MASTER OF DISGUISE – THE FROGMOUTH

MASTER OF DISGUISE - THE FROGMOUTH

Can any bird or animal camoflague  itself as successfully as the Australian  Tawny Frogmouth? They are truly astonishing. Here in the Blue Mountains  of NSW they are quite common. Mind you, the only way I can find them in my  Blackheath garden  is to look for  the

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THE KATOOMBA POET…….EVERY WORD A PEARL!

THE KATOOMBA POET.......EVERY WORD A PEARL!

In 1928 the  Sydney publishers Angus and Robertson received an enquiry letter and a sample of work from poet  Mr F. C. Meyer of Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. To say they were not impressed is something of an under-statement. Now you might

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SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL PARK, BLACKHEATH

SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL PARK, BLACKHEATH

During World War One, seventy seven  men from  the small Blue Mountains community  of Blackheath, NSW   volunteered to serve.  Their names are engraved on the local war memorial. Six were killed in action; H. CULLEN, R. MURRAY, J. SKEEN, D. SPRAGUE, J. STEENSON, & R. THOMPSON.

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CAN A CURRAWONG BE CUTE?

CAN A CURRAWONG BE CUTE?

I SAY YES! I must admit that  Australia’s  pied currawongs do not have a great reputation. They are opportunists, preying on  unwary small birds and robbing the nests of others. I’ve never  forgiven a local gang of them for harassing our nesting tawny frogmouth and stealing the

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The Waratah – history and folklore.

The Waratah - history and folklore.

The spectacular  waratah (Telopea)  is the state emblem of New South Wales, and  so much a part of the beautiful  Blue Mountains, where I live.  The plants flower  both in our gardens and in the local bush. They are part of our identity. In 1912, an article

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ODE TO THE GUM LEAF

ODE TO THE GUM LEAF

How wonderful a gum leaf is. More on gum leaf playing further down, but meanwhile, look how beautiful the leaves can be; We Australians have an almost spiritual connection to gum leaves.  Expats can be reduced to tears by a whiff of their aroma.  Campers in the

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THE BLACKHEATH BROOM MAKER

THE BLACKHEATH BROOM MAKER

In 1918 an article in The Sydney Morning Herald reported on brooms being hand-made in the Blue Mountains village of Blackheath; The brooms are manufactured under the most primitive conditions, the machine for binding them together being home-made, and it is contended by the maker that with

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FIRE, & A MYSTERY ‘EPIDEMIC’ AT LITHGOW

FIRE, & A MYSTERY 'EPIDEMIC' AT LITHGOW

Fire created havoc in the Blue Mountains and Lithgow during the summer of 2019/20. The heat was extraordinary.  I am a firm believer in climate change, even though our beautiful Mountains have suffered very badly in years gone by. THE FURY OF FIRE The summer of 1952

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THE BLUE MOUNTAINS’ TUBERCULOSIS SANATORIUM

THE BLUE MOUNTAINS' TUBERCULOSIS SANATORIUM

In 1903 tuberculosis was rife in Australia, as it was  in much of the world.  The Queen Victoria Sanatorium was established at a remote area near Wentworth Falls, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.   The property  on Burragarong Road  (now Tablelands Road) had been

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