Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Australia Day outing (and BBQ)

Yes, I went to an Australia Day Barbeque *** yesterday. It was not my idea. Nor was I persuaded by the Australia Day Council advertising, I assure you.
No, I was invited by friends!
It was a private Barbie - at the house of two friends of mine, John and Toni, in Bundanoon.

As a preamble, I was invited to go for a swim with John at the Bundanoon Creek swimming hole, off Meryla Road. Although I had no intention of stripping down, nor of getting wet.I was happy to go along, to check out this location (which I had heard about, but never visited). And a very pretty spot it was. It is in a deep valley (not yet a Gorge) in the Sandstone plateau, between Meryla Pass and Bundanoon village. It is formed by a dam on Bundanoon Creek.
The water was deep, ideal for swimming (on a moderately hot afternoon). It would be unbelievably cold on a cool day, owing to the deep gully location.

This is a view from Bundanoon, looking south, to Wombat Hill - the point of a very long promontory - overlooking the Shoalhaven River Valley. Bundanoon Creek runs down in the valley between my location and the cliffs. The swimming hole is well tucked in the upper valley, further back to the left.
Google Earth image of Meryla Road and the Bundanoon Creek Reservoir.
The swimming pool is accessed just north
of the Fire Trail going off to the bottom-right.
There is a parking area, and a track down to the Creek.
This is some 300 metres beyond the second bridge on Meryla Road.
Click to enlarge the image.
The dammed edge of the water is visible on the far left of the image.
The swimming point is way around to the right.Here are the boys doing their stuff.

John using the fixed rope to climb out of the water, up to the tree.
The trick is to bring the swinging rope, the one with the handle, with you.
That's the one you swing back out over the water with.
Holding on to rope with the handle.
Pull back to tension the rope, and jump off the rock.Swinging outAfter going past the low point, one lets go.Magnus shows how to do it properly.
A neat tuck up of the legs, to start the swing out.At the low point, Mag starts to tuck his legs up,
and pulls his body upwards to achieve a reverse somersault.
Mag got much further out and higher than John.
Lena and I decided that going swimming was not quite right.
But she was hot., even though she was right beside the water.
Schnauzers don't "do" water sports.
I momentarily dunked her in the cool water
(her body but not her head)
by hanging on to her collar,
so that she did not get scared.
Schnauzer's eyebrows close down over their eyes when they get wet.
She would have been temporarily blinded if I had dropped her in the pool.
That's not funny for the dog - so I made sure not to do that.

Thanks to John and Toni for suggesting a nice afternoon excursion,
and for their hospitality with the Barbeque.
A very nice day was enjoyed.

***
Shock Horror.
"Spellchecker" want me to spell it "barbecue".
I refuse.
Wikipedia records my preferred spelling is an optional variant.
Just as well.

4 comments:

mick said...

Beautiful scenery and the water looks very inviting but I would Not have been swinging from that rope!

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Mick.
You and me both!
But the "big boys" seem to love doing it.
Nice spot - certainly.
Cheers
Denis

Russell Constable said...

Your story brought back many happy childhood memories of death defying Tarzan ropes on the Murray River as a young fella! I would have been keen for a swing in a second though you can forget about the back flip!
Looks like a terrific spot I must say!

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I would love to know where this is exactly, would you have directions on how to get there?
thanks,
Patricia