Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre

Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre

How to Get There

The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre is on Garden Island in Sydney Harbour. To get there you catch the Sydney Ferry to Double Bay. This stops at a Garden Island only during the Centre’s opening hours (9:30AM to 4:30PM but check their website to be sure). There is no access via the Naval Base, only from the ferry wharf.

Approaching the Heritage Centre, you pass a series of memorials to ships lost and people killed in service to the RAN. These are worth a detailed look at before entering the main building. 

Corvette Memorial Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Corvette Memorial
Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre

What You See At The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre

Entry to the Heritage Centre is free, but you must leave before the last ferry. There is a very good display of Royal Australian Navy history inside the main building. There are items from the formation of the navy after federation to the present day. We found the staff to be friendly and approachable.

Wheel From HMAS Protector Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Wheel From HMAS Protector
Twelve Inch Shell From the Battlecruiser HMAS Australia (I)Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Twelve Inch Shell From the Battlecruiser HMAS Australia (I)

Eating

There is also a cafeteria catering for snacks and lunch. Food was great and reasonably priced.

On the Waterfront

Outside on the waterfront are some very interesting displays. These include the SeaCat anti-aircraft missile and Australian designed Ikara anti submarine system, whilst a small museum, there is a lot of great displays and history presented over the entire site.

Ikara Anti-Submarine Missile Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Ikara Anti-Submarine Missile
Seacat Anti-Aircraft Missile Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Seacat Anti-Aircraft Missile
Eight Inch Gun From HMAS Australia (II) Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Eight Inch Gun From HMAS Australia (II)

 An additional area to see there is a large garden up the back, which given some great views to the harbour.

If you have a few hours to spare, the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre is a great place to learn about the history of the RAN.

Old Tree on Garden Island Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Old Tree on Garden Island

For other places to visit in Sydney, please have a look at some of our other posts.

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Australian Motorlife Museum Wollongong

Rugby 1924 car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com

The Australian Motorlife Museum is in Kembla Grange near Wollongong. It is a member based organisation, dedicated to the preservation of motoring history in all forms. It is sponsored by the NRMA.

We arrived late in the afternoon and found the staff were all extremely friendly and helpful and went out of their way to explain the history of the cars on display.

The cars at the Australian Motorlife Museum are all very high quality and immaculately maintained. The collection ranges from the early 1900s to the 1970s, with most coming from the earlier days of car manufacturing.

Rolls Royce (5) car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Rolls Royce
Metz 22 car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Metz 22
Holden (1) car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Holden
Austin 6-16 Burnham (1) car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Austin 6-16 Burnham
Rover 9 25 1927 (1) car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Rover 9 25 1927
Summit Roadster 1923 car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Summit Roadster 1923
Minerva 1913 (6) car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Minerva 1913

Whether you want to see a Model T Ford, a 1913 Minerva or a Zeta Sports you will find it here.

Zeta Sports 1954 (2) Car Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Zeta Sports 1954 (2)

Among the car displays are a number of motorcycles also of high quality. 

Rudge (1) Motorcycle Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Rudge
Vincent Black Shadow 1934 motorcycle Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Vincent Black Shadow 1934
Douglas Motorcycle 1924 Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Douglas Motorcycle 1924
Rudge 1911 motorbike Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Rudge 1911

As well as motoring memorabilia they are a significant number of other items on display ranging from old telephones, record players and typewriters to tricycles. A fascinating collection worth a look at.

Telephone (1) Item at Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Telephone
Scales (3) Item at Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Scales
Record Player (3) Item at Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Record Player
Tricycle (8) Item at Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Tricycle
Pump (4) Item at Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Pump
Ediphone item at Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Ediphone
Gramophone item at Australian Motorlife Museum www.destinationsjourney,com
Gramophone

If you are a car enthusiast or just have a passing interest in automobile history, as well as yesteryear memorabilia you will love this museum.

If you are an NRMA member there is a discount on the entry fee to the Australian Motorlife Museum.

For more of our photographs from the museum, click here.

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

Sea Cliff Bridge Wollongong New South Wales

Looking South Along the Sea Cliff Bridge Sea Cliff Bridge www.destinationsjourney.com

The Sea Cliff Bridge north of Wollongong was built to replace the old road that was damaged by storms and erosion. It connects the towns of Clifton and Coalcliff. This magnificent piece of civil engineering design has now become a tourist attraction because of its beauty and unique design. The views from on and around the bridge are fantastic!

Looking North Along the Sea Cliff Bridge Sea Cliff Bridge www.destinationsjourney.com
Looking North Along the Sea Cliff Bridge

Looking South Along the Sea Cliff Bridge Sea Cliff Bridge www.destinationsjourney.com
Looking South Along the Sea Cliff Bridge

If you are travelling south along the coast you will see the Sea Cliff Bridge before you get to it. There are no safe locations to stop north of the bridge so wait until you have crossed. You will then find a small amount of  parking places on the left hand side of the road (the ocean side). From here you can walk back to the bridge. There was s a pedestrian walkway on the ocean side of the bridge providing some excellent views of the bridge, ocean and the rocks below.

Below the Sea Cliff Bridge Sea Cliff Bridge www.destinationsjourney.com
Below the Sea Cliff Bridge

If you are driving north, there are no safe places to stop, so you will need to find somewhere to turn around and use the designated car places.

A great place to stop for a great view of a unique Australian roadway.

For other places to visit in New South Wales, please read some of our other stories.

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