Picnic lunch at Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
No Comments »16th January, 2009; Category: Holidays, National Parks, New South Wales, Picnics, Sydney
Picnic spot in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
After our walk through a part of the Lane Cove National Park in Sydney we joined the rest of the family for a picnic lunch. We were soaked through as a result of the walk, mostly due to the heat and humidity.
Lunch was mainly leftovers from our Christmas Day family lunch two days earlier. Christmas leftovers make an excellent basis for a picnic lunch. After our delicious meal we sat around chatting for a few hours.
Picnic spot in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
A walk in Lane Cove National Park
1 Comment »14th January, 2009; Category: Birds, Hiking, Holidays, National Parks, New South Wales, Picnics, Sydney, Walking
Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
Several days after Christmas the family had another reunion, this time in the Lane Cove National Park. This park is about a ten minute drive from my son’s home in Artarmon, Sydney. we knew it would probably be somewhat busy because of the Christmas holiday break, so we went early. Before having lunch four of us went for an hour and a half walk through the park.
Members of my family going on a walk through Lane Cove National Park
It was quite hot and humid with no breeze, so in no time we were all soaked from the effort. My son and I had our cameras and we were on the lookout for interesting things to photograph, especially birds. I think I may have converted him to being a moderate birder after he was pleased to receive a bird field guide for Christmas. Perhaps “bird photographer” would be a better appellation.
Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
2008 Road Trip: Unexpected Christmas visitors
Blue Tongue Lizard
On our 2008 Road Trip to Sydney our main objective was to reach Sydney in time for Christmas. This was so we could spend Christmas and New year with our son and daughter in law who live in Artarmon, just a few train stops north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This time our daughter came along too, so it was also a family reunion.
We had a great Christmas lunch and were joined by our daughter in law’s relatives; it was good to see all of them again too. L’s parents only live a half hour drive from us, but we rarely get to see them, so it was good that they could fly over from Adelaide for the festivities. As usual I ate too much for lunch. And dinner.
In the afternoon we were relaxing out on the back lawn. The more energetic ones played a few games; the rest of us chatted and snoozed during the balmy afternoon.
During our post lunch siesta we were visited by a beautiful butterfly. It was a Dainty Swallowtail Papilio anactus and is shown in the photo below. They are quite common in the Sydney area.
Most people drifted indoors late in the afternoon, but my son and I stayed outside chatting. We, too, rarely get together these days, except on the phone. When everything was quiet the resident Blue Tongue Lizard came out to see what all the fuss had been about.
Dainty Swallowtail Papilio anactus
2008 Road Trip: Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens, New South Wales
During our 2008 Road Trip to Sydney we drove from Narrandera to Wagga Wagga during the second morning. This took us through some interesting farming country. The weather was far more pleasant than the heat of the previous day.
We arrived there just in time for a picnic lunch. coming into the town we saw signs pointing to the Botanic Gardens. As we approached the entrance I remembered that we had visited these gardens about four years ago. We found a suitable picnic table and were soon having a lovely lunch.
During our meal I managed to get a good photo of a Tree Sparrow, a species of bird I had previously not seen in Australia. It was one that had eluded me. A few years ago I did see this species in Thailand.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
2008 Road Trip: Narrandera, New South Wales
Narrandera, New South Wales
On the second day of our 2008 Road Trip to Sydney we travelled from Hay to Narrandera before stopping for fuel and morning tea. We found a lovely spot in a park near an oval (see photos above and below). It was a much more pleasant day than the day before; the cooler change had come through overnight.
We had a lovely cup of tea with a few home made biscuits we’d brought with us. We quite often also take a thermos with for picnics.
Again, we were disturbed by the excessive use of water. In the middle of the day the evaporation rate is enormous, yet the large sprinklers were pounding out volumes of water on to the nearby oval, as shown in the photo below. Narrandera, like Hay, draws its water from the Murrumbidgee River, a tributary of the Murray River. In South Australia we have been unable to use sprinklers in gardens for several years, and many sporting ovals are dry and dying grass.
I find the lack of restrictions to be environmental vandalism. The lower lakes in South Australia are almost dead, yet here water is being used as if we are not in the biggest drought on record.
Unbelievable.
Narrandera, New South Wales