Garden Island

The photo below shows the RAN Huon class Minehunter HMAS Yarra, passing Garden Island Dockyard.
Garden Island Dockyard is a primary Navy repair and refit centre which has supported naval activities since 1788.
The giant Hammerhead Crane, seen in the background below, was the largest in Australia, with a lifting capacity of 275 tonnes. In August 2013 the Federal Government announced it's removal.

Like other visitors to the northern precinct of Garden Island we arrived by Sydney Ferry from Circular Quay, on the route to Watson’s Bay. There is no public access from the mainland except on a booked tour coach.

The National Corvette Memorial honours the Navy Corvettes of WW2 and the Australian sailors who sailed them.
The memorial "symbolises a shipyard with the bow of a Corvette emerging through a wave and thrusting seaward"





Nearby is the RAN Heritage Centre in two renovated National Estate listed buildings, housing a huge collection of Navy artifacts with displays of the Navy’s history from colonial times to the present day.

View from roof top lookout Garden Is.

We were impressed by the spectacular views of Sydney Harbour from the former Main Signal Building, which has a viewing platform on the roof (accessed by stairs).

Looking towards Sydney Harbour heads

Garden Island wharf

            

Narrabeen to Mona Vale Headland

We started this coastal walk from the beachside suburb of Narrabeen, around 20Km north of Sydney CBD.

Narrabeen Lagoon

Narrabeen Lakes from headland

                 North Narrabeen, Narrabeen, South Narrabeen and Collaroy beaches

View from North Narrabeen Headland

Turimetta Beach

Looking south from Mona Vale Headland

We caught a bus from, and returned to Railway Square

Narrabeen map                           Mona Vale location map                                 Lake or Lagoon? 

Charles Darwin Walk Revisited

One of my favorite walks in the Upper Blue Mountains, in a beautiful little gully, leads from a park not far from the Wentworth Falls village centre, down to the falls. 'The swamps of Jamison Creek filter and clean the water that flows over Wentworth Falls, helping to protect rare species.'

Jamison Creek

Weeping Rock

You can see more photos of this walk on my earlier post. A little further than Weeping Rock, you reach a junction, with tracks to lookouts and the picnic ground. This is the starting point for other walks such as the National Pass walk.

        Walk info from Wild Walks                                 Location Map

Charles Darwin Walk heritage info

Sydney Excursion - Maritime Museum

Australian's National Maritime Museum, in Darling Harbour, has a large fleet of historic vessels, including a destroyer and a submarine, HMAS Onslow. The Oberon Class submarine was recently moved to dry dock for maintenance, and is due to return on 1st June.

 I especially enjoyed being able to go on board these vessels*, and hope to visit again and attend a guided tour with one of the volunteer guides. The museum website includes virtual tours of some of these exhibits.

The destroyer, HMAS Vampire was the last of Australia's "big gun ships" and is the museum's largest exhibit. It was built at the Cockatoo Island Dockyards and was commissioned in 1959.
The Navy last used Vampire as a training ship, and it was decommissioned in 1986.

The Maritime Museum also has permanent exhibitions, as well as special exhibitions indoors.





*Link to the Museum's admission details                              

South Lawson Waterfalls

The waterfalls on this popular walk at Lawson in the Blue Mountains, were looking great after recent heavy rain. Unfortunately a bridge over the creek had been washed away, but as we saw stockpiles of sandstone blocks near the track, I expect repairs to the track will not be too far away.

Adelina Falls

Federal Falls

Cataract Falls, Lawson

I have had lunch at Federal Falls before in the summer, but it was too cool and shady on this occasion, so we climbed further up the hill and stopped for lunch there.

The waterfalls circuit can be completed by returning to Lawson along Honour Avenue, or by walking along fire trails and roads to Hazelbrook, as our group did.



location map

My GPS trace 

This walk can also be extended to join the Terrace Falls walk at Hazelbrook.
(see my Lawson to Hazelbrook post)

Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour, and is only a short ferry trip from Circular Quay. An informative booklet was available from the visitors centre near the wharf, with suggested self-guided tour itineraries.

The island was called Waremah by the Eora Aboriginal people. It is recognised as one of  'the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts'. Cockatoo Island became the Commonwealth Naval Dockyard in 1913 and remained a naval dockyard until 1992.

Link to the 'Turbine Shop' sign and extra photos

Inside the huge 'Turbine Shop'

One of the oldest surviving steam cranes in Australia (below) was restored by volunteers.

Steam Crane, Cockatoo Is.

The last time I visited Cockatoo Island was to see the Biennale of Sydney (see my earlier post). Australia's largest contemporary visual arts event, Biennale of Sydney, will be held 27 June – 16 September 2012.

Walls Ledge - Blackheath

This walk, at Blackheath in the Upper Blue Mountains, although reasonably short, had a variety of scenery, as you can see from the photos.

Centennial Glen Creek, Blackheath

Flannel flowers

View into Kanimbla Valley

Walls Ledge is a popular spot with rock climbers.

Our walk was around 4Kms return to the station.
The only section I didn't enjoy was the return walk along Shipley Road, which we shared with a surprising number of cars considering it was midweek.


            Location Map  


         'Wild Walks' info            

                                                 

North Head to Shelly Beach

This excursion began with the scenic half hour ferry trip from Circular Quay to Manly.

At Manly, we caught a 135 route bus from opposite Manly wharf to the North Head Sanctuary.

near Blue Fish Point, looking south.

There is a walking track from the Gatehouse Visitors Centre, through Sydney Harbour National Park to Cabbage Tree Bay. 

In the photo below you can see some of the beaches to the north of Manly. North Steyne, Queenscliff, Freshwater, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Long Reef and beyond, although not all are seen in this photo. We continued down to Shelly Beach and returned to Manly wharf from there. 

Link to my earlier North Head posts

North Head - Manly walking Map (pdf)    

North Head Sanctuary visitors guide (pdf)

Sand Sculptures

 I visited the township of Windsor, to see the inaugural Hawkesbury International Sand Sculpting Championship. The theme of the competition, which ran from 11th to the 29th January 2012, was Mystical Creatures.   

Jino van Bruinessen (Blue Mountains, NSW)

Hawkesbury River, Windsor

Windsor is a historic township around 50km north-western of central Sydney. The setting for the competition was a park next to the Hawkesbury River. 

Cliven Abben (Rye, Victoria) - Rainbow Serpent

Peter Redmond from Victoria sculpted this winged horse and foal.

 

I was amazed at the strength they can achieve in these sand sculptures. They use the same sort of sand that bricklayers use. This is mixed with water and compacted in tiered layers within timber forms, before the sculpturing begins.

Although the sculptures are coated with a protective water resistant (biodegradable) spray, recent rain had caused damage to some sculptures, which required repair.

The event was run by Sandstorm Events.      

Susanne Ruseler (Netherlands) - Gorgon Sisters

Jaap Tichler (Netherlands) - Second Life

The winning sculptor, Jakub Zimacek is from the Czech Republic. I wasn't happy with my photo of his Sea Serpents, due to the dappled lighting. 

  

Location map

Blue Gum Swamp

This letter box attracted my attention as we walked along Whitecross Road at Winmalee, to begin a  walk to Blue Gum Swamp.

The walk in the lower Blue Mountains, is also popular with mountain bike riders and bird watchers. It could be done as a circuit of around 9Km, or shortened to return along the same path. As it was a hot day, we did the latter.

 

        Yellow drumsticks (Isopogon anethifolius)

 





















The map above was near Whitecross Road Winmalee. We caught a 692W bus from Springwood Station to Winmalee then walked a short distance to the start of the walk.

My thanks to Judith, who led us on this pleasant walk towards the end of last year.