Hobbies

Waratahs are a stand out in the bush due to their baseball size and vivid red colour.

Photography

I have had a lifelong interest in photography which has provided the rich material for blogging, my newest hobby. In 2010 a friend introduced us to day walking clubs which has been life changing. I am a member of the Sydney Ferry Appreciation group for photo opportunities as we travel on the ferries a lot. I read the Aust Financial Review every week day. I also read a lot of fictional crime novels (see Reading). I also "trade" the stock market on paper as my risk appetite has declined with age. This is documented in my web site abuelosystem.net. We also enjoy BBQed trout at least once a week and meals at our local harbour front sailing club restaurant. I have been a member of The Wine Syndicate for many years.

Photography

I have had a lifelong interest in photography. Bush walks provide many opportunities for stunning photography.

Australian Wild Flowers

Moods of Sydney Harbour

Memes

Sydney Ferries

Australian Wild Flowers

We see many unique wild flowers on our bush walks. The worse the soil the better they seem to flourish. These photos were mostly taken by me.

Waratahs

These are a real standout in the bush due to their baseball size and intense colour.

Grevilleas

aka Spider Flowers

Australian Native Orchids

These are very small, with the exception of rock orchids, and hard to spot in the undergrowth.

Rock Orchids

Flannel Flowers

These are very common in Sydney coastal areas in season.

Native Rose

Mountain Devil

Banksia

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There are too many wild flowers to post as categories so I have followed the arrangement in the Burnum Burnum book and classified the rest by colour. The book is available from email: geoff@saintly.com.au if you want to identify flowers.

White Coloured Flowers

Yellow Coloured Flowers

Red Coloured Flowers

Australia has over 250 species of carnivorous plants. See Drosera Spatulata #6

Pink Coloured Flowers

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Berowra Wild Flowers Walk

We did an 8km organised club walk from Berowra station and a bus to the start of the walk. The wild flowers were stunning. The narrow track is very rough underfoot with magnificent district views. As there are many tracks in the area it is only suitable for experienced bush walkers. It is remote and it would be very easy to get lost.

Mt Annan Australian Botanic Gardens

Pindar's Cave

It is about 12km return to Pindar's Cave on the north side of the Hawkesbury River accessible via a steep climb from Wondaybne Station (Newcastle line), which features a platform around 15 metres long fitting only a single carriage door at the rear of the train. You have to specifically ask the guard to stop the train and disembark via the rear door. You have to flag down the Sydney train on the return trip. Rough track suitable for fit experienced bush walkers only. You can join established walking clubs like Ramblers or the National Parks Association bush walking group for a day in spring as a visitor after contacting them ......if you are fit enough! It is a rough 12km return with an initial steep climb from the station. These fit walking people walk faster than a stroll!

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Moods of Sydney Harbour

There is extraordinary variation in the light on the harbour.

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Memes

I also have fun with memes.

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Sydney Ferries

The Sydney Ferry Appreciation people are "ferry spotters" like train spotters. They get great fun out of spotting the different harbour ferries.

Ferries in a Different Light

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Reading

Australian Financial Review

I have a week day subscription to the AFR.

Crime Novels

I read award winning or short listed crime novels. These are listed in my Library https://www.paulleonardsblog.net/library/

Share Trading

I trade shares on paper as my risk appetite has declined with age.

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Walks

The maps shown with these walks should not under any circumstances be used for navigation purposes. They are included for explanations only. Never rely on your phone for navigation. Your battery may go flat or you may be out of internet range. Always carry a phone recharger and download maps of where you are going so you are not reliant on the Internet.

Iconic Walks

We have chosen 12 iconic walks in NSW 8 in Sydney.

North Head Walk

The walk around North Head from Manly Wharf is about 10km if you include the historic Quarantine Station. Catch a ferry to Manly from the north end of the CBD at Circular Quay. This walk provides one of the best views of the Sydney CBD. You can also catch a bus up the hill from the wharf.

Sydney Quarantine Station at North Head

The Sydney Quarantine Station at North Head was established in 1832. It was later segregated into distinct precincts based on social class, race, and health or infection status. Third Class / Asiatic Quarters: Designated for steerage or non-European and Asian immigrants, who faced stricter confinement and more basic living conditions reflecting colonial racial hierarchies. Note the green carbolic acid showers which were believed to sanitise the skin as they produced an effect like sun burn!

The Lusitania was later sunk by a German U boat in 1915 bringing the US into World War 1.

Spit To Manly Walk

Trip Advisor rates this the #2 walk in Sydney after the Opera House/Botanic Gardens. About 10km. Start from The Spit end and walk towards the views. Catch buses to The Spit from the CBD. Return by spectacular Manly Ferry to Circular Quay. There is a dangerous shallow submerged ancient crater rim (Crater Cove) which creates sudden large waves. One kayaker was overturned and had to be rescued by the water police. There are 1930s era fishing huts also in Crater Cove but access is difficult.

Sydney South Coast Walk

A spectacular walk from Bondi Beach south to Maroubra Beach about 10km. Catch the Bondi Beach bus #333 from east Circular Quay. Get off at the first stop at the south end of the beach. The walk starts just south of the Bondi Icebergs Swim Club. There are "drop out" city bus services at all the beaches along the way.

3 Bridges Walk

Begin at Milson's Point Station. Walk Harbour Bridge / Pyrmont Bridge / ANZAC Bridge. End with city bus at west end of ANZAC Bridge or Jubilee Park light rail station at south end of Blackwattle Bay.

3 bridges: Harbour Bridge, Pyrmont Bridge and ANZAC Bridge.

Barrenjoey Light House

Barrenjoey Light House

Built in 1881 Barrenjoey Lighthouse stands at Barrenjoey Head at Palm Beach on Sydney's northern beaches about 30km from CBD. Magnificent views up and down the coast. Film set for the popular TV series "Home and Away" on the beach. Very steep climb up to the lighthouse. Take your time. Walk up the road and down the rough smugglers track. It is also well worth the climb up to the Bible Garden at the south end of the beach. The views are the beyond spectacular. The garden is stocked with plants mentioned in the Bible. Catch Palm Beach bus from the CBD or drive.

Royal National Park - Sydney South

There are two iconic day walks in the Royal National Park south of Sydney each involving a unique ride on an historic ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena. RNP is the second oldest National Park in the world (est 1879 vs Yellowstone 1872). The two walks are from Bundeena to Little Marley return and the Jibbon Head circuit both about 10km.

Whale watching opportunities. June and July mark the peak for seeing fast-moving pods and high energy. September through November offers views of mothers swimming slowly with their new calves close to the shoreline back to Antarctica. A species recovery is a good news story after C19 whaling out of Eden on the south coast almost drove them to extinction.

Bundeena to Little Marley return circuit

Out and back about 12km mostly on good tracks. Dramatic sea scapes and the beautiful but dangerous Wedding Cake Rock.

Manly Shelly Beach

This walk is only about 2km east from the Manly Ferry wharf. Shelly Beach is one of the very few ocean side beaches on the NSW east coast which face west but combine it with lunch at the Boat House Restaurant to make a memorable walk. If you like snorkelling, the water is a marine reserve.

Blue Mountains - Grand Canyon, Blackheath

A must see walk in Blackheath. Catch the Blackheath bus from outside the Carrington Hotel in Katoomba and alight on Evans Lookout Rd in Blackheath. Walk down to the Grand Canyon walk start or drive and park near the start on Evans Lookout Rd (brown line). Lots of steep steps and slippery. Only for the fit!

Double click to enlarge images. Can be very wet. Care needed.

Blue Mountains - "Lost City" near Lithgow

This is not really a walk unless you park at the start of the access road and walk to the lookout which you might have to do anyway if the access road is too rough. This walk is about 20km north from the Zig Zag railway complex after you cross over the railway line. Car access only. These are logging roads so extra care needed. There are also much longer optional walking tracks near the Lost City.

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Blue Mountains - Leura Grand Cliff Top Walk

Prince Henry Cliff walk, in Blue Mountains National Park follows the cliff edge from Katoomba Cascades to Gordon Falls, near Leura (about 10knm). This walking track boasts some of the best views in NSW. We started at the Gordon Falls end (east) after walking down from Leura Station. Stout shoes, sneakers or boots required. No open sandals. Walking pole recommended.

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Away Walks

Every year our NPA #1 Walking Group puts on 3 days of walks in a regional area away from Sydney:

Barrington Tops near Gloucester, NSW

In April 2024 we spent three days walking with our National Parks Association bush walking group in the Barrington Tops rain forest national park. A fantastic experience apart from being constantly wet and assailed by leeches. The arctic beech forest was a standout. It is a forest remnant from Gondwana Land thousands of years old.

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Merimbula, South Coast NSW

Merimbula is on the far south coast of NSW. We did one "normal" walk from Kangarutha, one aborted walk at Deep Water creek after a challenging detour down a very rough fire trail when the weather went to the pack. It was a very stressful return drive to our journey break at Manyana as the highway was closed at Mogo by floodwaters.

Kangarutha Walk

Salt Water Creek

We were slack in not paying attention to the directions at the walk briefing. When I saw a sign saying Salt Water Creek I naturally turned off. What I did not realise that the actual turn off was further along and we had embarked down a very rough and blocked fire trail. Fortunately, my rough orienteering driving experience came in handy and I was able to extricate us and two passengers with only a small amount of repairable trim damage! Most of us were not prepared to brave the creek crossing! Note the girl crossing with a baby on her back. The guys fishing caught some large native salmon.

Merimbula Return Journey

We did not do the third day walk because the weather turned severely nasty with flood warnings for the Princes Highway. We were very relieved to get to our half way overnight stop at Manyana. We called into Green Patch to see our son who was camping in the wet.

Accommodation in Merimbula

Our accommodation in Merimbula was comfortable but architecturally unusual cabins.

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Namadji National Park near Canberra

We spent three days at the end of May 2026 walking with a group (N=20) in the Namadji National Park near Canberra. This koala enclosure is in the Eucalyptus Forest section. These koalas are as agile as monkeys in their tree environment.

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Day Out

Our Probus club has regular day out trips on public transport for $2.50 with lunch (cost ????).

Kiama $2.50 Day Out

Historic Kiama is about 90 minutes south from Sydney. It has an unique coastal charm as well as the Blow Hole. We had lunch at Diggies near the Blow Hole.

Penrith $2.50 Day Out

Our group had a Probus $2.50 day out by fast train and bus from Penrith Station to the Penrith Regional Art Gallery and lunch at the riverside "Cafe at Lewers" which was excellent. An interesting collection with local links.

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Hobbies - Minor Walks

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Clubs

I belong to five clubs. Clubs membership is a major retirement support activity.

Probus - Social Club

NPA - Day Walking Club

Ramblers - Day Walking Club

Kalymaro Alpine Sports Club - Snow Skiing Club

Manly 16ft Skiff Club - Food and Wine

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Food and Wine

BBQing

We enjoy BBQed trout at least once a week using a rotisserie rack for ease of turning. Maximum 6 min each side at 225 degrees in a Weber. We have a 14m balcony with 3 cardinal directions except west. With a balcony above I can BBQ in any weather. Improvised toasting!

Food & Wine - Manly 16 Foot Sailing Club Restaurant

This is our local. Arguably the most atmospheric harbour front restaurant in Sydney and a 10 minute walk form home. Excellent menu.

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