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Category: Military

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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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Tomaree Head Summit Walk

Xenith Beach Tomaree Head Summit Walk

Tomaree Head Summit Walk

The Tomaree Head Summit Walk is part of the Tomaree National Park near Nelson Bay New South Wales, Australia. This is a great bush walk to the summit of Mount Tomaree, which can be very steep in places, so take your time. Rest and enjoy the fantastic scenery and stunning views from the top as well as along the way. From the summit you can see out to the surrounding islands and waterways.

The walkways are very well constructed and maintained by the 
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.  At the base of the mountain they are paved changing to metal gratings, railings and natural rock paths as you get higher. There are several stairways and narrow walkways, so be patient and let others pass.

  • Tomaree Head Summit Walk
    Tomaree Head Summit Walk
  • Steps on the Track Tomaree Head Summit Walk
    Steps on the Track
  • Metal Walkways Tomaree Head Summit Walk
    Metal Walkways

Parking

The car park at the start of the track is quite small and on weekends and during school holidays it can become full quickly. Some people park on the road or on one of the side-tracks, but even these can become full.

Xenith Beach

The entrance for Xenith Beach is a near the start of the Tomaree Head Summit Walk. If you don’t want to go onto the beach you get fantastic views from the top of the walk.

  • Xenith Beach Tomaree Head Summit Walk
    Xenith Beach

World War 2 Gun Emplacements

The track to the World War II gun emplacements leads off from the Tomaree Head Summit track. We took this track after coming back down from the top of the mountain. The walk around to the gun and placements is flat and consists of an old bitumen road, so is very easy after the climb to the summit. The emplacements themselves date from World War II and are of concrete construction. Although dismantled, leaving only the outer shells, they are still interesting to visit.

If you’re interested in World War II and the fortifications built in Australia at that time this is a great place for you to visit. As an additional bonus you get some great views over the surrounding ocean and out to the islands.

  • Fort Tomaree Tomaree Head Summit Walk
    Fort Tomaree

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

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ANZAC Day Sydney

World War 1 Flags ANZAC Day March Sydney

ANZAC Day Sydney

We usually attend ANZAC Dawn Service in our home town of Singleton. However since our daughter joined the RAN and was marching in Sydney we travelled down to see her.

By far the biggest parade in the state if  not Australia (we haven’t seen Melbourne’s parade so cant compare). It was impressive for its sheer size.

Getting There

Travelling down by train we arrived at Central Station in plenty if time to walk into the city a grab a coffee along the way. We could have caught a train to Hyde Park but wanted to stretch our legs after a 2 hour train journey.

We picked a spot near Bathurst Street and staked our place at the barriers so that we could get the best view. This turned out to be a good plan as the crowd was soon several people deep.

The ANZAC Day Parade

The parade started with the cavalry horse being led with no rider but with boots placed  backwards in the stirrups to represent its deceased rider and extending this to all of those killed in battle.

For Fallen Comrades ANZAC Day March Sydney
For Fallen Comrades

Veterans who were no longer able to walk or march followed in cars. These all received huge cheers as they went past. Veterans then passed marching behind their unit flags, some interacting with the crowd, all receiving huge cheers.

  • Ford Falcon Taxi For Veterans ANZAC Day March Sydney
    Ford Falcon Taxi For Veterans
  • Plymouth Taxi For Veterans on the March Anzac Day
    Plymouth Taxi For Veterans on the March

Once the veterans had passed currently serving personnel marched passed.

  • World War 1 Flags ANZAC Day March Sydney
    World War 1 Flags
  • Royal Australian Navy ANZAC Day March Sydney
    Royal Australian Navy

Interspersed with the marchers were bands from around the state with the Scottish bands with pipes and drums providing some great sounds.  The parade goes on for 4 hours, and provides a lot of history to today’s society.  Once the parade is over, there is the opportunity to play two up, or eat and socialise throughout a huge area.

Scots Band on Anzac Day
Scots Band on Anzac Day

The march ends at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park, where the ceremony is held.

  • ANZAC Memorial Hyde Park Sydney
    ANZAC Memorial Hyde Park Sydney

If you are in Sydney on April 25, it is highly recommended that you go and visit the parade.  If you live in Sydney, this is something worth doing, to remember those how have and do serve Australia.

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