Five years ago, in April 2016, I closed the Hamilton North blog. I moved to Lightning Ridge, but Jambo – my trusty drain companion and the real star of my book – stayed in Newcastle. Eventually he moved to Canberra where, sadly, he died, almost five years to the day, in April 2021.
Even though I no longer post here I’ve had many messages via the blog asking about him. He was a lovely dog, totally special, and he’s very sadly missed. I think that he lives on, in the pages of A Year Down the Drain and in the Hamilton North blog. Yaluu, maadhaay gaba.
[ORIGINAL POST APRIL 2016]
Last post for a while, as I’m off to Lightning Ridge. There’ll be a new blog, and I’ll put a redirect in when it starts. Till then, goodbye from me.
And goodbye from him.
But, if you’re desperate, you can find my new blog here.
This entry was posted on Sunday, April 24th, 2016 at 7:19 pm and is filed under Around town things. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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I will keep you informed of anything major happening down the styx. Good luck with your latest adventures, hopefully you strike it rich with some opals at Lightning Ridge.
Thanks, Isaac. Not sure how I’ll go with striking it rich round here. I believe that round here if people go fossicking where the shouldn’t they find themselves at the bottom of a very deep hole!
Disappointed that you have emerged from the drains in Hamilton North, but looking forward to hearing about what strikes you, or what you strike, at The Ridge.
I ‘ve come from Perth and so knew NOTHING about the Styx!
Mark’s book however has enticed me to WALK the drains wherever possible.I still am unsure whether the Styx’ headwaters are up in Kotara South (where 2 pipes emerge from a hillside) OR over in Lambton ie with the Lambton Ker-rai.Certainly the council’s “Styx Creek” signs are in place from the Kotara shops onwards.
I also would be interested to know the purpose of the drain emerging on the park/Donald St side of the Chatham St bridge.
Welcome to the drains of Newcastle! The headwaters are indeed marked in Kotara under modern maps. This is a function of the “canal” having been dug to drain land around Broadmeadow. The original Styx was fed from land to the south of Gregson Park, but this is no longer marked as the Styx. That “drain” that you see on the Donald Street side of the bridge stretches right through Broadmeadow towards Merewether High School; you may occasionally see UrbExers emerging from it!
But, if you’re desperate, you can find my new blog here.
Hamilton North, NSW 2292 
We will miss hearing of Jambo’s adventures in Styx Creek.
Looking forward to hearing from Lightning Ridge!
It’s going to be very different, Val! I hope to take Jambo up there once I get settled so we have find ourselves some interesting walks. Cheers, Mark
ThaJnk yonu for your quirky. Interesting tales and good luck with your new adventure.
Mark, Styx Creek and Hamilton North have a secure place in the annals of Newcastle, thanks to you (and how could I forget, Jambo).
Ruth, I’ve discovered that LR has drains! I’ll be coming down in a few weeks and I think I’ll have to bring Jambo back with me …
I will keep you informed of anything major happening down the styx. Good luck with your latest adventures, hopefully you strike it rich with some opals at Lightning Ridge.
Thanks, Isaac. Not sure how I’ll go with striking it rich round here. I believe that round here if people go fossicking where the shouldn’t they find themselves at the bottom of a very deep hole!
Disappointed that you have emerged from the drains in Hamilton North, but looking forward to hearing about what strikes you, or what you strike, at The Ridge.
I ‘ve come from Perth and so knew NOTHING about the Styx!
Mark’s book however has enticed me to WALK the drains wherever possible.I still am unsure whether the Styx’ headwaters are up in Kotara South (where 2 pipes emerge from a hillside) OR over in Lambton ie with the Lambton Ker-rai.Certainly the council’s “Styx Creek” signs are in place from the Kotara shops onwards.
I also would be interested to know the purpose of the drain emerging on the park/Donald St side of the Chatham St bridge.
Hi Stephanie
Welcome to the drains of Newcastle! The headwaters are indeed marked in Kotara under modern maps. This is a function of the “canal” having been dug to drain land around Broadmeadow. The original Styx was fed from land to the south of Gregson Park, but this is no longer marked as the Styx. That “drain” that you see on the Donald Street side of the bridge stretches right through Broadmeadow towards Merewether High School; you may occasionally see UrbExers emerging from it!
Cheers
Mark