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Category: Building

Building

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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.

Our photos are available for purchase on

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Mudgee Central West NSW

Mudgee Central West NSW

Frog Rock

Before arriving at Mudgee in the Central West of NSW, we stopped at Frog Rock to take a quick photo of this unusual rock that looks like a giant frog. Interesting for a quick stop and photo. Its also easy to find as it is well signposted.

Frog Rock Mudgee NSW Australia
Frog Rock

Mudgee Regional Museum

This little museum packs a huge amount of history into a tiny building. A huge amount of artifacts from Musgee’s past are on display over two floors in the main building and in the old church out the back.

Several of the rooms are displayed as period settings while others display collections of

The shed at the back of the house contains a vast number of old tools as well as carriages

  • Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum NSW Australia
    Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum
  • Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum NSW Australia
    Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum
  • Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum NSW Australia
    Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum
  • Typewriter Collection Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum NSW Australia
    Typewriter Collection
  • Doll Collection Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum NSW Australia
    Doll Collection
  • Old Mudgee Gaol Key Mudgee Colonial Inn Museum NSW Australia
    Old Mudgee Gaol Key
  • Old Carriages Mudgee Colonial In Museum NSW Australia
    Old Carriages Mudgee Colonial In Museum

Mudgee Brewery

We arrived before beer serving commenced so had a coffee before exploring Mudgee and returning later. On our return we tried the sample beers of four small beers for $8.00. This was a great way to taste their products and we decided on the wheat beer was the best but unfortunately was not available in stubbies for purchase only as full size bottles. Instead we bought a six pack of the pale ale.

Mudgee Brewery Tasting Mudgee NSW Australia
Mudgee Brewery Tasting

Sculpture Park

Sculpture Park on the banks of the Cudgegong River was a relaxing wall while looking at the sculptures the local council has placed there

  • Sculpture Park Mudgee NSW Australia
    Sculpture Park
  • Sculpture Park Mudgee NSW Australia
    Sculpture Park
  • Sculpture Park Mudgee NSW Australia
    Sculpture Park

Mudgee Town Centre

In the centre of town is the Mudgee Clock Tower and St Mary’s Church both worth a look. At the next intersection is St John the Baptist Anglican Church. We walked down Market Street as it has some great old buildings on both sides of the road that are well maintained and look fantastic.

  • Mudgee Clock Tower NSW Australia
    Mudgee Clock Tower
  • Main Street Mudgee NSW Australia
    Main Street Mudgee
  • Main Street Mudgee NSW Australia
    Main Street Mudgee
  • Main Street Mudgee NSW Australia
    Main Street Mudgee
  • Main Street Mudgee NSW Australia
    Main Street Mudgee
  • Council Chambers Mudgee NSW Australia
    Council Chambers Mudgee

Railway Station

We also drove to the old Mudgee Railway Station which is under two kilometers from the centre of town. Although the train no longer runs here the old building is very nice and has been repurposed into an art gallery.

  • Mudgee Railway Station NSW Australia
    Mudgee Railway Station
  • Mudgee Railway Station NSW Australia
    Mudgee Railway Station

Of course Mudgee’s greatest attraction for some is the wine produced in the region. There are many wineries in the area. and you can spend many happy hours driving around and sampling their produce.

Grape Vines Mudgee NSW Australia
Grape Vines

Mudgee Observatory

Only 23 km from town is the Mudgee Observatory. A great place to go at night to learn about astronomy and make your own observations of the stars.

Mudgee Observatory NSW Australia
Mudgee Observatory

To read about other places to visit in NSW, please read some of your other stories.

Our photos are available for purchase on

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Sydney Bus Museum

AEC Roadmaster 1708 Sydney Bus Museum Australia

Sydney Bus Museum

About The Museum

The Sydney Bus Museum is a not-for-profit organisation first established in 1986 at Tempe, and now permanently based within the Old Tramshed at Leichhardt in Sydney’s inner-west.

It is a working museum made up of over 250 members who together help to preserve a rare, and invaluable collection of historic buses dating from the 1920s to 1980s.

How to Get to the Sydney Bus Museum

We caught the light rail from Central Station getting off at North Leichhardt. From here it’s a short walk to the Museum. As you walk along City West Link Road you will see gaps in the noise reduction barriers. Take the second of these into the roads behind and you will find the museum 100m up the road

The Museum’s Collection

The Sydney Bus Museum’s collection consists of over 70 vehicles ranging from primitive 1920s type buses, through to 1940s and 50s Leyland’s and AEC’s as well as the more modern 1980s Mercedes-Benz city buses. The Museum also houses Australia’s largest collection of historic double deckers, including those from Sydney, Adelaide and London.

The museum’s collection is impressive and they are well laid out in the old workshop building. Many are open for inspection and you are able to enter them although usually only in the passenger areas not the driver’s position . This is great as you get to experience what it was like to ride inside the busses.

  • Canberra AEC Regal III 60160 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Canberra AEC Regal III 60160
  • AEC Roadmaster 1708 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    AEC Roadmaster 1708
  • Albion Venturer CX19W 1892 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Albion Venturer CX19W 1892
  • Bedford 100 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Bedford 100
  • Dennis Lancet II 1492 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Dennis Lancet II 1492
  • Leyland OPS2 2599 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Leyland OPS2 2599
  • AEC REGENT- 1694 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    AEC REGENT- 1694
  • Albion Venturer Type 80 1187 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Albion Venturer Type 80 1187
  • Leyland OPS2 2599 Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Leyland OPS2 2599
  • Sydney Bus Museum Australia
    Pioneer Coaches AEC Reliance 634

There is an excellent gift shop selling bus related souvenirs as well as cold drinks.

Bus Trips

On open days the museum runs one of its busses into Sydney. The price of the trip is included with the entrance ticket. An excellent experience for anyone interested in old busses or wants to try something different.

For a photo gallery showing more of the museum’s collection, click here.

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For other interesting places to visit in Sydney, please read some of our other stories.