Hills Independent #85 July 2022 | Page 34

HAWKESBURY lifestyle & leisure roadshow

OUT & ABOUT

CARAVANS

CAMPING MOTORING BOATS & MORE

HAWKESBURY lifestyle & leisure roadshow

Hawkesbury Showground Racecourse Road , Clarendon
AUGUST Friday 26 : 9am to 5pm Saturday 27 : 9am to 5pm Sunday 28 : 9am to 4pm
FOR MORE INFO 1300 66 50 59
www . lifestyleandleisureroadshow . com . au

Caravan Expo comes to Hawkesbury

The Hawkesbury Showground welcomes the Caravan , Leisure and Lifestyle Roadshow to the Hawkesbury .
The event will take place over three days on the 26th , 27th and 28th August and it will be the very first time appearing here in the Hawkesbury making it an inaugural event .
If you are an outdoor enthusiast then this is the opportunity to see all your favourite outdoor activities in the one place .
The caravan industry has boomed in recent years , and continues to do so . The show will offer both indoor and out

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS Old Man Banksia

by Lachlan Turner
This month we take a look at the Old Man Banksia ( Banksia serrata ), which grows throughout open woodland forests of the Hills region . Old Man Banksia of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie fame is featured in the May Gibbs ’ children ’ s book .
This banksia has a long flowering period between December and June . Some of the more spectacular examples of this recognisable native small tree can usually be found along those less-used tracks which pass through the more open woodland sections of our local bushland .
They can easily be identified , by the characteristic bark which is shown in the image with this article . Some of the trees can live for many decades and are often characterised by their serrated leaves and grotesque shaped branches as well as door displays and have all the latest in Caravans , campers , 4x4 accessories and bicycles on display .
It will give you the opportunity to shop and compare a large range of Camping , Leisure and Lifestyle equipment and then buy on the same day taking advantage of any factory backed manufacturers discounts .
The expo will be a great family outing for all ages and you can even bring your dog who is welcome on a leash .
The expo will be offering great entertainment over the three days with a range of food trucks on site to keep your
those old brown spent flowers and seed pods reminiscent of the Big Bad Banksia Man .
Features which attract our attention to this plant around this time of the year are the developing flowers . Not only visible are the spent flowers from last year , or the open seed pods from other previous years , but closer observation reveals a diverse range of shapes and colours of the current year ’ s flowers which are in numerous stages of development .
Different plants of this species often exhibit a variety of flower shapes when compared with nearby plants . Some specimens of this plant can grow up to 10 m tall with a girth of nearly 300 mm . Sometimes it is necessary to look more deeply through the growth along the edges of a track as you walk along in order to be rewarded with the visual beauty of the amazing variety of the flower spikes of this Banksia .

If you are an outdoor enthusiast then this is the opportunity to see all your favourite outdoor activities in the one place . belly full and the Australian Traveling Fishing Show Super Tank , Helicopter Rides and the Reptile Show snake man , with a huge array of snakes and other reptiles , including a Taipan .

The Snake Man will be educating us on different species of snakes and what to do if you need to administer first aid after a snake bite .
A spokesman for the Hawkesbury Lifestyle and Leisure Roadshow Peter Rhodes , says , “ we ’ ve seen the increase in caravan ownership rise over the last couple of years , and as we speak , the caravan industry has never been more buoyant . This comes from a couple of factors .
The first is the change in the leisure dollar . It seems now that more people are looking at holidaying in Australia . People want to explore their own backyard , get out of the cities with their families , and see Australia .
Free camping is another strong reason people are turning to caravanning and camping , it affords more economical travel .
A lot of smaller towns are now being bypassed by travellers now because of new freeways and highways , and many caravan parks are becoming extremely expensive , so in an effort to help both travellers and struggling towns many local councils are opening up local park land and sports grounds and , in some cases , even providing electricity and water for a small nominal fee for overnight stays .
Travellers then return the favour by spending in the local township bringing revenue to the town , this has become a boom to the caravanner because it cuts down on expensive overnight stays , and gives you the opportunity to see different places you wouldn ’ t normally visit .
The Caravan Lifestyle and Leisure Roadshow has something for everyone presents a great opportunity for all ages who love the outdoors .
Tickets are available at the gate or online @ lifestyleanfleisureroadshow . com . au
For more information , and for any Exhibitor enquiries : lifestyleandleisureroadshow . com . au
34 ISSUE 85 // JULY 2022 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT