Are you arachnophobic? Killer funnel-web spiders invade Sydney .....
Jan 26th, 2010, 02:59 AM
#23
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As luck would have it, today I was chatting with a young lady (a transplant from Colorado) whose boyfriend had a unique Huntsman experience when an unusually large speciment crawled down the INSIDE of his motorcycle helmet visor while he was travelling along the highway at high speed.
They're tenacious buggers, being able to cling to a smooth car exterior and withstand a long journey at speeds of over 100 km/hr. One of ours made it all the way from Canberra to Sydney's northern beaches, a 300 km ride. I hope he's enjoying his new home. Maybe he's out testing surfboards.
They're tenacious buggers, being able to cling to a smooth car exterior and withstand a long journey at speeds of over 100 km/hr. One of ours made it all the way from Canberra to Sydney's northern beaches, a 300 km ride. I hope he's enjoying his new home. Maybe he's out testing surfboards.
Jan 26th, 2010, 06:08 PM
#24
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Good God, I've heard of cane toads hitching a ride to Sydney from Queensland, now Canberra-based Hunstmans (huntsmen?) are hitchhiking to Sydney's northern beaches, as if they don't have enough there of their own.
Jan 29th, 2010, 01:44 AM
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The only venomous snakes I've seen in the wild (3 red-bellied black snakes) were all in my backyard. One brushed my leg as it passed. The only funnel web I've seen in the wild was under my desk at work. It was dead, but they can play dead I believe. I'm sure there are some in my backyard but I don't see them!
Jan 29th, 2010, 01:49 PM
#28
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When I lived on the outskirts of Sydney, there was a bit of a problem with brown snakes coming into the yard, garage, etc. 2 cats died from snake bite (one got the snake, as well!) and one reared at me when I was weeding in the garden - gave me a bit of a fright, I tell you. I jumped up, kicked away the cat sitting quietly beside me and raced inside. Watched it from the safety of the living room windows until it slid away.
We had problems with funnel-webs, too - a nest of them in the front garden - and occasionally in the house.
I moved to the inner west of Sydney - much safer there. The snakes are more upright, too!
We had problems with funnel-webs, too - a nest of them in the front garden - and occasionally in the house.
I moved to the inner west of Sydney - much safer there. The snakes are more upright, too!
Jan 31st, 2010, 06:51 AM
#29
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OK, I'm getting ready to make my 7th trip to SYD from the USA in mid-March. I've not seen any of these critters in past visits. This thread makes me shiver!!!! Yikes!!! I'll be spending time at Darling Harbor and then off to Parramatta and Jenolan. Should I be concerned? Most probably not, but I had to ask!
Here is the midwest (Illinois, 3 hours from Chicago) we have some pretty hairy jumping spiders that can intimidate, but to my knowledge... not dangerous. Once in a while I'll see a garden snake, but they zip away pretty quickly. I think an upright snake would be alarming!
Still looking forward to my next OZ visit, regardless of the critters you have down under.
Carol
Here is the midwest (Illinois, 3 hours from Chicago) we have some pretty hairy jumping spiders that can intimidate, but to my knowledge... not dangerous. Once in a while I'll see a garden snake, but they zip away pretty quickly. I think an upright snake would be alarming!
Still looking forward to my next OZ visit, regardless of the critters you have down under.
Carol
Jan 31st, 2010, 12:38 PM
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Susan, I've actually stayed at Darling Harbor several times in the past, and have always had a lovely time. I don't anticipate any problems this next trip either.
Re: Darling Harbor eats... I used to get a great tasting bowl of pumpkin soup and chunk of bread... made a great meal. I suppose something like that is still available.
Re: Darling Harbor eats... I used to get a great tasting bowl of pumpkin soup and chunk of bread... made a great meal. I suppose something like that is still available.
Jan 31st, 2010, 01:05 PM
#32
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Here's some food suggestions, I hate to think of people being ripped off in that area when there is such good food in Sydney.
Do you like Chinese? Chinatown and Golden Century is not far from Darling Harbour and has excellent food. There's also a fabulous dumpling place in George St, Dai Tin Fung:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/restauran...472754072.html
Malaya in Lime st (Cockle Bay) is also a Sydney classic for Malalysian food.
Also you would be perfectly located for getting a ferry to Balmain or Milsons Point. A shortish walk up from the wharf at Balmain East is Duke St Brasserie, excellent food. That one is expensive but worth it.
At Milson's Point, there's Ripples just below the Bridge that gets good reviews here.
Do you like Chinese? Chinatown and Golden Century is not far from Darling Harbour and has excellent food. There's also a fabulous dumpling place in George St, Dai Tin Fung:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/restauran...472754072.html
Malaya in Lime st (Cockle Bay) is also a Sydney classic for Malalysian food.
Also you would be perfectly located for getting a ferry to Balmain or Milsons Point. A shortish walk up from the wharf at Balmain East is Duke St Brasserie, excellent food. That one is expensive but worth it.
At Milson's Point, there's Ripples just below the Bridge that gets good reviews here.
Jan 31st, 2010, 01:12 PM
#33
Good for you Susan7! I thought the same thing. Far less danger from funnel webs than that frightful tourist trap, Darling Harbour. Cockle Bay (Other side) is a bit better quality but not too many bargains there either.
Surry Hills (just beyond Central Railway Station) and Newtown (about 5 mins in a cab) to the West, are full of good quality, cheap eats. Suggest you buy a "Sydney Cheap Eats" when you get here.
Surry Hills (just beyond Central Railway Station) and Newtown (about 5 mins in a cab) to the West, are full of good quality, cheap eats. Suggest you buy a "Sydney Cheap Eats" when you get here.
Jan 31st, 2010, 04:58 PM
#34
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Thanks for all the food suggestions. The ferry to Balmain sounds interesting, maybe? I'm not a foodie, but I like to get out on the water and see the sights from there. How long is the ferry ride? I've done the Manly ferry any number of times and always enjoy it.
Jan 31st, 2010, 07:21 PM
#35
Here's a Sydney Ferries route map http://www.sydneyferries.info/upload...0A3%20JPEG.jpg
One of my favourite "visitor jaunts" is to take the ferry to Watsons Bay, have lunch at the hotel near the wharf (not Doyle's restaurant - there's a good casual option on the roof top terrace at the pub next door). Bus from the street at the top of the rise, near The Gap (about 3 mins walk) to Bondi. Walk along the cliff tops (very easy, paved path walk) to Bronte or if you like, a little further to Coogee. Bus back to the city.
http://www.about-australia.com/trave...-coastal-walk/
Another option - Northern Beaches & Pittwater: Bus to Palm Beach (about an hour) and take the Riverboat Postman's ferry around Pittwater http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macin.../syd/ferry.htm
One of my favourite "visitor jaunts" is to take the ferry to Watsons Bay, have lunch at the hotel near the wharf (not Doyle's restaurant - there's a good casual option on the roof top terrace at the pub next door). Bus from the street at the top of the rise, near The Gap (about 3 mins walk) to Bondi. Walk along the cliff tops (very easy, paved path walk) to Bronte or if you like, a little further to Coogee. Bus back to the city.
http://www.about-australia.com/trave...-coastal-walk/
Another option - Northern Beaches & Pittwater: Bus to Palm Beach (about an hour) and take the Riverboat Postman's ferry around Pittwater http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macin.../syd/ferry.htm
Jan 31st, 2010, 08:16 PM
#36
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It's about two to five minutes from Darling Harbour to Balmain East. If you look on Bokhara's first link above you'll see it's very close. You can download the timetable form the ferry site.
There's two quite separate wharves at Darling Harbour, one goes to Parammatta and Cockatoo Island. If you are interested in history and being on the water, Cockatoo is an interesting place to visit, there's a cafe there, as well as a fantastic camping site. There are convict buildings on the top of the island and then very majestic industrial ruins at the bottom.
Anyway to return to the subject of food, the other wharf is where you catch the ferry to Circular Quay stopping at Balmain East and sometimes Balmain.
There's two quite separate wharves at Darling Harbour, one goes to Parammatta and Cockatoo Island. If you are interested in history and being on the water, Cockatoo is an interesting place to visit, there's a cafe there, as well as a fantastic camping site. There are convict buildings on the top of the island and then very majestic industrial ruins at the bottom.
Anyway to return to the subject of food, the other wharf is where you catch the ferry to Circular Quay stopping at Balmain East and sometimes Balmain.
Jan 31st, 2010, 08:50 PM
#37
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And for the record, when I lived in Balmain and worked in George Street North (how much better can it get?) the ferry ride to Circular Quay took 11 minutes.
Carol, I would be ASTONISHED if you had a critter experience of the non-human variety at Darling Harbour or Parramatta. (About the same chance as coming across a black widow or cottonmouth at Fisherman's Wharf, SF, say.)
And at Jenolan Caves I'd be surprised too, unless you decide to strike out on your own into the surrounding bush.
In the bush there's a (statistically very low) chance of seeing a black snake, but it's a very low chance, and they're a timid beast. If one is around it will almost certainly have heard you coming and hightailed it.
In 8 years of living in the Blue Mountains, at the end of a dirt road and bordering national park, during which I spent a lot of time stumbling through the bush, I saw four (4) snakes. One in the laundry (captured in an old Arnott's biscuit tin and released in the bush), one outside the front door (scurried away at top speed) and a couple in the bush, both of which had plenty of time to make their getaway. That's one every two years, so your odds of seeing one are very, very poor.
And apart from the usual garden redbacks, which like a quiet life, I never saw a dangerous spider either.
I was much more scared in Yellowstone, believe me.
Carol, I would be ASTONISHED if you had a critter experience of the non-human variety at Darling Harbour or Parramatta. (About the same chance as coming across a black widow or cottonmouth at Fisherman's Wharf, SF, say.)
And at Jenolan Caves I'd be surprised too, unless you decide to strike out on your own into the surrounding bush.
In the bush there's a (statistically very low) chance of seeing a black snake, but it's a very low chance, and they're a timid beast. If one is around it will almost certainly have heard you coming and hightailed it.
In 8 years of living in the Blue Mountains, at the end of a dirt road and bordering national park, during which I spent a lot of time stumbling through the bush, I saw four (4) snakes. One in the laundry (captured in an old Arnott's biscuit tin and released in the bush), one outside the front door (scurried away at top speed) and a couple in the bush, both of which had plenty of time to make their getaway. That's one every two years, so your odds of seeing one are very, very poor.
And apart from the usual garden redbacks, which like a quiet life, I never saw a dangerous spider either.
I was much more scared in Yellowstone, believe me.
Jan 31st, 2010, 09:57 PM
#38
Aw, Neil, those bison and bears won't hurt you 
Back in the days before Yellowstone cracked down on private snowmobling, we had a close call with a bison. We were returning from dinner outside the park when our snowmobile headlights fell upon a bison standing in the middle of the track. We had to quickly skirt around it and I thought for sure it was right behind us, chasing us all the way back to our cabin.
That little adventure put the kibosh on our nighttime snowmobiling.
Ah, memories...I could really go for some snow right about now.
Back in the days before Yellowstone cracked down on private snowmobling, we had a close call with a bison. We were returning from dinner outside the park when our snowmobile headlights fell upon a bison standing in the middle of the track. We had to quickly skirt around it and I thought for sure it was right behind us, chasing us all the way back to our cabin.
That little adventure put the kibosh on our nighttime snowmobiling.
Ah, memories...I could really go for some snow right about now.
Jan 31st, 2010, 10:13 PM
#40
