Birdwood Gully - Springwood

This attractive short walk can be found not far from Springwood railway station. Whilst the track was still quite rough in places, sections had been upgraded since our last visit.
 
 

The circular walk can be accessed from two spots on Bednal Rd, and also from Boland Ave, and follows Springwood and Birdwood Gully Creeks. There is also a side track further along Springwood Creek, which we didn't explore. 

     Location map 

On a previous visit our walk leaders combined this walk with a look at the blue gums in Deanel Forest Reserve 

Birdwood Gully has a Bushcare group

The Paragon Cafe - Katoomba

The Paragon had closed down when I visited in February 2019 

The heritage-listed 1916 Paragon is one of the best known Art Deco restaurants and function rooms in New South Wales. The Paragon Cafe is in Katoomba Street, not far from the railway station. A meal, or coffee and some of their handmade chocolates, are often part of our Katoomba visit.

'Taking its present form between 1925 and 1936, it reflects the flair and taste of a Greek immigrant family with a wide experience in catering, and the need for a high-class tea-room, sundae parlour, confectionery and ballroom in inter-war Katoomba for locals and for visitors'. NSW Heritage

Wendy's Garden - Lavender Bay

Wendy Whiteley created this special spot, known locally as ‘Wendy's Secret Garden’, on an area of railway land below Clark Park. It is currently leased to North Sydney Council for public use. The garden sits above North Sydney car sidings, which are used to store rolling stock between the morning and evening peaks.                     Location Map

 

Wendy was awarded an OAM on Australia Day 2009 ‘for service to the community through the establishment and maintenance of a public garden at Lavender Bay, and as a supporter of the visual arts’                                           

Our walking group reached the garden from Milsons Point Station via Alfred and Lavender Streets. After visiting the garden, we followed the narrow strip of foreshore which links Quibaree Park to Luna Park and the Harbour Bridge. Continuing the garden theme we crossed the bridge to the Botanic Gardens via the expressway pedestrian walkway above Circular Quay.

 

Lavender Bay from the foreshore walk

The Norman Lindsay Gallery

The gallery at Faulconbridge, run by the National Trust, displays the work of artist and writer Norman Lindsay (1879-1969). Various rooms of the attractive sandstone cottage house oil paintings, watercolours, sketches, ceramics and ship models.                 

 

While Lindsay is known for his paintings of voluptuous women in classical poses, he was also a political cartoonist and wrote and illustrated the 1918 children's classic 'The Magic Pudding'.                   Location map

The gallery has a limited bus service from Macquarie Rd near Springwood station (about 5Kms). The 690C bus Check the Mid Mts Bus timetable