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Category: trees

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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
Entrance and main pathway through Brickworks Park
The old quarry face. Hidden behind trees
The old quarry face. Hidden behind trees
The old quarry is now a wetland Brickworks Park
The old quarry is now a wetland
Walking track through the Brickworks Park
Walking track through the park
Some of the few industrial remains
Some of the few industrial remains
Rehabilitated area with retaining walls made to look like industrial building rooves
Rehabilitated area with retaining walls made to look like industrial building rooves

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.

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Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk

Suspension bridge through the mangroves

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

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.

Suspension bridge through the mangroves
Suspension bridge through the mangroves
Suspension bridge through the mangroves Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk
Suspension bridge through the mangroves
Metal sculpture of Cunningham's Skink Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk
Metal sculpture of Cunningham’s Skink
Cowan Creek Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk
Cowan Creek
The boardwalk through the mangroves
The boardwalk through the mangroves
Eroded sandstone Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk
Eroded sandstone
Trees growing in the sandstone on the river bank
Trees growing in the sandstone on the river bank
Brush Turkey Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk
Brush Turkey
Stone steps at the end of the boardwalk
Stone steps at the end of the boardwalk
View over Cowan Creek Bobbin Head Mangrove Boardwalk
View over Cowan Creek

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

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Palona Cave Walk

Sunrise at the start of the track Palona Cave Walk

Palona Cave Walk

Located in the Royal National Park, near Sydney the Palona Cave Walk is a short and easy bush walk. It takes you through beautiful temperate rainforest to a large limestone cave and a cascading waterfall.

Getting There

We drove to Royal National Park, arriving just after sunrise, so that we could catch the sunrise. Parking at the intersection of Lady Carrington Drive and Sir Bertram Stevens Drive was easy as only two other cars were there. On our return though, it was full, and many cars were parked along the road. Access to the National Park is charged per vehicle and you can pay at the entrance gate or main office. If you plan to visit several parks during the year, an annual pass is available from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Entrance near the carpark
Entrance near the carpark

The Track

Starting at the car park the historic Lady Carrington Drive trail leads into the forest. This is a wide and well-maintained dirt trail that follows the course of the Hacking River. Originally a road, it was closed and is now a dedicated bike and hiking trail. The trail takes you through temperate rain forest and our early morning start meant that it was quiet and peaceful.

After about 750 m, we reached the junction with the Forest Path, which is another scenic walk in the park. From here we continued along Lady Carrington Drive to Palona Cave track.

Sunrise at the start of the track Palona Cave Walk
Sunrise at the start of the track
Toadstools and moss growing in an old tree stump
Toadstools and moss growing in an old tree stump
Lady Carrington Drive Trail Palona Cave Walk
Lady Carrington Drive Trail

Palona Cave

After another 1 km, a sign for Limestone Cave on the left side of the track points off to the right. Unfortunately, a tree now obscures it, so keep a look out as the path to the cave is easy to miss, being very narrow. If you reach the Palona Brook crossing, you have gone too far. From here you leave the main trail and follow a narrow bush track that leads uphill to Palona Cave. The track is rough and rocky in places, so watch your step. When we visited it was also very overgrown and disappeared in several spots.

Palona Cave is a large overhang with stalactites and stalagmites formed by water dripping through the limestone rock. You can explore the cave and see the different shapes and colours of the formations. There is also a small stream that flows next to the cave and forms a waterfall. We were lucky it had rained recently because this creek is often dry.

This was a great walk with the reward of a waterfall and cave at the end. Remember to wear good boots as the second part of the track is rough. At around 5.3km return, it took us around two and a half hours, with plenty of stops for photos and cave exploring.

Sign to the cave track. Hidden behind the tree.
Sign to the cave track. Hidden behind the tree.
A fallen tree on the walk Palona Cave Walk
A fallen tree on the walk
Gymea Lily
Gymea Lily
Rock overhang on the track Palona Cave Walk
Rock overhang on the track
Entrance to the cave Palona Cave Walk
Entrance to the cave
Cave Entrance Palona Cave Walk
Cave Entrance
The back wall of Palona Cave
The back wall of Palona Cave
Waterfall near the cave
Waterfall near the cave

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

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