains. Tourism was the earliest industry in the Blue Mountains. During the 1880's, John North mined for oil-shale and coal on the western side of the Jamison Valley and the Maxwell family cleared some of the eastern side for farming. Many walking tracks and lookouts were constructed around and into the Jamison Valley. By the 1920's the Jamison Valley and Echo Point had become the most popular inland tourist destinations in NSW. Walking track construction reached a climax in the early 1930's with the building of the Giant Stairway and Prince Henry Cliff Walk that connect Echo Point to the Jamison Valley and Katoomba and Leura Falls. In the late 1950's with the damming of the Warragamba River, the Jamison Valley became part of the catchment area for Sydney's water supply. Conservation Conservation by non-Aboriginal people in the Blue Mountains began when the first reserves to safeguard land from development were made in the 1860's. Over the next seventy years hundreds of new reserves protected waterfalls, cliffs, forests and catchments in the region. Local community trustees managed these parks and developed some with walking tracks, lookouts and other tourist facilities. The first reserve at Echo Point was gazetted in 1883. In 1934 conservationist Myles Dunphy published his map of a proposed Greater Blue Mountains National Park. The development of the Australian conservation movement has strong links with the Blue Mountains. Blue Mountains National Park was created in 1959, and has been increasing in size ever since. In 1989 Geoff Mosely first provided the impetus for World Heritage listing in his book "Blue Mountains for World Heritage". In November 2000 the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area was recognised for its outstanding biodiversity and ongoing ecological and biological evolutionary record. The local community continues to care for this area through volunteer bush care groups and conservation organisations.

Katoomba YHA was once a private hotel that has now been converted into a hostel, but many of its features have been retained, including a dance floor (now lounge) and sun terrace. Very comfortable and friendly. A well provisioned information room as well as a daily paper.

Three Sisters

After lunch we wandered down to Echo Point to get our first view over Australia's 'Grand Canyon' and called in at the information centre. Sat for a while watching the carrawong flying about whistling and shrieking. Returned to the hostel by first following the 'Prince Henry Cliff Walk' until we reached Merriwa Street and then headed back into town. Our in the sun the temperatures were quite pleasant, but once in the shadows the air had a distinct chill to it. New birds presented themselves to us, the cockatoo was easily recognised, but the yellow robin, rosella and some small finches were more difficult.

Monday 7 April

Bumped into Lisa again, for the forth time. She had just spent a night in the same hostel, but was moving on again with a group.

Left the hostel at 9.00 and walked down to Echo Point to start our days gaunt. Saffron Crested Cockatoo were flying around as we walked down the road, squawking as they went.

At 9.20 we started down the concrete tourist path to the Three Sisters and gave them a quick visit before starting our descent down the 900 or so steps of the Giant Stairway. The stairway had first been proposed in 1914 and work started two years later. However, with only a quarter of the work completed they were abandoned due to cost and it wasn't until 1932 when work began again and they were completed. The stairway are a mixture of steel staircases and steps cut into the rock but at all times hugging close to the near vertical cliff below the Three Sisters. For assurance a strong fence and handrail has been provided.

After 15 minutes we were at the bottom and we started to make our way north up the Dardanelles Pass. The reasonably good path slowly descended through woodlands of fern trees, eucalyptus, turpentine trees and coachwoods. On the ground was a thin scattering of small ferns. In the tree tops cockatoos filled the air with squawks.

At 9.55 we reached Leura Forest picnic shelter and spent a few minutes looking about before turning south down the Federal Pass to return in the general direction from which we had come, but further into the valley. The squawks of the cockatoos was replaced by a high pitch ting which though very different from the call in New Zealand we think were bell birds.

After an hour we picked up a tourist path as we approached the Scenic Railway and mingled with the 100 or so passengers who had descended on the train. The railway was originally an incline that had been built in the 19th century to carry coal that was being mined at the bottom of the cliff up to the main line at Katoomba. With the development of tourism people used to ask to be carried back up the cliff on one of the rail wagons and the company had a special wagon with seats built to oblige. One women asking about safety was reassured when told that in the event of the rope breaking the wagon would stop in 3 seconds, neglecting to say that this would be the time taken to hit the bottom! An interesting audio/visual of the mining era was provided mounted in the rock wall and interpretation boards were also provided.

Looking up we were able to see Katoomba Falls.

After spending some time reading and watching, we set off at 11.20 to make our way around to Ruined Castle, a rock formation beyond Narrow Neck Buff that from the distance looks like a ruined castle.

Crossed over an area of land slip that occurred in 1931 after the props from an abandoned mine were removed and the ceiling caved in. Found a flat slab on which to sit and took a short break. From the land slip the path levelled out as we followed an old tramway that was used to haul coal from the Ruined Castle mine. With the forest now much more open with little undergrowth the song of the Bell Bird returned and they could be seen fluttering about overhead in the canopy. Passed by Golden Stairs and pressed on. The track, which continued on to Mount Solitary took us below Ruined Castle where we had to make a short steep climb up onto the ridge and then walk along passed other rock mounds until we finally reached the one that seemed to be the highest, it was also occupied by eight other people so this was a good indication. Scrambled up the rocks and found ourselves a suitable spot for our lunch.

Narrow Neck Bluff From Ruined Castle

Katoomba Falls

After about half an hour of looking around at the views we retraced our steps back to the Scenic Railway and then picked up Furbers Steps to bring us back to the top of the cliff. The steps are not as steep as the Great Stairway and had a number of view points of Katoomba Falls on the way up. From the top we walked around Prince Henry Cliff Walk, part of the section was used as a walk for blind people with interpretations of the feel of the plants and the smells and sounds around. Stopped at one lookout point to look down on a flock of cockatoos as they flew about over Furbers Steps. The path all the way round to Echo Point was closed off and so we had to walk back into town up a long flight of steps, but it did save us some distance.

Tuesday 8 April

For today's walk we chose something easier 'medium to hard with stairways and many steps', but it was only about 7km in length.

Drove to the walk start at the Conservation Hut, Wentworth. From the hut we followed the track down plenty of steps (we had to come back up these), through open forest until we came to the Overcliff Track. The route narrowed to a path with dense undergrowth. The surface was rough and muddy in places. A number of lookout points provided views to our right, over the treetops of the Jamison Valley, as far as Mount Solitary. From the Overcliff Track the path continued on the Undercliff Track passing under low overhangs where erosion had worn away the softer clay between the sandstone layers. At the top of Wentworth Falls we crossed over the Jamison Creek to follow a path trod by Charles Darwin in 1836. A spectacular set of stairs, cut into the cliff face and thankfully protected by a strong rail descended to the lower sections of the fall. The fall does not have much of a vertical drop but the water hitting a rock shelf and breaking into a cascading spray over the rock creates its beauty.

Wentworth Falls

Crossed over the Jamison Creek again and head back in the direction we had come but this time on the lower National Path. Water dripped off the rock over hangs as we squeezed along the narrow ledge. A section of the National Pass has been closed due to safety and so to complete our walk we had to descend down Slack's Stair (constructed in 1932), with warnings that the route was only suitable for experienced walkers and that the steeper stairs should be descended facing the rock. This brought us on to the Wentworth Pass Track where we turned again towards the Jamison Creek for more views up at the Wentworth Falls before turning one last time to head back along the base of the cliffs. Apart from the occasional steps and scrambles over the banks of streams the path was reasonably easy going until we reached Valley of the Waters Creek and we started a long haul up the steps to return us to the top of the cliff and Conservation Hut

On the way up we stopped at Empress Fall to watch in amazement a group abseiling down the falls.

Reached Conservation Hut at lunchtime and so found ourselves a picnic bench where we sat and ate our lunch before returning to the hostel for an early finish and time to catch up with postcards, diaries and washing.

Wednesday 9 April

With mist and threatening clouds we decided that we would be best to head for the lower slopes and so drove down to Glenbrook, a village about 40km away, that we had passed on the way in. Lonely Planet described a walk that would take us to the Red Hand Cave that we had thought to walk but when we arrived we found that most of the trails had been shut due to damage caused by a major forest fire just over a year previous.

After discussion with the staff at visitors information we opted to take the short walk down to Glenbrook Gorge and then follow the gorge along until it met with the Nepean River.

Set off at 11.25 and made our way down well formed steps to the gorge. All around were trees whose trunks had been singed but not burnt through and the vegetation was recovering fast.

Reached the canyon and started to make our way down it. As far as we could see there was no formed path but many people had left their foot prints there before us on the patches of sand between the boulders and rock slabs across which we walked. However, as we progressed further into the canyon the way became more difficult, with large rocks and thick vegetation, despite crossing the stream a couple of times and climbing higher up the bank to try to find a better route. In the end we decided to turn around and work our way up stream instead.

Kookaburra

As we reached the point at which we had joined the canyon, on the ground in front of us was a lyre bird scratching in the earth for grubs. It didn't seem too concerned about us but as soon as we tried to approach to get a better picture in wandered further back into the undergrowth to continue its search. Our journey up stream brought us to Jellybean Pool, once used for swimming but now a bit contaminated. We sat down for lunch and were soon joined by a kookaburra who patiently sat and watched us eat, coming up quite close. Even as we left the kookaburra still sat watching us.

Returned to the park entrance with the intention of setting off to walk to Euroka Clearing, but from the 3D sketch map at the information point we weren't able to discern with any confidence in what direction we should head to find the start of the path we decided to give it up as a bad job and drove back to Katoomba.

After our evening meal, just for a change we went to The Edge cinema to watch Chicago, as YHA members we received a large discount which added to the enjoyment.

Thursday 10 April

The weather still wasn't great but at least it wasn't raining and so we headed for Blackheath, 10km further up the road. Again a number of paths were shut because of fire and landslip damage but at least this time we were aware in advance and so planned for it.

First off we called in the National Park centre and had a look around at the interesting exhibits on the wildlife and early explorations. Then we drove down to Govetts Leap Lookout to start a short walk around the cliff edge to Pulpit Rock. Just as we arrived a swamp wallaby hopped across the road, our first sighting of a marsupial. Leap is a Scots dialect word for waterfall and does not indicate a spot at which someone decided to take a jump.

At 10.25 we set off with Grose Valley spread out to our right, a large canyon with high sand stone walls standing above eucalyptus covered slopes running down to the creeks in the bottom. Apart from a few flights of high steps the way was pretty easy going with good views most of the way. Vegetation varied as we passed in to and out of damp and dry areas with plants too many for us to be able to identify but including pinks of flunnel and mountain devil, banksia in flower and of course, various eucalyptus both as trees and shrubs. As we reached Pulpit Rock, after an hour, the sun started to break through giving some contrast to the view.

Grovetts Leap

The valley of Grose River was first sighted from the east by Governor Phillips in 1789. Whale Boats up the Grose An attempt to follow the river from its junction with the Nepean was made by Captain Patterson in 1793. He managed 10 miles or approximately to Wentworth Creek in 10 days, with whale boats and convict crews. In 1804 George Caley roamed through the "Devil's Wilderness" and arrived at Mt Banks, his destination, and was impressed by the extent of the Gorge below him. Mapping and Vision of a Railway Early in the 1830's, the Grose River was mapped by Govett, for Surveyor Mitchell. At this time it was speculated that a road and railway could follow the river, and a tunnel through the mountains of Mt Victoria would be feasible. Not until 1847 or thereabouts had anyone reached the base of the falls. Between 1857 and 1860, #20,000 was expended to build the "Engineer's Track" from the Nepean to the Darling Causeway, on the south side of the river. The costs for the railway were estimated at #15,000 per mile, and the idea abandoned. The track allowed the first tourists into the valley, and books by Louise Atkinson (botanist) and the Reverend Clarke (geologist) were printed about this time. Possible Mines and Dams In 1865 prospectors located shale oil in the valley, but this was not exploited in a big way due to transport difficulties. Between 1867-69, a Royal Commission was engaged in a study to dam the river for Sydney's water supply and in 1875 the area was reserved in a catchment supply area. In 1925 the Grose was resurveyed for water supply. Happily this never went ahead. Artistic Prospects In 1875 Eccleston du Faur led an Academy of Art Expedition into the valley. Artist William Poigenet's views of the valley are preserved in the Mitchell Library in Sydney and photographs by Biscoff recorded the pristine beauty of the Gorge. Rodriguez's Fabulous Tracks The era of track building for tourists in the Grose begins in 1899 when Tomas Rodriguez completed the track from here to the base of Govetts Leap. In 1900 he extended it halfway to the Blue Gum Forest (Rodriguez Pass). The opening of these tracks attracted international attention and visitors flocked to the area. The Blue Gum Forest Campaign Blue Gum - A Cradle of Conservation In the early 1930's C A Hungerford was granted a lease of land in the Blue Gum Forest. In 1932, after a long campaign, Miles Dunphy, Alan Rigby, the Mountain Trails Club and Sydney Bushwalkers Club bought back this lease and dedicated the land to public use. It and other small parcels of land around the valley were managed by trusts and committees, with mostly volunteer workers and support. Birth of a National Park In 1959 the first Blue Mountains National Park was declared, an area of 62,000 ha centred on the Blue Gum Forest. The area now preserved in the Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd, Nattai and Wollemi National Parks is nearly one million hectares. Aboriginal Culture in the Blue Mountains area Occupation by Aborigines began at least 14,000 years ago. Throughout the Blue Mountains, evidence of Aboriginal activities of the past can be seen in the form of stone implements, rock engravings and grooves as well as hand stencils and drawings in the cave shelters. Radiocarbon dates obtained from several sites in the Blue Mountains reveal that occupation by Aborigines began some 14,000 years ago whilst in other areas this date exceeds 40,000 years. From the study of Aboriginal sites in the Blue Mountains and elsewhere in Australia., it is believed that the Daruk Tribe inhabited this area whilst the Gundangara inhabited the southern Blue Mountains and Kanangra-Boyd National Park.

After 20 minutes looking about we walked back to the car park for our lunch which we ate in the company of kookaburra, ravens, red wattle birds, and carrawong. We had hoped to see the wallaby again but we weren't in luck.

Before leaving Blackheath we drove over to Evans Lookout which also gave good views over the canyon. Can one view be better than another?

For the latter part of the afternoon we drove back to Leura, the village next to Katoomba and had a look along the main street with its small shops and cafes before driving out to Sublime Point to look at the Three Sisters from the opposite side and also get a slightly different perspective on the Jamison Valley. We then returned to Katoomba along the Cliff Drive.

Friday 11 April

Jenolan Arch

Spent the day on tourism. First we travelled out to Jenolan Caves to have a look round. The first surprise that it was a drive-in cave, the roadway enters the site through an arch way, the first part of the cave system to be discovered in 1838. Other sections were quite slow in coming to light, not being discovered for at least another 40 years. The cave complex is quite large and guided visits are organised to individual sections at staggered times, however, it was a bit difficult to work out which ticket combinations permiated best with the tours available in the time slots. In the end we went for the 10.30 tour to the Chifley Cave following up with the Lucas Cave at 11.45.

For our first group the numbers were less than a dozen and except for ourselves were mostly in their twenties. Also, the guide was amusing as well as clearly spoken so making the visit both enjoyable and informative. The Chifley Cave was discovered in 1880. When it was opened to the public in 1882 it had electric lighting installed, one of the first uses for the new invention. People came not just to see the cave but also to wonder at the lighting.

For our second tour we were with a group of over fifty people, which was much too big. Despite the fact there were over 900 steps up and down there were some older people with us, but to our surprise it wasn't them that held us up so much as the photographers. Pushing such a large group through took time and we stood waiting for five minutes or more on several occasions. Although the guide was still quite good the tour was not as enjoyable as the first as we weren't able to interact so easily with him.

Once back out we hurried a drink and our sandwiches before rushing off to the 'Zig-Zag Railway' outside Lithgow, arriving at 2.55 with 5 minutes to spare. As it was we needn't have hurried quite so much as we had to wait ten minutes for a maintenance train to come up the line.

The zig-zag section was built in 1869 as a solution to getting trains up a steep hill to the Blue Mountains plateau. The track ran across the face of the hill at a gradient of 1:42 and when it had run out of hill it ran into a siding then back across the face of the hill so that the train first travelled forwards then backwards. To get up the hill required the train to change direction twice. The section was decommissioned in 1910 when a new tunnel section was constructed. The 'Zig-Zag' is now run by volunteers as a co-operative, they seem to be doing it most successfully with half a dozen different types of engines in their shed and a number of enterprises to raise money. For a topic that we are not particularly interested in we found it remarkably enjoyable.

Zig Zag Arches

Saturday 12 April

Left Katoomba after a pleasant six days and drove back down the road east before turning south to pick up the main highway down towards Canberra, passing first through farmland, then bush before emerging on the limestone plain of Canberra. On the way, because we had not found anywhere else to stop, we called in at the small pleasant town of Picton (10km off the highway) for a mid morning break. A few miles further on we came upon the first service area - too late. At Goulburn we stopped in the sunshine beside a park to eat our sandwiches and to find out where the 'Big Marino' was, a 3 story high concrete replica that houses a gift shop.

Passed by Lake George, which didn't appear to contain a drop of water and indeed was grassed over as far as we could see, yet signs beside the road warned that the road was liable to flood. I bet the locals wish it would rain so that the draught would end.

By mid afternoon we reached Queanbeyan a few miles outside Canberra where we would be spending a few days with George, who we had met in the States six month previously, and Monica. A few minutes navigating Queanbeyan streets and we were there.

Sunday 13 April

Commenced our two day tour of Canberra with George and Monica as our guides, Starting off with Old Parliament House. As we arrived a tour was just about to depart and so we joined it to be guided around and visiting areas, such as the press quarters, where the public doesn't usually get.. Afterwards we spent some time wandering on our own, the exhibition of political cartoons was amusing even if we couldn't understand all the nuances.

Making headlines Old Parliament House made headlines for more than sixty years as the home to Australia's Federal Parliament from 1927 to 1988. Today, the house is one of Canberra's most popular tourist attractions telling the stories of Australia's rich and colourful past. A national treasure Built in the 1920s, this beautiful building is heritage-listed and a treasured Australian icon. The building boasts an innovative use of natural light and native timbers, outstanding craftsmanship and attention to detail. Much of the original 1927 furniture is also on display.

Next we were on to the New Parliament House. For security, we had to park round the back of the building and then walk 1km round to the front, fortunately it stayed dry until we were almost there. Just as we arrived another tour was about to leave and so we again joined it. Our guide was extremely informative taking us through the Great Hall, into the Houses of Representatives and on the Senate, explaining on the way the design concepts as well as the traditions of the House and some of the events that took place there.

Afterwards we took a picnic by the side of Lake Burley Griffith (named after the architect who laid out the Canberra town plan). Canberra is a city that was designed from scratch in the early 1900's as the two principle cities of Melbourne and Sydney would not agree that the other would be the capital. After an extensive search a sparsely populated site was found and a new city with wide roads, numerous parks and an integrated structure was planned. Through the middle of it ran a small river with a swampy flood plain that in the 50's was dammed to create a lake in the centre of the city. Our next visit took us to the National Capital Museum which told Canberra's story from the search for a site, an architect, a name etc., through to the present day.

The final visit of the day was to the Australian War Memorial, built at the end of Anzac Parade, on the main axis running through the city. The memorial told the story of Australia's contribution to the defence of world peace over the last century with many paintings, models and artefacts.

The Australian War Memorial commemorates the sacrifice of Australian men and women who have served in war, through its ceremonial areas, extensive exhibitions and research facilities.

The focus of commemoration is the Hall of Memory, together with the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, the Pool of Reflection and the Roll of Honour that lists the names of over 102,000 Australian servicemen and women who have died in war.

Monday 14 April Our second days visit started with a drive to the top of Mount Ainslie which together with Capital Hill defined the main axis for the town plan of Canberra. Looking down from the top we could look over the top of the Australian War Memorial and straight along Anzac Parade and across to Parliament House. From Mount Ainslie we moved on to the National Museum of Australia.

Looking down from Mount Ainslie

Australia has some great stories. Now there's a place we can all explore them. The National Museum of Australia is the first in the country devoted to telling great stories about Australia and Australians. The National Museum of Australia doesn't look like a museum and it certainly doesn't feel like a museum, Even the amazing architecture of the Museum is like nothing you've ever seen. This Museum uses new ideas, state-of-the-art technology and hands-on interactive exhibitions so visitors can actually experience the stories of the nation. Best of all, entry is free! The National Museum of Australia is just as much about the future of Australia as it is about the past

They are correct in their statement that the best thing about the museum is that it's free. The building in which it is housed is out of keeping with the rest of Canberra, particularly its highly coloured flying entrance. Inside whilst many individual exhibits are excellent there is no theme running through it that leads visitors on from one section to another. Sometimes technology has been used for its own sake rather than because it helped to put the story over.

Drove out to a picnic spot close to the National Carillon, a bell tower set up on Aspen Island in Lake Burley Griffin, for our lunch. Whilst we sat there we listened to the chiming of the bells, not as a peel like we are used to but more as an orchestral setting.

National Carillon Experience one of Canberra's most striking landmarks and a peerless musical centrepiece. With 53 bronze bells, the National Carillon was built as a gift from the British Government to the people of Australia to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Capital. The 50m high carillon tower ranks among the worlds largest and allows the sound of the bells to drift across Lake Burley Griffin. Many styles of music are presented, from original compositions specially written for the Carillon to popular song arrangements and improvisation.

After wandering along the lake shore for a few minutes, viewing a couple of naval memorials, with the wind whipping up waves and throwing them at the wall surrounding the edge, we set off for Questacom, a science and technology centre. When we arrived we found it difficult to make out just what was on offer for our entrance fee. On further investigation we discovered that the exhibition was mainly aimed at children and so decided to give it a miss.

Lake Burley Griffith

On top of Black Mountain, about 4km to the north west of Capital Hill, stands Telstra Tower a communication tower. Built in 1980, it rises another 195m above the hill. For a small sum we were able to travel up to an observation platform and take a look over the city. We weren't able to go up onto the open deck above as the wind was too strong. For the final part of the afternoon we returned to Queanbeyan to take a look at the town that was in the area before the development of Canberra.

Queanbeyan traces its history back to 1820 and its status as a township to 1838 from which date some building still stand. Queanbeyan early years were mainly concerned with agriculture. William James Farrer a developer of new strains of wheat to withstand the adverse local conditions lived and worked in the area. With the building of Canberra nearby Queanbeyan became a dormitory town for the more senior officials until better facilities were built there. Queanbeyan was created a city in 1972.

Our tour was completed with a visit to a cafe to sample an Anzac Biscuit.

Tuesday 15 April

Back on the road again. After stocking up on food, filling up with petrol and replenishing our cash we left Queanbeyan and continued south, leaving behind the populated areas around Canberra and out into sheep country. Although there had been some rain over the past few days the grass still had a parched appearance with the sandy soil showing through the slightly greening grass on the low hills. With autumn, the colours of the introduced trees were changing to reds, oranges and yellows but the eucalyptus kept its sage green.

Passed through the villages of Michelago and Bredbo, the only ones on the 100km of road until we reached Comma where we first called in at the information centre for the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme. Spent half an hour wandering around the exhibits on how all the rivers, dams, reservoirs, tunnels and turbines join together to generate electricity and provide water for irrigation for the Murray-Darling Basin which enables the area to grow A$3 billion worth of agricultural produce. The well displayed exhibits also told of the engineering techniques and human effort employed in the 25 years that it took to complete the scheme.

The Power of Water - the Snowy Mountains Scheme A pick and a shovel was all that was available to cut an access track to the Number One dam site at Jindabyne in April 1950 - the men didn't even have crowbars. One local stopped to observe the progress was sceptical about the chances of a dam ever being built there. He reckoned "the first cartload of dirt they tip'll wash away before they get the next one down." The Snowy was not built with a horse and cart, but in the first few months, it must have seemed that way. The enormous Snowy Mountain Hydroelectric Scheme was born from a remarkably simple concept and became one of Australia's greatest engineering achievements. 100,000 people, including migrants from more than 30 countries, worked hard in tough conditions to construct this complex dual-purpose scheme. Over 25 years they built a network of dams and power stations to supply both electricity to south-east Australia and water to the Murray and Murrimbidgee irrigation areas. Many of the workers came to Australia in search of a new way of life - away from the upheaval in Europe after World War II. A symbol of the multiculturalism and new-found peace that existed in the workforce was a sign on the door of the Tolbar substation built in 1955 - 'Built by the willing Co-operation of Men of Many Nations - the World Please Note!'. Set within the Snowy Mountains, the scheme includes 16 major dams, 7 power stations (two are underground) and one pumping stations. 145 kilometres of tunnels and 80 kilometres of aqueducts were constructed to carry water to the storage systems. In the process of building the scheme, three towns had to be relocated - Adaminaby, Talbingo and Jindabyne. More than 100 buildings were moved from the old town of Adaminaby. When a new site was chosen for Jindabyne, residents and the Snowy Mountains Authority decided to take advantage of a north-facing lake shore position.

Stopped in the small town of Cooma to look around and have a snack. Called in at the Information Centre where we found that there were a couple of guided walks starting from Thredbo over the next couple of days.

Turned west on the Snowy Mountains Highway for a few miles before turning off towards Jindabyne. Rocks and boulders from glaciation started to appear in the fields which were now taking on a greener huge, though they had not recovered there full colour.

At Jindabyne we crossed the reservoir dam with the water about 20m below its maximum level. Called in at their Information Centre to look at the exhibits and to read more about the area. I do like a well present display of the local history and geography.

Pushed on to Thredbo, the road slowly rising before us, then suddenly the Snowy Mountains appeared ahead of us - through a veil of rain which started to fall intermittently on the window screen.

The Snowy Mountains - a special place in the world The air is as exhilarating as champagne  On the summit itself one sees as far as the eye can reach ranges of mountains succeeding each other until they fade away in a distant horizon, and presenting the appearance of a billowy ocean  It gives one a broader view of men and things.' Kosciusko was one of the first parks to come under the control of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service after its creation in 1967. The park is subject to a number of national and international arrangements, among them the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve system and the Australian Alps management agreement. Kosciusko is part of the system of 'Man and the Biosphere Reserves' of which there are 11 others in Australia and more than 200 in the world. These protected areas were selected to contribute to nature conservation, to foster sustainable economic and human development and to support training, education and research. This reserve system differs from many others in its concern with sustainable resource management as well as protection. Kosciusko is a good example of this concept with its ski resorts and the power generation and water management systems of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme. Kosciusko is one of eight reserves which protect Australia's highest peaks and most of its alpine area. Among the others are Bindabella National Park in NSW, Namadgi National Park in the ACT and in Victoria - the Victorian Alpine National Park, Snowy River National Park and Avon Wilderness. In 1986 the government of NSW, Victoria and the ACT, together with the Commonwealth, agreed to jointly fund works programs and research to deal with issues of common concern and to foster co-operative management. Collectively these parks are known as the 'Australian Alps national parks'.

Thredbo's main activity is that of a ski resort, so at this time of the year it is a bit quieter. The buildings are typical ski lodge design and the shops and restaurants cater for skiing clientele.

First off we found the Activities Desk for the couple of walks we were interested in and booked ourselves on them. Then we sought out the YHA which in common with other chalets in the area was built on the side of a hill, with only pedestrian access. Parked up temporarily as close as we could while we booked in and then moved the car to a car park, just as the rain started to set in

The Thredbo YHA Lodge was designed with skiers in mind with comfortable but utilitarian bedrooms, a large lounge with fire place, adequate kitchen and a drying room. We had no problems getting a room but in the skiing season, such is its popularity, accommodation is only available to YHA members and is allocated by ballot.

Wednesday 16 April

As we sat at breakfast snow gently fell outside. If we were going to have precipitation then better it be snow rather than rain or drizzle.

With the snow ceasing and the air still we made our way down to the chair-lift, cutting through walkways to avoid a long trek around the roads. We arrived in plenty of time, before the guide, and so had to wait a while to find out if the walk was on. It was, and so we paid up and waited at the start of the chair lift. Beside ourselves there was just a family of a father and two daughters making for a comfortable size group.

A ten-minute ascent in the chair lift brought us to the start of the track and at 9.20 we were off, walking on a broad block paving path the same that would be found in any high street. Thredbo is a resort run by a management company with a lease from the National Parks, when we reached the edge of their territory the block paving finished and we were on an even more unusual surface - metal grid. Again the way was wide enough for two people to walk comfortably side by side. The argument for metal grids was that it allowed the light through and vegetation to grow underneath but I'm not convinced that the expense and intrusive visual impact justified it. Wind blown snow and frost gripped the sides of grasses giving them a feathery appearance.

Crossed over a small trickle of water , the start of the Snowy River, that in due course, with hundreds of other tributaries would form into the a mighty river. The sun was now starting to emerge and the clouds cleared from the hill tops. We were on a high alpine plateau with the hills around rising gently up. Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia was in front of us, but it as just a gently slope rather than a spiring ascent. The mountains of Australia are old formations than have been worn flat to the granite bedrock over millions of year, leaving boulders scattered about. Reached Rawsons Pass, until the 1970s it was possible to drive up to this point from Charlottes Pass and climb the final 200m to the summit of Kosciuszko, but now only National Park vehicles can use the road.

Mount Kosciuszko

The path now became gravel, held together by plastic netting, giving a good walking surface as well as a more natural look and when that ran out we were on our familiar rough stones. In Australia there are only five glacial lakes, we had already passed one and below us at our lunch stop was another, Lake Albina. By the time we had finished the walk we would have passed all five. As we sat down to eat our sandwiches a fox poked its head from behind a pile of rocks! Introduced species are as much a threat in Australia as they are in New Zealand.

After 45 minutes we were on our way again, climbing up to Carruthers and then down again to Blue Lake. The slopes in the area had become a little unstable due to excessive sheep grazing in the past and so some terracing had been constructed to prevent the erosion that had deposited 3m of sediment in the bottom of Blue Lake. Took a short detour to get a better look at Blue Lake before returning to the main track. Continued down into the Snowy River valley, the path was again broad and about every 10m a large hump had been inserted which was paved over with block paving, quite ugly and not very pleasant for walking. The river, now about 20m wide had to be crossed on stepping stones which while not difficult did make it interesting. Then all that was left was the steepest climb of the day up a paved track to Charlottes Pass where after a short wait our transport arrived with champagne, cheese and biscuits. As soon as we had had our refreshments we were on our way back to Thredbo, not far as the crow flies but about 60km by road.

Thursday 17 April

Took another guided walk, this time up to the Kosciuszko Summit. Being a shorter walk we didn't start out until 10 o'clock, along with about a dozen other people. Much of the walk followed the same route as the previous day and although the nature talks were also the same it was useful to have the information re-enforced.

There was a slight moisture in the air as we set off which soon dried up to be replaced by a stiff breeze which grew stronger the further we went. In time the sun started to break through but clouds were still in the majority, veiling and unveiling the hills around. One moment we would have views in to the distance, then before we could reach for a camera the cloud had come in again. The path was extremely popular with a regular procession of walkers making their way to the top. On a good day up to 2000 people can make the journey and even with the less than perfect weather possibly 1000 walkers were up there, well justifying the ski lift operator opening for business.

The final kilometre of the path was on a section of path, beyond Rawsons Pass that we had not walked the previous day, taking a gentle incline round the back of Kosciuszko to spiral its way to the top. The higher we went the stronger the wind blew so that at the summit it was uncomfortable to stand about, and we were well equipped. Those with less windproof clothing must have been really cold. After no more than ten minutes we quickly made our way back down to Rawsons Pass where we stopped to eat our lunch.

Mt Kosciuszko is Australia's highest mountain at 2228m. It was named by the Polish-born explorer Paul Strzelecki in 1840 but had been visited by Aborigines and probably by stockmen before his arrival. The shape of the mountain reminded Strzelecki of the tomb in Krakow of the Polish general, Tadeusz Kosciuszko.

As soon as we had finished our sandwiches we left the rest of the group and returned to the ski lift at a brisk pace with the wind in our face. On the way we had discussed stopping at the top of the lift for a hot chocolate but by the time we got there the wind had dropped a little and we were feeling much warmer, so we delayed it until the bottom. The ride down was well worth the lift fee with great views out over Thredbo.

Drank the hot chocolate we had promised ourselves and returned to the hostel.

Friday 18 April

With the rain stopped we climb the stairs back up to the car park, twice, and loaded the car ready for our return north. The forecast was for showers and that's just what we got for the whole 500km journey. Sometimes the sun shone brilliantly, warming us up and raising steam from the road and others it was a dreary black with rain falling hard and headlights on.

Stopped off at Cooma for a midmorning break and called in at Queanbeyan for shopping but to our surprise all the large shops were shut for Good Friday so we topped up with petrol and drove on. Coming in the opposite direction was a long stream of traffic as the inhabitants of Canberra and Sydney made their way to the mountains for the weekend.

We had planned to have sandwiches for midday and cook later but as we couldn't restock we instead called in at a cafe in Goulburn for lunch.

Ploughed on up the Hume Highway until we reached Moss Vale where we headed out to the coast. To our surprise we found ourselves on a steep, winding decline to reach the coastal plain and turn north on the Southern Freeway to bring us up to Cronulla.

Cronulla YHA is close to the beach and town centre and a favourite with young people, particullarly the surfing, partying, noisey variety.

Saturday 19 April

Awoke to squally showers with brief period of sunshine. A local girl complained that she was cold, the temperature had dropped below 20 degrees C. We were still in our shorts.

Hummed and ahhed about what to do and in the end decided to take the ferry across the inlet of the Hacking River to Bundeena and The Royal National Park. The crossing in a small ancient ferry left 10 minutes late and took 20 minutes, but when we arrived we appreciated why they delayed, they didn't want to remain tied up at the exposed jetty for any longer than it took to load the returning passengers.

Followed a road around the shores edge until we picked up the parks foot path. Obviously this was an upper class area, people didn't walk as there were no pavements. One of the main walks in the park is the coastal walk, with a nights stop at Little Garie, this was more than we had planned and so settled for a shorter 5km loop walk to Jibbon Head.

Stopped for lunch on the rocky shore, just after the start of the walk, watching the large waves roll in and looking at the intricate swirls in the sandstone rocks. Inevitably, before we had finished another squall blew in so we had to cover up.

Our walk took us past some Aborigine rock engravings, or so the sign post at the start said, but when we got to the point we found that they were 200m back down the path. Retraced our steps and this time found the spot which was not well marked, perhaps deliberately. On a large flat slab of sandstone the outlines of fish and turtles had been etched together with modern graffiti that desecrated the site.

Continued on to Shelly Beach from where we took the coastal track back to Bundeena. The path had been widened by cutting back the bush but some of the vegetation had been left on the track creating an ugly appearance. Large puddles had also formed on the track which could have easily have been dealt with by a few drainage channels. After a while the track climbed up hill and changed to sand, making the going difficult but soon we were back in Bundeena where after navigating the streets we were back near the ferry with 30 minutes to spare, just enough time for a drink.

The heavy swell of the morning had become even bigger. As one of the crewmen held the boat against the jetty a rope snapped, but no problem, he just re-arranged the remaining end and we continued boarding. Apparently it was getting close to cancelling the ferry.

Back on the Cronulla side we took a short walk down to the front to watch the large waves breaking before returning to the hostel.

Sunday 20 April

Last full day in Australia and a few loose ends to tidy up. We had to change rooms and we were ready early but check out time isn't until 10.30 and so we took a short drive to the Botany Bay Park to see where Captain Cook first stepped ashore in Australia and view the monuments erected along the shore line to various leading members of his party and also some information plaques. The views around the bay weren't particularly impressive though with docks, jetties and oil refineries.

The Landing Place of Captain Cook, April 28th 1770 The following brief extracts relating to the Landing of Captain Cook and his party on the rock opposite this tablet are taken from the original MS. Journal of Sir Joseph Banks, in the Mitchell Library, Sydney: The Journal records that - The natives resolutely disputed the landing "although they were but two, and we thirty or forty at least." Parleying with these two continued for about a quarter of an hour. "They remained resolute, so a musket was fired over them, the effect which was that the youngest of the two dropped a bundle of lances on the rock He, however, snatched them up again and both renewed their threats and opposition. A musket loaded with small shot was now fired at the eldest of the two who was about 40 yards from the boat, it struck him on the legs but he minded it very little, so another was immediately fired at him, on this he ran up to the house about 100 yards distant and soon returned with a shield. In the meantime we had landed on the rocks." Several "lances" were immediately thrown and fell among the party. This caused two further discharges of small shot, when, after throwing another lance, the natives fled.

Returned to the hostel but had to wait another half hour while the room was cleaned before we could move our bags over, so spent it in the dinning room reading our books. The hostel manager seems to be going out of his way to be helpful, perhaps he was embarrassed about the noise the previous couple of nights.

Bondi Beach

After we had moved the next job was to return the car to its depot on the other side of Sydney. As there was plenty of time, we didn't think we could leave without a visit to Bondi Beach so took a bit of a detour round that way. The roads were quiet but there were plenty of people at Bondi despite the unpredictable weather. Took a couple of photos while the sun was still out, then sat down to eat out sandwiches and within five minutes a squall had blown in.

Completed our journey to the North Shore, filled up the petrol tank and left the car. Opposite the depot was a bus stop where within about 10 minutes a bus came by which quickly took us into the centre of Sydney. Most of the shops were shut but the cafes were doing a good trade in the Queen Victoria Centre so we also stopped before going down into the basement to get to the train station to complete our journey back to Cronulla.

The room we had moved to in the hostel contained bunk beds but the upper bunk was so high it was almost impossible to climb into. In the end we put the mattress on the floor and our luggage on the top bunk.

Set the alarm for 4.30 and went to bed.