Jan 21, 2016

Bantry Bay - Timbergetters Track

This walk is on the eastern side of Bantry Bay, Middle Harbour, within Garigal National Park.
We started at Seaforth Oval, with a steep descent down the historic 'Timbergetters Track', to the shore of Bantry Bay. Here our walk leader told us some of the history of the area.

Bantry Bay, Middle Harbour, Sydney

The buildings we could see along the shoreline on the other side of the bay, were part of the Bantry Bay Explosives Magazine complex, dating back to 1906, and in use up until 1974. The area was suitable because it was isolated, and to me it still has a feeling of isolation.
By the early 1900s, the area on the eastern side, where we were standing, was a popular picnic and recreation area, complete with a dining room and dance hall.



               (below) Great view, but shade was a bit scarce at the Bluff, where we ate lunch

The Bluff, Bantry Bay





Shell middens along the shoreline and rock engravings nearby, point to the past Aboriginal occupation of the area.
              


We followed the Bay track, the Bluff track and part of the Natural Bridge track, back to the Wakhurst Parkway. Latter we caught a route 136 bus back to the City.




        Location map                           Wildwalks link:  Timber Getters Track  

 

Jan 10, 2016

Cremorne Point Walk

It's a quite time for our walking group over the Summer holiday period, so I thought this scenic walk which follows the shoreline path around Cremorne Point would be a good one to try. The reserve with its varied views of Sydney Harbour, has been a popular picnic spot since the early 1900s, and still has many good spots to stop and eat lunch.










Following the path from Bromley Ave, which leads through this pocket of rainforest, I extended the walk around to Mosman Bay wharf.

I wasn't concerned with the wait for the next ferry, as there was a small cafe at the wharf.

Corner Beach, Mosman Bay.


I caught the F6 ferry from Circular Quay, then caught the waiting bus up Milson Rd., to the stop near Prior Av. This allowed me to complete the circuit (~3km), then continue on to Mosman Bay wharf (~1km), with only the link along Hodgson Ave overlapping. (see map)

Dianella caerulea (Flax Lily)


Wildwalks links:
 Cremorne Point circuit           
 Cremorne Point to Mosman wharf

Dec 6, 2015

Leura

Most of my posts this year have been from walks in the Sydney area. I'm pleased to return to the Upper Blue Mountains with this walk that we did back in Autumn. The photo below was taken on the way to the start of the walk, at the Leura Cascades.  



Leura Cascades

We followed the Federal Pass and Dardenelles Tracks to the Scenic Railway at Katoomba.
 see location map



While the walk is not long, a little over 5Km, it is considered hard.


We walked from Leura station, then caught a bus from Scenic World (at the end of our walk), to Katoomba station.



  (Wildwalks link - a similar walk starting at Gordon Falls: ) 



Oct 22, 2015

Woronora River

We started our Woronora walk at Jannali station in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney, then through the Burnum Burnum Sanctuary (named after the late Aboriginal activist).


The sanctuary 'contains ... a variety of soil conditions supporting a rich diversity of native plant communities from the Sydney Ridgetop Woodland down through Sandstone Gully Forest on the west facing slope to the riverflats and mangroves, interesting rock platforms and caves.'  [Kaimiaway]



I was impressed by the four-lane 521m long Woronoria River Bridge, which includes a wide shared pedestrian walkway and cycleway suspended below the northern deck. The bridge, completed in 2001, won the 2002 Australian Construction Achievement Award. (ACAA)


 Woronora River, Woronora


The pedestrian bridge (above), is at the end of Park Street Woronora.
My GPS trace stops at the reserve on the western bank. We extended our walk from there to the bus stop opposite the RSL club, where we caught a bus to Sutherland station.

                                        Location Map