Remember this year's Father's day for a lifetime.

Gift vouchers for dad available from the link below:
http://mindseyephotography.yolasite.com/specials-and-gifts.php

Blackheath Choir Festival

The Joyful Noise - singing at the 2010 Blackheath Choir Festival

Immerse yourselves in wonderful music at this year's upcoming Blackheath Choir Festival. Events such as this remind us of the unique opportunity we have in the Blue Mountains to be involved in the music and culture around us. It is a well known fact that music soothes the soul, lifts the spirits and brings people from all walks of life together.

Held this coming weekend, from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August, the festival is a chance to celebrate the richness of music and of singing. There will be many local choirs performing as well as talent from far and wide. To find out more, have a look at

http://blackheathchoirfestival.weebly.com/

A Ghost Town

It was a surreal experience walking the streets of Yerranderie – now a ghost town in the middle of the Blue Mountains National Park. In its heyday (in the early 1900s) it was a thriving mining village nestled in the valley with working silver ore mines in the hills surrounding it. By the 1950s the mines were closed and slowly people started leaving the town after a number of unsuccessful attempts to reopen them.

Yerranderie has been privately owned since then and visitors have been welcomed to this tranquil place to enjoy its peaceful bushland, understand its history and hear stories of the people who lived and worked on this land. After the long drive in on gravel road, it’s worth staying the night and there are a number of accommodation options – the old post office is now a hostel, there’s a self contained mining cottage across the road and also an inviting expanse of grassed area for campers.

Yerranderie is lovingly cared for by a couple of caretakers who can show you around the town, tell you the history, and direct you to the number of walking tracks to the various mines in the area. The old town buildings are fascinating to view and house a large number of interesting items, while a walk through the old cemetery is a reminder of just how many people called this place home. Surrounded by mountains there is also a walk to Yerranderie Peak – a somewhat difficult climb but the views are worth it.

This charming and unique place is one of our historic treasures – it’s future is now changing hands and we hope it will remain open and welcoming, so we can all see and taste the glory of the bush and learn of its history.

DH

SEE MORE IMAGES OF YERRANDERIE HERE

The Cave Hotel

A fascinating piece of history lies hidden along the Bells Line of Road – The Cave Hotel sits just metres away from the road where hundreds of motorists drive by each day.

The cave itself seems to have first been in use by the indigenous people of the area as evidenced by the many emu footprints carved deeply on the cave wall. It is said the cave became “The Cave Hotel” in the late 1800s and served grog to the passing travellers. The outside rock face bears the inscription “The Cave Hotel, by T.Shearwood”.

What an interesting and curious site! It makes us wonder what other gems are hidden away along this road and in the surrounding bushland … and what will be destroyed if the proposed widening of the Bells Line of Road goes ahead?

DH