The Hermitage Mittagong

Around an hour and a half from Sydney is a small town called Mittagong. ( Visiting these little rural New South Wales towns seems to be becoming a habit for me.) I am here for a Youth Ministry leadership weekend run by the Diocese of Wollongong and it is being held at the Marist Brothers' farm out here called The Hermitage. It is a place where anybody looking for a time out can stay - there are private cottages etc. and it is great for retreats or just a quiet getaway. The photos below just don't do it justice, it is so pretty out here. You can visit it online at:
http://www.thehermitage.org.au/ Here are some shots:

As you drive in to the entrance - I love these trees - don't know why but they remind me of the film, Gladiator.

Another shot of them looking down the road.

Standing amongst them shooting across the paddock - they line most of the entrance road - ok I'll stop photographing them now! Just such clean and neat trees. :-)

There is a stream running through the farm with a large duckpond.
Looking down from the top of the hill.

There is the pond on the right. The field I walked up as you can see is not manicured lawn but 'mowed' by the cows. Uneven and with large dung piles. When was the last time you walked through a field on a farm? Made me wish I had a pair of dungarees, a straw hat while chewing on a piece of hay. And then the city slicker came out in me as I started speculating what cool state of the art features and gadgets today's modern tractors must have and if they have ipod docks? I never captured it, but I saw 2 of the religious brothers who work the farm, fly by on their quad bikes .

Just space everywhere. The house where we had our meals and sessions.

Looks like one of those country living adverts.

This Crucifix used to live in a church but was moved outside in 2008. Great view from there and so peaceful on a hill in amongst the trees. One of the Brothers who lives here, Brother Andrew said that there used to be 17 congregations of religious orders that lived in the area at one time. This farm used to be a dairy farm, but with the decline in their numbers, it is now a cattle farm - apart from the retreat / guesthouse business of course.

Cheers for now.