roo roo skip to my roo

Wow, what weekend. Went to the south coast of NSW, a place called Bawley Point about 3 and a half hours drive south of Sydney. Ben's mum, Jan has a place there looking over the sea. We travelled in and arrived to torrential rain. The forecast wasn't good but as long as we got some dry spells to go walking then I wasn't going to mind too much.

We arrived on the Saturday late afternoon and a quick roo steak later, David and I went off to MIlton for a concert of Bush tales and songs. David manages Musica Viva's Countrywide program which organises bringing music ensembles to venues all around Australia. Basically to me, that meant free tickets. So we went to see Warren Fahey and Dave de Hugard. The former's repertoire consists mainly of bush tales, poems and songs mostly unaccompanied. The latter mostly did folk type songs. The first half was really enjoyable - I particularly liked Warren's stuff but was a bit lukewarm about Dave's. One song was bout a load of shearers having a party and getting so drunk that they started mistaking the sheep for lasses and started dancing with them (and the rest...)!

Example bush tale:
Two drovers were camped by the orad for the night. After their meal they sat around the fire talking and, eventually, one of them got up and wandered over to the fence for a leak. After a minute or so he yelled out to his mate: 'Hey, Col, you ever smoked a cigarette that's been pissed on?'
The other drover thought this over for a few minutes and replied: 'Nar, I can't say that I have.'
More silence followed and then: 'Can't say that you've missed much.'

Since the first half lasted an hour an a half, I wasn't really expecting the second half to live up to the first - and I was correct. Half the audience had left during the interval anyway, thinking they'd probably got their money's worth by then and 10pm was their bedtime. I didn't quite fall asleep but I wanted to. I think even the performers were tired as they made quite a few mistakes and even admitted that some of the songs were the first time they'd performed them. Overall though, I'm glad I went.

Next day was stormy and cold. Made for dramatic waves crashing onto the beach and rocks though. The area consists of lots of beaches and headlands. We headed to Pretty Beach where I was promised I would see some kangaroos up close, which as you can see by the photo, I did. They don't seem bothered by humans at all, they just kind of crouch and stare at you. There was a camp site nearby though so they were probably partly tame and scavenging. Funny story actually, do you see how wet and bedraggled their coats look?.....Well, that's because it was REALLY BLOODY WET!! And cold - wished I'd brought a scarf and gloves. Ridiculous. Photo of Ben at strange angle is him being held up by the gale force winds. It cleared up a bit in the afternoon, still windy and cold but not as wet so did some more wondering along beaches and clambering on rocks. The surfers were out to enjoy the waves too. Found my ideal home - there is a lake set back from the beach and hidden by some trees. This is locally known as swan lake as it is populated by hundreds of black swans. Set back again from this lake was a house up on the hill with a great sweeping lawn down to the lake with a little jetty onto the lake that was just crying out for me to sit by it with a gin and tonic. It was the most beautiful setting. Also had it's own mini skate board park which wasn't really part of my ideal.

This holiday weekend is also traditionally bonfire night here - althougn fireworks are bannned in NSW. Neighbours very kindly put on a fireworks display for us during dinner. They'd built a big bonfire on the beach. After dinner and quite a bit of wine, we took over the by now slightly smaller bonfire and pranced around with sparklers. David also tried a bit of firewalking.

Bawley Point is apparently the first land Captain Cook spotted during his voyage of discovery. There is a very prominent hill that he said reminded him of a dovecot and it is now called Pigeon House. However the Aboriginal term for it is 'big breast' - can you see why?

Monday morning brought glorious sunshine and lots of very colourful birds. A pair of king parrots, some crimson rosellas, rainbow lorikeets and hooded pigeons as well as some slightly less exciting magpies visited us on the balcony. Had a great day involving more walks by beaches, lagoons and bush but then unfortunately we had to head back to Sydney


It was the World Cup Australia vs Japan match that night and I was supposed to be going to Darling Harbour to watch it but I was just too tired. Shame as looked as if it would have a been a great atmosphere. The next match against Brazil is at 3am our time so I don't suppose I'll watch that one either. Guess I should really find out how England are doing.

During the weekend I brought Ben and David's attention to the roads people's penchant for word play on road warning signs which they had never noticed before: "Stop, revive, survive", "driver reviver, 500m", "the road is there to share", "click clack, front and back" and although not about roads "slip, slop, slap, wrap" - I can't remember exactly what that's about but the 2nd one is for sunscreen and the last one for shades.

The commentary I get from my hosts is quite funny too - when they point out this historic old something or other and I find it's a whole 80 years old. Heheh, my flat in Edinburgh is older than that! There was one sign on the road for th Historic Boathouse. Jan used to use it for courting (the boats, not the shed) when she was a lass and it wasn't considered historic then, just a simple boatshed.

I am sitting typing this in more glorious sunshine in my garden but my skin is beginning to feel a little overexposed so I think I'll head indoors and do something more constructive - like maybe work! I hear there are lots of burnt folk wandering around Edinburgh a the moment - sunscreen, people, suncreen.

Gratuitous shot of surfers
Jan taking in the view

hungry lorikeets

stunning lagoon 50m from the beach
Either Pretty Beach, or Pebbly Beach or Bawley Beach or Gannet Beach or Cormorant Beach or... och I dinnae ken, there were just soooo many beaches!!