Aug 11, 2012

Taronga Zoo to Clifton Gardens

We started this harbour side walk by catching a ferry to Taronga Zoo wharf. We first walked part of the Curlew Camp Artist's Walk in Sirius Cove Reserve, before retracing our steps.           Location map 
          

From the wharf we followed the path past the lower Zoo entrance to Bradley's Head. A 'Memorial Mast' dominates Bradley's Head. The mast was removed from Sydney (I) when decommissioned in 1928, and was erected at Bradley's Head in 1934. The memorial represents a mark of respect and recognition of the Australian officers, sailors and ships lost at sea and in combat

HMAS Sydney (II) Memorial plaque

Fig tree, Bradley's Head

     Bradley's Head also has stonework from old military fortifications (see info at Mosman CEFE)

Taylors Bay, Sydney Harbour

Clifton Gardens Reserve, Chowder Bay

This is a 5 Km walk took us through part of Sydney Harbour National Park (map and audio tour). At Cliffton Gardens we caught a 244 bus back from Chowder Head Bay Road to the City. You could also return to the Zoo wharf, see WildWalks.

My thanks to our leaders for this very picturesque walk. While this post is another Sydney walk, we have not stopped walking in the Blue Mountains, having recently walked at Springwood, and revisited the Witches Leap walk at Katoomba.

Jul 22, 2012

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


            

Jul 11, 2012

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? 

Jun 10, 2012

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