2004-07-19

On a whim, I went to a park instead of the beach today. I needed to exercise as my shoulder and necks had become fused yet again, and that is a signal to exercise or look forward to being bedridden from back spasm. Not cool…

So I went to Jesmond Park, as I had heard about the bushland factor and that there were big walks you could do. Jesmond is slap in the middle of Newcastle, it’s a populated area. But somehow, this large parcel of bush has survived and is maintained by the council.

Driving hesitantly, I found my way to the park. You pass it on the way to the freeway, but I didn’t want to stop on the main road so I looked for side entrances. As I made my way to the entrance, I noticed a lot of housing commission homes, circa 1970. The old pastel fibro look, and many of them have stood the test of time really well.

Got to the park to find signs that said Jesmond Bushland. I started off on a walk, to see what this park was all about. Soon I came across another sign for a bushwalk, which I took.

At first I thought it might be a bit lame, all landscaped bush that had been spared from clearing, but not really preserved. But as I got deeper and deeper, it started to resemble the bushland I remember from my childhood, wilder and more beautiful. From silence, to being able to hear a variety of birds: rosellas, bellbirds, whipbirds (I think), kookaburras (I think there were two going at once, such a cacophony!) and what I assume was a selection of native finches.

The walk took me about 20minutes, though I could have taken much longer. On this, my first visit to the park, I resisted the lure of the many trails that were tempting me to take them. Next time, I will be able to get much more lost…