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#listening #angusandjuliastone

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Angus & Julia Stone - Paper Aeroplane [Official Music Video]

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#listening #sports #AFL

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#reading #food

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Australia has no shortage of incredible food - the whole country is liberally peppered with world-standard restaurants and innovative cafes steered by imaginative and heartfelt chefs. But, as Australia Day approaches, it's time to break out those uniquely Aussie and occasionally daggy foods that may not be fancy, but they're the ones that care packages from home are made of.

Pavlova

Named after the ballerina Anna Pavlova, the not-this-again, hotly contested debate still rages: are the origins of this iconic dessert from Australia or New Zealand? Whichever side of the ditch you're cheering for, the good old pav still sits proudly on the dinner table. Our plate-sized meringue with its soft centre is classically topped with whipped cream and passionfruit pulp, perhaps kiwifruit and fresh berries, occasionally Peppermint Crisp if you're my Aunty Audrey. A special shout out goes to the Chocolate Ripple Cake, the dessert saviour of all those who can't wrangle a stove.

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Put your spin on the classic pavlova this Australia Day and be in the running to win a KitchenAid stand mixer! Entries close at 11.59pm Wednesday January 27, 2016. Find out how to enter here.
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Tim Tams

They're simple but luxurious - two chocolate biscuits sandwiched with chocolate cream and coated in creamy, shiny chocolate for good measure. They landed on our shelves in the early 1960s and their allure refuses to wane with the decades. Go for the classic, available wrapped in milk, dark or white chocolate, or pick up a limited-edition Adriano Zumbo​ collab in flavours such as Red Velvet and Salted Caramel. Make sure your Australia Day celebrations include a Tim Tam Slam (biting off opposite corners of the biscuit, dunking it in tea or coffee, sucking the drink up through it then scarfing the biscuit before it disintegrates).

Bowen mangoes

Nothing tastes more summery than a ripe mango. When the season comes and you see crates of these hefty nuggets of tropical, fragrant fruit, they evoke visions of the sunny, beachy days just up ahead. Whether you dice and invert a cheek of mango ("hedgehogging​") then buck-teeth right into it or chunk some into a salad with Asian herbs, either way it's a prime way of remembering the wonders of Australia's produce.

Anzac biscuits

The recipe for these iconic biscuits was designed to have maximum nutritional value (hence the oats) and to be able to stay fresh on the long sea journeys to reach soldiers in Gallipoli (hence no eggs in the mix). Their lovely, dark flavour comes from using treacle or golden syrup as a binding agent. Bake a batch, store them in a decorative old tin, just like they were sent over in, and spare a thought.

The fish and chip shop dim sim

A far cry from the dainty versions we see nestled in bamboo baskets at a Sunday yum cha session, the good old dimmie, served sweating in a soy-drenched plastic bag, is one of those guilty takeaway pleasures - a baby fist of meat and cabbage wrapped in a thick, wonton skin-like pastry and either steamed (if you want to be sophisticated) or fried (if you're hungover).

Milk bar lollies

Remember when you were a kid and you'd spend far too long ruminating over the local milk bar's mixed lollies, putting together the perfect 20-cent selection of Mates, Pineapples, Strawberries and Cream? Maybe a couple of Musk Sticks, a Wizz Fizz, a Redskin, a White Knight? How about a Choo-Choo Bar? Australian mixed lollies are a whimsical lot and so much fun to revisit. Grab a bag of Allen's Party Mix and make a beeline for the Teeth - you know what to do.

Black coffee and smashed avocado

There are times when you're travelling and the concept of brunch is proving a bust. At that point, all you want is a perfectly brewed long black and some good ol' smashed avocado with mint and lemon on grainy bread. Sure it's become a cafe standard here, ever since Bill Granger started serving it with lime, olive oil and salt at his cafe in 1993, but when you don't have access to it, you realise what a fresh and tasty staple it is. Add a cracking cup of coffee, the kind small Australian roasters make so beautifully, and it's like contemporary Australia at a glance.

Vegemite

It's hard to imagine we were a nation of Marmite lovers, hesitant to change camps when Vegemite came on the scene in the early 1920s. But perseverance from the Fred Walker Company (including a short-lived puntastic name change to Parwill​: "If Marmite...then Parwill!") paid off and now that salty, dark spread made from brewer's yeast, packaged in jars with sunny yellow lids and labels, lives in just about every household in the country, adorning white toast and confounding tourists.

Australian prawns

We may be dreaming of a white Christmas, but we're a country blessed with a sunny festive season where the afternoon is spent in the surf instead of in slippers. With that comes a bounty of lush, fresh seafood, including sweet, succulent prawns. Whether you like barbecued king prawns livened with a simple squeeze of lemon or a retro prawn cocktail in a glass, they are another wonder of Australia's natural riches.

Golden Gaytime

An enduring, campy classic, this iconic ice-cream has been around since the late 1950s. A centre of vanilla ice-cream, wrapped in toffee ice cream, dipped in chocolate and speckled with biscuit crumbs, it's well worth revisiting. It's also worth noting you can get it in a tub now, too. Special mention has to go to the Pine Lime Splice, a zingier confection of vanilla ice-cream covered in a pineapple and lime ice shell.

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The uniquely Aussie, occasionally daggy things that far-from-home care packages are made of.

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#speaking #events #sydney #couchsurfing

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Meetup with Locals and Travelers, Find Accomodation in Sydney

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Want to experience Sydney like a local? Find accomodation with local hosts, discover nearby events, or browse the best things to do in Sydney

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#speaking #events #sydney #meetup

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Find Meetups and meet people in your local community who share your interests.

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#reading #museums #sydney

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Smack bang on top of the foundations of Australia's first Government House in the CBD, the small but packed MOS is a celebration of the city's past, present and future. With video walls, poetry, storylines and panoramas out onto the city, this is a one-stop shop for visitors and curious locals.

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13 amazing museums you can visit in Sydney

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Deadly animals, hot rocks, mummified corpses and buried treasure - Sydney's museums are anything but boring.

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#listening #documentary #tasmania

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Tasmania - Paradise at the End of the World - The Secrets of Nature

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#listening #documentary #nature #davidattenborough #bbc

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Amazing! Bird Sounds From The Lyre Bird - David Attenborough  - BBC Wildlife

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#reading #sydney #events

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There are dozens of things to do in Sydney every day. But, sometimes your life requires a little more planning, which is why we've pulled together an annual calendar of Sydney events, so you can find something to do tomorrow, this weekend or six months from now. Here's the best of what's on in Sydney, 365 days a year. Need more permanent inspiration? You can also discover the best 20 things to do in Sydney, at least once in your life.

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What's on Sydney | Sydney Events Calendar

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Find out what's going on and what to do in Sydney every day of the year, from Sydney's summer festivals to winter activities like Vivid Sydney.

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#reading #music #culture

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Australian bands have produced some of the most memorable tunes of all time; from rock to punk, from pop to grunge, these bands will forever be a part of Australia's rich cultural tapestry for their incredible chart-topping hits and award-winning albums. Here are our picks for the most iconic musical acts to have ever emerged from Down Under.

Forming in the 1970's, this rock band became popular through their vulgar lyrics of sex, drugs and rock and roll. AC/DC is arguably the most popular band from Australia and one of the most popular rock bands in the world. Despite never achieving a single Top 20 hit in America, they still managed to sell albums, which consistently went platinum. Highway to Hell (1979) is arguably their masterpiece and the work for which the band achieved legendary status. In the midst of their growing worldwide success, Bon Scott, AC/DC's lead vocalist, died and was subsequently replaced with English-born Brian Johnson. Johnson helped them regain commercial success and a place in the annals of rock music. Recently, due to vocal problems, Johnson has stepped away from touring with the band, with Axl Rose, the frontman for Guns N' Roses, stepping in as AC/DC's new lead vocalist.

Crowded House was formed in Melbourne in 1985 with members Neil Finn, Paul Hester, Nick Seymour and Tim Finn (Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod joined later). Between 1985 and 1996, they had numerous hits including Don't Dream It's Over, Something So Strong, Fall At Your Feet and Weather With You. Due to their popularity in Melbourne, the Melbourne Museum for Performing Arts now displays a Crowded House exhibition, containing assorted collectibles and memorable items of the band.

In September 1979, INXS made its performing debut at the Oceanview Hotel in Toukley, Australia. In 1980, they released a self-titled album, which led to the band performing 300 shows around Australia. By 1983, they had gained worldwide success, cemented with singles like The One Thing and What You Need. The album Kick received many awards and the band promoted it with a 16-month tour around America. Tragically, lead singer and sex symbol Michael Hutchence fatally overdosed in a Sydney hotel room in 1997. INXS sporadically performed with guest vocalists before calling it a day for good in 2012. However, they will always be considered one of Australia's foremost musical exports.

Midnight Oil brought political and social injustices into the cultural mainstream through their music and lyrics. The band formed in 1972 with members Andrew "Bear" James, Jim Moginie, singer Peter Garrett and Martin Rotsey. With their manic and urgent sound, the band became popular for their uniqueness and stagecraft. Between 1976 and 2002, Midnight Oil played shows 200 times a year around the pubs, clubs and theatres of Australia, while also touring in the US. Since breaking up, the band have remained one of Australia's most beloved cultural institutions. Amongst many hits, both Power And The Passion and Beds Are Burning were listed by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in the Top 30 Best Australian Songs of All Time; the band also won 11 ARIA Awards.

Sounding like a classic pub rock band, Cold Chisel formed in Adelaide in 1973, but gained immense success between 1978-1983, especially with their hit Khe San. During these years, the band ruled as Australia's most popular band on record and stage. Cold Chisel had a knack for mesmerizing storytelling skills which main songwriter Don Walker became famous for. Selling over six million records in Australia alone easily shows why this band is one of the most iconic. Although breaking up in 1983, they got back together in 1988 topping the album chart in Australia with The Last Wave of Summer. Cold Chisel have continued over the years on and off again.

The Divinyls started in 1980 in Sydney, and mainly entailed vocalist Chrissy Amplett and guitarist Mark McEntee, as the band went through numerous changes before its conclusion in 1996. With her passion and determination for singing and performing, Chrissy Amplett was one of the main attractions of the Divinyls. The band has released five albums, four of which received places in the top 10 of the Australian charts, while one reached 15 in the United States. Their biggest single I Touch Myself was placed number 1 in Australia and number 4 in the US. The band in 2006, was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame.

One of the longest lasting rock bands from Australia, The Angels took some liberal inspiration from AC/DC, yet had their own eccentric and lyrical style. Ironically, the band was founded by AC/DC's own Angus Young and Bon Scott, who helped them debut their single Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again. The band first enjoyed heaps of success with their singles Take A Long Line and No Secrets. Their popularity did not stay local for long when they gained international success later on. However, due to legal issues they were variously credited under the names of Angel City or The Angels from Angel City. Each album seemed to gain more and more success leading them to tour throughout the US and Canada. They recently celebrated their 40 th anniversary by releasing the album Talk the Talk in 2014.

Jet is one of the more recognisable Australian rock bands, having sold a whopping 6.5 million album copies worldwide and in Australia. Two of their more popular singles Are You Gonna Be My Girl and Rollover DJ were voted number 1 and number 19 on the 2003 Triple J Hottest 100. Jet have received an array of nominations and awards in Australia and America, including seven categories at the 2004 ARIA Music Awards such as Best Rock Album, Best Group and S ingle Of The Year.

Savage Garden started off when Daniel Jones put an ad in the paper looking for a lead vocalist for his then band Red Edge. The musician who responded, Darren Hayes, formed a duo with Jones and Savage Garden was born. Their first single in 1996 just reached number two. However, their next hits To the Moon and Back and Truly Madly Deeply reached number one. Their self-titled album held a record for the third longest stay for an Australian-made album in the top 10. They sold 11 million albums, while also winning ten ARIA Awards.

In the 1970s, Skyhooks became the band that everyone needed; their uniqueness and unconventional approach to stagecraft showed an edge that pushed rock to new standards in Australia. Although their music was one of rock, which spoke about the world around them, they advertised their band in ways that shocked everyone, with glittery costumes and big heels, which hardly reflected their lyrics. Due to their immense popularity, their first album stayed at number one for 16 weeks. Skyhooks subsequently created albums which would leave them with seven platinum records and two million dollars' worth of albums.

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Australian bands have produced some of the most memorable tunes of all time; from rock to punk, from pop to grunge, these bands will forever be a part of Australia's rich cultural tapestry for their incredible chart-topping hits and award-winning albums. Here are our picks for the most iconic musical acts to have ever emerged from Down Under.

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#listening #music #menatwork

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Men At Work - Down Under (Official HD Video)

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#listening #music #sarahblasko

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#listening #music #silverchair

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#listening #music #tashsultana

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TASH SULTANA - JUNGLE (LIVE BEDROOM RECORDING)

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#reading #firstaid #snakebites

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You have just been bitten by a small snake. You are pretty certain it is just a harmless python, but it disappeared before you could get a proper look. Do you administer first aid and go to the hospital or keep gardening?

When Pat Ryan saw a little brown-looking snake disappear under his fence earlier this month, he decided to check himself over, even though he had not felt a bite.

He had been gardening barefoot in his yard in Agnes Water on the Queensland coast about an hour north of Bundaberg.

"[My wife] washed my foot off to have a look ... then washed it a bit more and said, 'Yeah I can see two little strike marks'," Mr Ryan said.

"And then a couple of minutes later I felt my left hand, like I had two little pin pricks on my left hand."

Like in many of the 3,000 or so reported snake bites in Australia each year, there are a number of snakes fitting Mr Ryan's description that are native to the region, some harmless and others potentially deadly.

First minutes crucial before venom enters bloodstream

If Mr Ryan had been bitten by a brown tree snake, over the next few hours he might experience some very mild local irritation around the bite and its weak neurotoxic venom might cause some nausea.

But if the snake was a similar-looking eastern brown, a deadly cocktail of neurotoxins, myotoxins, and coagulants would be making its way toward his bloodstream before attacking his nervous system and muscles, putting him at high risk of cardiac arrest.

This is where treatment is crucial. If the right procedure is followed, the snake venom can be all but stopped before it reaches the blood, according to toxicology expert Dr Brian Fry.

"When you wipe out when you're running or something like that and you scrape your knee and you get that clear liquid coming out, that's actually lymphatic fluid," Dr Fry said.

"Lymphatic fluid is fluid around our blood vessels, bathing everything that's not inside the blood vessels.

"Initially the venom is [injected into] that, and it doesn't reach the blood until it gets to a lymph node."

In Mr Ryan's case, after being bitten on the foot, the venom needed to travel via his lymphatic fluid all the way up his leg to the lymph nodes behind his knee and in his groin, where it would then drain into his bloodstream.

Compression bandage can buy bite victim hours

Mr Ryan works in the mines and does regular first-aid training, including snake bite treatment. Three years earlier, his wife Jazz was bitten by an eastern brown and rushed to hospital in Rockhampton where she recovered without the need for antivenom.

Not knowing the exact identification of the snake, Mr Ryan sat himself down with his leg hung over the verandah railing while Jazz grabbed "whatever [she could] get [her] hands on" to make a compression bandage - in this case, garbage bags.

Starting at the bite and working up the limb, they used the bags to apply pressure evenly and firmly without cutting off blood flow completely.

If done well, this technique can slow the movement of lymphatic fluid to a near stand-still, according to Dr Fry.

"There's been cases of people arriving [at hospital] with a taipan or a brown snake bite seven, eight hours post bite - no symptoms," he said.

"And then at the hospital when they take the bandage off, 10 or 15 minutes later the venom slams into them like a freight train."

In contrast, an untreated eastern brown snake bite can kill in under half an hour.

"It's arguably the quickest killing venom in the world. No other snake in the world has killed people so quickly, so regularly," Dr Fry said.

Flying doctors update advice as wrong identification common

Between 2005 and 2015, eastern browns were responsible for 17 of the 23 snake bite deaths in Australia, with most victims dying from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest or bleeding on the brain.

Of the 296 eastern brown snake bites in that period, 18 per cent caused acute kidney injury, and other ongoing complications were common.

Although they typically only inject a small amount, hatchling eastern brown snake venom is capable of killing an adult, so being bitten by a small snake does not mean it is harmless.

Adding to the difficulty, eastern browns range from red-brown to black or grey, can be striped, mottled or have a reddish band behind the head, and can look very similar to other harmless species.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) no longer advises bite victims to attempt to identify the snake after a paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) in July found that snake identification was unreliable for people presenting to hospital with bites.

"Staying in the area after an attack can be dangerous and recent advances in medication mean we can now treat any snakebite with a generic polyvalent anti-venom."

Remaining at home an unnecessary gamble

When the ambulance arrived for Mr Ryan, they replaced his improvised compression bandage before transferring him to Bundaberg hospital.

"They tried doing swabs to see what sort of snake it was and they couldn't [tell] because I had to wash it to see if I was actually bitten," Mr Ryan said.

"So yeah, I did the wrong thing there but at the end of the day I needed to see if I'd actually been bitten as well."

Several swabs did not reveal any venom, so the hospital removed Mr Ryan's bandages and began to monitor his blood pressure, coherence and pupil dilation.

"Then they did another lot of tests and my blood started to thin out, and I started getting a headache and started getting sleepy," he said.

At this point there was no way of knowing if he had been bitten by a mildly venomous snake, a highly venomous snake that had only injected a very small amount of venom, or a highly venomous snake that had injected enough venom to be fatal.

Because he put a pressure bandage on the limb and got to the hospital with a generic polyvalent antivenom on standby, in every scenario he is likely to make a full recovery.

But if he had kept gardening, in the third scenario he could have been dead in under half an hour.

As it was, he was kept at the hospital and monitored hourly through the night.

He was discharged the next day as his symptoms began to improve, although the species of snake that bit him was not able to be identified.

Dr Fry's advice is to always get to the hospital, even when you think you know the species of snake.

"It's better to be there and not need to be there, than not be there and really need to be there."

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You've just been bitten by a snake - what do you do?

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You have just been bitten by a small snake. You are pretty certain it is just a harmless python, but it disappeared before you could get a proper look. Do you administer first aid and go to the hospital or keep gardening?

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#reading #firstaid #snakebites

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#reading #vocab #slang

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The 100 Most Australian Words Of All Time

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The definitive ranking of our national lingo. (NSFW because Straya.)

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#listening #vocabulary #slang #howtospeakaustralian

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How to speak Australian : Abbreviate Everything

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Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may, or may not, have heard about - someone who has seen and done amazing things.Listen for free from your mobile device on the ABC listen app, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

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Listen | Hack | triple j - Hack - triple j

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Hack talks about the stuff that matters to young Australians. In your feed 24/7, on your radio 5:30pm weekdays.

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ABC News Daily

Could there be three rate hikes this year?

Inflation pressures were meant to be coming off a bit more by now, but 'sticky' inflation has one prominent economist suggesting up to three interest rate hikes could be in store this year. Today, what's going wrong.

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Our foreign correspondents on what's making headlines around the world.

The most important stories, explained, with Peter Hartcher every Wednesday.

The essential guide to courses, careers and student life.

Former federal Liberal political staffer Brittany Higgins has given evidence about her alleged rape in Parliament House by her then-colleague Bruce Lehrmann.

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Senior business columnist

A "magical country pub" says it will fight noise restrictions imposed after a resident complained they could no longer watch TV with their windows open.

Three MPs, including Shadow Minister for Immigration Dan Tehan, have been kicked out of the Chamber.

The Australian basketball star is reportedly the subject of a police investigation concerning a relationship with an underage girl.

Midfielder Emily van Egmond are her teammates face Canada twice in the coming days as preparations ramp up.

Izzy Miller was chatting to her friend on the bus when she noticed the vehicle start moving towards a petrol station.

Police in West Java have swooped on a group of Bangladeshi nationals as they prepared to board a boat to Australia after paying a people smuggler $10,000 each.

The new book, Endgame, makes claims about fights between the King and William, Camilla's disdain for vegans - and not a whole lot of negativity about Harry and Meghan.

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The police officer is accused of Tasering great-grandmother Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old aged-care resident with dementia.

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A "sensitive" report into how one train signaller calling in sick sparked chaos for Sydney's rail network last July has revealed the extent of the crisis.

Lane Cove Mayor Scott Bennison said the council believes it knows who was responsible for the illegal destruction of 300 trees and plants.

NSW Police confirmed that no person has been charged with speaking grossly offensive antisemitic words at a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney.

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It seems trust has completely broken down, writes Dr Kirstin Ferguson.

The Chaser's Craig Reucassel will take the reins of ABC Radio Sydney's Breakfast show from January, as James Valentine returns to his old stomping ground.

The 18th at The Australian Golf Club is a par-5 which could see tournament hopefuls chancing their arm come Sunday.

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Australian Breaking News Headlines & World News Online | SMH.com.au

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Breaking news from Sydney, Australia and the world. Features the latest business, sport, entertainment, travel, lifestyle, and technology news.

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A selection of some of the most beautiful Coastal Walks in Sydney and other parts of New South Wales, including maps, pictures, highlights and characteristics.

Sydney is a beautiful city, home to some of the world's most well-known landmarks. But what makes Sydney truly unique is its Harbour and amazing coastline. Beaches, rock pools, parks, sandstone cliffs, Sydney's coastline has it all.

Sydney Harbour offers national parks, historic sites and, of course, the iconic headlands. Sydney's coastline, from Palm Beach in the north all the way to Cronulla and the Royal National Park in the south, offers some of the most beautiful walking tracks.

It is in fact possible to hike all the way from the Barrenjoey Lighthouse to Cronulla, following uninterrupted walking trails along the coastline. This foreshore walking network consists of several walking tracks that are all worth doing at least once in your life.

Some of the most impressive coastal tracks are the Bondi to Coogee walk, the Federation Cliff walk, the Hermitage Foreshore walk and the Spit Bridge to Manly walk. But there are many more walking trails that are perhaps not as famous but well worth exploring.

8 Beautiful Coastal Walks in and around Sydney

To give you some ideas and inspiration, here are 8 of the best coastal walks in and around Sydney:

1. Spit Bridge to Manly Walk

The famous 10km Spit to Manly walking trail is a must-do for tourists and Sydney-siders alike, boasting quiet inner harbour beaches and beautiful bays. Read more...

2. Federation Cliff Walk

The Federation Cliff Walk is a 5 km walking trail from Watsons Bay to Dover Heights, boasting stunning sandstone cliffs and panoramic ocean views. Read more...

3. Rose Bay to Watsons Bay

Discover some of the best secluded beaches and parks in Sydney as you hike from Rose Bay to Watsons Bay. Read more...

4. Royal National Park Coast Track

The famous Coast Track in the Royal National Park is a 26km scenic trail of that follows the coastline between Bundeena and Otford. Read more...

5. Bondi to Coogee Walk

Often considered as the most famous walking trail in Sydney, the 6km track from Bondi to Coogee treats you to some of Australia's best beaches and stunning ocean views. Read more...

6. Chowder Bay to Balmoral Beach

This walk includes interesting highlights of Sydney's military and settlement history, as well as some of the best views of the Sydney Harbour. Read more...

7. Jibbon Beach Loop Track

The Jibbon Beach Loop Track is an easy walking trail from the Bundeena ferry wharf to Jibbon Head, Port Hacking Point and Shelley Beach. Read more...

8. Bondi to Bronte Walk

If the hike between Bondi and Coogee is a bit too long, simply do the section between Bondi and Bronte. It's an easy and short stroll but long enough to give you a great impression of Sydney's beautiful coastline. Read more...

We would also like to hear your stories. Have you done an awesome walk along the coast of Sydney or New South Wales? Let us know and we can try and add it to our selection.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with more exciting walking tracks, sights, beaches and outdoor activities in Sydney and New South Wales.

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Coastal Walks in and Around Sydney | Best Sydney Walks

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A selection of some of the most beautiful coastal walks in Sydney and New South Wales, including maps, pictures, highlights and characteristics.

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Article: 5 Waterfalls Near Sydney You Can Swim In

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Article: 5 Waterfalls Near Sydney You Can Swim In

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#reading #hiking #waterfalls

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Don't let summer disappear without initiating your own personal Brooke Shields-Christopher Atkins moment. Even though Sydney is well-known for its sand and surf - from beachy, bleachy Bondi to the Harbour's numerous secret, secluded coves - its waterfalls don't often receive the same attention. Here are five Blue Lagoon-esque locations that you really should get to before winter sets in.

Collins Beach Waterfall

If it weren't for the occasional passing ferry, swimmers at Collins Beach could easily be fooled into thinking they were in the middle of nowhere. Nestled into Spring Cove, near North Head, it's one of Sydney's least-visited beaches, despite being just 1.3km from the Manly Wharf. The trick is it's only accessible on foot - or by boat. You can't exactly swim under the waterfall, but you can partake in the slightly surreal experience of standing in it - or behind it - while looking out at Sydney Harbour. As far as a post-swim shower goes, it's tough to beat. Plus there are fairy penguins. Best to visit shortly after rainfall.
Image credit: Sydney for Everyone
Wattamolla, Royal National Park

As far as watery outdoor day trips go, Wattamolla has everything - not only a waterfall but a lagoon and a beach to boot. Reaching the 7m high waterfall requires a 50m swim from the lagoon's edge. Some people attempt a shortcut by jumping straight in, but that's actually against National Parks and Wildlife regulations. After a swim, relax in the shade of cabbage tree palms, take a bush walk or spend the rest of the day looking out for sea eagles and oystercatchers. Wattamolla is a 50-minute drive from the Sydney CBD, in the eastern section of the Royal National Park.

Winifred Falls, Royal National Park

To reach Winifred Falls, you'll need to take a 4km, occasionally steep walk from Audley. Sure, that might sound like a bit of an effort, but it's worth it. If you travel during the week, there's every chance you'll have the spot all to yourself. Seven metres in height, the falls tumble down a series of steps before hitting a deep, forest-green pool.
Image credit: Bushwalk Australia
Nellies Glen, Budderoo National Park

You'll find this misty, magical swimming hole in the Budderoo National Park, near Robertson in the Southern Highlands. (That's a 90-minute drive from Sydney). Home to lush, ferny vegetation, brightly coloured orchids and satin bower birds, it's like a scene from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, a 2-hour hike (actually, 'hike' is a too civilised a word; it's more part bush bash, part rock scramble) will take you to the base of the spectacular 50m high Carrington Falls. Note that this trail is unmarked and therefore unsuitable for inexperienced walkers. Another option is driving to Carrington Falls Picnic Area.
Image credit: NSW National Parks and Wildlife
Minnehaha Falls, Blue Mountains

Getting to Minnehaha Falls involves a 1km walk of medium difficulty. The tracks starts just off Minni Ha Ha Road, slightly north of Katoomba. Along the way, you'll access stunning views of nearby ravines, brilliant red Mountain Devils in flower and biodiverse hanging swamps.
Image credit: David Noble Top image credit: zolakoma.
Published on March 17, 2014 by Jasmine Crittenden

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Five Waterfalls Near Sydney You Can Swim Under

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Don't stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to.

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Article: Best Waterfalls in Sydney and NSW

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Article: Best Waterfalls in Sydney and NSW

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#reading #hiking #waterfalls

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Can you swim in it? You can dunk yourself in one of the puddles - but it's hardly a swim.

Can you take a picnic? Yes - in fact, it's a very popular picnic spot. There are picnic tables and some like to take their lunch on the rocks by the water.

Park fees: $8 per vehicle, per day.

Fifteen minutes from Gosford is a peaceful hideaway, found on the eastern edge of Brisbane Water National Park. You'll find brush turkeys wandering around the car park, where there are picnic tables and detailed signs about the waterfalls and short walking tracks at Somersby Falls. You can walk at the top, middle and bottom of this waterfall - which is a steady stream of water on our visit, filling up sinkholes and cracks in the rock. At the top, the surface is smooth and flat and people are walking their dogs over the mossy surface. At the middle, around ten minutes' walk down a paved pathway, is a cascade of water that you can walk right up to and get as wet as you like. It's 30 minutes to the bottom of the fall, where the path gets rocky and sandier under foot. You can dip your toes into the pools of water, but it's not deep enough to swim in nor is the stagnant water all that appealing (even on a humid day). Instead, take a seat on the boulders or at the edge of the dry section of the fall and enjoy the treetop views (at the top) and tropical habitat (at the bottom).

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TLC were wrong. Turns out you should go chasing waterfalls in Sydney and around NSW. Load up the picnic basket and take a road trip to find waterfalls NSW.