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  • Bowenfels Gun Emplacements

    Bowenfels Gun Emplacements

    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.

  • Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park

    Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park

    Glow Worm Tunnel

    The Glow Worm Tunnel is located in the Wollemi National Park. There are several ways to get to the tunnel, but we chose the one from Lithgow and via the Glow Worm Tunnel Road. This option was an hour’s drive from Lithgow with a 20-minute walk.

    The tunnel is a disused rail tunnel originally built to access the Newness industrial area. With a realignment of the rail line it was never used. Instead it has been colonised by glow worms and become a tourist attraction.

    Getting There

    The road in is all dirt and when we used it was in need of maintenance because of the numerous pot holes. At times it is very narrow, and you must stop to let other vehicles pass coming from the other way. The road is passable by two-wheel drive vehicles, but you will need to be careful. On the drive in you pass through some old cuttings not much wider than the road, giving a great additional experience to the drive. You also have to drive through an old tunnel which is even more fun.

    • Road into Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park
      Road into Glow Worm Tunnel
    • Old Rail Tunnel Before Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park
      Road Through Old Rail Tunnel

    The Glow Worm Tunnel Road takes you all the way to a car park, where the road ends and the walking track begins. This car park is very small, with limited spaces. We arrived very early and were the first there. When we left, the car park was full, and cars were parking on the access road in, further narrowing the road. One person brought a camper trailer in and had great difficulty turning it around.

    Walking Track

    The walk to the tunnel is fairly easy, but with several sets of steps to negotiate. Being a National Parks and Wildlife responsibility, it is well maintained. Walking in provides some great photo opportunities as the walkways and surrounding bush look amazing.

    • Steps to Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park
      Steps to Glow Worm Tunnel

    The Glow Worm Tunnel

    The tunnel is stated as 400m long and horseshoe shaped, although it didn’t seem that long to us. Maybe it meant 400m return. We walked through the tunnel without spotting any glow worms, possibly because of the noise made by some people. The advice given about the tunnel, is to be quiet so as not to scare them. The far side of the tunnel was very pretty with a small creek and ferns. After looking around for a while we retraced our steps and stopped half way in. With torches off and after a short wait, the glow worms came out and we were treated to a great sight.

    • Entrance to Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park
      Entrance to Glow Worm Tunnel
    • Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park
      Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park
    • Far Side of Glow Worm Tunnel Wollemi National Park
      Far Side of Glow Worm Tunnel

    What Did We Think?

    We had been worried about missing out on the glow worms but were more than happy with what we saw. Remember to take a torch, be careful on the road and try and be quiet in the tunnel.

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

  • Merriwa Sheep Beautiful Golden Canola

    Merriwa Sheep Beautiful Golden Canola

    Merriwa

    Merriwa is know throughout the Hunter Region for its annual Festival of the Fleeces. Once a year the town celebrates its association with the wool industry by parading sheep wearing red socks down the Main Street. This is a unique event and sheep in socks are worth seeing.

    Welcome Sign
    Merriwa Welcome Sign

    Festival of the Fleeces

    The festival has grown so that the Main Street is lined with stalls selling local produce and crafts. There are displays of sheep shearing and sheep dogs. One of the side streets held a car show.

    • Festival of the Fleeces Merriwa NSW
      Festival of the Fleeces

    Things to See in Merriwa

    Merriwa Historical Society Museum and Visitor Centre located on the main street houses some interesting artifacts from Merriwa’s sheep shearing past as well as selling local arts and crafts.  Outside is a small slab hut and a three dimensional mural.

    • Merriwa Visitors' Centre
      Merriwa Visitors’ Centre
    • 3D Sculpture Visitors' Centre Merriwa NSW
      3D Sculpture Visitors’ Centre

    Being an old town Merriwa has several great old buildings to look at. The main street has some nice buildings, most of which have been re-purposed in recent years.  The local churches are nice examples of heritage building and make good photos.

    The war memorial is on the main street through town and includes a 40mm Bofors anti aircraft gun nearby.

    • Merriwa Catholic Church
      Merriwa Catholic Church
    • Merriwa War Memorial
      Merriwa War Memorial

    When travelling through we always stop at the  Merriwa Bakery for pies and coffee. This little shop is always busy, so you know the food must be good.  There is seating inside, out front or in the back courtyard.

    Opposite the swimming pool is a bottle museum. It was not open when we were there, but would be interesting to look through.

    Also outside the pool is a Brittania Steam Engine,  used to power shearing equipment at Charles Blaxland’s Cullingral station.

    • Brittania Steam Engine Merriwa NSW
      Brittania Steam Engine

    Merriwa Silo

    Merriwa has painted their grain silo with beautiful mural reflecting the area’s character. It shows sheep in red socks as well as the canola crop in flower. As you drive through town you can’t miss it.

    Merriwa Silo
    Merriwa Silo

    Other Attractions in the Area

    Canola Crops in Flower

    In September, the canola crops planted west of Merriwa provide a beautiful golden landscape as you drive towards Dubbo. The vast fields of yellow flowers look surreal as you drive by.

    • Canola Crops in Flower
      Canola Crops in Flower Near Merriwa
    • Canola Crops in Flower
      Canola Crops in Flower Near Merriwa

    Battery Rock

    Not far outside town is a Battery Rock rest area. There is an excellent example of columnar basalt here that is very easy to access and walk over.
    Geological Sites of NSW describe the formation as “an amazing example of polygonal basalt columns also known as columnar jointing. The columns are nearly horizontal (not like those at Bald Hill Falls which are vertical). Around 35 million years old the basalt lava erupted at a temperature estimated to be about 1,200 degrees. The jointing is caused by shrinkage as the lava slowly cools; normally columns like these are vertical as the lava cools from top to bottom when the flow of lava is horizontal. In this case the flow must have been nearly vertical and the flow has cooled from the outside face causing the jointing to form inwards from the outer face in a near horizontal plane.”

    • Battery Rock Columnar Basalt
      Battery Rock Columnar Basalt
    • Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
      Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
    • Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
      Columnar Basalt at Battery Rock
    • Battery Rock Rest Area
      Battery Rock Rest Area

    The Drip

    Our visit to The Drip in the Goulburn River National Park was a pleasant walk along the well maintained tracks. The bush and river views as you walk in are great with many opportunities for photographs.

    The end of the track is at The Drip, where water drips (hence the name) off the cliff making an environment for ferns and mosses.

    • The Drip Goulburn River National Park
      The Drip Goulburn River National Park
    • Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park
      Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park
    • Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park
      Walk to The Drip Goulburn River National Park

    Gungal

    Driving from Newcastle, you will pass through the locality of Gungal and its cute little Catholic Church, dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. The church is obvious from the highway and parking outside is easy.

    • St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Dungal
      St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Gungal

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