Early morning worship

The Pacific Ocean, Lake Cathie (Cattai), north coast of New South Wales. [F6.3, 1/1600. ISO=125, 105mm]

Where cows come first

Wanna play Euchre on a Saturday, or do Yoga on a Tuesday evening? Have we gotta deal for YOU!!

Fracking is rife throughout our countryside. Rights to something contentious deep within the earth's 'core' are given to mining companies left, right, and centre. Even though groundwater is polluted, and the stability of the earth is compromised. There are better ways of securing our energy future - and without compromising our future water, and the productivity of our food bowls.

And cows, don't forget the cows. Who come first - even though I am not entirely sure that that phrase means.

From the orchard

Fallow. This orchard at Jiggi has been allowed to transition to fallow. Less kindly,it has been abandoned. Twenty years ago when first established, it had macadamia nuts, and grape vines twirling through the wire netting that separates the orchard from the creek paddock; the paddock where wallabies graze.

The orchard is currently undergoing metamorphosis.


They have planted figs, and persimmon; mandarin, and limes. There is space for more, and they have grand ideas. And as I showed you yesterday, they have tonnes of fertiliser. I am keen to see the orchard this time next year. With wallabies nibbling across the way, and a family of Superb Wrens living in the surrounding thickets, it is an oasis of tranquility.

The answer lies in the soil

As luck would have it, I arrived at Jiggi the same day as the bloke with the back-hoe, grader and truck to re-align Bill & Lesley's driveway. Coming ready or not!


So, a couple of loads of road-base and blue-metal later, we were off into the 'big-smoke' to check out the price of decorative stones for the extended drive and carport extension. Landscaping establishments are wonderful places to visit. All I had to do was wander, and let my friends do all the haggling. The differences in price for various 'stones' from three outlets was astounding, seeing they originally all came from the same supplier.

Oops! Need to tell you that the chick on the front-end-loader was at one of the landscaping joints - not the bloke doing the drive-way. She was a delight to watch. Never seen a woman control one of these little beauties before!

Life with Dexters

In the middle of this week, I spent a few days with some friends up close to the NSW-Queensland border, in the small hamlet of Jiggi which is about 20kms SW of Lismore. The farm next door runs a small herd (35 beasts) of Dexter cattle. It was a breed I knew nothing about, but learnt quickly.


Dexters are a small breed, originally bred in the UK. They are good for small holdings; you can stock more, and they create less damage around waterholes. They are farmed for milk and for meat, and are people friendly. They come in three colours: brown, black, and dun. They come horned or naturally polled.

What I liked about them was that Bill let the top gate open on the odd occasion, and the Dexters cropped his fields for him, leaving behind oodles of fertiliser. A quick whizz around with the tractor/trailer, another whizz through the mulcher, and all this is perfect for the veggie garden!


Why bother with a Kelpie or a Border Collie to keep your herd in check when you can rely on the good old Cattle Egret.

Royal National Park (6/6) - the sacred heart

Earth's beating heart spewed by transforming fire into the cold light of day then desiccated by forces beyond temporal control.

Royal National Park (5/6) - Somewhere beyond the sea

South Era beach from Lady Game Lookout

Viewed from high above the escarpment, mesmerising lines of swell roll continuously onto shore carving pristine beaches in sheltered coves. Swinging at anchor, a singular container ship awaits a port facility at Port Kembla.

North Era on the left and Burning Palms on the right both viewed from Lady Game Lookout

A jumble of depression era shacks tumble down the slopes of Burning Palms, taking shelter in the lee of the promontory for protection from the prevailing southerly.

Eagle Rock and Gairie Beach

Eagle Rock stands vigilant on the northern end of Gairie Beach, where human impact is kept to a minimum by isolation, windy roads and limited parking.

Royal National Park (4/6) - warning

Gairie Beach is a world of beauty and a world of immense danger. Billowing nimbus clouds spill over the escarpment from the south-west, enveloping the life-saving club house, armed and ready to warn of sharks circling in the off-shore rips.


Often humans forget that they are sharing the natural world with the animal world and invade and destroy thoughtlessly.


Eagle Rock is part of an ongoing erosion process that is goaded by the power of wind, rain, and heat as well as the depredations of humans.

Royal National Park (3/6) - working

This is a national park, so the places are deliberately difficult to access. These guys are working on a shack at North Era and the only way to get their materials on site is by foot. They parked their ute at Gairie Beach and each of the 8 sheets of fibro (the type without asbestos!) had to be taken as illustrated the kilometre around to North Era.

They were sweating profusely but were of good humour and wiggled their bum when I said I would take their photo as they trudged along. I hope they had cold ones in the fridge for later!

Royal National Park (2/6) - walking

Polonius, wasn't it, who was hoist on his own petard?

Surveying the photographs from the day's outing, I could see the posts quite readily and the titles, too. However, although the structure for the week was clear, I now find that a title like "Walking" nearly demanded a specific sequence - yet shot 2 makes a more arresting portal image than does shot 1.

Raise the petard ...


This bunch of twenty-somethings was taking the Coastal Walk from south to north - roughly heading across the beach at North Era toward Sydney. They were chatting animatedly and gesticulating wildly all the while. You know: the sort of bunch who meet late highschool/early university and are still good supportive friends 50 years later!

Martina gave me the idea for rescuing the next image. As you can see from above, I am in danger of over-exposure on the RHS. This occurred in image 4 both on the RHS and in the sky which was a sort of vomit-green! So I removed the colour and increased the contrast. Lost the warm honey of the rocks but you saw that yesterday and I know it is coming again on Saturday.

Royal National Park (1/6) - full circle

Behind me, the South Coast walking track from Gairie Beach.

About 30kms south of Sydney, lies the Royal National Park established in 1879, the second NP to be gazetted in the world, after Yellowstone. It covers about 130 square kms (about 32,000 acres).

In front of me, the Pacific Ocean aka Tasman Sea. Above me, the cliff to the National Park.

The Coast Track is a 2 day 27km walk with spectacular views some of which I will show you this week.

Ahead of me, the track to the possessive tenancy settlement of North Era.

North Era, South Era and Burning Palms are accessible only on foot or by small water craft. They were established during the Depression and tenancy within the one family has been allowed to continue ever since, with strict rules on development. Gairie Beach is the only beach with vehicular access.