Set in lovely gardens on the banks of the Parramatta River, the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk is a great tribute to this important part of the defence of Australia in World War 2. With ample parking and Rhodes Station under a 10 minute walk away it is very easy to get to.
The tropical like rain forest of the gardens represents the conditions the soldiers fought in New Guinea. As you walk along the track, information boards explain the battles that took place, adding to the understanding of the events. When you are looking at each of the boards, there is an automatic voice over explaining each section.
Kokoda Track Memorial Walk Rhodes
Wreathes at the Myola Ridge Memorial
Milne Bay Information Board, Similar to the Others Found on the Track
Located in the centre of the walk is a memorial to those who fought on the Track. The centre piece comprises a striking series of granite walls on which images of the New Guinea Campaign have been sandblasted. There is also a water feature which cascades over the granite walls and areas surrounding the walk. It forms a fitting tribute to those who fought and died there.
Kokoda Track Memorial Setting
Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel Memorial
We found it to be an easy and informative walk, in a beautiful setting. There is a Kokoda Track Cafe in the park where we had a coffee before returning to Rhodes Station.
The Brays Bay Shipbuilding Memorial
On the waterfront and next to the memorial walk is a tribute to the ship building that operated here from 1939 to 1945. Ships’ names are set in a walkway down to the water and a sculpture representing a ship sits nearby. This made an interesting addition to the memorial walk while teaching us a little about the wartime industry in the area.
Ship Building Memorial
Ship Building Memorial
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located near the North Turramurra Gate and the Lady Davidson Private Hospital, the Sphinx Memorial commemorates the fallen soldiers of World War One. Restored and rededicated in 1995, the memorial now has had a new lease of life.
Made from local sandstone by 5756 Private W. T. Shirley as a memorial to fallen A.I.F. comrades, the Sphinx is approximately 1/8th the size of the Great Sphinx, located on Egypt’s Giza Plateau. William Shirley was a patient of the Lady Davidson Convalescent Hospital for returned World War One Australian veterans. Not only suffering from gassing, he had the complication of tuberculosis.
Only able to work one to two hours a day due to his condition, the Sphinx took one and a half years to complete. William Shirley laboured at creating his personal memorial to his fallen A.I.F comrades from 1926 to 1928.
The Sphinx Memorial
Side View of The Sphinx Memorial
The Sphinx Memorial
Carvings on the Memorial
Carvings on the Memorial
The Sphinx Explanation Plaque
What did We Think?
This was a very interesting monument to visit, because it is a personal tribute to fallen comrades. The subject of the sphinx is also unusual but relevant to all the servicemen who fought in the desert.
Sydney Morning Herald Tribute To the Sphinx Memorial
Mr. William T. Shirley, creator of the rock carving, “The Sphinx,” in Kuring-gai Chase, died at the Prince of Wales Hospital on Tuesday. The carving stands as a permanent memorial to the skill and patience of a brave sufferer, who contracted tuberculosis, following on war service.
Mr. Shirley was a stonemason before he left for the war. At the Lady Davidson Home, Turramurra, which he entered for treatment, the ordinary hospital occupations did not seem to appeal to him. As he was not strong enough to return to his trade, it was suggested that he should carve a rock in Kuring-gai Chase on the model of the Great Sphinx of Giza, which guards the entrance to the Nile Valley. He had seen the Great Sphinx before he went to France, and eagerly set about carving one of much smaller dimensions. On account of his health, Mr. Shirley was not allowed to work more than a couple of hours a day, sometimes less, but he made excellent, progress in cutting down the great rock, and within several months the form of The Sphinx took shape.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), 29 August 1929
The Gosford Petroglyphs or Hieroglyphs
For another story about Australia’s connection to Egypt, read about the Gosford Glyphs. Located an hour’s drive from the sphinx the glyphs are interesting, along with the many other attractions around Gosford.
Mainmast of HMAS Adelaide
Sitting next to the Sphinx Memorial is the mainmast of HMAS Adelaide. It is dedicated to World War Two soldiers, sailors, and airmen who died as a result of tuberculosis. The nearby Lady Davidson Repatriation Hospital treated returned servicemen with this condition.
A dedicatory plaque and a plaque explaining the role played by HMAS Adelaide accompany the mast. The plaque makes the presence of the mast clearer as it provides interesting information.
HMAS Adelaide (I) Mast
Dedicatory Plaque For HMAS Adelaide Mainmast
HMAS Adelaide Mainmast Plaque
The Ship’s plaque reads:
The IMPROVED TOWN Class light cruiser HMAS ADELAIDE was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 5th August 1922. Built at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, HMAS ADELAIDE was active with the Australian Fleet until paid off into reserve in 1928. During the ship’s first commission, HMAS ADELAIDE participated in the 1924/25 world cruise as part of the Royal Navy’s Special Service Squadron and in 1927 proceeded to the Solomon Islands on a peacekeeping cruise.
During 1938/39 the cruiser was modernised to meet the threat from more capable aircraft and recommissioned for service on 13 March 1939.
In the Second World War, HMAS ADELAIDE operated along the Australian eastern and western coasts. During September 1940 she proceeded to the French colony of New Caledonia to help in the transfer of formal control from Vichy to Free French forces and on 28 November 1942, the cruiser sank the German ‘blockade runner’ Ramses.
HMAS ADELAIDE provided gunfire support to landings in Ambon in 1944, before returning to Sydney for duties as a submarine depot ship. On 26 February 1946 HMAS ADELAIDE paid off from naval service and on 21 March 1947 was sold to be broken up in Port Kembla.
The ship’s mainmast was erected adjacent to the Sphinx Memorial in Ku-ring-gai National Park in about 1950.
To commemorate the end of the Second World war as part of the ‘Australia Remembers’ year, the mast was restored and on 9 November 1995, rededicated at an official ceremony.
Access to Sydney Olympic Park is well designed as the whole area was redeveloped for the 2000 Olympics. Public transport either by bus ferry or train will get you to the area, or parking is well catered for with many car parks available.
As the name implies, this was the location of the 2000 Olympics and the area is still strongly connected to sport. Several of Sydney’s major stadiums are located here as a legacy of the Olympics and regularly feature major sporting or entertainment events.
To cater for the influx of people to the area, several hotels can be found here, ranging from budget to five star. Even when there are no events on, restaurants and cafes are open, because many companies operate in the district.
One of the largest events held here is the Royal Easter Show which operates for two weeks, showcasing New South Wales agricultural as well as sideshows and rides to the kids. For the full story of our visit to the show, click here.
Memorials to the Sydney 2000 Games can be found around the main stadium, with the Olympic Cauldron and a forest of 480 poles with volunteers’ names on them easy to find.
ANZ Stadium and a Forest of Poles
Bay Marker
The Bay Marker contains the remnants of construction material from the Homebush Area, which instead of being an ugly eyesore has been shaped and revegetated into a fun walk and lookout.
Next to the Bay Marker is Wentworth Common, which has sporting grounds and a playground. A great place to stop and watch the local teams competing on a weekend, while the kids can enjoy the playground.
Bay Marker
The Path on Bay Marker
Bicentennial Park
Treillage Tower
Located in the centre of Bicentennial Park, the Treillage Tower is a viewing platform that allows great views over the rest of the park. Made of lattice, the tower has a three story high viewing platform 17m above ground level. This was a fun place to visit on our walk through the Park.
The Treillage Tower
View From The Treillage Tower
Brick Pit
In many places something like the Brick Pit outdo be covered, or filled in. Instead, it has been preserved as a heritage site to show where and how the bricks were made. A huge elevated walkway has been constructed inside the rim of the old quarry, enabling visitors to view the old pit from every angle. At intervals around the walkway displays show how people worked here and how it was operate.
Hidden away and out of view this is a great place to visit if you are in the Homebush area.
The Brickpit Walkway
The Brickpit and Elevated Walkway
Homebush Bay Shipwrecks
The area where the shipwrecks are located was originally used as a breaking yard for old ships. Those that are left have now been heritage listed and are great photography subjects with several being overgrown with trees. To read our full story click here.
SS Ayrfield
Newington Armory
Originally housing a major Australian Defence Force magazine, the site is now repurposed into art galleries, sports and a wildlife refuge. Our full story cab be found here.
Buildings Behind Earth Bunds
Badu Mangroves
If you are interested in birds or would like to have a look at what lives in the wetlands around Sydney, this is a great place to go. There are purpose build bird hides and viewing platforms where you can observe from and information panels on the local birdlife.
Bennelong Pond in the Badu Mangroves
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
