Going eastward will take you to Stirling, a beautiful hills village, worth a roam around the craft shops. The adjacent village is Aldgate noted for its Aldgate Pump Hotel , a favorite of mine in the winter for its open fires and good pub meals. Bus back to the city. From here you can take a train back into the city. One of my secret places for hiking is the trail around the Sleeps Hill Quarries.
Local fauna includes foxes and snakes, plus umpteen parrots.
The quarries, labelled A,B,C,D, etc are well signposted by the Mines and Energy Dept, with detailed geological and historical information. If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Pacific Insiders page .