Wollongong - 5th March 2018
The group joined the train at Redfern, Hurstville and then Sutherland. Train left Sutherland at 8.45.
We arrived at Wollongong North Station at 9.52.
Participants - Ron, Yvonne, Helen, Richard, Colin and Natalie
Along the Way:
Time Taken: 10.00 to 2.37 of walking time including morning tea and a lunch stop.
Distance: Richard and Natalie concurred that the walk was about 10 km.
The group joined the train at Redfern, Hurstville and then Sutherland. Train left Sutherland at 8.45.
We arrived at Wollongong North Station at 9.52.
Participants - Ron, Yvonne, Helen, Richard, Colin and Natalie
Along the Way:
- Stunning blue sky and a light breeze made for good walking weather.
- Enjoyed the train trip down, lucky we weren’t in a silent carriage because we never stopped talking!
- A short walk from the station to the beachfront where we had morning tea looking out at the beautiful beach, rolling waves and white sand.
- The walk at beach level was closed for renovation so we climbed a lot of stairs back up to the Cliff Road.
- Walked around enjoying the views overlooking swimming pools, the small harbor and looking at the 2 lighthouses ahead.
- Passed by Smith’s Hill Fort with some gun emplacements. It was built in 1891 to defend a possible Russian attack. The threat to invasion disappeared before the fort was finished in 1893.
- A quick look at the Old Court House near the beach.
- Spent some time at the top of the headland admiring the views north and south.
- Ron was able to answer our questions with stories from his childhood and working days at Port Kembla.
- Walked down to the beach and continued south along a great boardwalk. The council had put a lot of thought into metal enclosures around the large pine trees. The metal sculptures/tree protection devises were all different and told a bit of the story of the area.
- Lunch at the Steelers Club and we all thought the meals were excellent value.
- Walked around noticing some of the older buildings eg post offices, St Michael’s Anglican Cathedral, the current Court House and also saw the original sandstone kerbing.
- Some of the older buildings had wonderful examples of the English Coat of Arms above their porticos.
- We were amazed at some intriguing sculptures in the pedestrian mall where large cabbage palms were displayed at curious angles such as horizontal or through a section of concrete. Internet search revealed-“the trees will remain un-planted, and will continue to grow by about a metre each decade. There are tree seats and a 17m high tree. The trees and sandstone are designed to echo the Illawarra escarpment. Installed October 2017”
- Continued walking to the station where we caught the 2.37 train back home.
- Farewelled each other at Sutherland, Hurstville or Central.
Time Taken: 10.00 to 2.37 of walking time including morning tea and a lunch stop.
Distance: Richard and Natalie concurred that the walk was about 10 km.