My partner Rob and I are the most unlikely ‘activists’ imaginable, but suddenly we have become Wentworth Street Warriors. We may not live in the street, but as local residents we appreciate its beauty all year long. UPDATE – we have just been alerted by a local consulting arborist
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A story about birds by me, Editor Des WOT’S MORE SCARY….A COCKATOO OR A KOOKABURRA? Do you know what? A kookaburra called Toffee visits our garden every day. At first I was a bit scared of him, I thought he might start pecking my fur off for
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DID BLACKHEATH REALLY NEED A BOBBY? During the summer of 1892 the cash box was stolen from the general store in the Blue Mountains village of Blackheath. There was an immediate call to appoint a policeman. Not everyone was in favour of this step, as the following
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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