The Adventures of JournoGirl & PicBoy

29/06/2024

Rents have spiked as high as 6.9 per cent across Australia but some landlords are doing the unthinkable despite a cost-of-living crisis - they're refusing to pass on rent hikes.

For this story on the News.com.au platform today, we interviewed three such landlords to learn why they're putting rent rises on hold, the sacrifices they're making to do so and how it makes them feel to know they're making a real difference to other people's lives.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/aussie-landlords-refusing-to-pass-on-rent-hikes/news-story/8608dad95eb1b713f3e1149961e627b9

There’s something happening in Australian rentals that is, well, very unexpected.

14/05/2024

What a difference a day makes!
Yesterday, the landscape surrounding the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains NSW was kissed by clouds and peekaboo light.
Today, the famous ladies were bathed in brilliant sunshine under a clear blue sky.
Love where we live!!

Visit Blue Mountains Visit NSW Australia.com Blue Mountains Australia Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres

29/04/2024

The red, gold, orange and brown hues of autumn are highlighted by new and heritage stoneworks at the famous Corridor of Oaks at Faulconbridge.
The park is across the road from ``Father of Federation'' Sir Henry Parke's former home and features an avenue of oak trees planted by every Australian Prime Minister between Federation in 1901 and Julia Gillard (2017).
Recent upgrades by Blue Mountains City Council of a boardwalk, carparking and stone masonry have made this little locals secret a beautiful accessible picnic spot.

Visit Blue Mountains Have Wheelchair Will Travel Travel Without Limits

26/04/2024

Wonderful to have 70km of tracks and trails accessible to all in the heart of Western Sydney.
There were people of every creed and colour enjoying the outdoors together at Western Sydney Parklands on the weekend.
We only had time to walk a small section in Blacktown, so we can't wait to explore areas of Fairfield and Liverpool soon.

17/04/2024

Wonderful sanctuary in the middle of suburbia - The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan. And it's free!

🍁🍂 Botanic Gardens of Sydney

17/04/2024

This time last week: a glorious day on the most beautiful harbour in the world with the Australian Society of Travel Writers, thanks to Giselle Whiteaker and Journey Beyond.

16/04/2024

We can't stop thinking about the special Nocturnal event at Scenic World Blue Mountains. Such a beautiful night time experience that brings magic and wonder to the bush.

Visit Blue Mountains

22/03/2024

“Sharing Culture and Country is a beautiful way we can come together and learn how we can all do our bit to care for this precious landscape – and each other.”
We love this reminder from Gundungurra knowledge keeper and Elder Uncle David King (), who we met for a story about Darug and Gundungurra cultural experiences for the Blue Mountains Tourism destination magazine recently.
Visit Blue Mountains

15/03/2024

Virtually had Shoalhaven Zoo to ourselves, which meant quality time with critters.

Visit Shoalhaven

15/03/2024

Running away from home to the for the weekend with a mattress in the back of the van, a change of un**es and bottle of wine.
A gorgeous little village with plenty of charming boutiques, antiques shops, eateries and bakeries - just what we needed to recharge for the week ahead.
☀️🕶

12/03/2024

We love exploring our own backyard through contributions to the Blue Mountains Tourism seasonal destination magazine.
The Autumn edition carries our story about Katoomba’s century-old reputation as the Honeymoon Capital of Australia.
Interestingly, the recipe for romance remains largely the same: create an itinerary of activities, marvel at the World Heritage-listed landscape, add some pampering, good food and beverages and spend time behind closed doors together.
Read the story here: https://www.visitbluemountains.com.au/travel/entry/romance-rediscovered-in-australia-s-honeymoon-capital
Thanks to Blue Mountains History Tours’ Paul Innes and Mountains Tales guide and historian Sue Collins for helping to shape the tale.

By Ellen Hill...

23/08/2023

Penrith's first 5-star hotel comes with a fine dining restaurant - Marcel Bar & Bistro.
The refined modern European menu is a colourful showcase of ingredients sourced locally from Western Sydney.
Set at the top of a sweeping staircase, there's nods everywhere to the restaurant's namesake (late modernist architect and designer Marcel Breuer, famous for his mid-20th century Bauhaus chair designs).
Breuer’s sole Australian project was the 1976 Torin Factory building (a collaboration with Harry Seidler) just five minutes from Marcel.
The Buzz Group Pullman Sydney Penrith Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce

17/08/2023

First impressions, the little things and personal touches do count. Pullman Sydney Penrith - you've nailed it.
Sydney Expert Destination NSW Visit NSW Sydney.com Visit Penrith The Buzz Group Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce Western Sydney Conference Centre

24/07/2023

The art of architecture was an invigorating change of scenery as we rambled the foreshore around Barangaroo, Walsh Bay and Circular Quay.
📸 David Hill, The Adventures of JournoGirl & PicBoy
Destination NSW Sydney.com Visit NSW

20/07/2023

What's new and funky in Penrith NSW after dark? 🌇
We had so much fun research this roundup for Sydney Expert.
Astina Apartments Penrith Quest Penrith Q Agency Theos Rooftop Bar Allan Grammar Duck Duck Goose Elton Chong Rusty Penny Brewing Co Joan Southerland Centre Penrith Mr Watkins Bar Panthers Penrith Visit NSW Sydney.com Destination NSW Penrith City Council Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce

We asked journalist Ellen Hill who lives at the base of Sydney's Blue Mountains to fill us in on what's new in the Penrith Bar scene and we can't wait to get

24/04/2023

Wonderful to holiday (close to) home in Penrith recently. Thank you to New Zealand Herald deputy travel editor Anna Sarjeant for giving this piece a home.

The perfect pit stop between Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

11/07/2022

“Not everyone gets to wake up and take three steps into a World Heritage-listed national park.''
Anthea Hammon does.
Such a joy to share her story in the Winter edition of Visit the Blue Mountains, the seasonal destination magazine for Blue Mountains Tourism.
https://www.visitbluemountains.com.au/travel/entry/on-top-of-the-world

Visit Blue Mountains Visit NSW Sydney.com Destination NSW Tourism Australia World Blue Mountains

by Ellen Hill ...

04/07/2022

Settling into this rainy day writing about the glitzy nightspots, on-trend food flavs and locals secret bars at the undiscovered destination we visited recently.
Photo: David Hill, Deep Hill Media

08/03/2022

03/03/2022

``The highest flood since European settlement that spilled 19.26m above Windsor Bridge is spoken about with dreadful awe to this day.
But a bigger monster swelling more than 7m higher is not only possible but probable. Aboriginal stories remember it.
You should have prepared – we were warned.''
Ellen Hill's opinion piece on the current flood situation has just been published on the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/governors-phillip-and-macquarie-warned-about-building-in-the-path-of-floods-still-we-don-t-listen-20220303-p5a19i.html

10/11/2021

So enjoyed exploring “Springwood Castle” (Bunda) for The Australian Mansion section two years ago.

08/10/2021

Ellen Hill wants lockdown to be the new normal. Why? Simple really - she's a sooky mama who will miss her boy when he moves out of home.
Read her opinion piece in today's Sydney Morning Herald:
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/lockdown-should-be-the-new-normal-20211007-p58y2w.html

On Monday, home haircuts, bodgie backyard bars and driveway gyms will end. Most people will erupt in joyous leisurely latte sipping sessions. I will not be one of them.

15/10/2020

...
Wow - look how young then PM Kevin Rudd and then Deputy PM Julia Gillard were when our David Hill captured this photo for the Penrith Press of them answering a question from the public at the Community Cabinet meeting at Jamison High School on April 15, 2008.

24/09/2020

...
On this day in 2004, our David Hill photographed an aspiring young actor by the name of Firass Dirani. This picture was published in the Penrith Press on October 5 that year.
Firass went on to become a Logie Award-winning star of Underbelly: The Golden Mile, Power Rangers Mystic Force, The Combination, House Husbands, Pitch Black and more.

29/08/2020

...
means being able to turn your hand - er, your eye - to any situation. In this case, our David Hill captured the energy on the field during a Penrith vs Gordon match in this shot for the Penrith Press in 2003.

09/08/2020

...
is also art.
Our David Hill certainly had fun capturing this image of young Clare, then aged 19, for the Blacktown Advocate on this day in 2006.

27/06/2020

On this day in 2006, the future for paddocks of was in limbo. As the proposed airport battle waged in Parliament and communities debates raged, cows roamed in idyllic surrounds.
This image was captured by our David Hill for the Parramatta Advertiser.

18/06/2020

...
In 2004, the was constantly choked by noxious aquatic w**ds including salvinia molesta and aligator w**d.
This shot by our David Hill captured around the (at the time) new Bridge and illustrated one of the many stories written by Ellen on the subject for the Penrith Press.

07/05/2020

...
Many faces have flashed before the lens of our photographer David Hill over the years, including [L to R] Vietnamese Community Association federal president Dr Tien Nguyen, then NSW Premier Bob Carr and VCA NSW president B**h Phan.
The shot was captured in 2005 for the Parramatta Advertiser at the opening of the Vietnamese Community and Cultural Centre at Bonnyrigg.

03/05/2020

...
Our David Hill wasn't to know how big an honour it was to photograph Kurt Smith,17 of Blaxland, for the Penrith Press in 2000 as he varnished some timber windows for Habitat for Humanity project at Tregear near Mt Druitt. The young man died tragically on New Year's Eve 2002.