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Category: Building

Building

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Illowra Hill 60 Battery Port Kembla

Illowra Hill 60 Battery No. 2 Gun Position

Illowra Hill 60 Battery

Today the Illowra Hill 60 Battery gives fantastic views over the Illawarra Coastline, however, in World War Two it was the front line of defence for the region. With an observation post on top of the hill, the two guns placed below had commanding views of fire to defend Port Kembla and its steel industry.

Getting There

Located in Port Kembla near Fisherman’s Beach, the Hill 60 Lookout has a small car park and lookout platform which lets you admire views up and down the coast. Once you have finished here, drive to the lower car park, to the tunnel entrances.

The Illowra Hill 60 Battery Tunnels

Built to allow access to the gun emplacements, two tunnels descend steeply from the entrance. The steepest sections have concrete stairs, but be careful, as rocks and dust provide trip and slip hazards. Adjacent to the stairs are the pathways a small gauge trollyway ran on, delivering shells to the guns below.

Although dark, the tunnels have been decorated by previous visitors and almost every blank space is covered with the grafiti.

At the end of each tunnel are the remains of the concrete gun emplacements. The mounting plates are still present at both while No. 2 emplacement still has the gun-shield.

A cross tunnel connected No 1 and No, 2 tunnels, meaning you do not have to return to the same entrance. This was far darker than the main tunnels, which added to the interest in following it.

During our visit both tunnels were accessible, however both also had large metal doors. These may be locked at times.

View over the Coast From the Top of Hill 60.
View over the Coast From the Top of Hill 60.
Illowra Hill 60 Battery No. 2 Gun Position
Illowra Hill 60 Battery No. 2 Gun Position
No. 1 Gun Position Tunnel Illowra Hill 60 Battery
No. 1 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 1 Gun Position Mounting Plate Illowra Hill 60 Battery
No. 1 Gun Position Mounting Plate
Entrance to the No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
Entrance to the No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position and Gun Shield
No. 2 Gun Position and Gun Shield

What Did We Think?

We had a great time exploring these tunnels, as they were interesting for their history as well as being deserted and different to the usual abandoned emplacements on the coastline. They were easy to find and parking was easy and with great views.

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.

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Newcastle Museum New South Wales

Newcastle Tram 284

Newcastle Museum

Founded in 1988 and relocated to its current building in 2011, Newcastle Museum preserves the history of Newcastle. Situated in Honeysuckle and occupying old railway workshops, the museum opens Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Mondays, except in school holidays, the museum is a great place to visit There is no cost to visit the museum.

How To Get There

Car parks on Wright lane and Honeysuckle Drive provide a convenient place to leave the car. These are pay-for-use parks, with ticket machines to buy tickets from. IF you are using light rail, the closest station is Civic.

Newcastle Museum Displays

Outside Displays

Several of the Museum’s displays are located outside the main building. They are easy to find, one being a camel sculpture and another a huge dragline bucket. The building itself has historical importance, previously used as a railway workshop.

Camel Sculpture Outside the Museum
Camel Sculpture Outside the Museum

Link Gallery

Located between the old Boiler Shop and Erecting Shed, the Link Gallery holds some of the larger exhibits in the museum’s collection. These include “The Buck” an 1870 J&A Brown Locomotive No4 and the 1890 pipe organ formerly installed in St Augustine’s Church, Merewether.

The Buck an 0-6-0 Saddle Tank
The Buck an 0-6-0 Saddle Tank
The Buck an 0-6-0 Saddle Tank
The Buck an 0-6-0 Saddle Tank

Fire and Earth

Illustrating Newcastle’s industrial past, this gallery has exhibits from the old BHP Steel Works and coal mines. The multi-level displays allow you to view them from different angles and appreciate these industries and the people who worked them.

Coal Loader (Jeffrey 44dd)
Coal Loader (Jeffrey 44dd)

Supernova

Founded by Professor Tim Roberts in the late 1970s, Supernova is a hands-on science experience for kids and interested adults. This area explores different aspects of science, allowing you to experiment and understand them with easy activities. An excellent place to learn about science while having fun.

The Globe in Supernova
The Globe in Supernova

A Newcastle Story

This area of the museum explores how Newcastle changed over time, from the original Aboriginal inhabitants, to the World War 2 shelling by a Japanese submarine to the earthquake of 1989.

Dedicated to the George and Richard Owens Collection, one room is full of colourful boxes and containers. This beautiful collection shows how brands were sold and presented in the past.

Newcastle Tram 284
Newcastle Tram 284
George and Richard Owens Collection
George and Richard Owens Collection
World War One Uniforms Newcastle Museum
World War One Uniforms
Axe Heads and Hammer Stone
Axe Heads and Hammer Stone
Fossilized Backbone Newcastle Museum
Fossilized Backbone

Model T Ford

Illustrating a problem many museums have is a rusty Model T Ford. Should it be left as found, or restored to its original condition? Would restoring it destroy its history and possibly lose important data?

Model T Ford Newcastle Museum
Model T Ford

What Did We Think?

We were surprised by the quality of the exhibits and had a great walking through the galleries. Anyone visiting Newcastle should visit the museum to help appreciate the city’s past. Well worth the visit!

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.

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Nowra New South Wales Australia

Hanging Rock

How to Get There

Only two and a half hours drive south of Sydney, Nowra is a great place to explore the nearby Kangaroo Valley and Shoalhaven District. Public transport by train and bus goes to Nowra, but you will then need to organise personal transport to explore outside of the town.

Where Did We Stay

While in Nowra, we stayed at Springs Shoalhaven, because it was in a quiet location and had an on-site restaurant at the adjoining club. The clean rooms and great views over the golf course we a nice place to relax before going out for dinner. The meals at the club were great and the staff friendly.

Nowra’s Buildings

Wandering through Nowra’s business district, we found several nice old buildings, which were worth stopping to look at.

Roxy Theatre
Roxy Theatre
Mechanics' Institute and School of Arts
Mechanics’ Institute and School of Arts
Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church
Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

Nowra Street Art

Walking through the central shopping district of Nowra, you will come across many pieces of excellent street art decorated buildings. Mostly located around the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, others can be found in side streets, which makes them fun to track down while exploring.

Aboriginal Child - Street Art Nowra
Aboriginal Child – Street Art Nowra
Quest Street Art in Nowra
Quest Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art
Car on Garage Door Street Art in Nowra
Car on Garage Door Street Art
Car on Garage Door Street Art in Nowra
Car on Garage Door Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art
Car on Garage Door Street Art in Nowra
Car on Garage Door Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art
Cockatoo Street Art in Nowra
Cockatoo Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art
Street Art in Nowra
Street Art

Ben’s Walk

The walk loops around the Shoalhaven River, through its gorges and forests. The walk begins at the Nowra Showground, where you can enjoy a barbecue, and superb views of the river and mountains from Hanging Rock. The complete track provides a return walk of about 5.5 kilometres taking around two hours. A short return walk from the footbridge to the Showground and Hanging Rock takes around 10 minutes. A suspension bridge provides a fun crossing of the river.

Hanging Rock
Hanging Rock
Shoalhaven River From Hanging Rock Lookout
Shoalhaven River From Hanging Rock Lookout
Shoalhaven River From Hanging Rock Lookout
Shoalhaven River From Hanging Rock Lookout
Stairs to Ben's Walk
Stairs to Ben’s Walk
Suspension Bridge Across Nowra Creek
Suspension Bridge Across Nowra Creek

Soldiers’ Monument

Opened in 1931, this memorial commemorates all those who served in conflicts that involved Australia. The bronze statue represents an Australian soldier, his helmet and rifle discarded now that has won and returned home, but remains forever vigil.

Nowra Soldiers Memorial
Nowra Soldiers Memorial
Nowra Soldiers Memorial
Nowra Soldiers Memorial

Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum

The museum has an almost complete collection of the aircraft operated by the RAN.  This ranges from the early 1950s when HMAS Sydney and Melbourne were acquired to a recently retired Seahawk helicopter.  A purpose-built air-conditioned building houses all the displays. Inside a raised mezzanine floor provides an excellent overhead perspective of the displays.  This is something that many aviation museums are lacking.  There is also plenty of space between each display so that they can be seen easily without the crowding that some museums use.

To read the full story of our visit there, follow the link.

RAN Fairey Firefly AS.5 Fleet Air Arm Museum Nowra HMAS Albatross www.destinationsjourney.com
RAN Fairey Firefly AS.5

What Did We Think of Nowra?

A great place to stay with a range of activities to do and things to see. We used it as a base for exploring Kangaroo Valley and further afield to Kiama and the Illawarra.

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.