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  • Newcastle Art Gallery New South Wales Australia

    Newcastle Art Gallery New South Wales Australia

    Newcastle Art Gallery

    Located in Laman Street Cooks Hill above Civic Park, the Newcastle Art Gallery contains an impressive art collection, primarily Australian artists. Limited display area restricts the number of art works on display, but a rotation ensures new works every few months.

    The large sculpture of a nest and giant egg mark the entrance to the gallery, making it easy to find.

    The gallery often displays special exhibits, which adds another reason to visit. During our last visit, the exhibit was Between Two Worlds, which featured works of art produced by Australian artists of Chinese heritage.

    Newcastle Art Gallery Entrance
    Newcastle Art Gallery Entrance

    Permanent Collection

    The gallery’s collection consists of over 6,500 items, covering areas of ceramics, painting, photography, prints & drawings, sculpture and video & new media. Works from colonial to the present are represented, from local, Australian and several international artists.

    • Foyer Ceiling Newcastle Art Gallery Exhibit
      Foyer Ceiling
    • Painting From the Permanent Collection
      Painting From the Permanent Collection
    • Painting From the Permanent Collection
      Painting From the Permanent Collection

    Between Two Worlds

    This was a great exhibit to walk around, because of the variety and quality of the works. Unfortunately, it has now finished, but a new one by George Gittoes is on display until mid-April 2020.

    • Foyer Ceiling Newcastle Art Gallery Exhibit
      Foyer Ceiling Newcastle Art Gallery Exhibit
    • Untitled by Guo Jian
      Untitled by Guo Jian
    • Bronze Power Dragon by Guan Wei
      Bronze Power Dragon by Guan Wei
    • The Open and Spacious Second Floor
      The Open and Spacious Second Floor
    • Samurai Painting Part of the Between Two Worlds Exhibit
      Samurai Painting Part of the Between Two Worlds Exhibit
    • Part of the Between Two Worlds Exhibit
      Part of the Between Two Worlds Exhibit
    • Newcastle Art Gallery Exhibit
      Newcastle Art Gallery Exhibit
    • Newcastle Art Gallery Exhibit
      Between Two Worlds Exhibit

    Newcastle Art Gallery Sculpture Garden

    Don’t forget to look at the sculpture garden while at the art gallery. Access is via a door near the toilets, to the left of the main entrance. With under a dozen sculptures, it is small, but still interesting and worth walking around to enjoy the displays.

    • Newcastle Art Gallery Sculpture Garden
      Newcastle Art Gallery Sculpture Garden
    • Sculpture by Margel Hinder
      Sculpture by Margel Hinder
    • Submarine 1993 by Edward Milan
      Submarine 1993 by Edward Milan
    • Two Forms 1958 by Kathleen Shillam
      Two Forms 1958 by Kathleen Shillam
    • Skyscraper by Vlase Nikoleski
      Skyscraper by Vlase Nikoleski
    • Beacon 1992 by Akio Makigawa
      Beacon 1992 by Akio Makigawa
    • Mary Magdalene 1978 by George Bladessin
      Mary Magdalene 1978 by George Bladessin

    New Displays in September 2020

    When we re-visited in September 2020, there were new exhibits on display from the Gallery’s collection, along with this year’s Kilgour Prize entrants. We had an enjoyable time looking at the artwork.

    • Newcastle Art Gallery
      Newcastle Art Gallery
    • Marion Borgelt - Liquid Light Horizontal Triptych No. 1
      Marion Borgelt – Liquid Light Horizontal Triptych No. 1

    Kilgour Prize 2020 – On Display Until November 2020

    In 1987, artist Jack Kilgour bequeathed funds for the creation of a major figurative and portrait art competition to be run in perpetuity at Newcastle Art Gallery. Today, the Kilgour Prize is one of Australia’s major art prizes, and awards $50,000 for the most outstanding work of art as determined by a panel of three judges, and $5,000 for the People’s Choice Award, as determined by votes from the public.

    For figurative and Portrait Painting

    • The Kilgour Prize 2020
      The Kilgour Prize 2020
    • Kenneth Lambert - I See Myself Reflected in You
      Kenneth Lambert – I See Myself Reflected in You
    • Jordan Richardson - The Dunce
      Jordan Richardson – The Dunce
    • Oliver Shepherd - The Proposal (Portrait of the Hon. Michael Kirby AC CGM)
      Oliver Shepherd – The Proposal (Portrait of the Hon. Michael Kirby AC CGM)
    • Daniel Butterworth - Self Waiting For Life To Happen Number Two
      Daniel Butterworth – Self Waiting For Life To Happen Number Two

    What Did We Think?

    A great place to visit and because the exhibits change regularly, a great place to go back to. Well laid out, it offers ample opportunities for photographs.

    Our photos are available for purchase on

    As we do not have copyright permission for any of the artworks shown here, none of these photos are for sale. However, photos from many of our other stories can be found on Shutterstock.

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

  • Australian Army Infantry Museum

    Australian Army Infantry Museum

    Australian Army Infantry Museum

    Only a ten-minute drive south of Singleton in the Hunter Valley, the Australian Army Infantry Museum showcases the history of Australia’s infantry men and women from colonial times to the present.

    Entry is free for Australian Defence Force members, with a modest $8.00 fee for adults (2020) and discounts for children and pensioners.

    Located adjacent to the Lone Pine Barracks, the museum has a new car park with plenty of parking spaces.

    The Museum

    Housed in a new, state of the art, purpose-built building, the museum is a huge improvement on the previous building. The display hall is large, spacious and has sombre lighting. Professionally curated, the displays tell the story of Australian Infantry, their equipment, training and deployments.

    The museum also houses a cafe, where you can purchase drinks snacks and light meals.

    Outside Displays

    In the outside courtyard a Matilda Tank and a Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle an Australian-built four-wheel drive armoured vehicle.

    Matilda Tank Outside the Australian Army Infantry Museum
    Matilda Tank Outside the Australian Army Infantry Museum
    Bushmaster
    Bushmaster

    Entrance

    The entrance has a beautiful wall of remembrance, covered in poppies and listing the names of those fallen in battle.

    The first exhibit that greets visitors is a huge bronze sculpture of an infantryman, which makes a great first impression.

    Wall of Remembrance
    Wall of Remembrance
    Infantryman Statue Australian Army Infantry Museum
    Infantryman Statue

    Ground Floor Displays

    The ground floor contains exhibits that cover heavy equipment the infantry used, from field-guns and personnel carriers to a helicopter. The walls contain display cases showing operational deployments, from Sudan in 1885 through to current commitments.

    Universal Carrier
    Universal Carrier
    Pak 38 German Anti-Tank Gun
    Pak 38 German Anti-Tank Gun
    Equipment Display
    Equipment Display
    M113A1 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle Australian Army Infantry Museum
    M113A1 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle
    Bell UH-1 Iroquois
    Bell UH-1 Iroquois

    Upper Floor

    Exhibits on the upper floor range from personal weapons such as rifles and grenades to uniforms and mortars. All of the exhibits are accompanied by explanations, which give excellent context to the displays. The displays show how they have developed and influenced the tactics, techniques and procedures of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps.

    Weapons Display at the Australian Army Infantry Museum
    Weapons Display at the Australian Army Infantry Museum
    Weapons Display at the Australian Army Infantry Museum
    Weapons Display at the Australian Army Infantry Museum
    Uniform Display
    Uniform Display
    Uniform Display

    What did We Think?

    If you are travelling through the area, this is an excellent museum to visit. It provides a history of Australian Infantry, without glorifying war. It shows how the army has evolved from colonial times to the present, illustrating it with very professional displays.

    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

  • Coogee Sydney New South Wales Australia

    Coogee Sydney New South Wales Australia

    An easy half-hour walk south from Coogee Beach will take you past some interesting rock pools and memorials.

    How to Get to Coogee

    A small car park at Coogee Beach is often full, so finding a spot to park in one of the surrounding streets might be needed. On a busy weekend, or school holidays, you might end up with a walk, but don’t worry, it’s worth it.

    Public transport is a great option, as there’s a bus stop outside the surf club on Arden Street.

    What to Do There

    Apart from spending time on the beautiful beach, Coogee is the start of the Coogee to Bondi Walk. A coastal walkway also heads south, along well-formed trails, providing excellent coastal views. The trail passes rock pools and swimming baths, which are all worth stopping to see.

    Having walked the track to Bondi before, we chose the Coastal Walk to the south, which took 30 minutes each way (going as far as the Ivor Rowe Rock Pool).

    Ross Jones Memorial Pool

    Located next to the Coogee Surf House, the Ross Jones Memorial Pool was built in 1947. During high tide and rough seas, waves crash over the concrete walls of the pool.

    Ross Jones Memorial Pool Coogee
    Ross Jones Memorial Pool Coogee
    Ross Jones Rockpool Coogee
    Ross Jones Rockpool Coogee

    Fallen Lifesavers National Memorial

    Located on the foreshore, Goldstein Reserve is the Fallen Lifesavers National Memorial. Dedicated to Australian lifesavers killed during World War One the sculpture shows a digger alongside a surf lifesaver. Standing next to a flagpole, both look out across the ocean.

    Fallen Lifesavers National Memorial
    Fallen Lifesavers National Memorial

    Wylie’s Baths

    Established in 1907, by champion long distance and underwater swimmer Henry Alexander Wylie, Wylie’s Baths is a beautiful ocean tidal pool. Managed by an independent Trust The baths open 365 days a year and caters for everyone from young children to seniors. There is an entry cost to swim here.

    Wylie’s daughter Wilhelmina, along with Fanny Durack, were Australia’s first two female Olympic swimming representatives. The first gold and silver swimming medals for a women’s event in the Olympics went to Durack and Wylie respectively.

    A memorial to Mina stands near the baths.

    Wylie's Baths Coogee
    Wylie’s Baths
    Mina Wylie
    Mina Wylie
    Coastal Views Around Coogee
    Coastal Views Around Coogee

    Ivor Rowe Rockpool

    A small, natural rock pool, the Ivor Rowe Rockpool is a great place for wading, or relaxing in the water. Rocks around the pool mat become slippery, so use care when climbing down.

    Around 2 km from Coogee Beach, the walk there passes many other pools, along with beautiful coastal views.

    Ivor Rowe Rockpool
    Ivor Rowe Rockpool

    What Did We Think?

    We loved the views and the rock pools along the walk, as well as learning the history of Mina Wylie. A fun place to visit with swimming options away from the ocean, or relaxing on the beach.

    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