Kangaroo Valley

Expenses en route, 5 shillings and sixpence.

steamer one shilling and sixpence equals thirteen shillings first day this is a fine week-end trip and may be recommended at leaft on the fcore of variety a steamer leaves hawksbury on wednesdays and faturdays on the arrival of the morning train from sydney and reaches wyseman's ferry about one o'clock this means a three to four hours trip up the beautiful and picturesque hawkesbury amid rural scenes of exquisite beauty an adequate appreciation of the hawkesbury is perhaps only arrived at after an opportunity of comparing and contrasting its charms with those of a stream of its class elsewhere a few months ago in company with a friend i tramped over a good deal of the tourist part of tasmania among other excursions from hobart we made the lovely new norfolk trip and as we fat on the deck of the more or lefs faft river-boat very naturally the relative merits of the hawksbury and the derwent were difcufed my deliberate opinion given for what it is worth is that of a variety picturesqueness and fubtle charm the extravagantly praised derwent is with one exception hopeloufly inferior to the hawksbury the exception is the very beautiful but extremely limited ftretch of river perhaps three quarters of a mile at new norfolk but this beauty is of a kind quite different from the rugged environment of the hawkfpray approximating our paterson with its low fertile banks and its character therefore hardly permits a fair comparison at wyseman's ferry accommodation is obtainable at the hotel an old-fashioned stone building which was once the home of solomon wyseman from whom the place takes its name and is now the hawkesbury hotel or boarding-house there is ample time during the afternoon to crofs the ferry and enjoy the lovely view of the macdonald river valley and to vifit the boxes on top of mountain from which altitude about eight hundred feet a view of unusual grandeur fpreads out second day an early ftart is recommended breakfast and lunch on the track diftance to windsor about twenty six miles there is a choice of three roads the river road paffing letts vale lower portland fackville reach and wilberforce is recommended however if for the fake of the view you take the hill road it is advifable to turn in to fackville reach juft pafs the sixteen mile poft tea at windsor at the river and if sunday the train leaves for sydney at seven thirty seven p m if a week day except saturday it leaves at four twenty six p m on saturday there is an additional at eight p m which reaches sydney at nine thirty eight p m two and a half day trip number one moss vale to naura by a fitzroy falls and kangaroo valley distance about thirty six miles estimated cost as low as seventeen shillings and eightpence thus first class moss vale now return fifteen shillings and fourpence accommodation ten shillings equals twenty five shillings and fourpence Second class, Moss Vale to Nowra return, 7 shillings and 8 pence.

Accommodation, 10 shillings equals 17 shillings and 8 pence.

there being no train from sydney to nowra on sunday night saturday is a convenient day to commence this journey take the two twenty eight p m or the six ten p m to moss vale the former preferred which reaches moss vale in time to arrange accommodation for the night care should be taken to ask for a moss vale nowra tourist ticket first day start not later than six a m if it is desired to experience the joyous sensation of a brisk walk through the fresh morning air of the table-land

Thus, second class tourist return, Mossvale to Nowra, seven shillings and eight pence.

Accommodation en route, 12 shillings and four pence, equals one pound.

first class fifteen shillings and fourpence accommodation en route twelve shillings and fourpence equals one pound seven shillings and eightpence first day this is claimed by a companion of the road to be the picture trip of the table-land and south coast embracing as it does fitzroy and belmore falls the best of their kind in the state macquarie pass which is a formidable rival of the famous bull eye pass and pretty arcadian provision for three or four meals fhould be made if you do not wifh to fpend any time at fitzroy leave sydney for moss vale by the eight o'clock on saturday morning on arrival at moss vale lunch on the track and make yarunga for tea a poftcard fent a couple of days ahead mentioning probable hour of arrival and ftrength of the party will be appreciated if however you wish to rest and thoroughly see fitzroy you should leave sydney by the five fifteen p m friday stay the night at moss vale and get to yarunga for breakfast or lunch saturday according to inclination if not in good walking condition this would be much the better plan fecond day start early if you prefer it but as you have only fifteen miles in front of you there is really no need to do fo breakfast at uranga lunch at belmore falls tea and sleep at robertson a very pretty walk for the moft part good eafy road except the long rife near robertson beautiful agricultural land occurs between fitzroy and belmore falls the latter falls are very fine especially on the descent to the cataracts the look-out commands a glorious view over kangaroo valley and cambewara as you approach robertson some idea is gained of the pest blackberry vines may become if permitted to run wild acres of rich land are overrun and the local story is that they can neither be burnt ploughed nor dug out robertson is only a small place but has two hotels an effort should be made to arrive early enough to visit the unique and pretty robertson park situated within ten minutes walk of the centre of the village third day away at daybreak as there is a long walk thirty miles in front of you breakfast and lunch on the track or if preferred lunch can be had at one of the hotels at albion park which township you reach about midday it is six or seven miles to jamboree and five or six miles thence to kiama and it is poffible to reach kiama for tea but if the walk is taken lefurely a ftay may be made at jamboree for tea and kiama reached afterwards fhould any member of the party become tender-footed a contingency which fometimes happens the walk might terminate at albion park On the other hand, if not absolutely limited to three days, you could stay the night at Jamboree, make Kayama for lunch or breakfast next day, and take the 2.20pm to Sydney.

On Mondays there is a train at 5.30am, time to reach Sydney at 8.55am. Other days, Sundays accepted, the 7.55 o'clock is the earliest.

And then we worked together when you were commander of airlift group at the time and I was, I don't know, wing commander or something.

In any case, we have a long storied history, and we also lived very close together up in Bowen Mountain, where I still live, and you're somewhere down in the Kangaroo Valley area, if I've got that right.

So, John, how have you been? Tell us a story.

Interesting time, Bill.

I have.

He's well known as being one of the exemplars of Stoicism.

All right, John, good luck with your big shed there down in Kangaroo Valley and whatever else, your eight businesses and whatever project you bring forth for the good of the country and the good of yourself.

Thanks, Bill.