FOR THE FIRST PART OF MY ROUND TRIP TO BLACKEATH VILLAGE CLICK HERE.
On the way home from the village I look across at the mural on the wall of the Antiques Centre. It was designed by the well known artist, designer, and local resident Jenny Kee. It features native flora and fauna. Oh, and a big heart, because we all love Blackheath village. Yes, even though we affectionately call it ‘Bleakheath.’
There are two kinds of visitors to Blackheath….tourists and bush walkers. Clearly this group is the latter.
See this sign in the main street? Do not take any notice of it if you need a policeman. Why? Well the answer is HERE. It’s unlikely you will need a policeman here.
The spot shown below is known as ‘pleurisy corner’, because it’s so exposed and freezing on windy winter days. It’s also the turn-off to the beautiful Megalong Valley and Shipley Plateau, where we buy our apples from Logan Brae Orchard. Note the sign advertising our annual Rhododendron Festival….the biggest event on our calendar.
Further on I turn right into Gardiners Crescent, past the community centre where annual flower shows, monthly farmers markets and various cultural events are held. It also houses the local library and the Neighbourhood Centre. There was a disaster centre set up here a few years ago after a horrendous storm. I called in for tea and sympathy when I lost a lot of my garden. I noticed new plants were being put in the grounds.
Next I cross Wentworth street. There’s a quaint old cottage on the corner.
Now the intersection below is a special spot in Blackheath for nature lovers.
In late autumn, birds of all kinds arrive to feed on the oak seeds. Native wood ducks and a few ‘ring-ins’ have wandered up from the duck pond for afternoon tea.
Sometimes cars have to stop and shoo them off the road.
A couple of ducks accompany me back home.
We have had a very dry autumn this year, but usually this little area has some amazing fungi. There are dozens of the true ‘fairy’ toadstools.
The ones pictured below were just above the lane.
Not far to go now. Here is a banksia growing opposite our closest permanent neighbor Paul’s house. I follow the life cycle of these blooms year after year on my walks.
And oh my word, look at that blaze of colour outside Paul’s house in the afternoon sun.
One more bend and look…. I spot a kookaburra above my head. This looks like Toffee, who is a regular visitor.
So now I’m back at my little nest among the trees and birds. Our new house is not quite finished and we currently live in our ‘bird hide’ studio above the garage pictured at right.
The days are short now and by the time I complete my ‘matron’s rounds’ of the garden Rob has turned the lights on. Time to go in to a warm fire and start thinking about dinner.
FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW.
I love your photographic stories, the colours are so magical. I also enjoy your storie, I am pleased you don’t really need plods there in that beautiful part of NSW!
Well I’m delighted you enjoy them, Pat. And thanks so much for taking the trouble to leave a message.
That’s such an appealing walk. There would be so much that would go unnoticed by the casual visitor, unless they had someone with your open-eyed commentary to point out the oft overlooked details. I had a feeling of stepping into times gone past by the character of the town and its nearby highlights. It was particularly lovely to see the birds feeding undisturbed by passers-by. Your home will be such a lovely place of rest when it’s completed. By your living in the ‘bird hide’ above the studio, it reminds me of the livery employees who used to live above the coach house of the plantation mansions over here. However, in the wild west at the stagecoach changing stations, the drivers and their side kicks, who rode shot gun, sometimes bunked down in the barn near the enclosures where the horses were spelled.