Manly Beach, Sydney
Manly Beach, Sydney
During our recent visit to Sydney we took the ferry to Manly Beach for the afternoon. The half hour cruise on Sydney Harbour is beautiful and very relaxing. It is an excellent way to see this magnificent city.
Manly Beach, Sydney
While we were at Manly we had a delicious ice cream from one to the specialty shops there and then went down to the beach for a while. Being a warmish day – not too hot – the beach was very popular. Being holiday time also brought many people to this popular spot.
Manly Beach, Sydney
The Manly Ferry, Sydney
Manly Beach, Sydney
During our visit to Sydney in December 2008 we took the train into the city and then caught the Manly Ferry. This huge ferry seats over a thousand people and it was hard to find a seat. I guess everyone was heading to the beach at Manly that afternoon. It certainly is a popular place.
Crowded Manly Ferry, Sydney Harbour
The ferry ride takes about a half hour. During the journey all passengers are treated to magnificent views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the many bays and points along the harbour. It is a very relaxing way to see the sights of Sydney Harbour. On a hot day it can also be very refreshing with the cool breeze off the water.
Taking the Manly Ferry was one thing I really wanted to do on this particular trip to Sydney. On our last trip we didn’t take a ferry on the harbour.
One of the many ferries at Circular Quay, Sydney
Some plants of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
Plants and flowers of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
A few days after Christmas we had a family picnic at Lane Cove National Park in Sydney. We were over there on holiday visiting our son and daughter in law.
Plants and flowers of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
Before lunch four of us went on an hour and a half hike through the park. My son and I mainly went to photograph birds, but it was hot and humid and in the middle of the day so we didn’t see too many birds, nor did we get too many photos.
Plants and flowers of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
As we went along I took a few shots of the various plants and flowers I saw. My wife would have liked to have accompanied us on the walk, but couldn’t due to a hip problem at the time.
Plants and flowers of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
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You can see more photos based in National Parks here.
You can access an extensive list of Plants of the Lane Cove National Park here. The links take you to more information and a photo of the plant.
Plants and flowers of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
Some birds of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
Australian Magpies (Black-backed)
Two days after Christmas we had a family picnic in Lane Cove National Park in Sydney. This was also a family get together. Before lunch some of us went on a hike for one and a half hours. My son and I took our cameras, hoping to get some bird photos. It was hot and humid and in the middle of the day so we did not see all that many birds.
Some of the birds seen include Brown Thornbill, Pied Currawong, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Little Black Cormorant, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Forest Raven, Superb Blue-wren, Crimson Rosella and Rainbow Lorikeets.
Laughing Kookaburra, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
While eating our lunch – delicious Christmas lunch leftovers – a Laughing Kookaburra came to a nearby branch and watched proceedings closely. I guess he was waiting for us to be inattentive for a moment. I’ve known kookaburras to snatch food from one’s plate as they fly past during a moment’s inattentive on the part of humans.
Laughing Kookaburra, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
This one, shown in the series of photos on this page, was obviously used to being fed by humans. He allowed me to approach to within two metres taking photos as I came.
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Laughing Kookaburra, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
Lizards of Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
No Comments »18th January, 2009; Category: Animals, Hiking, Holidays, National Parks, New South Wales, Sydney
Eastern Water Dragon, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney
A few days after Christmas last year we had a family get together picnic while we were in Sydney. We all went to the Lane Cove National Park for lunch. While there we saw numerous Eastern Water Dragons moving around the picnic area. Some of them posed nicely for my camera. Two of them, one a baby, even came to visit my wife while she was sitting at a picnic table reading; they went between her feet.
Several of us went on a short hike through the park. We were lucky enough to see a large goanna crawling up a tree. It was hard to get a good photo as he kept much of the tree trunk between us and him. The photo below is the best I managed.
Goanna, Lane Cove National Park, Sydney