Sydney Park - St Peters

South of the CBD near St Peters railway station, the 40 hectare Sydney Park is built on the site of an old brickworks and rubbish tip. The park is now a wetlands and green oasis.

 

Storm water is diverted to the park which provides a permanent water supply, for the wetlands. These are an important habitat for native wildlife during dry periods.  A series of elevated terracotta channels form an artwork, which reflects the site’s history and aerates and distributes water throughout the wetland system.

The Bedford Brick Works was established in 1893. It was sold to Austral in 1936, closing in 1970. Use as a rubbish tip followed, and continued till 1976. The chimneys and kilns from the former brickwork near the corner of Sydney Park Road and the Princes Highway have been retained.

Sydney Park is very dog friendly

Sydney Park Information




 There is a series of pathways to walk, run or cycle around the park, and it caters well for children with a large playground and a cycling education centre.

                                                   

WSU Parramatta Campus

This post features some buildings of interest on the Western Sydney University Parramatta campus, at Rydalmere.

The Boilerhouse and chimney, circa 1894 (above) were once part of the steam laundry. They now act as a landmark at Campus Square - with food outlets and recreation areas.

The Female Orphan School building (circa 1818) was modelled on Mrs Elizabeth Macquarie's family home in Scotland. Within the building is The Whitlam Institute. This includes the Whitlam Prime Ministerial Collection and The Margaret Whitlam Galleries - with a changing program of art and social history exhibitions.
1888 the building was set apart as a Hospital for the Insane. It remained part of Rydalmere Psychiatric Hospital until the building was closed in 1969, as it had become increasingly dilapidated.

The Drill Master's Building circa 1868

Medical Superintendent's Residence circa 1870

WSU Parramatta campus is located near the Corner of James Ruse Drive and Victoria Road Rydalmere. We caught a (M52/525) bus from stand A3 near Parramatta station. (10 minute ride).

     Location map                 
                                                                                  
We returned on the RiverCat ferry service.

The campus is a ~30 minute walk from Rydalmere Wharf along Parramatta Valley shared Cycleway, which runs along the Southern side of the campus.

Cliff Walk and Macquarie Lighthouse

The 5km Federation Cliff Walk  from Dover Heights to Watsons Bay offers great views.

 

The walk passes Macquarie Lighthouse,
 (Old South Head Road at Vaucluse), which is Australia's first and longest operating navigational light. Built in 1883, it replaced the 1818 original. 

The Lighthouse is still operational and the cottages are leased for private purposes.


 See my earlier posts for Watsons Bay 
         Coogee to Bondi
        and Hermitage Foreshore walk 

 Location Map (Chrome) 

View from Gap Park, Watsons Bay

 

Woodford Dam

The Woodford Creek Dam was completed in 1928 primarily to supply water for steam locomotives. The dam wall was raised in 1937 and again in 1948 to meet the water needs  of the lower Blue Mountains. It is no longer an active part of the Blue Mountains water supply system.

While the lake and dam are not open to the public some bush tracks near the dam are open to bushwalkers and cyclists, and provide views of the lake and surrounding rugged bushland.
  
       Location map         WaterNSW -  Dam Info & History