Rose Bay to Neilsen Park Walk

Each week, Alexi, Nito and I pick a Sydney walking trail to explore. We started about a year or so ago as a resolution to get fitter, explore more of Sydney and as a way to catch up regularly. We have seen and experienced a different side to Sydney with each walk. We have travelled further and challenged ourselves. The highlight for me would have to be the Seven Bridges Walk, which was held in late October 2011.

Our first walk for 2012 was the Rose Bay to Neilsen Park walk - view map here, located in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. The walk, which is a combination of street and bush walk trail, is a medium level walk.This trail includes the Hermitage Foreshore walk. We had not done this walk before.

Rose Bay has an amazing vantage point of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. We passed private schools and expensive cars and houses, weaving in an out of the tiny footpaths and bush walk trail towards Vaucluse. The gate to Strickland House was open and we were able to have a close look at the house and the Carrara marble. The view from Strickland House is amazing - uninterrupted view of the Sydney skyline which includes the Sydney Point Tower, Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Kincoppal - Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart

Strickland House

Further up, we came across a sign warning us that cliff jumping is dangerous. Of course with such a warning comes the adventurous at heart. Maybe next time bring some cossies.... ;)

Cliff jumpers... along the Hermitage Foreshore Walk.

For more information or other ideas, visit the Woollahra Municipal Council web site.

Stay tuned for our next walk...

One fine day in Summer Bay

My cousin and I decided to drive up to Palm Beach in the northern beaches of Sydney. It was a beautiful day to drive with endless blue skies - what a way to spend the final day of the holidays.

Palm Beach is located one hour north of Sydney CBD by car. We took the beach route which meant we got to see the other beaches along the way - Manly, Dee Why and Avalon just to name a few. The beaches were packed, with everyone out enjoying the sun, surf and sand. What Australia is famous for. We stopped by Newport hoping to have lunch at Braza Newport, Brazillian Barbecue, but it was only open for lunch on the weekends. See map of Pyrmont to Palm Beach here.

Palm Beach is famous as a double for Summer Bay, the location of the popular Australian soap opera  Home and Away. It has been a while since I have seen an episode of Home and Away. My cousin, however, is an avid fan. She loves the character of Brax played by Steve Peacocke. It was fun (and funny) to watch and listen to her recreate the footsteps and stories of the characters so familiar to her. Summer Bay had come to life! Now if only the actors were on the set filming....

 Here are some photos from our day out in Summer Bay.

Outside the Diner

Summer Bay - view to the lighthouse

Lighthouse

Surfing with a difference...

Surf Club

Freedom, Courage and Change

It is with much excitement that I wish you a Happy New Year. I had an eventful holiday season catching up with family and friends. My New Year started with a very impressive, impactful bang...

New Year's Eve

I spent my New Years at the Pyrmont foreshore to watch the fireworks. Along Jones Bay Wharf, excitement filled the air as all the promise and possibilities of the 2012 was upon us. Everywhere you can hear the cheers, the loud singing and the chatter. The offices that line the Jones Bay Wharf have been turned into party venues and gathering points. In this shared space, we have all come to witness the fireworks to ring in the 2012. From this vantage point, we could see the Harbour Bridge and the city skylines.

The 2012 Sydney fireworks were impressive. There were a number of firework designs that we hadn't seen before. I think organisers have outdone themselves this time - evident by the "oh's" and "ah's" and cheering.

New Year's Day

New Year's Day we spent at the Sydney Botanical Gardens. I enjoy walking to Circular Quay from Darling Harbour, but today we drove and parked at the Opera House. To a buzzing Opera House.

As with every New Year, the astrological predictions come out. I thought I'd share this one called "2012: Freedom, Courage and Change", a YouTube prediction which seems to resemble my state of being at this moment in time.

Bring on 2012. I am ready :)

The Gong - Gateway to the South Coast

I have to share this.

Mother Nature must have finally received the memo - that it was Summer in Sydney. You see, the sun hasn't shown her lovely bright face all that much since Spring gave way to Summer. In fact, I got the feeling that Winter just did not want to give in just yet.

The last couple of days has been absolutely glorious. When I got into the car today, I was still deciding which beach to visit. I was two minds whether I should head north to Coogee Beach (city) or south to Wollongong.  In the end, however, I headed down south.

Sydney has so many beaches - with their own personality, mainly made up of the people who frequent them - that it's hard to decide. Growing up in Sydney, my family loved fishing and beaches. With a convoy of cars, we almost always had a beach to visit every weekend.

Wollongong, or the Gong as the locals affectionately call it, is located one hour drive from Sydney. Head down south on the Princes Highway, past the National Park that blanket either side of the Princes Highway, down the winding road of Bulli Pass, or if you prefer to head down Mount Ousley and head down towards Wollongong.

Today was Bulli.

Bulli Beach is just before Wollongong. The first sight of Bulli is always exciting. With the blue skies over blue water, you can't help but feel excited about getting to the beach. As the car winds down Bulli Pass, each glimpse of the water between the trees is a promise of something exciting - a much needed refuge from the heat.

Here are some photos of the beach....

First glimpse of the beach from the park

Surfing with a difference...

The rock pool

Yesterday - Wollongong

I headed towards the two lighthouses, past Stuart Park. Stuart Park is where the skydivers land on the beach. One of these days...
 

The rock pool at the bottom of the light house

The boats docked at the marina

 
Wollongong is also a university town with it's very own University of Wollongong.

For more information, please make sure you visit the Wollongong Tourism Web Site for more information.