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Category: Activity

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Goat Island Sydney Harbour

Gunpowder Magazine Walls

Getting to Goat Island

Goat Island in Sydney Harbour is administered by National Parks and Wildlife and tours are organised and conducted by Rangers. We met our guide at Circular Quay wharf 6 where we boarded the ferry for a quick trip to the island. Access to the island is prohibited unless you are on an official tour, because of its heritage listed status. This tour takes 2 hours, which is plenty of time to see all of the island’s history.

Original Use

The original use for Goat Island was gunpowder storage and the most impressive building there is the old magazine. Built using convict labour this sandstone building has 2m thick walls, as a precaution to contain any explosions.

It was interesting to see the difference between the convict-built buildings and those built after. The convict buildings are of excellent construction and quality, but hose built afterwards are of a far lesser standard as the government paid for their construction.

Some boat maintenance is still performed on the island at the old shipyards but the facilities are a shadow of what happened there when Sydney was a large boat building harbour. The old crane still standing there is a reminder of the industry that used to be there.

  • View of Sydney Harbour From Goat Island
    View of Sydney Harbour From Goat Island
  • View of Sydney Harbour From Goat Island
    View of Sydney Harbour From Goat Island
  • Gunpowder Magazine Entrance
    Gunpowder Magazine Entrance
  • Gunpowder Magazine Walls
    Gunpowder Magazine Walls
  • Interior of the Gunpowder Magazine
    Interior of the Gunpowder Magazine
  • Magazine Memorial Plaque
    Magazine Memorial Plaque
  • Convict Built Building on Goat Island
    Convict Built Building on Goat Island
  • Convict Built Building on Goat Island
    Convict Built Building on Goat Island
  • Old Derelict Crane
    Old Derelict Crane

Harbour Master’s Residence

The harbour master’s residence overlooking the harbour is a beautiful old building but is currently unused. Plans to develop it and several surrounding cottages did not materialise leaving it unoccupied.

We also stopped at Boney Anderson’s rock where he was chained for 2 years as punishment for bad behaviour. The small cutting in the rock was where he slept.

Harbour Master's Residence
Harbour Master’s Residence
Boney Anderson's Bed Goat Island
Boney Anderson’s Bed

Water Police

The tour also takes in the old water police and fire tender wharf which are in poor condition. Only the piers of the wharf remain and although they make an interesting photo it would have been   nicer had it been preserved. The building is badly in need of renovating because although the structure appears sound, the interior walls and floors need repair.

Filmed on the island, the Australian TV show Water Rats built a set there. Unfortunately once filming stopped the set was not removed and remains an eye sore on the waterfront because it’s style does not match the historic buildings elsewhere.

  • Old Water Police Wharf Goat Island
    Old Water Police Wharf
  • Cottage Interior
    Cottage Interior

What Did We Think of Goat Island?

We had a fantastic time on Goat Island and learnt a great deal from our guide. This tour is highly recommended to anyone who wants to find out more about Australia’s past.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area

Picnic Area Lake Macquarie

Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area

Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area is a hidden gem on the shores of Lake Macquarie. Several tracks wind through this coastal rain forest and form a loop so that you can see both the ridgeline and lake shore. It is graded at level three making it a fairly easy walk. The tracks are easy to follow and generally well made with any creek crossings made with steel and wooden bridges.


The vegetation is generally eucalyptus with ferns with she oaks on the lake shore.
Our walk was in autumn and there were a number of mushrooms in the leaf litter and at the base of the trees, which we found to be a good photo opportunity.
At the northern end is a nice picnic area allowing you to have a relaxing stop with a view over the lake before or after the walk.

Walking Trail Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area
Walking Trail
White Mushroom in Leaf Litter
White Mushroom in Leaf Litter
Orange Mushroom in Leaf Litter Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area
Orange Mushroom in Leaf Litter
Old Foundation on the Shoreline Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area
Old Foundation on the Shoreline
Lake Macquarie Shore Line
Lake Macquarie Shore Line
Picnic Area Lake Macquarie
Picnic Area Lake Macquarie

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To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle

Worker Bee Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle

Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle

How often have you seen shows on television where people get dressed up in white protective clothes and open up a beehive? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have bees crawling over and flying around you while you looked at their hive? If you do, Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle is a great educational experience that we really enjoyed.

The Hands on Beekeeping Workshop is run in Toronto (Newcastle New South Wales; not the Toronto in Canada). The workshop is scheduled to run two and a half hours, but often goes longer, to ensure everyone gets to participate and all questions are answered. Ours went for three hours and we enjoyed every minute, because it was so interesting.

Bee Keeping Theory

Starting with the different types of hives and their maintenance, we then moved on to learn about keeping the bees healthy and the hives clean of pests. We were shown how the bees build their honeycombs and raise new worker, drone and queen bees. This theory section was fascinating and provided all of the information we would need to start our own hives.

The Hands On Bit

The practical section started with smoking the bees to make them docile, followed by removing the lid. A brood frame was removed and any bees on it removed by shaking them back into the hive. This ensures they are safe during the cleaning process. In order to check each frame with ease you need to put the brood frame on the ground beside the hive. Using a hive tool the frames were cleaned of extra bits of burr comb . Each frame is then taken out Individually to inspect before being replaced. The last step is to put everything back together, being careful not to hurt any bees. Everyone was able to do this and is was incredibly interesting, it was deceiving how heavy some of the frames were when filled with honey. We enjoyed doing this!

With the practical side finished, we tasted some of the honey we had harvested. It really tastes great straight from the honeycomb, because it is so fresh.

What Did We Think?

We had a great time doing something different and came away with the knowledge to start up a hive if we want to. The hands on experience was great, because you were able to do everything yourself.

Bee Hives Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Bee Hives
Bees Entering the Hive Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Bees Entering the Hive
Open Hive Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Open Hive
Worker Bee Hands On Beekeeping Workshop Newcastle
Worker Bee

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