A Single Step

  The first Sydney urban hike of the season, and the Anzac Day public holiday meant a chance to explore the area north of Parramatta, a usual following routes on the Walking Volunteers website. Starting from Parramatta rail station, through the very new, very well designed and very quiet Centenary Square development and into the city streets, picking up a coffee on the way. Over the river and immediately left into the parkland next to BigBank Stadium (the name seems to change every year or two). Once back on the street, the next couple of kilometres held little interest apart from a section alongside the old Female Factory and associated buildings (now part of the hospital complex) and a fine tibouchina in its autumnal glory. The entrance to Lake Parramatta Reserve was marked by a cluster of sculptures on wooden poles (not the only tall, thin sculptures encountered on the walk), of which the water dragon was the most interesting. And so down to the lake and the trail that loops around