The ads tell of back-packing and idylic days and nights in the great outdoors under the southern skies.

A British bushwalker has been found after more than a week in the wilderness at the coldest time and probably 'within stones throw' of the edge of town. His father flew in and joined hosts of people searching the area for this guy who luckily was used to cold weather and lived on leaves and bush food while he was lost.

The Blue Mountains has always been a traditional place to visit and one might have visions of snow covered alps and spectacular mountains but this country is not like that at all but is the scene of ancient gorges and rocky outcrops, of bushwalking down into deep remote valleys and bracing climate and olde world tourism as well upmarket destinations.

Mark 7 40/60 Bofors originally on a WW2 battle ship now on a strip outside the Returned Services Club in Katoomba.

Charles Darwin visited these Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, according to a program on ABC Radio National. At that time he heard theories that these inspiring gorges were the result of erosion some 180 million years ago. After the sightseeing he sailed away on the good ship Beagle to see more of the country and he turned 27 in Hobart. Darwin's commemorative year has begun this 2009.
Our beliefs are full of contradictions. Evolution or creationism? A priority could well be a belief in non-violence in real life in the here and now and a stand against over-the-top violence in blockbuster movies.

The idea was to escape the heat wave on the plain by travelling to the 'hill country' but the temperature in Katoomba was round thirty degrees as well.