Paul Tombleson

Yes, I’m here in Aussie and loving it! Janette picked me up at the airport and we headed off to Manly, which sits on the northern side of Sydney Harbor requiring us to use the harbor bridge (known here as “the Coat Hanger” for it’s shape). While much has changed along the city skyline, Sydney remains one of the world’s most iconic harbor cities.

Arriving in Manly I’m reminded of its unique location having on its eastern side the Ocean and the western side Sydney harbor. Janette lives on the harbor side and it’s nice to be back with the sounds of the lapping waves, throb of the ferries passing on the half hour and screech of the penguins at night… and that view!

While Manly is a built up area it is surprising the pockets of bush land that are close by and easily accessible. We took an early morning walk through an Aboriginal sacred area above Shelly beach and found many landscape faces watching us as we traversed the sandstone-walking track. It’s not only the ancient spirits that watch us… large primeval looking lizards lie and take in the early morning heat and watch lazily as we past close by.  Birds call out there territorial songs and honeyeaters flit between flowers on banksia trees. The bush is alive and the sun is barely up. Australia is truly unique in its landscape, animals, birds and bush. And of course there are the Aussie themselves, truly a breed apart… but I better be careful as I’m a Kiwi born interloper.

Christmas day comes and goes with a visit to (ex) in-laws home for dinner and festivities and a long catch up with family and meeting the new children born after my moving away in 1995. A day or two later we are off North about 200 clicks to the sleepy harbor village of Pindimar situated on the North shore of Port Stephens. While it rained most of the time we did get to have a day on the water courtesy of our host Russell and Jenny. Jumping off the back of the powerboat boat in clear shallow water…  enjoying an Aussie pie lunch, and following dolphins across the bay and walking through the mud among hundreds of blue crabs moving like armies on maneuvers all before the New Year’s eve celebrations’. Janette and I spent the night hours leading up to midnight playing with lights while taking long exposures.

It was in the Blue Mountains a few days later however that struck me as the unrealized place missing from the travel brochures. We see Sydney and its Opera House on the harbor- the white sandy beaches stretching forever up and down the coastline all postcard perfect (and trust me they are!) but the Blue mountain just West of Sydney which form a natural barrier between the coast and the outback are the haven and playground for those who need to getaway and be reminded of nature’s grandeur and power, both spiritual and material. And reminded I was, of just how nature commands the world and that I’m just a tiny spark in the scheme of things.

After arriving early at Wentworth and parking the Land Rover at a friends place, Janette took me down a path to something I didn’t know existed called “Charles Darwin Walk”. Yes, it is named so because old Charlie walked here all those years ago and found it interesting. Jumping ahead for a moment… In my humble layman’s opinion Mr. Darwin, I concur with your finding in this instant!

The first inkling of something magical is the sound you descend into like an early morning mist in a valley. The insects grow louder as we move down the twisting dirt track. And after stopping to re-tie a shoelace I hear water gently running. The running water it turns out is the one constant note held throughout this experience. Once at the creek your world of fauna and flora is transformed into a cooling green wonderland of ferns, moss, long grasses and flowers but the sounds are getting louder, not only from insects but the Black Cockatoo’s playing above in the tree tops and screaming and yelling like little kids running free on a picnic. Indeed the sounds are deafening at times and the only thing stopping me from covering my ears is the serenity I feel inside… like a shot of morphine for pain… the pain (sound) is still there but you just don’t care. Somehow the deafening sounds are all part and parcel of this magical walk and we surrender to it and our cameras are clicking. It really is a magical walk and one totally unexpected. The experience is also heightened by the fact that Janette has her Nikon D40 and is relishing this time shooting unencumbered with a fellow photographer.

I don’t get to shoot with other photographers very much so it was very interesting to later compare shots and see how many are of the same or similar subject and how many are different, good stuff! The creek finally turns into Wentworth Falls, which it turns out, are a series of falls each one with a different feel and sound from the other.

The Sun is getting higher in the sky and therefore hotter so we decide to turn back and retrace our steps and see this hidden valley that Darwin once contemplated from the now opposite perspective. We are not disappointed and find ourselves stopping in longer intervals to take it all in.

Next stop is the Crystal Palace as I came to call it. Patrick and Liz live in Leura next to the National Park and are the perfect hosts and tour guides. Their house is an energy-generating powerhouse created by thousands of crystals. Or in the words of Liz…”I tend to think of it as Superman’s Fortress of Solitude…”. Yes folks thousands of them BIG and small and ALL shapes and sizes.

After a refreshing lunch we go off on a guided tour of the many majestic vista’s that tourist never see. Patrick is a continuous stream of info so naturally I loved it.

Liz in her long purple dress,  blonde flowing hair and mystical air made me think of Druids and Merlin. Sometimes, I would look to see if her feet were really touching the ground as she sometimes appeared to float along in front of us. It turns out she is indeed well grounded (hehe).

This time spent viewing the Blue Mountains around the Three Sisters landmark area was inspiring and recharging to the soul. Janette and I had a memorable day in these special Mountains with very special people.

Sadly the day ends and so does my trip a few days later to Australia and I’m at the airport catching a flight back to New Zealand then on to Rarotonga for the final leg of the journey. Stay tuned!

For more pictures click on my Aussie pic’s or website Pearlphotography.biz

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This entry was posted on February 7, 2010 at 4:18 am and is filed under Photography. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.