Shorter than Expected

The plan was to walk from Wagstaffe to Box Head then try to find a way down to Iron Ladder Beach on Broken Bay then down to Tallow Beach and back.

As usual plans are made to be amended. Less than 2klm in, at the junction with the Hawke Head Rd fire trail, I was turned back by NPWS staff as there was a helicopter spray operation targeting the bitou bush on the headlands and beaches. When I checked the website while standing talking to the man it was down as an alert, however it was not there when planning the walk the day before. I always check now,as too many times I have been thwarted by some closure or issue. A lot of which are not noted. Very frustrating. C'est la vie.

Rock formation on reaching the top of the ridge from Wagstaffe.

Lookout point across to Umina and Ocean Beach.  

Bloodwood bark 

Epacris microphylla -Coral Heath

Actinotus helianthi-Flannel flower 

Berrima Snow

Staying at Bundanoon with snow predicted but heavy rain all night and no snow in the morning. After hearing reports of roads closed between Mittagong and Berrima we took off to find the snow.

The hills through Berrima ,Joadja and into Mittagong were covered with a good dump of snow.

A quick walk down to Berrima Weir thinking the snow on the rocks might be picturesque, but the heavy rain had put a good flow over the weir covering the rocks.

At the weir

I like the way the snow lays on the dead timber 

Berrima Weir

 A little different from the last time I was here in February in this last post

http://itsonlymylife163.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/berrima.html

On into Berrima for a meat pie lunch at the pie shop next to the Post Office 

Trying to walk the track along the River we had to turn back due to the amount of fallen trees across the track. 

Further on towards Mittagong at Oxley Hill the paddocks and ridges were cloaked in white. 

Brooklyn Dam

A steep climb up from Parsley Bay at Brooklyn 

Views across to Dangar Island

At the dam it had been drained to allow the dam wall to be redone. Not quite the tranquility I was expecting at the dam 

Views back down a gully to the Hawkesbury River Bridge at Kangaroo Point. 

Persoonia levis 

Bossiaea heterophylla 

Hibbertia obtusifolia 

Phebalium squamulosum 

Acacia oxycedrus 

Conospermum longifolium 

Acacia sauveolens 

Yellow-faced Honeyeater 

Grevillea sericea 

White-eared Honeyeater 

Eastern Spinebill 

Gompholobium latifolium 

Leucopogon micrpphyllus 

Boronia ledifolia 

Dampiera stricta 

Scarlet Honeyeater