Category: Headline

A news article in The Sydney Morning Herald Sydney reported that “Sydney is by far the cheapest Australian city to buy petrol, with pump prices dropping by 4.2 cents per litre in the past week. The national average for unleaded petrol eased 0.8 cents per litre to 128 cents, the Australian Institute of Petroleum said in its latest weekly report released on Monday.  The metropolitan average fell 1.2 cents per litre to 127.3 cents, led by the sharp fall in Sydney, while the regional average eased 0.2 cents per litre to 129.3 cents.”

My experience so far is that the above prices are generally petrol pump prices in major petrol stations like Shell, Caltex, BP, or Mobil. Petrol prices from independent retailers that are normally located in most Sydney suburbs is cheaper by few cents.

While some major groceries like Coles and Woolworths offers petrol discount vouchers, I do not find it useful because their participating petrol stations are limited. One funny experience I had was with my Woolworth Everyday Reward Card which offers 5 cents off petrol. I went to a Caltex station to avail such discount and confidently,  I hand in my everyday reward card to the attendant at the payment counter. I must mention that the Caltex logo appears on the reward card. But to my surprise, the attendant tactfully adviced that only Caltex operated by Woolworth honor such card! Their Caltex station is not one of them. How will I know? There’s no way I can tell. Whew! I was misled by the logo to be honest. So, I just smiled and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Driving to Jenolan Caves in one sunny day was an exhilarating experience for me and my family. Approximately 177 kilometers away from the City, Jenolan offers an entirely different wonder of God’s creation. As soon as we reach Jenolan, we were welcomed by an amazing Grand Arch which serves as the common entrance to the different caves.

Jenolan Caves are without question, Australia’s most impressive limestone caves. The caves were discovered in 1838 by a convict bushranger. There are nine show caves open to the public with spectacular lighting, underground rivers, and cave formations that will surely amaze anyone.

 

Our tour guide who took us through one of the the caves demonstrated a crystal clear limestone rock using a torch. 

 

Can you see the stage performers? a theater formation inside Jenolan

Fine dripping stalactites

Well-built walkways and ladders made it easier for us to view most parts of the cave

It take hundreds of years for spectacular formation such as this.

An angel’s wing? probably…figure it out.

Giant needles?

Friendly colorful birds playing with my son

How to get to Jenolan Caves

There is no public transport to Jenolan Caves, but it is a pleasant drive. There is plenty of free parking at Jenolan.

Driving

From Sydney, take the M4 Motorway travelling west through the Blue Mountains, Katoomba and Mt. Victoria on the Great Western Highway. Shortly after Victoria Pass, the Jenolan Caves turnoff is found just past the village of Hartley. Turning left, this road passes through Hampton and finally Jenolan Caves.

The trip offers spectacular scenery on a sealed road that can be completed comfortably in 2½ hours from Parramatta. If you have time, explore the Blue Mountains along the way.

If you are visiting Jenolan from the direction of Sydney, Katoomba and Lithgow, the last secti
on of the road into the Jenolan Valley is one way from 11.45am to 1.15pm everyday. This allows coaches to enter Jenolan safely on the narrow road. Visitors can still leave Jenolan during these times – via the Oberon Road which is now fully sealed. (Source: http://www.jenolancaves.org.au/)