All posts by Sandra Graham

I am an artist and blogger living in Sydney, Australia. I am interested in Australian landscapes and lost suburbia, capturing them in photographs, paintings, prints and mixed media. @s_graham_art
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Camping Adventure – Part 1

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In February we went on another camping adventure. It’s been more than a year since our previous camping trip. Our destination was still the Barrington Tops, but this time we chose the southern side, cutting perhaps 1.5 to 2 hours off our trip. We once again chose a dog-friendly camping ground, as Bridie was with us. They were very dog-friendly, with the kiosk even serving dog-friendly treats.

Camping at Riverwood Downs

Riverwood Downs was more than just a camp ground, being an eco resort of sorts, but camping suited us just fine.

Camping at Riverwood Downs

The location was still rural, and although not quite as scenic as Cundle Flat, the river was more accessible. We certainly needed it as it reached 35C during our stay.

Camping at Riverwood Downs

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Knitting Up a Storm

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I’ve been knitting up a storm so far this year. The longest project so far has been a jumper for my father-in-law (using this old favourite). It took me about four months to complete.

Paul's Tweed Jumper

Since then I’ve taken on projects that were quicker. Like this cosy for my hot water bottle, as last winter I was sick of having to wrap and pin it in a makeshift tea towel cover.

Hot water bottle cover

I also wanted to do more challenging projects. This girl’s cardigan involved quite a bit of lace knitting, which was new to me. Luckily it was relatively quick to do – it took only a month.

Girl's Cardigan

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To the Cliffs – Part 3

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The cliffs come as a big surprise after navigating our way through a tunnel of tea tree bushes.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

They are similar to the cliffs you find up and down the Sydney Basin, except that these have been relatively untouched.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

The colours and shapes have all been sculpted by the elements over time. Amazing what nature can do.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

Like the ledge below containing a mini rainforest, complete with ferns and mini waterfall.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

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To the Cliffs – Part 2

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We walked up a long stretch of coastal scrub, until we could see the landscape all the way down to the high hills above Burning Palms.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

Tea tree bushes seemed to dominate here, but there was plenty of summer flowers about to break up the scene, whether they be in the trees…

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

Or closer to the ground.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

After spending some time in Europe, I think we’re very lucky here in Eastern Australia to have something flowering all year round.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

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To the Cliffs – Part 1

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Another national park that we’ve not visited in a long time was the Royal National Park. And it’s been even longer since I took a walk to the cliffs. It’s time to remedy that.

We started at Wattamolla on a warm summer’s day. The park was already bustling with people even though it was just 10.30am. We crossed Wattamolla Creek and headed north past sparse eucalypt forest. The boulders here were a highlight, marking the edge of the forest and the low coastal scrub.

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

Coastal Walk from Wattamolla

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Blue Mountains Winter Weekend – Part 3

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I hadn’t spent much time exploring Leura before, and so was surprised to discover Sublime Point when we were visiting friends nearby. It has a better view in my opinion than Wenty Falls or even Echo Point, since you can see both valleys.

Sublime Point

View to Katoomba.

Sublime Point

View to the Kings Tableland.

Sublime Point

And because access is via some very quiet suburban streets, there are no walks from it, and parking is limited, it seems to be one of the more secluded lookouts in the Mountains. Bonus!

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Blue Mountains Winter Weekend – Part 2

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The Blue Mountains has a wide range of accomodation to choose from, especially in the village of Leura. We stayed at The Greens B&B. It was set in one of the old houses just off the Mall, and each room was named after a classic author or poet. I chose Jane Austen, of course.

The Greens B&B

The rooms were luxurious, and so were the breakfasts. There was even muffins for afternoon tea.

The Greens B&B

The Greens B&B

I liked the little touches, like a set of Jane Austen novels in the room. It made for a very homely stay.

The Greens B&B

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Blue Mountains Winter Weekend – Part 1

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Now that I’ve finished posting about our travels abroad, I can concentrate on catching up on our activities here in the last 6 months. Last August we spent a weekend in the Blue Mountains to celebrate our wedding anniversary. One thing we did was take a walk along the Charles Darwin Walk.

Charles Darwin Walk

It had been some years since I walked this track, and I was glad to see the pre-spring wildflowers out.

Charles Darwin Walk

Charles Darwin Walk

It was always a treat to see the waterfalls.

Charles Darwin Walk

And of course, the grand view from Wentworth Falls at the end.

Charles Darwin Walk