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Illawarra Basin Falls, (Central Coast NSW)

The Illawarra rivers meet a relatively narrow coastal plain after plunging down the coastal escarpment. While most do not run in dry times, they can put on a spectacular display after heavy rain.

The features of the area were early studied by an impressive group of early European settlers and visitors (eg Rev Clarke and the United States Exploring Expedition in the Pacific under Commander Charles Wilkes, with the famous mineralogist, James Dwight Dana). Some of the waterfalls seen by the travelers have been submerged in dams.

Eurobodalla Basin Falls (South Coast New South Wales)

The Eurobodalla is a wet lush strip of coastal forest jammed between the coast and the mountains. Rivers here are short and run fast after rain. Few rivers extend far inland - one exception is the rivers that have carved the Araluen Valley and which start at Majors Creek. Here there are many inaccessible falls, known only by the sound of water falling through deep gorges.

Majors Creek Falls 

Majors Creek Falls can be found in the Majors Creek State Conservation Area.

This area is not signposted and should be approached with a great deal of care.

The Majors Creek fall is a short walk from the town of Majors Creek. It races down a precipitous drop into the Araluen Valley. In total the creek's falls dance 240 m (790 feet) to the valley floor below. Only 15-20 meters of the main race from a chute fall is visible from adjoining cliff edges. Above the fall are a series of pretty pools and cascades.

While this fall was once well known (and is still well loved by the locals), the lookout for the fall is in ruins and the area is quietly fading back into the wilderness.

Majors Creek Falls

Far South Coast Basin Falls (Gabo Island - Tuross Heads)

Wilderness and forestry areas predominate in this corner of the state; only the sea corridor and dairy farms show signs of human habitation. Two ancient river systems, the Tuross and the Towamba are remarkable in this area.

Main Tuross Falls

Myanba Gorge

Myanba Gorge near the locality of Cathcart is a massive southern gorge connecting the ocean with the Alps.

It hosts a zig-zag slot waterfall in the bedrock of an ancient river. The blue granite bed of the ancient river perhaps once flowed the other way back towards the Alps. But Myanba Creek now cuts a steep path of multiple zig-zags through the Bones of the Earth to the Towamba River and the ocean. Like all who are young, it dallies along the way, sculpting strange shapes as it goes.

Myanba Gorge

Early flying designs and machines

I enjoy building stuff from plans.

Da Vinci, iL Volo Instrumente, Flying Machine

Da Vinci sketched many partial drawings of wings and fuselages - but did not leave a single complete set of plans for a flying machine. There is disagreement about whether he ever built a model or actual machine based on his drawings.