One of my favourite weekend drives has to be down the coast, past Kiama, to the villages of Gerringong and Gerroa. Gerringong is the bigger of the two, with a substantial surf beach, shops and rock pool. It’s what Kiama used to be 15 years ago.
But even Gerringong has its secret spots. I discovered Boat Harbour on a weekend stay.
It’s a secluded, little cove with its own colony of pelicans, cow pastures, and a cute little rock pool that’s wonderful on a summer’s morning.
We took a walk in Ormiston Gorge the next morning: over the hill and into the deep gorge. The hills form layers, one on top of the other, towering above the cool river bed.
When we came out of the gorge, we saw a heron perched beside the river, contemplating the ancient landscape.
This is my second attempt at making madeleines using a different recipe. This one’s much better – the cakes are much lighter. Also interesting to see the effect different pans have: the darker cakes were baked in a metal pan and the lighter ones were baked in a silicone pan. Somehow I prefer the ones from the metal pan…
Time for another soup creation: a twist on good old pumpkin soup with a little green apple for added tang, a splash of cream for richness, and a sprinkle of Chinese Five Spice for flavour.
Glen Helen is deep within the West Macdonnell Ranges. We arrived late in the day to watch the last rays of the sun reflect off the gorgeous red rock, before having dinner under the stars.
I love the ghost gums that grow out of the rock, their white trunks standing out even in the twilight.
A bumpy ride brought us to the Finke Gorge National Park. This rock amphitheatre at Kalaranga Lookout reminds me a lot of the Wild West.
I love the colour of the rock, a rich red due to the iron ore accummulated through millions of years of exposure.
Had an urge to bake one night, and the easiest thing to make was a simple tart of apples…
And of pears…
The Granny Smith apples were really too tart (pardon the pun) for such a simple tart since the only additive was a sprinkle of brown sugar. The pears though, were superb.
I flew to Alice Springs right after I returned from Arnhemland, and the next day I was on the road again, this time with Wayoutback Tours.
We visited the West Macdonnell Ranges on the first day, and the first place we stopped at was Hermansburg. It’s a bit of an oddity because it’s an old Lutheran mission. The Germans made it up to Alice overland from Adelaide in the late 1800’s, and have had a great influence on the locals. It was my first taste of the vivid desert colours – red of the earth, blue of the morning sky.
This will be a series on secret places in and around Sydney; places that only locals know of.
First up is Gordon’s Bay, in the Sydney Eastern Suburbs. It’s a little bay between Coogee and Clovelly that’s popular with divers and snorkellers. The coastal path passes through here, and I particularly like the old-fashioned dinghies lashed on to wooden racks.
We’ll farewell the Top End with another stupendous sunset cruise on the Coopers River billabong.
It was a profound, emotional experience, and I’m not the only one who feels this way. The wildlife, scenery and rock art are amazing, but above all, the cultural things that I learned that typically only happens when I visit a completely foreign country. I admit that this all comes at a price, but if you have an opportunity to visit Mount Borradaile, jump at it. Magnificent sunsets like this one awaits you.
This isn’t the end of my Northern Territory journey, though. Next up, the Red Centre!
Static and Silence 