South Central Highlands

As the name implies, the south central highlands is a region along the south central coast of New South Wales, south of Sydney. The area is quite beautiful with lush rolling hills, pasture land, towering sandstone cliffs, rainforest, and waterfalls. Located about 1.5 hours south of Sydney is Fitzroy Falls and is one of the highlights of the highlands.

Although long known to the aborigines, who passed by it on their migrations from the coast to the Highlands, the falls were 'discovered' in the 1820s by Charles Throsby, pioneer settler of Bong Bong, whose property extended as far as the falls itself. Its spectacular beauty made it a favourite place for the Throsbys to bring their many guests on picnics. One of these, NSW Governor Fitzroy, visited in 1850 and in typically modest manner named the falls after himself.

The falls lie in the path of the Yarrunga Creek, which drops over 80 metres down the escarpment, and flows on into the Kangaroo River. The water flow is not as massive, nor as irregular, as in the past due to a water catchment dam further upstream today. Long recognised for its natural beauty, 4000 acres was set aside as a reserve in 1882, and later attempts to 'develop' the area were thwarted by Highlands residents.

Fitzroy Falls today owes its beauty to these far-sighted earlier settlers. The small, sleepy village of the same name lies astride the main road between the Highlands to Kangaroo Valley and the South Coast at Nowra, and is a favourite stopping off place on that journey, and for the thousands of tourists each year who come to the Highlands.

Fitzroy Falls

Fitzroy Falls

Fitzroy Falls

Banksia Pod

Twin Falls

Termite Mound

Australia has the best signs

Pretty

An A380 Every Day

Most of you know that I am a big aviation buff, which is why it is so exciting for me to live in Cronulla. Both my apartment and office are near the flight path of Sydney Kingsford International Airport. Sydney is one of the principal cities of the world, and is serviced by numerous international flights on a daily basis. There is never a shortage of great aircraft spotting, with dozens of 747's, A340's and 777's flying overhead daily. On October 25th of last year, Singapore Airlines was the first to launch commercial service of the Airbus A380 - the largest passenger airliner in the world. The A380 is larger than the 747 and can carry up to 800 passengers. Initially, Singapore Airlines had a single A380 and placed it into daily service between Singapore and Sydney. Today, Singapore Airlines has numerous A380's crossing the globe. Following are a few shots of the A380 in service here in Sydney. I borrowed these photographs from www.airliners.net


A380 Flight Deck - Departing Sydney for the first time in commercial service


First A380 commercial flight departing Sydney for Singapore. My office is in the background near the stacks


A380 near the gate - always an attention getter


A380 approaching Sydney Kingsford - this is what it looks like every day flying over my office


Getting ready to head back to Singapore