Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

Our last day of the Australian trip would be spent in Sydney.  We arrived early in the day and went to rent a car.  We had no idea how hard it would be to get one!   Finally we were able to drive away from the airport and explore the Royal National Park south of Sydney.  What a beautiful area! We had lunch at The Dance Hall in the park.  We ate our hamburgers and chips outside while we watched Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Black Ducks, kookaburras, Little Wattlebirds and so many more birds.  Flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos in trees Laughing Kookaburra We spent all afternoon exploring and enjoying the area.  Gymea Lily at a lookout Popular Beach National Falls Since our plane left early the next day, we had checked the car back in with the rental company, grabbed a panini at the airport for dinner and walk to the Ibis Budget Hotel.  Since we spent our first night here we knew what to expec...

Leaving Melbourne we drove southwest and stopped at Cherry Lake.  This was an area of biodiversity and  after we picnicked in the park, we walked around the lake.  There were pelicans, Superb Fairy-wrens and Crested Pigeons.  Crested Pigeon Cherry Lake also had a talking toilet.  I took my phone with me hoping to make a video but fortunately for all of us, it failed!  Push a button and the door slides open.  Push a button and it closes.  Then it informs you that you have 10 minutes to do your business and when you are finished the toilet will flush when you wash your hands.  The music plays and sure enough….when I washed my hands, ‘’whoosh”!  Push the button and the door opens.  Made my morning! Talking Toilet We drove past beautiful yellow fields of rapeseed used to make canola oil.  Rapeseed field Next stop was Angelsea and the volunteer “I” center.  These information centers...

FaceBook Friends Meet!  Linda and PennyJane We rented a car at the airport, took their map and sketchy directions, and drove to the Albany Hotel by a circuitous route!  It was evening, dark, lots of traffic, unfamiliar territory and I needed a magnifying glass to read the street names on the map!  After a few wrong turns and stopping 3 times for directions we escaped the industrial area and arrived at a very nice hotel in a nice part of town about 8 p.m. Albany Hotel Where was dinner?  We were directed to the closest food - Subway - a few blocks away and walking seemed a good idea.  After dinner and some wine, we tucked in for the night. The morning brought beautiful weather, a buffet breakfast and a walk in the park across the street.  Our first stop was Healesville where we would spend the next two nights.  We passed many vineyards in Yarra Valley with pastoral views.  At a little park, we found several Superb Fairy Wrens a...

  It was a great idea….renting a mini-van equipped with all the camping gear, pots and pans, refrigerator, microwave, sink and range.  We would get off the plane, take a taxi and pick up the van and be on our way to Kakadu National Park.   And that really is what happened.  This is going to be a long post because a lot of other things happened too! We enjoyed the drive stopping at Mary’s River where we saw our first ‘in the wild’ kangaroo and the termite nest. Very Tall Termite Nest That is also where the T-belt warning light came on!  Trust me – that is not a good sign as I quickly found out in the manual.  The T-belt light is the timing belt and if that goes, the engine goes!  As there were no places to stop and call the rental company we drove on in the hopes that we had time to get to someplace that could help.  The further we drove, the more comfortable we became and Peter said, “Let’s go down this road a little way...

After picnicking at Mt.Wilson in the Tree Fern Cathedral and watching the Magpie and the Currawong fight over crumbs from our sandwiches, we went to Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens.  There are birds where there are gardens!   These gardens are stunning with mountains as backdrops, interesting art work and sculpture  integrated with plants and paths with water features to follow.  They showcase cool climate plants from around the world and cover about 623 acres. The Waratah /Annual Celebration was in full swing.  The Waratah grow in patches of sandy loam on ridges and plateaus in the Sydney basin, NSW Central and South Coast districts and in the Blue Mountains.  They are shrubs or trees that grow between 9 and 16 ft. tall!  Spectacular!  They are more often seen in parks and reserves than in nature now.  The Waratah is the floral emblem of New South Wales and there is an Aboriginal story.  I love th...