Early morning up at the Tops was even more majestic than sunset. The light seemed to illuminate the gums – the whole effect was magical.
All posts by Sandra Graham
The Tops – Gums
We camped that night at Manning River camp ground, in the Barrington State Forest. The light through the sub-alpine gum trees at sunset was enchanting.
The Tops – Flora
We made our way up to the Barrington Tops via a pot-holed gravel road. It was surprisingly cool up there after the humidity of the plains below, and from first glance it was obvious that we were in a sub-alpine area – not dissimilar to Thredbo. Well, we were 1,200m above sea-level.
There were little white flowers.
And the new growth on the bushes were vibrant to say the least.
Big Sky Country – Cattle
And here are the fore-said Hereford cattle, lingering by the gate.
There really was some awesome sky (and country) that afternoon at Rawdon Vale.
Big Sky Country – Hills
I loved the undulating (currently green) hills of Rawdon Vale. The valley is an established Hereford cattle property since 1845, and even has a few National Trust buildings on site (a 19th Century red brick mansion being one of them). For me, the landscape reminded me more of the hills and plains of Wyoming, a la Legends of the Fall.
Big Sky Country – Clouds
We’re starting a little journey today – on a weekend camping trip to the Barrington Tops. I’ve visited this area only a handful of times over the years, but never went right across it until this trip.
We started on the eastern side of the range. Having left Gloucester, we made our way down the backroads into Rawdon Vale – the foothills to the Tops. You can see how much rain they’ve had – everything was green.
Canine Interlude – At Home I Roam
The beagle makes a decent guard dog – when she feels like it.
Favourite Feeds – Kangkung
Here’s another Asian favourite of mine, this time from the South-East. Kangkung, or water spinach, is a very tropical plant. It actually grows in water – I’ve seen whole strands of them growing wild in the Top End!
My favourite dish is kangkung cha terasi (or kangkung belachan in Malaysian) – kangkung stir fried with shrimp paste, garlic, and of course, lots of chilli. It’s eaten as a vege side dish, perhaps with satay, a curry or two, and lots of steamed white rice. Eating it brings me back to my childhood…
Favourite Feeds – Scrambled Eggs
Now this is a dish that I can actually cook well. No weird sauces, just timing and technique. I like Bill Granger’s technique (although there’s way too much cream in that recipe for my liking), because I like my scrambled eggs soft and fluffy. Some chives and parsley folded into the eggs and fried tomatoes and mushrooms on the side go down well too.
Favourite Feeds – Burgers
I really do like a burger every now and then, with a side of hot chips, but in this age, what really defines a burger? Meat-wise, it seems like any mince/spicing combination goes these days. Moroccan lamb, Thai chicken – they’re not really burgers, are they?
Personally, I still like the ‘traditional’ Aussie burger, the kind that they make (made?) at milk bars way back when. Beef patty, cheese, fried onion, lettuce, tomato, beetroot, and tomato sauce on a spongy bun. No pickles, no mustard, no rocket, no sourdough roll. Just the basics.
Given my specifications, the burger below, although served at a cafe, is just about acceptable.
Static and Silence 