Located on the Tilligerry Peninsula, Tanilba Bay is a suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia.
Entrance to the town
Tanilba House
The centrepiece of the town is Tanilba House, a beautiful and elegant home which is one of Australia’s oldest historical buildings. Built for Lieutenant William Caswell, a naval officer who had received a land grant of 20.2 hectares in 1831. Caswell established farm sites at Seaham (23 km north) and Salt Ash and opted to build his homestead on the land at Tanilba.
Tanilba House
The Temple of the Stork
Built from local rock quarried from Mallabula and completed in 1933, The Temple of the Stork is an ornate stone and shell temple. The floor and ceiling of the temple feature reversed images while patterns of 8 appear mystically in the design. Henry F. Halloran who owned Tanilba House at the time was responsible for its construction.
The Temple of the Stork
Water Gates
The Centenary Gate, also known as the Water Gate, were constructed from 1929 to 31 March 1931. It was built to mark the centenary of European settlement at Tanilba Bay by the original grantee, Lieutenant William Caswell.
Henry F. Halloran designed the gate from round and broken quartz porphyry embellished with white feldspar gathered from Tanilba foreshore and a quarry at Mallabula.
The metal arch suspended between the rock pillars reads ‘Tanilba Bay’ and was designed to be viewed from the water when many visitors arrived by boat.
The Water GatesCloseup of the Water Gates
Tanilba Bay Water Front
The town’s waterfront has a nice sandy beach ideal for watersports or relaxing. Bordered by grassed areas with street parking the waterfront is a nice place to stop after arriving. When we visited there was a mobile coffee van in one of the carparks which was great after a 90 minute drive to get there.
Mallabula Beach Looking West
Mallabula Beach Looking EastLooking Over Tanilba BaySmall sandy BeachLooking over Tanilba Bay
Tilligerry Habitat
The Tilligerry Habitat and adjacent boardwalk is a great place to wander through. Consisting of rehabilitated sand mining areas, it is now a sanctuary for birdlife and koalas. Unfortunately we didn’t see any on our visit, but we were assured they are there. A longer blog with more pictures of the Tilligerry Habitat can be found here.
The original sand dunes in what is now the Tilligerry Habitat were subject to deep sand-dredge mining from the 1960s. Removal of the dunes resulted in a flat landscape with the original drainage system damaged and native vegetation cleared. A large section of the disused mine was used for housing and playing fields, but a section remained near the shore along with remnant vegetation.
This remaining section of land was proposed to be used as a caravan park which would have removed the remaining vegetation. However, lobbying by residents enabled its preservation as a reserve for public recreation and coastal environmental protection in 1996. Since then, local volunteers have spent numerous hours re-establishing drainage water flow and replanting trees and built a boardwalk. The result is an amazing area where birds and koalas thrive.
Getting There
We parked in the Peace Park carpark in Tanilba Bay which is only a 5-minute walk from the start of the boardwalk. Parking is also available along Peace Parade and at the Tilligerry Habitat Office.
Tilligerry Habitat Boardwalk
The disturbance caused by the sandmining has left the area generally flat which means that the boardwalk is also very easy to walk. Raised slightly above the forest floor so as to enable water drainage, the boardwalk is very well maintained and there are bench seats to stop at along the way. These give you a nice place to sit while enjoying views through the forest or over the bay.
Along the paths, information boards detail the vegetation growing nearby, with pictures pointing out individual species. The transformation from a sand mine to restored paperbark forest and swamp mahogany is amazing. The volunteers’ efforts have really paid off, resulting in several environmental awards.
Koalas inhabit the area, but we didn’t see any during our walk. However, we did hear the birds, which were very vocal as we walked through the trees giving us a great welcome to the area.
This was a great walk, with the boardwalk winding through the trees. Highly recommended if you are visiting the area.
Boardwalk through mahogany paperbark forestInformation boardBoardwalk through mahogany paperbark forestAcacia in flowerInformation and interpretation boards at The HubOne of The Hub’s Information and interpretation boardsGum tree growing over the bayDecorated park benchMahogany and paperbark forest
The walk from Manly to North Head takes you past some beautiful beaches with views over the coast, through coastal scrub and passes old fortifications. Finally ending at the entrance to Sydney Harbour, it has spectacular views of the city.
Getting There
The easiest way to get to Manly is to take the Manly ferry from Circular Quay. If you’re new to Sydney, this is an attraction in itself, because the Sydney Harbour ferries form an important part of the local public transport. During the ferry ride, you get some brilliant views of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge as well as all the other boat traffic on the water.
Manly Ferry CollaroyOpera House From the Manly Ferry
Start of the Walk
Catching the Manly Ferry from Circular Quay, we arrived at Manly Wharf at 9:30 am. We planned our walk to take us along the shore to Shelly Beach where we would follow a track to the Barracks Precinct. Not only would this give us views over the coast but take us past some old fortifications and gun emplacements.
From the Manly wharf, we walked down The Corso, which is a pedestrian mall leading to the beach.
Manly Beach
One of the most popular Sydney beaches, Manly Beach is a great place for a swim or relaxing on the sand. We bought a coffee at a kiosk near the south end of the beach before starting the walk.
Manly Beach
Manly to Shelly Beach
Starting at the south end of Manly Beach, the path follows the coastline, which is rocky until you reach Shelly Beach. There are plenty of places with places to look up and down the coast and back to Manly, giving you some amazing views.
Along the way look out for small metal sculptures of local wildlife. These have been placed on the rocks next to the path.
About halfway to Shelly Beach, Fairy Bower Pool is a protected ocean pool where you can swim. The pool is also decorated with a sculpture of two fairies.
Fairy Bower Sea PoolFairy StatuesSculpture of an octopus near Shelly BeachSculpture of an bandicoot near Shelly BeachFairey Penguin Sculpture near Shelly Beach
Shelly Beach
Shelly Beach is a secluded and serene crescent-shaped beach surrounded by nice shady trees. As well as a grassed area to relax on it has a kiosk where you can buy refreshments before continuing the walk.
From Shelly Beach, the track goes uphill to head along the cliffs to the south.
Shelly Beach
Shelly Headland Lookout
Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the ocean, this Shelly Headland Lookout provides an ideal spot for photographers because of the wonderful views along the coast. During the whale migration season, it’s also an ideal point to watch them swimming past.
Coastal view looking north back to Manly
Shelly Beach to the Barracks Precinct
After the flat walk from Manly the track becomes rougher and steeper. From here the track climbs uphill to reach the cliff tops. Winding through the coastal vegetation, it is not as busy as the first section because it is a more difficult walk. We loved this section, as the walk through the bush was much more peaceful.
At the top of the cliffs, old fortifications dating from the Second World War and earlier can be seen. The track even goes through one of the old walls built to defend the area.
The track south of Shelly BeachOld fortification wall at North Head
Barracks Precinct
The Barracks Precinct at North Head is a historically significant site that served as a military base from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. It played a crucial role in the defence of Sydney Harbor and housed various military units over the years.
The Barracks Precinct has well-preserved sandstone buildings, which showcase the architectural style of the time. It includes several barracks, officers’ quarters, mess halls, and maintenance buildings. These structures provide a glimpse into the daily lives of soldiers stationed at North Head.
Today, the Barracks Precinct has been repurposed as a heritage site and is open to the public for exploration. Visitors can wander through the historic buildings, learn about the site’s military history through information boards which are dotted around the area.
In this area and continuing to North Head, the walking tracks are generally well paved and often consists of boardwalks or paved roads. When we visited, the banksias were in flower adding a touch of colour to the walk.
Main barracks building and parade groundBanksia in flowerBanksia in Flower
Fortifications
Many of the original fortifications were dismantled and the guns sold for scrap when they were no longer needed. Fortunately, some are still in place so that visitors can see them. Several large gun emplacements are open to the public, but when we visited others were being repaired.
A great way to get a feel for the area’s past is to take the underground tunnels tour. We did this several years ago and highly recommend it. You walk through the tunnels and underground sections of the fortifications as well as getting into areas the general public cannot access.
Old FortificationsOld Fortification undergoing restoration9.2 Inch Gun
Memorial Walk
Winding through the coastal vegetation, the Memorial Walk commemorates Australia’s military heritage. Not only are there great sandstone memorials but the path is inlaid with bricks commemorating individuals or military units.
Memorial WalkMemorial for Australian Peacekeeping Operations
Fairfax Lookout
The end of our walk took us to Fairfax Lookout with its stunning views of Sydney and Sydney Harbour. The site was named after Sir James Fairfax, a prominent Australian businessman and philanthropist.
View of Sydney and the Harbour from Fairfax Lookout
Other Places to See in North Head
If you have time, Q Station, the old Sydney Quarantine Station is worth a visit. We did a guided tour here some time ago, which took us through the history of the site and most of its buildings. The old quarantine station cemetery is also a great place to see.
Getting Back
After finishing our walk, we decided to catch the bus back to the wharf as it stops right outside. Alternatively, you could walk back via Q Station. We had an excellent tour there a few years ago and highly recommend a visit.
