Monday, August 01, 2005

Bushwalk to Marley



Since my country posts were so popular, I decided to put up some pictures of the picnic/bushwalk we went on, on the weekend.

The winter weather has been so beautiful in Sydney, 20 degrees and clear blue skies and no breeze! With weather like this how could you not go for a picnic in the bush? So we packed up the car and drive the 30mins to the Royal National Park. The RNP is located on the southern coastal side of Sydney, it is the oldest NP in Australia and the second oldest in the world after Yellowstone. This is very lucky, because otherwise I could see the mansions on the cliffs already ;) .
The walk we decided to take was Wattamola to Marley beach, this is a 6.5 km round trip. The walk starts off through coastal heathlands, then along the sandstone cliffs finishing up at the beach. It is a relatively easy walk and I recommend all Sydney siders make the trip!

When we got to Marley we had potato salad rolls (Atkins be dammed! LOL) on the beach and they tasted pretty good in the sun. I know everyone has a preferred potato salad recipe and ingredients they like to include but my method is easy and can be used with your favourite flavours.

The trick is to boil the potatoes whole, this prevents them from becoming mushy and absorbing too much water. Whilst they boil, thinly slice some red onion and put it into a large bowl and make your favourite vinaigrette. When the potatoes are boiled take them out of the water and while they are still hot peel and dice them. Put them into the bowl with the onion and pour the vinaigrette onto the hot potatoes. The potatoes will absorb the vinaigrette. The salad can be eaten like this, or when cold some sour cream and any herbs can be stirred through. I made a honey, mustard and orange juice vinaigrette and it worked really well. Casey's boss asked what sort of potatoes I had used, because surely they weren't normal potatoes *grin*.


We were so lucky as all of these natives were in bloom. Whilst many of the Australian flowers are small, they are spectacular or I think so anyway. There was so many flowers in bloom that the air had a heady fragrance, it wasn't like perfume but honey, really rich and sweet with some salt from the sea air. The flower in the top right is a Banksia, whilst it looks small in the photo, the inflouresence was about 30 cms long!

If you would like more information on any of the flowers please leave me a comment and I will help you out.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW!! What great pictures, and the weather sounds awesome, since it's 100 degrees and no wind here!! We are not going on any picnics!! Gues what Clare, I know Amy's secret and for $5 I will tell you!!! 

Posted by Cara

Anonymous said...

Clare, your page lost my comment, I just posted and then went to visit Farmgirl and when I came back to you my very funny post was GONE?? Lets see if this one makes it. 

Posted by Cara

Anonymous said...

Ok well they are both here now, it's amazing what refreshing will do!!!!!!!! Carry on! 

Posted by Cara

Anonymous said...

Hi Cara!!

oooh! $5 usd or aud? LOL!

I am so glad that you liked the pictures, the weather was just perfect for a walk, isn't the scenery stunning?
Well it was about 68 farenheit! so it sure is hot there at the moment! That is what it is like here in summer, so don't worry you will get me back soon enough LOL 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

WOW, Clare the pictures are breath taking! Thanks for sharing the gorgeous shots of the scenery and the flowers. The flowers are quite beautiful. I love the colors. :> 

Posted by milgwimper

Anonymous said...

Hi Clare,
Those photos are just gorgeous. And you do like your flowers! They are all so stunning. : ) The potato salad sounds absolutely yum. Thanks for the "boil them whole" tip. What a wonderful day you had! 

Posted by farmgirl

Anonymous said...

Hi Milly
It was pretty, it was so hard to cull the pictures back!

Hi farmgrl
Yeah it was a nice day. the likeing plants is probably the ecologist/botanist coming out in me? hehehe When I saw your photo I ws thinking it was cool that we were both posting flowers!!
 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Clare - You sure you don't work for the Bureau of Tourism there? Those are wonderful pic's! I 

Posted by Kirk

Anonymous said...

Hi Kirk
Thank you very much! No, definately do not work for them.... maybe I should give them a call? 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

hi thecoolestblog!
Thanks so much! 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Hi Barbara
Aren't they lovely *sigh* 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

What fun! The cliff pictures are very cool. The water looks so blue there! Very nice! 

Posted by Joe

Anonymous said...

Hi Jo
the water was really blue, it was such a clear beautiful day 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Hi, what beautiful pictures you make. As you already know i am at the moment a "sydney addict" so this post was cheerly welcomed.
Oops i was going to forget something very important : if you ever go to bills could you please take some pics and poste them on your blog.
Love
Fanny 

Posted by fanny

Anonymous said...

Hi Fanny!
LOL I saw that on your blog! Sydney is a pretty nice place most of the time ;)

If I go to bill's I promise to take lots of photos! 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Hi Clare,

The flowers are beautiful. I think I need to take a few pictures of some and post 'em too! I don't think they'll be as nice as yours though.  

Posted by Reid

Anonymous said...

Hi Reid!
As nice as mine? surely they will be! Seriously though I think it is a great idea! 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

hey clare love the flowers and sunny pics hasnt the waether been fantastic 

Posted by dave

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous cliff and water pictures - really breathtaking. 

Posted by Sweetnicks

Anonymous said...

Hi Sweetnicks,
It was even better in person! I hope that these pictures inspire SOMEONE to go out there for a walk! 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Aw, those pictures are fantastic. Makes me itchy to make a trip to Sydney.  

Posted by boo_licious

Anonymous said...

Oh, yes those flower pictures are amazing, Clare. A couple of days away from the Internet and look at everything I've missed! And Cara's trying to sell me out for only $5.00?!?! Ooh, shame on her.  

Posted by Amy

Anonymous said...

Hi Boo... I don't know if this helps but the weather is perfect!

Hi Amy
uhuh and lots more :(
Yep, cara obviously thinks your pretty cheap! lol 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. I will have to go straighten her out on my true worth. And now, as you know, i can do that in person! 

Posted by Amy

Anonymous said...

Yep....
"Cara, oh Cara... where are you dear?" lol  

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

it's so beautiful... 

Posted by babe_kl

Anonymous said...

Hi Bab_kl
you are spot on ;) 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

I'm RIGHT here, so bring it on Amy!!!

Clare, just so you know, I know excatly how much Amy is worth. Amy, I think you know what I mean!!! 

Posted by Cara

Anonymous said...

heheeheh I can't type laughing too much! 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Clare, you are to fast for me!! 

Posted by Cara

Anonymous said...

I know I know lol! That is why I am dooh do do *cyber grl!!!* 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Clare, I just want you to know I am over here with Cara, setting her straight. 

Posted by Cara

Anonymous said...

hehehhee
oh you girls are soo silly! 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Fabulous photos Clare! I got some shots last year of purple mountain lupine and there was a chubby bumble bee buzzing around. The best shot had a blooming spike with the bee on approach. I love flora shots! Sounds like Cara & Amy are a lot like a couple other folks I know ;o) Hey ladies, ever go shopping together? ::giggle:: I'd say a fiver is a good deal as long as it's spent on ice cream! 

Posted by Jo

Anonymous said...

oh shucks :)
hmmm perhaps? *grin* in the nicest possible way of course!

I love flora shots too! flower macros are alittle hobby of mine ;) 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

What is a flower macro? Something to do with a lens or something you do on the 'puter? 

Posted by Jo

Anonymous said...

Hi Jo
A macro is a lens or a setting on your camera mine has a macro (aprox 10 cm from subject) and a super macro (2cm) so I really mean flower close ups.lol 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Oh man, that sounds completely awesome! I can do pretty well with my SLR, I sure would love a digital. Guess I need to be a good girl and maybe God will bring one my way! ::wink:: 

Posted by Jo

Anonymous said...

you can buy macro lenses for most slrs too... but lens are expensive!!!!!

we have a fuji finepix s602z the new version a s7000 is really cheap! I think they are about $400 USD? you should keep your eyes peeled! There is another model but they don't have the super macro, but they do have a 10 x optical zoom (the s602z and s7000 have 6 x optical) and they are even cheaper 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

::laughs softly:: cheap? $400? Clare my dear, that is SO beyond our realm right now. I'm scrabbling for rent and worrying about paying for 2 classes this upcoming quarter. Not to worry though, as I said, if it is meant to be, God will put it in my lap. He's given me loads of fine gifts in the past, I wouldn't be surprised to get a digital camera. Grateful yes, surprised no! ;o) 

Posted by Jo

Anonymous said...

Yeah...
I know whatyou mean. Ours was a very very nice present.
But you might find one second hand...etc... hopefully! 

Posted by clare eats

Anonymous said...

Thanks for adding this post to Omnivoribus Australis! 

Posted by saffron

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