Wentworth Street in the Blue Mountains village of Blackheath is filled with tourists during April and May, when the deciduous trees put on a spectacular display of autumn colour. I live just around the corner and it’s always a pleasure to walk along the street on my way
Read more →
THE FUCHSIA Fuchsias were discovered growing in the Caribbean in the 17th century, by a French monk called Charles Plumier. He named them in honour of German botanist, Leonhart Fuchs. There are so many varieties it would be impossible to list them here. Anyway, there is only one, very
Read more →
How very special Australian native animals are, especially the echidna. The echidna has been known by quite a few names; spiny ant-eater, porcupine, even hedgehog! Its real name is Echidna acubata. Oddly enough it is a cousin to the equally weird platypus. This intriguing creature lays eggs
Read more →
Autumn is a delight my little village of Blackheath. I do joke and call it Bleakheath, but only with affection. It’s in the upper Blue Mountains of New South Wales, so the seasons are well defined. Spring is gorgeous and snow can occasionally transform it in winter.
Read more →
Hello from Editor Des, MY MUSHROOMS Well my guardian Pauline Conolly wrote a story about fungi the other day called Fungi: Flowers of the Fall . So I thought I would do a better one. Mine is about very special, magic mushrooms. I think you will love it
Read more →
The following photos were all taken at Blackheath, mostly in my garden or on the walk up to the village via Memorial Park or Robertson Lane. The scene that follows appeared in the Blue Mountains Gazette, when Blackheath had a bumper season a few years back. It
Read more →
LET’S SPEND A WHILE WITH WONGAS Let me introduce……the Wonga pigeon. The name derives from wonga-wonga, an Aboriginal name inspired by their call. Mind you, I would describe it as a gentle ‘whoop whoop.’ Gentle, yes, but it can be heard more than a kilometre away.
Read more →
My partner and I were driving to Sydney from the Blue Mountains one Sunday when we were caught up in the most horrendous traffic jam. After inching along for half an hour or so we were diverted off the Great Western Highway….into another dreadful jam. Apparently there
Read more →The Take Home Busker, by Tony Smith Since my partner and I have had fewer restrictions imposed on our time by work commitments, I have reinvented myself as a folk musician. We attend festivals, do CD reviews, write songs and perform in ‘sessions’. Undoubtedly, one of my
Read more →
WRITING TO SANTA IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS; AN ILLUSTRATED ESSAY BY EDITOR DES…. ER, THAT’S ME! Well here is a letter to Santa written by a little Australian boy called Paddy, over a hundred years ago. Who do you think Paddy was? (see answer at the bottom
Read more →