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Category: Museum

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Bowenfels Gun Emplacements

QF 3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun Bowenfels Gun Emplacements Lithgow NSW

Bowenfels Gun Emplacements

The Bowenfels Gun Emplacements were constructed during World War 2,  to protect the Small Arms Factory and coal production at a Lithgow. These industries were important to Australia’s war effort.  The potential of an attack due to improvements in aircraft technology led to the construction of air defenses.

Placed around Lithgow, two anti-aircraft batteries defended the town and its infrastructure during the early 1940s. Three dummy sites, intended to confuse attackers were built nearby. The Bowenfels site is the only one preserved. Well presented with information panels describing the area and its function, it is great to walk around. Several panels were from World War 2, like the one below on how to recognise Japanese planes.

  • Aircraft Recognition Chart Bowenfels Gun Emplacements Lithgow NSW
    Aircraft Recognition Chart


 QF 3.7” Anti-Aircraft Guns

A huge bonus is the presence of three 3.7” anti-aircraft guns, placed as they would have been during the war. These are mobile units, not the static ones used here, but are very similar. This gives the site a realistic feel, unlike many other disused fortifications where no guns are present.

  • QF 3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun Bowenfels Gun Emplacements Lithgow NSW
    QF 3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun
  • QF 3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun Bowenfels Gun Emplacements Lithgow NSW
    QF 3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun

The concrete structures are all in good condition and visitors can enter them all and inspect the guns. Panels detail the uses of the different types of structures. Some were for the guns while others housed range detectors and command bunkers.

  • Bowenfels Gun Emplacements Lithgow NSW
    Bowenfels Gun Emplacements Lithgow NSW

Access to the Gun Emplacements

Access is easy, and a small visitors’ car park is available next to the site, which is only a short walk away. Now surrounded by modern development on three sides, the site itself is in a grassy field.  Walking over the field is easy, but no pathways are present, so be careful and watch your footing.

A great piece of Australian war time history hidden away in the outskirts of Lithgow. After visiting the Small Arms Factory, it was interesting to visit its defender only a few kilometers away. Worth visiting if you are in the area because it’s the only inland one known to exist.

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

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Merriwa Sheep Beautiful Golden Canola

Festival of the Fleeces Merriwa NSW

Merriwa

Merriwa is know throughout the Hunter Region for its annual Festival of the Fleeces. Once a year the town celebrates its association with the wool industry by parading sheep wearing red socks down the Main Street. This is a unique event and sheep in socks are worth seeing.

Welcome Sign
Merriwa Welcome Sign

Festival of the Fleeces

The festival has grown so that the Main Street is lined with stalls selling local produce and crafts. There are displays of sheep shearing and sheep dogs. One of the side streets held a car show.

  • Festival of the Fleeces Merriwa NSW
    Festival of the Fleeces

Things to See in Merriwa

Merriwa Historical Society Museum and Visitor Centre located on the main street houses some interesting artifacts from Merriwa’s sheep shearing past as well as selling local arts and crafts.  Outside is a small slab hut and a three dimensional mural.

  • Merriwa Visitors' Centre
    Merriwa Visitors’ Centre
  • 3D Sculpture Visitors' Centre Merriwa NSW
    3D Sculpture Visitors’ Centre

Being an old town Merriwa has several great old buildings to look at. The main street has some nice buildings, most of which have been re-purposed in recent years.  The local churches are nice examples of heritage building and make good photos.

The war memorial is on the main street through town and includes a 40mm Bofors anti aircraft gun nearby.

  • Merriwa Catholic Church
    Merriwa Catholic Church
  • Merriwa War Memorial
    Merriwa War Memorial

When travelling through we always stop at the  Merriwa Bakery for pies and coffee. This little shop is always busy, so you know the food must be good.  There is seating inside, out front or in the back courtyard.

Opposite the swimming pool is a bottle museum. It was not open when we were there, but would be interesting to look through.

Also outside the pool is a Brittania Steam Engine,  used to power shearing equipment at Charles Blaxland’s Cullingral station.

  • Brittania Steam Engine Merriwa NSW
    Brittania Steam Engine

Merriwa Silo

Merriwa has painted their grain silo with beautiful mural reflecting the area’s character. It shows sheep in red socks as well as the canola crop in flower. As you drive through town you can’t miss it.

Merriwa Silo
Merriwa Silo

Other Attractions in the Area

Canola Crops in Flower

In September, the canola crops planted west of Merriwa provide a beautiful golden landscape as you drive towards Dubbo. The vast fields of yellow flowers look surreal as you drive by.

  • Canola Crops in Flower
    Canola Crops in Flower Near Merriwa
  • Canola Crops in Flower
    Canola Crops in Flower Near Merriwa

Battery Rock

Not far outside town is a Battery Rock rest area. There is an excellent example of columnar basalt here that is very easy to access and walk over.
Geological Sites of NSW describe the formation as “an amazing example of polygonal basalt columns also known as columnar jointing. The columns are nearly horizontal (not like those at Bald Hill Falls which are vertical). Around 35 million years old the basalt lava erupted at a temperature estimated to be about 1,200 degrees. The jointing is caused by shrinkage as the lava slowly cools; normally columns like these are vertical as the lava cools from top to bottom when the flow of lava is horizontal. In this case the flow must have been nearly vertical and the flow has cooled from the outside face causing the jointing to form inwards from the outer face in a near horizontal plane.”

  • Battery Rock Columnar Basalt
    Battery Rock Columnar Basalt
  • Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
    Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
  • Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
    Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
  • Battery Rock Rest Area
    Battery Rock Rest Area

The Drip

Our visit to The Drip in the Goulburn River National Park was a pleasant walk along the well maintained tracks. The bush and river views as you walk in are great with many opportunities for photographs.

The end of the track is at The Drip, where water drips (hence the name) off the cliff making an environment for ferns and mosses.

  • The Drip Goulburn River National Park
    The Drip Goulburn River National Park
  • Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park
    Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park
  • Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park
    Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park

Gungal

Driving from Newcastle, you will pass through the locality of Gungal and its cute little Catholic Church, dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. The church is obvious from the highway and parking outside is easy.

  • St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Dungal
    St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Gungal

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

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Newington Armory

Buildings Behind Earth Bunds Newington Armory Sydney Australia

Newington Armory

Newington Armory was originally a storage facility for the Australian Army and Navy’s explosives and weaponry. Now disused, many of the buildings have been re-purposed and the whole site is part of a museum and national park.

If you are travelling with children, there is a huge playground, just before you reach the entrance to the Armory. This looks like a great place to let them work off some excess energy either before or after your visit.

Wharf Area

The wharf area is now quiet, but this was where explosives were shipped from. Some old cranes and buildings are still present, giving a great backdrop to the area. The old wharf office is now a small cafe, which is where we started our day, sitting on the wharf having a coffee in the morning sunlight was very peaceful.

  • Crane at the Old Wharf Newington Armory Sydney Australia
    Crane at the Old Wharf

Armory Buildings

The armory site itself is extensive and it is free to walk around examining the old buildings and going into those that are open. Many of the buildings are locked up, but you can walk around the outside and examine them and take the photos.

It’s interesting to see the precautions that were set up to protect each building in case of an explosion. Surrounded by concrete walls or large earthworks to contain any mishaps, many buildings are partially hidden.

Buildings near the entrance are in use so you can go inside. Make sure you go around the back and between them to see the explosion protection.

  • Concrete Blast Protection Newington Armory Sydney Australia
    Concrete Blast Protection
  • Blast Protection Newington Armory Sydney Australia
    Blast Protection
  • Buildings Behind Earth Bunds Newington Armory Sydney Australia
    Buildings Behind Earth Bunds

Armory Train

The train tracks that were set up to move items around of the armory are still in place and on Sunday a train runs so people can travel and have a look around the site while enjoying a ride.

There is a bird sanctuary discovery area in the centre of the park, where you can learn about the bird life in the area. If the birds interest you, there is a great bird watching area not far away in the wetlands.

Nearby are the train loading stations which are still in place and make a good photo opportunity. You can also walk over the old explosives’ magazines with their earth coverings but can’t go inside.

  • Explosives Magazine Newington Armory Sydney Australia
    Explosives Magazine

A throw disc golf course has been set up which visitors can use. Rules are provided and although we didn’t play it looked like fun. Something families would enjoy.

  • Golf Course Newington Armory Sydney Australia
    Golf Course

From the Newington Armory, we walked to the Homebush shipwrecks before catching the ferry from Sydney Olympic Park Wharf to Circular Quay.

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