Bushwalking Archives - Page 10 of 42

6 July 202320 June 2023

Wallsend Brickworks Park

Rehabilitated area with retaining walls made to look like industrial building rooves

Wallsend Brickworks Park

Wallsend Brickworks Park is a public park in Wallsend, Newcastle Australia, located at the site of a historic brickmaking operation which ran from 1891 to 1977. Featuring a playground, picnic shelters, barbecues, a pond with birdlife, and remnants of the brickworks’ machinery, it’s a great family destination.

The park is also part of the Jesmond Bushland, which offers nature trails for walking, cycling and mountain biking. The bushland is home to some native species such as powerful owls, flying foxes and squirrel gliders. The park is a great place to enjoy history, nature and fun with family and friends.

Brickworks History

Operating from 1891 to 1977 the Wallsend Brickworks used steam-powered machinery to make bricks. At its peak, the operation had orders of 400,000 bricks a week.

The brickworks produced a variety of bricks, including firebricks, pressed bricks and common bricks. Local buildings, such as the Wallsend Hospital and the Wallsend Post Office used some of the bricks.

Due to competition from other brick manufacturers and environmental concerns, the brickworks closed in 1977. Abandoned for many years, it became an environmental eyesore until the council decided to redevelop it as a park in 2002. The resulting public space provides play areas and walking tracks and an environmental wetland while paying homage to its industrial past.

How to Get There

We parked on Iranda Grove where car parking spots are available.

Throughout the grassed rehabilitated areas, concrete retaining walls have been constructed to resemble industrial buildings’ roofs. Several concrete structures remain as a reminder of the site’s heritage. The old clay quarry has been made safe and now forms a lake and habitat for local wildlife.

Entrance and main pathway through Brickworks Park

The old quarry face. Hidden behind trees

The old quarry is now a wetland Brickworks Park — The old quarry face. Hidden behind trees

The park also features artworks made from recycled bricks, including some of the original Wallsend bricks. One of the artworks is a sculpture named Kullas Incubator, which represents the regeneration of life and nature at the site.

Sculpture made from recovered broken bricks Brickworks Park — Sculpture made from recovered broken bricks

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

29 June 202320 June 2023

Elephant Rock Central Coast

Located on the New South Wales Central Coast in Brisbane Water National Park, Elephant Rock is less than five-minutes drive from Patonga, 25 minutes from Gosford or 1 Hour 20 minutes from Sydney by car.

There are several ways to reach Elephant Rock, depending on how far you want to walk, or what other tracks you want to take. Having walked the Pearl Beach to Patonga Track before, we chose a short path off Patonga Drive.

Apparently, the rock looks like an elephant from some directions, but a drone view seems to be the best way to see it. It also gives great views over Brisbane Water and the surrounding forest.

After parking in a small siding only big enough for two cars we followed a narrow track into the bush. Although only a short walk, the track was very narrow, often requiring climbing over boulders. If you are not stable on your feet, this is not a track for you.

Lichen cover rock on the track — The narrow bush track

Arriving at elephant rock not long after sunrise, we found the views over Brisbane Water covered in fog. Although disappointed not to see the view, the atmosphere was great with the fog rolled in, slowly covering the forest and then the rock.

Mist rolling over Elephant Rock — Mist rolling over the forest

Wild Flowers

Many native species were in flower when we walked here in June 2023. This was a great bonus and very colourful, with the trail surrounded by colour the whole way.

Banksia in flower Elephant Rock — Grass tree on Elephant Rock

After returning to our car, we continued on to Patonga where we bought coffee and relaxed on the beach before returning home.

Fishing boat moored off Patonga — Patonga Beach

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

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27 June 202320 June 2023

Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk

Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk

Located in the Kuring-gai Chase National Park, access to the Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk will cost $12.00 per car for a day. This will cover you for any other parts of the National Park you visit on that day too. The fee allows you to use the picnic areas and walking tracks in the area, which are well maintained by NSW Parks and Wildlife. Payment can be made at the entry gate as you drive in.

Our first stop was Empire Marina, where the still morning are provided amazing reflections on the water of the boats and surrounding forest. After this we drove to the southern end of the Bobbin Head picnic area, where the boardwalk starts.

View from Empire Marina to the picnic grounds

Boats at Empire Marina Bobbin Head — View from Empire Marina to the picnic grounds

The Boardwalk

The boardwalk meanders through the mangroves and there are information signs to help you learn more about the environment and plenty of opportunities to see the mangroves and crabs up close. Because it was low tide when we went, we didn’t see any crabs, only the openings to their burrows.

The boardwalk is 552 meters long and takes about 15 minutes to complete. Along the way we had more amazing reflections in Cockle Creek as well as views of the mangroves.

The track continues into the forest as Gibberagong Track, which we followed for a short distance to get more views over the creek.

This was a great little walk with amazing views. We were the only ones there during our visit early on a winter morning, but in summer it is very busy.