618. Thursday 10th January 2020. Maroubra, Barangaroo, Wollongong and Port Macquarie…

Too many photos this week so I have to split the post in two.

Monday 6^th January

Today was the day we planned to do the Maroubra to Malabar clifftop walk.

The walk begins.

The weather was kind, it was overcast and a coolish breeze was blowing from the south.

Sandstone cliffs at South Maroubra

We were ready to roll. Enid, Bev, Pete were ready. My back was not.

Sandstone wall at South Maroubra and beginning of the Malabar walk.

I walked the first 600 metres with them on some uneven ground. That was uncomfortable. The start of the walk is on a beautiful flat walkway suspended above the coastal heath. So far I thought I could make it. Then the path finished and from there it was all rough uneven ground across rock and with tree roots and foot tripping obstacle. Regrettably I had to say goodbye to the others and watch them continue the adventure.

I returned to South Maroubra where I spent so many days surfing and laying around on the beach all those years ago. The rough almost natural rock pools were the same as was the rip beside the rocks which I used to paddle out beyond the breakers.

Natural Rock pools at South Maroubra.

I watched as other surfers used the same rip to their advantage.

The surf cub is much larger and a raised pathway now connects South Maroubra with Maroubra. The promenade has been extended with lighting and the surf club also extended. However any fond memories I had of Maroubra were shattered when I noticed all the stains on the promenade, pathways and steps.

Maroubra Promenade

Across the street where all the food shops. They look untidy, old and uninviting. In fact the entire area was depressing. I loved this place. Now I no longer have any feelings for it.

The others arrived back at the carpark and we had a picnic lunch. They shared their adventures and I shared my disappointment in not being to go with them and the run down state of Maroubra.

C’est la gare.   Que Sera, Sera

 

Tuesday 7^th January

Enid, Bev and I had a long day. We took the train to Central Station and walked to our Aunt Gwen’s flat at Redfern. We had morning tea with her, talked about the past, the present and as she is 96 her desire to reach 100.

And so say all of us!

Back at Central we decided to take the Light Rail or Tram to Wynyard station.    https://sydneylightrail.transport.nsw.gov.au/   The light rail has been operating for three weeks. Given that it has to use the same roadway as buses and cars the trip was a little slow but it was quite comfortable and had regular information about destinations and links to other transport options.

Once at Wynyard I was gob smacked by the changes that have taken place and still taking place since I was there last century.

We followed the direction signs to Barrangaroo a new harbourside park giving fabulous views across the harbour and the Parramatta River.   https://www.barangaroo.com/see-and-do/things-to-do/itineraries/barangaroo-reserve/

Barrangaroo is a huge park which I believe was created in a deal between the state government and the developer of a new high rise shopping, accommodation and gambling precinct.

Sydney Harbour Bridge from Barangaroo.

That said we could only see a small part of the park today as there are so many walking tracks and viewing locations.

Anzac Bridge at Pyrmont

We were a long way from a railway station and still had to finish our tourist walk.

Tall Ship

I wanted to see Pier 1 which was once a mecca of restaurants and specialty shops.

Darling Street Balmain.

Alas only one restaurant survives and it seems to be struggling.

Sydney Harbour Bridge from Pier 1 at Dawes Point.

The rest of the pier development is now yuppie apartments.   https://www.pieronesydneyharbour.com.au/dine-drink/

Still Life sculpture.

Luna Park from Dawes Point.

Construction work at Walsh Bay behind Sydney’s The Rocks area. The area is also known as Millers Point or Dawes Point. In 2009 these terrace houses sold for around $1.4 million. Now estinmated to be worth around $4 million. They have stunning views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour.

Sydney Opera Housde and Tall Ship from Dawes Point Battery.

We followed the road around the edge of The Rocks, under the Harbour Bridge and into the Rocks proper where we finally called a halt to walking while we stopped for lunch.

After lunch we visited the Museum of Contemporary Art and I had my first experience with a Mixed Gender toilets.

User comments

For those who have not yet discovered these facilities, Men, Women, those who have decided they are another gender and those still in transition can be found in these toilets. In this facility there were several cubicles with doors but no urinals. However it was strange to say the least when you have left the cubicle to be washing your hands beside somebody who looked like a woman but may have been a male. Maybe she was a woman who is really a woman. Or a woman who is a woman but thinks she is a male or a woman who is undecided.

She probably wondered about me too.

From here we walked to Circular Quay Station and caught the train home.

 

Wednesday 8^th January

Today I drove to Wollongong to meet up with long time friend Wayne M. Wayne has a new Mercedes A Class AMG Built A35 4Matic Turbo Hatchback. He wanted to put it through its capability by driving up Mt Kembla across to Mt Keira and back home and through to Albion Park Rail where we stopped for lunch at The Oks Hotel. The car is very sporty with uncomfortable suspension.

We stopped at Mt Kembla Moto Cross Track and watched practise for awhile.   http://www.wollongongmotorcycleclub.com/   Just as we were about to leave a 4WD towing a trailer with moto cross bikes on it came into the pit area. The driver was -1 asleep, 2 intoxicated, 3 driving too fast, 4 inexperienced or 5 all of the above. He slid over an embankment with the car finally resting on its side while the trailer was flat on the ground behind it.

There was so much smoke haze in the sky that it was impossible to see the coastline below the lookout.

Wollongong is down there somewhere. Normally on a clear day the city and coastline would be clearly visible. This is the smoke haze from bushfires.

I was back at Gymea in time for dinner.

 

Thursday 9^th January.

We are heading back to the Gold Coast.

Enid and I were on our way shortly after 8am and made good time through city traffic. We reached Heatherbrae on the outskirts of Newcastle as per my projected time line. We stopped for fuel and coffee.

We arrived at the bustling town of Laurieton in time for fish and chips. This is a busy tourist town well known for its fresh seafood from the local trawlers.

After lunch we drove to Camden Haven where we walked to Pebbly Beach and Enid continued on to Camden Head and Perpendicular Point.

Pebbly Beach near Point Perpendicular at Camden Head.

Camden Haven breakwater inlet.

Camden Haven Inlet.

We then travelled through North Haven to Bonney Hills, Rainbow Beach,

Beach Staircase at Rainbow Beach near Lake Cathie.

Rainbow Beach

Rainbow Beach. Earlier the top of Middle Brother mountain was invisible due to cloud cover plus smoke haze plus salt haze. The haze in this photo is from the salt in the air after many days of strong winds.

Lake Cathie,  Tacking Point Lighthouse

Tacking Point Lighthouser at Port Macquarie. Built in 1879

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacking_Point_Lighthouse    and Lighthouse Beach at Port Macquarie.

Lighthouse Beach staircase.

Lighthouse Beach Port Macquarie.

Lighthouse Beach. All along the NSW coast, salt haze mixed with smoke from the bushfires creates thick curtain obscuring the view. The haze also clings to houses, furniture and cars. It also feels sticky and gritty on the skin.

We stayed the night with friends Tony and Dawn. As always the hospitality is first class. Thank you Tony and Dawn.

The strong north easterly wind was trying to blow me off the hill at Tacking Point.

Unnamed beach below Tacking Point Lighthouse. The track forms part of a rugged 8 kilometre walk along the cliffs and beaches to Port Macquarie.

498. Sunday 26th June 2016. A funeral, a look around Port Macquarie and a visit to Murwillumbah…

Monday 20^th June.

Despite the overcast, rain and blustering, cold westerly wind I drove from Port Macquarie to Newcastle Crematorium at Beresfield. I had allowed three hours for the journey and even stopping for fuel and a coffee break I was still 90 minutes early.

As people arrived it was clear the small chapel was not going to hold all the mourners. Apart from family, relatives and friends, Bobby had a wide circle of people who respected him. After the chapel was filled it was standing room only – outside in the cold. Bobby’s daughter Libby, ably assisted by her brother Grant, gave a moving eulogy. Bobby was a member of the National Rifle Association of Australia and at one stage was coach of the junior team which toured overseas. Mourners from the club and other business customers from Coonabarabran joined family and friend s to pay their respects.

Libby commented that sometimes her father was a Grumpy Old Man but we loved him. Judging by the tears, the 12 grandchildren also loved him.

Goodbye Bobby.

After refreshments at Beresfield Bowling Club I drove back to Port Macquarie arriving well after dark. Within minutes I laid down and fell asleep for a couple of hours. It was a long day, including 6 hours of driving and an emotional event.

Tuesday 21^st June.

I decided to stay another day so I could be refreshed for the drive back to the Gold Coast. I drove around looking at some of the many beaches around Port Macquarie.

Town Beach

Town Beach is adjacent to the breakwater and marina wall. This wall is different to most I have seen elsewhere, almost every stone face is painted with a memorial or endless love sonnet or even just a memento of a visit.

These are the painted rocks along the breakwater walkway.

This man is painting his own message on one of the breakwater rocks.

There is a great deal of beach erosion, a legacy of the violent storm experienced all along the Eastern Seaboard of Australia a few weeks ago.

Beach erosion along Town Beach from recent storms

It was here I watched the cargo ship, “ISLAND TRADER” enter the narrow seawall opening into the Hastings River and marina and canal residential community. The ship carries supplies to and from Lord Howe Island almost 600 Klms offshore. LHI is part of NSW and therefore part of Australia. Port Macquarie is the closest NSW port to LHI.

Island Trader returning from Lord Howe Island.

Shelley Beach has a memorial to Harry Thompson who arrived with his family in a caravan in 1960.

Shelley Beach

Harry Thompson is silent sentinel over his Shelley Beach. Note the cleared understory of the beachside vegetation.

Picnic shelter carved to represent the interior of Harry Thompsons caravan where he and his wife and son lived for 40 years.

Perhaps the best explanation of the story is from this Flikr Page.

 “In 1960 Harry and Jean Thompson moved from Warren in western NSW after winning the lottery and buying a caravan. Being from the bush, with no experience of the beach Harry got bogged in the sand at Shelly Beach at Port Macquarie on the NSW mid North Coast.

The Thompsons decided there and then that they had found their spiritual home and thereafter made their caravan their permanent home at beautiful Shelly Beach,

The Thompsons were long time unofficial caretakers of this idyllic Port Macquarie beach and in the process became legendary as they successfully garnered the support of Port Macquarie residents in their effort to resist many vigorous attempts by the local Port Macquarie – Hasting Shire Council to evict them from their self proclaimed beach side home.

Harry Thompson, died on 31st January 2000 at age 83 and the community began fund raising for a memorial, now evident at the northern end of Shelly Beach in the form of a wooden sculpture of Harry and interestingly, his caravan. The area has become known as ‘Harry’s Corner’ and a walking trail with 254 steps, all laboriously built by Harry, leads to a nearby lookout now known as ‘Harry’s Lookout’

Such was the fondness with which Harry was held he was elected citizen of the year in 1983 and in 1999 was proclaimed ‘Mayor of Shelly Beach’

 

In 2009 an unbelievable mindless act of vandalism saw the sculpture of Harry decapitated. Fortunately local builder and friend of Harry, Ted Sala, came to the rescue and repairs were made and Harry once again stands a silent sentinel watching over his beloved Shelly Beach.”

 

I also visited secluded Miners Beach now an unofficial nudist beach, and given the weather today very few people were seen, all dressed of course.

Miners Beach. Note the Banksia.

Little Miners Beach.

Most of the beaches on the south side of Port Macquarie are at the base of steep cliffs much dressed in native vegetation including the wonderful Banksia’s.

Much of the cliffside around the Port Macquarie beaches have all native vegetation. Currently Hastings Council are removing non native species. These beautiful banksia frame the scenery.

A walk has been established from Town Beach all the way through the beaches as far as the Tacking Point Lighthouse.

Tacking Point Lighthouse.

Nobby’s Beach is on this walk but does have a one way access road as well.

Nobby’s Beach

At Flynns Beach

Flynns Beach notice to weed brought in by recent storms.

I watched boogie board riders in shallow water in front of the cliff face.

It was cold on the beach today but these wetsuit clad boogie board riders were enjoying themselves.

This rider needs to be careful he does not bite off his tongue.

These riders were following the break of the waves…towards the rock!

At the end of my journey was Tacking Point Lighthouse. The  lighthouse was built high on a rocky headland in 1879 and is listed on the National Trust Heritage Register. The light house was built due to the large number of shipwrecks in the area. There were twenty shipwrecks between 1823 and 1878. The lighthouse was only 8 metres tall due to the height of the headland itself. It is similar in construction height to Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse which also sits on a high headland at Seal Rocks South of Forster.

Lighthouse Beach looking south.

Late in the day I went to Lake Cathie (Locals pronounce it Lake Cat Eye which is probably a derivation of the original, Lake Cat Hie. It depends on which local you speak to and how long they have been a local). Calling it Lake Cathie alerts locals that you are an uninformed visitor.

The calm reflective beauty of Lake Cathie where is runs into the ocean.

Lake Cathies looking towards the bridge.

Wednesday 22^nd June.

Another long day of driving home. Although there were lots of stop/slow roadworks I still managed the trip in 7.5 hours. Once home I fell asleep and woke in time for a light dinner and watch round 2 of the 3 round State of Origin series. Queensland won round one and only needed to win on their home ground to win the series for 2016. Despite strong defence by NSW and some good tries to both sides, Queensland won 26 to 16 and making them series winners ten years of the last eleven. The third round in NSW in three weeks was a sellout before tonight and the game will be just as tough despite it being a “dead rubber”.

Saturday 25^th June

Astute and regular readers will recall I broke my wrist in an ummm, bicycle accident on 2^nd August 2015. I required wrist surgery to install a T piece stainless steel plate. For 10 months I have been doing regular physiotherapy and taking strong nerve pain medication. I was on 300 Mg of Lyrica twice a day (the maximum advised does is 600Mg per day) and another pain medication, 10 Mg of Endep at bedtime. Although the medical profession say the medication is not addictive it is not something which you can just stop taking as there will be withdrawal symptons. One of the many side effects is weight gain. In my case about 10 Kg. I am pleased to report that I have stopped physiotherapy and now using the hand in regular daytime functional uses rather than the regime of particular exercises to regain use of the hand. What I am most pleased about is I started a slow withdrawal of the medication and I have not had any medication for two days. No constant pain and I am sleeping.

YeeHar!!!

However, although the last two nights sleep have been a little troubled and have woken a few times during the night.

Silly repetitive dreams.

Hmmm!!!

I mention these two drugs in case readers ever find themselves on Lyrica or Endep and need to know the slow process of coming off the drug.

Sunday 26^th June

Yesterday evening and again this morning it was quite cold with overnight temps down around 10 degrees. Yeah Yeah I know. It only begins to get cold at minus 10. Remember we live on the Gold Coast and spent the last 30 years living in the tropics. Anything less than 23 degrees is cold!

Now for something totally different.

I drove to Murwillumbah about 70 Klms from home. The town is just over the border in NSW and is situated on the mid reaches of the Tweed River

Tweed River looking east.

Delightful timber cabin cruiser on the Tweed River.

Another lovely old boat on the Tweed.

in what is surprisingly called the Tweed Valley. Once upon a time the original Pacific highway ran through here, following the Tweed River into Tweed Heads and on into Coolangatta Queensland. The town is not large in terms of size or population but it does have an impressive art gallery called, Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre.

Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre.

Apart from the impressive paintings and sculptures it also includes a re-production of Margaret Olley’s home in Paddington, Sydney. The rooms have been re-created using photos and includes all the bric a brac, furniture, clothes, magazines, books, painting materials, weird statuatry  and assorted junk which was in the house at the time of her death. It also includes the stove top, oven and the kitchen sink. The windows also include the original tissue thin ragged curtains on the original house. The gallery sits on a hill overlooking the lush pastures of the Tweed

Tweed River and valley.

while in the distance is the looming presence of Mt Warning (named by Captain Cook when he sailed along the coast in 1770) and other peaks which were formed by a massive volcano twenty million years ago. The other peaks are also

Mt Warning

Mt Warning and Tweed Valley.

the remains of the volcanic caldera. There is much to see in the Tweed Valley and surrounding peaks, National Parks and caldera farmlands.

 

I will save a return visit for when Donnis is home.