Activity Archives - Page 2 of 14 - Destination's Journey

30 January 202430 January 2024

Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

One of the prime attractions in Port Stephens is the Koala Sanctuary. Not only does it allow you to see koalas, but it rehabilitates injured ones, while providing a place to live for those that cannot be returned to the wild.

Accommodation

An excellent accommodation option for the Port Stephens region are the cabins available at the sanctuary. This allows visitors to see the koalas in the evenings and mornings when they are more active.

Koala Sculptures

After paying for your entry, a path leads through a number of large koala sculptures. As you walk along the path, most sculptures also have an information board helping you understand the koalas, their habitat and the threats to their survival.

This is a great educational opportunity and is especially good for children.

Koala Sculpture Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary — Koala Sculpture

A Koala Statue Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary — Koala Sculpture

Koala Hospital

Before reaching the viewing area, you pass the hospital where injured koalas are treated. A window allows you to see into the treatment room and we were lucky enough to see one there, along with the vet and his assistants.

Koalas

Only koalas that are unable to be rehabilitated back to the wild are on display. Koalas that have undergone surgery and are being rehabilitated are housed in separate enclosures. Each kolas has its own information board detailing how it came to the sanctuary and what injuries it was suffering.

Because we arrived in the middle of the day they were not very active, but were able to see most of them. stationed here were two volunteers who gave talks on the koalas and the work of the sanctuary.

Information Board about the koalas — Information Board about the koala

Koala information board — Information Board about the koala

What Did We Think?

This was a great visit and would recommend it to anyone wanting to see or learn about koalas. It’s similar to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital although larger and offering onsite accommodation.

Our photos are available for purchase on

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

5 September 202319 September 2023

Stockton Bridge Newcastle Australia

Stockton Bridge Newcastle Australia

Spanning the North Channel of the Hunter River, the Stockton Bridge connects the Tomaree and Tillegerry Peninsulas with Newcastle, Australia. Replacing an earlier vehicle ferry from Stockton to Newcastle (the passenger ferry still runs), it has significantly improved vehicle flow. When opened in 1971, it was the longest bridge (at 1,024m) to have been built by the Department of Main Roads and the second longest bridge in New South Wales after the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

We have driven over the bridge many times and always assumed the central barricades were to separate traffic and prevent cars crossing into oncoming lanes. Having wondered how pedestrians crossed, because there are no footpaths on the outside edge, we did some research. It turns out that the bridge design incorporates a central footpath which you access from underneath the bridge.

Getting There

To have a look for ourselves, we parked near the boat ramp and walked across. Located where the bridge meets the ground, the stairs are easy to find. From here it’s a short climb to the bridge surface. While walking across, you are only separated from the traffic by a metal barricade. Although this is sturdy, it can feel unsafe at times as the cars and trucks drive past.

It was a cold clear morning when we walked across, so the views back over Stockton and Newcastle were beautiful. However, as you are in the centre of the bridge taking good photos is difficult because the bridge gets in the way.

Returning to our car, we found some artwork on the concrete uprights near the road. Sponsored by the NSW Government and local Rotary Club, they were a nice colourful surprise.

Access steps to the walkway — Stockton Bridge

Our photos are available for purchase on

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

29 October 202229 October 2022

Sea Shepherd’s MV Steve Irwin

Although now retired from from its confrontations with Japanese whaling fleets, the MV Steve Irwin still looks impressive with its camouflage and skull painted deck house. Docked at Thales Marine in Newcastle, New South Wales, the ship is now owned by the non-profit organisation Ship4Good. Tours are a great way to learn about the fight to save the whales while contributing to the preservation of the ship.

We met our tour guide at the Thales Security Gate, where we were issued hi-visibility jackets for the walk to the ship. The jackets were necessary because the Thales dock is a working area.

Ship’s History

After a safety briefing our tour started with a talk on the ship’s history. Originally serving 28 years as the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency conservation enforcement patrol boat, FPV Westra, Sea Shepherd purchased her in 2006. Although originally named the MV Robert Hunter after Canadian Robert Hunter, co-founder of Greenpeace it was renamed the MV Steve Irwin following his death. Steve had been considering joining the vessel the following year before his death.

Over the next 12 years, the ship undertook 17 voyages ranging from anti-whaling and illegal fishing. These occurred in areas as diverse as the Antarctic and Mediterranean. However, she is most famous for confronting the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. These clashes occurred as close range, with activists throwing stink bombs onto Japanese ships and attempting to entangles their propellors. On several occasions, ships rammed each other, a very dangerous action because of the freezing Antarctic waters.

Tour of the Ship

Over the next hour we toured the ship from the bridge to engine room. On the bridge we were able to see where the ship and its operations were directed, with the large windows providing an excellent view of the surrounding area.

In the engine room, the two British Polar 12-cylinder 2,100 bhp Engines with their turbo chargers showed why Sea Shepherd bought this ship. The engines and the ship’s design gave it a speed able to match and overake the Japanese whaling fleet, while being relatively stable in rough seas. Along with the embarked helicopter this enabled them to find and harass the whalers.

Getting Around the Ship

Anyone intending on touring the ship should be aware of several restrictions. Several of the rooms and corridors are small and narrow. So if you are claustrophobic, this may be a problem. Moving from one deck to another is via steep stairways. If you are mobility impaired or have small children this may make getting around difficult. Remember to wear sensible enclosed shoes, because of the stairs and outside surfaces.

We had a great time here learning about the Steve Irwin’s history and seeing the inner workings of the ship.