Tag: Eastern Water Dragon

Grand Canyon Track

Children walking under the waterfall along Grand Canyon Track

Grand Canyon track is a popular and very beautiful hiking trail in the Blue Mountains National Park. The track is more than 100 years old. It follows the canyon down through the wet green rain forest, under rock overhangs and waterfalls. You can see many tall and dense trees with twisted roots.

Children among tall dense trees along Grand Canyon Track
Overhanging rocks and waterfall along Grand Canyon Track in the Blue Mountains

The track is well maintained with beautiful stepping steps which in combination with moss and ferns create an appealing picture. There is even a small but completely dark cave that you would need to go through.

Stepping stones at Grand Canyon Track
Cave at Grand Canyon Track

The Grand Canyon track is 6km long loop trail and it takes about 4 hours to finish. It is challenging because you must navigate many steps. You climb down to the floor of the canyon and then back up. It is definitely not for those with knee problems. But many people hike this track. It is definitely a worth while experience and one of the best places in the Blue Mountains.

How to get to Grand Canyon Track

This hiking track is in Blackheath. It is part of the Blue Mountains National Park. The park is roughly 2 hours drive west of Sydney, NSW. You can start the track from the Evans Lookout. This is part of the track. Alternatively, you can start from the Grand Canyon car park.

Evans Lookout at Grand Canyon Track, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW

Evans Lookout (above)

Lane Cove National Park, Sydney

Lane Cove National Park is located 10km north-west of Sydney in NSW, Australia.

Lane Cove National Park, Sydney

We love visiting national parks wherever we go. During our recent trip to eastern states we were lucky to stay at the caravan park (Lane Cove Discovery Park) which has direct entry into Lane Cove NP. This national park offers an escape from city life without having to travel far. Beautiful Lane Cove River passes through the park before flowing into Sydney Harbour.

Lane Cove River in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney

Things to do at Lane Cove National Park

Lane Cove National Park is a great place for a day out with the family. There are easy walks around the park, cycling paths, as well numerous picnic spots with bbq facilities.

Flora and fauna

Both the park and the river are home to a lot of interesting flora and fauna.

Scribbly gum, Eucalyptus haemastoma is a fascinating gum tree. It has distinctive markings on its trunk, as if someone scribbled on them, hence the common name – scribbly gum. Interestingly, the scribbles are caused by the moth as it moves between the old and new bark.

Scribbly gum at Lane Cove National Park, Sydney

Sydney red gum, Angophora costata, is an another pretty gum tree. It is characterized by convoluted branches. It sheds bark, like many gum trees do, to reveal orange colour smooth trunk.

Sydney Red Gum at Lane Cove National Park, Sydney

Eastern water dragon lizard is abundant in the national park, as well as the nearby caravan park.

Eastern Water Dragon Lizard at Lane Cove National Park, Sydney

Australian brush turkey. We found quite a number of them while staying at Lane Cove Discovery park in NSW. They were not shy at all and frequently visited us. Love their bright red head and yellow throat wattle (in males). As they do not occur in WA, we found them very fascinating.

Sulphur-crested cockatoo, native to eastern states of Australia is quite a large and rather common bird. They are intelligent, loud, especially when they are in big flocks, noisy, as well as ‘nosy’. We (especially our younger son) enjoyed meeting them at Lane Cove Discovery park. Although, at the end, we had to tell them off when they became too friendly😊.

Noisy miner – a bird from the honeyeater family – is another pretty bird you can see frequently at Lane Cove National Park.

Noisy miner at Lane Cove National Park, Sydney

Entry to the park

Entry to the park is $8 per vehicle. Although, if you stay at Lane Cove Discovery Park, you can just walk into the national park for free.

Family of 4 at Lane Cove National Park