View from Munibung Hill across to Warners Bay. Jan Dean walked from her home in Sacramento Avenue, Macquarie Hills to Warners Bay. Photo supplied.
Munibung Hill reminds me of Mont Saint-Victoire
Munibung Hill has been a larger than life figure in Jan Dean’s life for over 62 years. We have featured two of Jan’s poems in previous issues of MMM. In this story Jan tells us about her association with Munibung Hill, as she has moved around the north-east slopes.
MUNIBUNG HILL has long been a significant part of my life. It was 1961 when I first came to live in the Cardiff area, we settled in a house on the low side of Boronia St, near the (then) new high school. From my kitchen window, while washing dishes I gazed across to Munibung, a dominant feature of great beauty. Eventually I taught at Cardiff High and was fascinated that their annual magazine was named ‘Munibung’.
We moved to our second home in Sacramento Ave, a very steep street, in 1970. Initially there were no houses behind us, so it was possible to slip over Lawson Rd to walk across Munibung.
I saw the tracks leading to a cave, things I had only seen from a distance, previously. Arriving at Warners Bay gave a sense of achievement and excitement.
Not until much later – when I saw this Munibung Hill Conservation Society website – did I realise that there were stone arrangements of great importance to and for First Nations people, but definitely felt a sense of deep history and relevance. Up until then, I had no idea about that.
Fast forward to 1990. Now I live in another house, this time with limited views of Munibung Hill. Over the years I have seen Munibung frequently, in times of fire, drought and plenty, where the tree cover is lush.
Once I wrote to the editor of the Newcastle Herald when it was mooted a motel be built on Munibung’s peak. My argument against such a travesty was nothing should mar
the current view; it should be preserved for the surrounding suburbs au naturel.
In fact, Munibung Hill reminds me of Mont Saint-Victoire, one of many famous paintings by Paul Cezanne. I doubt the French would ever be persuaded to contaminate its peak.
May Munibung Hill remain visually unadulterated, and open to all who show their respect.
– Jan Dean, 28 January 2024.
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The place that has oodles of ‘rizz’
It’s time to ‘Get Our Kicks on route ritzy rizz’* – Munibung Hill
IT MIGHT still throw up a squiggly red line on Word but “rizz” has been officially named the word of the year (2023) by the Oxford Dictionary.
Rizz is a shortening of the word charisma — if you take away the “char” and the “ma”, you’re left with that “ris” syllable. And, rather than settling for the actual spelling of it, opting for a double z gives it more… rizz.
Oxford says it’s unusual for the middle of a word to become its shorthand. But there are other examples: “fridge” (refrigerator) and “flu” (influenza).
What exactly does rizz mean?
The Oxford Dictionary ** defines rizz as, “Pertaining to someone’s ability to attract another person through style, charm, or attractiveness.”
We are here to announce – for those who don’t already know – that Munibung Hill – Konakonaba – has style, charm and attractiveness, in other words, rizz. Along every track, around every bend, up in every tree, amongst the groundcover plants, there is rizz.
*Apologies to Chuck Berry and his song ‘Route 66’
** The UK publication says that the popularity of rizz skyrocketed in 2023, due to an interview with Spider-Man star Tom Holland. The actor was asked by BuzzFeed what the secret to his rizz was, to which he replied: “I have no rizz whatsoever. I have limited rizz.”
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Munibung Hill on visitors’ recommended list
WHEN IT COMES to making a decision about where to go walking in the Newcastle / Lake Macquarie areas, Munibung Hill rates as a highly desirable destination, especially for family based outings.
Considering Munibung Hill is not listed in any of the Lake Mac Council walking guides and is nowhere to be found in any official tourism publication, we reckon this is a credit to the outstanding intrinsic qualities of Munibung Hill.
AllTrails – Munibung Hill Southern Loop
Bushwalks in the Hunter Valley – Gregory Powell
Destinations Journey – Munibung Hill Lake Macquarie
Hunter Lifestyle Magazine, Ed. 73, April 2015 – Local Lake Macquarie Walks
Lake Mac Family Life – Climb to the top of Munibung Hill
Pinterest – Newcastle Region Parks and Playgrounds – a collection by Newy with Kids – A Family Walk Up Munibung Hill
Swell Magazine – Take a walk on the (not so) wild side
Timber Nook – Best bush walks in Newcastle and Lake Mac
YouTube – Climbing Munibung Hill in Lake Macquarie (post by Colin Sloan, Apr 4, 2021, 4min 33sec) A short hike to the top of Munibung Hill for a sweeping view of Lake Macquarie. Part of our training for the Kokoda Challenge.
Wandalog – Best views, scenic lookouts and viewpoints – scroll down to no.44
MMM Issue 42, February-March 2024
