Our Walking Weekend in September centred on the Bulli Caravan Park. Here 35 eager campers and walkers enjoyed the local area. On the Saturday some walked from Bundeena to Wattamolla, while Bulli Lookout and Sublime Point Lookout enticed others. A BBQ tea followed a great day of activities and fellowship. On the Sunday we all went to Grevillea Park where the grevilleas and wild flowers were in abundance. Some returned home during the afternoon and the remaining explored by car Mount Keira, 5 Island Lookout, Robertson and Mt Kembla Lookout and the Memorial Park at Mt Kembla. Tea was at Woonona RSL Club. Monday saw the group returning to Sydney at varying times and by various routes.

A great weekend organized by Mary and Stewart and enjoyed by all.

In October we visited the Edith Whitely Garden at Kirribilli where Elisabeth kept tabs on 21 of us among the various walkways overlooking Lavender Bay. The train trip there and back added to a great afternoon activity.

    For November we visited Winnererremy Reserve (Mona Vale) for a walk to Church Point with views of Pittwater and Scotland Island -under the guidance of Ian Huckel and Graeme Hall. Nineteen of us enjoyed the walk, the views, the lovely breeze and pleasant weather, and the fellowship.

As this is our last walk for this year, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who willingly took on the task of leader each month.

To organize next year’s activities we will have a planning meeting on Sunday 16^th January at 2pm at 2 Rivertop Close, Normanhurst. Come with your ideas (afternoon tea supplied) so we can again enjoy the great outdoors and sights around Sydney. Willing leaders are greatly appreciated.

Hopefully, Australia Day will see us out and about again. For more information please check our programme on the noticeboard in the foyer or call me via the web site . I look forward to your company and great walks in 2011. 

Denise

Bushwalking Group August 2011

Our Easter outing to Manly and North Head saw 16 participants enjoy the activity organised by Judith & David Price. Quite a few wildflowers were out and we saw the gun emplacements on North Head.

After lunch, the group split and, while some continued on to the Cemetery and North Head Lookout, others returned to Manly via Collins Beach and Little Manly Cove. All eventually returned by ferry and train to Normanhurst, and home.

In May, Bere Hill led us on our next walk along the Ponds Creek Track at Dundas. Ten adults and 2 children enjoyed the walk, catching up with one another, and enjoying visiting a new area.

Once again our attempt, in June, to travel from Meadowbank to the City and the Botanical Gardens was thwarted by rain, and was postponed until a later date.

In July Sue Vanderbent led us on an interesting circuit past the old homes of Hornsby. Most of these homes originated from the subdivision in 1913 of the Mt Errington Estate, established in 1898/99. Some homes dated from 1902-1924. Some of the group visited Lisgar Gardens and we all enjoyed coffee & cake at the “Palms Café” (Hornsby RSL Club) to finish off a great afternoon. (Kevin H thinks we should finish off all our walks this way!)

August will see a group of caravaners and cars head to Fingal Bay Holiday Park (Port Stephens) for our “Walking Weekend” (26, 27 & 28 August). If the weather permits, we will have a great time. If you plan to come, but have not made any accommodation arrangements you should contact the Holiday Park direct (ph. 02 4981 1473 or Freecall 1800 600 203). Other information is available from Denise McLeod  or the Barrs ().
An “Aboriginal Experience” is planned for our monthly walk in September.

Will we make it to the Botanical Gardens in October? Only time will tell!

Come and join us for fun, fellowship, and exercise in the Great Outdoors of Sydney and beyond.

More walk details are displayed on the Notice Board in the Church Foyer and the “Weekly Notices” before each scheduled activity.
Denise McLeod

We have not been idle since our last report. March saw us enjoy “The Kokoda Track Memorial Experience” at Rhodes and a walk around the foreshore towards Rivendell, a wonderful old hospital building where Judith and David filled us in on its history. The Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway has lots of information areas which have sensor poles so you can now hear as well as read of the experiences at Kokoda during the war. Historical relics on the foreshore of Brays Reserve were also explored, but as it was very hot, we didn’t spend a lot of time there.

We also traversed the Gibberagong Track from the end of Grosvenor Road to Bobbin Head. Elisabeth and Sue had us scrambling over rocks, up hill and down dale through some very scenic areas along the creek. This was our Easter Monday walk, so Bobbin Head was very busy but we all enjoyed lunch sitting on the sea wall before being transported back to the cars at Grosvenor Road.

In May, we enjoyed exploring “Lorna Pass” from Thornleigh Oval and seeing the rock engravings at Conscript Pass. We just beat the rain getting back to our cars.

In June, Kevin organised our day to Oatley Park and Lime Kiln Head, on Georges River. Twenty-one enthusiasts enjoyed the day, mostly on bush tracks with quite a few native flowers, especially the Lady Finger orchids. We also saw two tawny frogmouths enjoying the sun close to the track. Lunch was at Oatley Swimming Club area overlooking the waterway around Peakhurst and Lugarno before we headed up to “The Castle” and back to our cars for the trip home.

In July, under the guidance of Judith and David, we strolled around Hunters Hill, Woolwich Dry Dock, Woolwich Baths, and Kelly’s Bush. Again, history boards told and showed the story of the area and how three women saved Kelly’s Bush from development. The Dry Dock is now a marina, with a restaurant on the foreshore, so quite a different use of a “hole in the ground” now made interesting for the general public. A walk back through the “Cow Paddock” and Kelly’s Bush finished a great afternoon.

We look forward to our Walking Weekend at Bulli in September, and to our day walk in October before our last walk for 2010 in November (venues to be decided for both of these).

Come and join us for fun, fellowship and exercise.  For more information, please check our programme on the Notice Board in the foyer and watch the “Weekly Notices”, or call me, Denise.