Leura was our honeymoon destination 40 years ago. We toured the Blue Mountains west of Sydney in my father’s 420G. This time we took our own newly restored 420G, one of Jaguar’s largest and most comfortable cars. The weather was perfect, the scenery unmatched and for just a few days we left the rat race behind.
I carried a Nikon F6 loaded with Kodak Ektar and an F90x loaded with Portra 800. Lenses included a Tamron 90mm Macro, surprisingly good at long distances, a Nikon 50mm f/1.8G, the brilliant 300mm f/4 and an ancient 24mm f/2.8 Ai-s manual focus lens.
The shot above was taken on Ektar with the 50mm. This is the main tourist lookout in Katoomba, the next town up the mountain from Leura. Below is our accommodation, Leura House, an historic mountain mansion built in 1880, taken on the 24mm @ f/8 on Ektar.
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Leura is one of Australia’s finest garden suburbs. In spring every yard displays breathtaking flower displays. The cherry blossoms in the main street were stunning. We stressed our credit cards at several fine shops here.
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Our first tourist spot was the Leuralla Toy & Railway Museum. Sporting a street sign with surely the the worst font ever drafted, the museum itself was most impressive. Their collection of three-rail Hornby O Gauge model trains was the best I have seen.
Room after room displayed a century of toys for boys and girls. The grounds were designed with a railway station theme amid spectacular coloured trees. These images are from Portra 800 at EI 400. The 24mm struggled on the interior shots with shutter speeds of 1/15 or less — too slow for me. A Tamron 15-30mm with vibration control is on my shopping list.
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The Blue Mountains feature some of Australia’s most impressive clifftop lookouts. Trees often stretch to the horizon across expansive valleys. The rock faces change colour continuously during the day.
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The shots above were all taken on the F6 with Ektar film. Those below were on my F90x with Portra 800. The Nikon 300mm f/4 is an extraordinary lens. The cablecars and rear view of the Three Sisters were miles away across the valley.
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The Everglades National Trust House & Gardens are one of the region’s treasures. Coffee and cake in the main bay window of the Tea Rooms overlooking the Jamison Valley was a special time on our trip. Some of the gardens are shown below, taken on the F6 with Ektar.
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The area features waterfalls and ponds in beautifully kept parklands. The locals are certainly spoiled for choices when it comes to picnic locations.
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We finished our tour with a visit to the Norman Lindsay Gallery at Faulconbridge. I had seen many of his drawings and painting in books but was surprised by the breathtaking craftsmanship of his model ships. Sadly, no photography was allowed indoors. After few parting shots in the grounds with the 24mm Ai-s on Ektar we headed home.
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