Pippas Pass - Blaxland

Pippas Pass at Blaxland in the lower Blue Mountains, is an extension of the Florabella Pass walk from Warrimoo. Our aim on this very warm day, was to examine/enjoy/photography some of the Spring wildflowers we came across along the way.

The white flowers above are  Philotheca sp. formerly Eriostemon

The orange-yellow pea flowers are

one of many species commonly known as 'egg and bacon' 

Grevillea sericea

We started this short walk near the Blaxland Library car park. Some of us continued on the track and turned off at the Ross Cr. rock outcrop exit (see 'wildwalks') while others returned the same way.
(Returning to the library via Ross Cr. and the Great Western Highway is ~3.7 Km)

 

RAN Heritage Centre

 NB Centre may be still be closed

Sydney.com: 'The RAN Heritage Centre is currently closed due to council wharf redevelopment and will remain closed until further notice. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Navy Heritage at navy.heritage@defence.gov.au. '

Only a seven minute ferry ride from Circular Quay, is The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre, Garden Island. The Main Building, former 1922 Gun Mounting Workshop, houses the exhibition gallery and the 'Salthorse Cafe'.

 

The centre holds over 3000 artifacts, including the conning tower of one of the three Japanese submarines that penetrated Sydney Harbour in 1944.  (above right - diving air supply equipment)

Krupp Field Gun (circa 1889) captured in Rabaul in 1914

 A fully operational Oberon Class submarine periscope has been installed. which allow visitors an unusual view of Sydney Harbour.               Photos from our previous visit to Garden Island
 

The Spit to Manly

This popular walk from The Spit Bridge, Mosman, meanders around the harbour foreshore of Clontarf, through part of Sydney Harbour National Park, to Fairlight and Manly.

The Spit Bridge, Middle Harbour

The Spit Bridge (completed in 1958) opens several times each day to allow the passage of tall-masted vessels.

This scenic 10 Km walk has numerous entrance/exit points which would enable a shorter walk.

We caught a bus from the city and returned by ferry.

          The Manly Scenic Walkway   map and info

           Walking Coastal Sydney also has a good pdf with map and notes

            WildWalks link

Centennial Park and Labyrinth

On this return visit to Sydney's beautiful Centennial Park, I was looking forward in seeing the 260m sandstone labyrinth. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has a single pathway leading to the centre. There are more than 1,700 stones of 80 different shapes and sizes in the pathway designed for quiet reflection and exploration.

The weather was cold and showers threatened, but I enjoyed my visit none the less.

The Labyrinth, which was opened in September 2014, was featured in an ABC 'Compass' program 'Walk The Talk'

 Centennial Park Labyrinth 
      Sydney Labyrinth                 park location map   

Link to my previous Centennial Park blog post