We are building a new house at Blackheath, in the Blue Mountains. Our painter Rebbekah arrives every morning in her beautifully restored VW Kombi van. Unfortunately it has led to confusion and frustration for our resident Wonga pigeon. It’s those shiny hubcaps. Oh my word, what a
Read more →The Blue Mountains village of Blackheath has a new attraction. Her name is Princess, and she spends much of her time at the newly extended Blackheath Interiors and Homewares, in Govetts Leap Road. She’s a border collie cross. I’m not sure what the cross bit is, but
Read more →The Blue Mountains…a mystical, wild region where talk of a lurking panther, Big Foot, Drop Bears’ and the like have excited and terrified tourists for years. Are we locals just having fun at their expense? Below is a report from the Blue Mountains Gazette, March 23
Read more →SUEPRISE SNOW……It’s weird when you wake up at the crack of dawn and open the front door to find the whole landscape has changed. Trousers might have been a sensible idea, Editor Des. What one earth! While we were sleeping the snow was quietly falling. We don’t
Read more →Recently my partner Rob and I enjoyed a pop-up, French themed meal at the Victory Theatre Café in Blackheath. We were joined by lots of eager locals. Many of us are sad that chef David doesn’t open regularly for dinner and hope he might change his mind!
Read more →It’s almost the end of May, and the village of Blackheath in the Blue Mountains is looking its best. Tourists are enjoying the colourful foliage in Wentworth Street. Even the shaded little maple tree growing above the satin bowerbird’s lair is changing colour. What a fantastic location
Read more →In 1984 my darling mother Myra was suffering from the ovarian cancer that took her life. While I was visiting her in Tasmania I noticed a cheeky little frog on her bedside table. ‘He cheers me up’, she said. I could see why; he was adorable. Froggy
Read more →In October 1949, talented young acrobat Alice Broenimann fled her Swiss Stars troupe, who were performing at the Tivoli theatre in Sydney. She had fallen out with the group’s manager, Eugene Lambart. The vivacious 18 year old hired a taxi and travelled to Blackheath, in the Blue
Read more →Following WWII, Swiss trapese artist Eugene Lambart and his wife Fritzi formed an act with a young Norwegian strongman, Arne Selfors. They looked about for an acrobat to complete their new show and came across two young sisters in Berne. The girls’ father, Mr Broenimann was a
Read more →My inspiration for this story on the Aussie magpie was an amazing piece of free-form machine embroidery by Lynda Worthington. For someone like me who struggles to take up a hem, it was mind-blowing. There is enormous affection for magpies in Australia. They are so engaging and
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