Since it was such a lovely day in Sydney today, I decided to go out to Vineyard Creek Reserve (its just a small patch of bush in the Telopea valley 5km north-east of Parramatta, 5mins walk from my house) and a find a way down to Kissing Point Road. I know that such a path exists because I have seen it at the Kissing Point Road end. But the directions once you get into the reserve are not easy to discern. Once before, I ended up at the cave when I was looking for Kissing Point Road. This time, I ended up at the Oatlands golf course, so I was closer than before, but still I couldnt find the path I was looking.
But anyway, I found a few other things today. At the end of a small incline, I came across a vast clearing in the middle of which was a large concrete cylindrical structure. Some of the earth was extremely dry and had huge cracks, whilst there was bright green grass nearby. Beyond the clearing, there was a clump of pipes draining into a black reservoir of water. I wondered whether this was the result of the reflection of the sheer sandstone wall, out of which the reservoir and the clearing appear to have been cut, but on closer inspection, the water was in fact, black, and full of junk. A path off to one side quickly led to a dead end, so I decided to follow the other direction for a 
while to see where it led. I was hoping that it would curve to the left and climb, as I felt that this was the direction Kissing Point Road was in. As it happened, the path did climb, and did curve to the left somewhat, and led me to a small sheltered creek bed which must have been a wet pocket as it was full of ferns, moss and cool green shade. Presented with two options, either to follow the creek bed or to cross the bed and follow the path as it curved sharply to the left, I took the leftward option.
while to see where it led. I was hoping that it would curve to the left and climb, as I felt that this was the direction Kissing Point Road was in. As it happened, the path did climb, and did curve to the left somewhat, and led me to a small sheltered creek bed which must have been a wet pocket as it was full of ferns, moss and cool green shade. Presented with two options, either to follow the creek bed or to cross the bed and follow the path as it curved sharply to the left, I took the leftward option. But it only led me to the golf course. Now I could've gone out through the golf course and continued by street, but I wanted to explore more of the bush so I went back the way I came to the creek bed. By my reckoning, given that the golf course was where it was, I needed a right turn to get to my objective, so I kept an eye out for right forks, but alas, none materialized. So I ended up back at the creek bed, and so walked along it for a few minutes. There were lots of birds in this part of the reserve, especially kookaburras. But the creek bed became impassable after a short distance so I headed back.
The reserve was full of wild flowers today, though most of them were out of reach of my camera, with its crappy digital zoom. But there was one plant with white flowers that I could get near. These flowers looked vaguely familiar, but I cant recall seeing them in anyone's garden.
1 comment:
i remember stumbling across this clearing as a child, although perhaps viewed from the cliffs opposite, as i distinctly remember a feeling of vertigo and almost falling into the weird space below. i have never been able to find this clearing again... so thanks for your nice post about it. any ideas on what this clearing is or what the man made structures are? what did you think when you found this spot?
e quinny
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