Hilltop view: the Hawkesbury River

The view from the top of the hill at Pearl Beach is a stunner, especially on a calm clear day like the one this photo was taken. The clouds reflect in the water and you can see all the way up the Hawkesbury River. To the top left is Palm Beach, the northernmost tip of Sydney city.

It takes less than half an hour to travel by ferry across the water but an hour and a half (at least) by car.

Oysters no more

Photo from the train: Hawkesbury River with oyster stakes

Photo from the train: Hawkesbury River, looking south

Travelling by train north from Sydney takes you along the lovely Hawkesbury River. It is a train trip I make frequently and as we roll past the  oyster farming structures that poke out of the water at low tide I wonder about the future of humanity.

Ten years ago 28 oyster farmers farmed Sydney Rock Oysters in these waters but they were destroyed  by QX disease in 2004. Eight farmers started again farming pacific oysters. The number grew and grew and by last year there were 15 oyster businesses operating in the area and there were always boats out among the wooden stakes harvesting oysters. Earlier this year Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome wiped the oysters out and now the boats are gone.

The Hawkesbury oyster industry is one example of many that illustrates what happens when we create imbalances in nature. Are we capable of learning the lessons nature is trying to teach us?

Patonga to Pearl Beach

There is nothing like a bush walk to revive the spirits. Near where I live is a particularly pleasant one, the walk over the hill between Patonga and Pearl Beach. It is easy walking because it is mostly along fire trails (roads built for access in case of fire.)
 

Fire trail walkway

Bush turkeys crossing the path

You climb up and up and at the top of the hill are two small paths leading to the edge of the cliff where you look out over the mouth of the Hawkesbury River.

Path from fire trail to lookout

At the end of the path the ocean is reflected in the morning puddles.

South east - the mouth of the Hawkesbury River

Looking  west

The views are spectacular, my phone camera doesn't do them justice.  You feel as if you are a million miles from habitation but over that hill to the south is Sydney and that the peninsular you see stretching out into the sea to the west is Palm Beach. Very close to habitation after all.

Pearl Beach, Patonga and, across the water, Palm Beach, are top right.

Short days on the Hawkesbury

The days are getting short and mid afternoon feels more like evening on cloudy days. This photo was taken about 3pm from the railway bridge over the Hawkesbury River about a week ago.

Hawkesbury River in May

At 5:15pm today I tried to snap a picture in the same spot .... but it was too dark and all I got was the reflection in the window.

The Hawkesbury River is outside there somewhere

Hawkesbury River Oyster Leases

I drew this on the train between Hornsby and Woy Woy today, on my way between my new house and art school.

The Hawksbury River is very picturesque with oyster leases along its banks. When we stopped at the Hawkesbury River station an elderly fellow on the train said he remembered the days when the windows of the train could be opened and vendors at Hawkesbury Station would sell oysters to the passengers for a shilling a dozen.

Hawkesbury River

New South Wales has some hidden gems and one of them is the southern part of the NSW Central Coast. It is only and hour north of Sydney by train and the journey is a very pretty one. This is the view from the train along the Hawkesbury River.