Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area is a hidden gem on the shores of Lake Macquarie. Several tracks wind through this coastal rain forest and form a loop so that you can see both the ridgeline and lake shore. It is graded at level three making it a fairly easy walk. The tracks are easy to follow and generally well made with any creek crossings made with steel and wooden bridges.
The vegetation is generally eucalyptus with ferns with she oaks on the lake shore. Our walk was in autumn and there were a number of mushrooms in the leaf litter and at the base of the trees, which we found to be a good photo opportunity. At the northern end is a nice picnic area allowing you to have a relaxing stop with a view over the lake before or after the walk.
Walking TrailWhite Mushroom in Leaf LitterOrange Mushroom in Leaf LitterOld Foundation on the ShorelineLake Macquarie Shore LinePicnic Area Lake Macquarie
Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame
The Bradman Museum is a world-class facility, located in rural Bowral. Every cricketing fan needs to go there at some stage, just to get a feel for the history of the game. If you are not a cricket enthusiast, this is a great place to learn about the game and its history.
Sir Donald Bradman Statue
Exhibits
The Game of Cricket
If you are new to cricket, or have been a life-time fan, this section will set you up on how cricket has developed over the last 200 years. From rules, equipment game formats all the way through to information about previous and current players, it provides a comprehensive description of the game and its history.
A lot of memorabilia is on display, from bats signed by famous teams, to players caps and photos.
Bradman Museum Bowral NSW
Bradman Museum Bowral NSW
The Bradman Gallery
Dedicated to the famous Australian Captain and batsman, this section describes Bradman’s career through displays and interactive screens. An amazing amount of information allows you to find out about Bradman’s incredible achievements and his life.
Some of the Bradman Exhibit
The Invincibles – Bradman Museum Bowral NSW
The World of Cricket
This fascinating, interactive section shows how widespread the game is with its 105 member nations. The status of each nation is shown, along with what level of game they played and which formats (T20, one day internationals and tests).
The Greats of the Game
In this section, the museum shows the greatest players of the game using memorabilia, photos, statistics and on-demand audio and visual footage. Not only does this provide details of the latest players, but those dating back to be beginning of international cricket as well. Players from all nations are there, so you can find your favourite player, whether its Bradman, Tendulkar, Richards or Hammond.
Gift Shop and Cafe
The museum has an on-site cafe and gift shop, so after you have immersed yourself in cricket history, you can purchase something to remember your visit and re-fuel before heading off.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Glebe is a beautiful old suburb in Sydney. From foreshore parks, old tram sheds and Federation buildings to a Taoist Temple, there is lots to see and do here. The vibe of the suburb from the main street to the water front is laid back and relaxed. It is a great place to chill out on a day off.
Getting There
Getting there was easy using the light rail from Central Station. From the light rail station, we went into the Tram Sheds for a coffee and to look around the food stalls, which were amazing for the freshness of the produce they were selling.
Tramsheds
The old tram sheds have been repurposed into a remarkable food hall selling fresh produce and containing several eateries. We had a coffee and ate some delicious fresh muffins here, before continuing outside to the parks.
Tram Sheds
Jubilee and Federation Parks
Two parks sit between the Tram Sheds and Rozelle Bay, divided by Johnstone Creek. A bridge crosses this creek, making getting between the two very easy.
Jubilee Park at Glebe Point offers a relaxed place to unwind in a once disused industrial site. Rehabilitated for the Jubilee this grassed area has paved walking tracks and play areas for children. Sections of the park are also dog friendly and while we were there many people took advantage of this with dogs running around and swimming on the foreshore. Being dog friendly, there are many dog drinking fountains spread throughout the park. From what we saw the owners were all very responsible with no dog droppings seen with only friendly dogs running around.
Archways at Glebe Federal Park
Rozelle Bay Waterfront
As an acknowledgement to its industrial past an old crane and winder sit on the waterfront, which are both interesting to look around. Sitting in the bay, is the old Glebe Island Bridge, which is a unique opportunity for a photo. Preserved for its heritage value, this old rotating bridge and can only be viewed from the shore.
The new ANZAC Bridge dominates Rozelle Bay and from the shore, you can glimpse the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the same time, which makes an interesting photo.
Old Winder
Old Wharf CraneGlebe Island Rotating Bridge Rozelle BayANZAC Bridge with Sydney Harbour Bridge
Jetty Jubilee Park
Sze Yup Taoist Temple
Not far from the park is the Sze Yup Taoist temple, which is only one of four pre-World War One Chinese temples still active in Australia. Built from 1898 to 1904 the temple is now listed on the New South Wales Heritage Register.
Sze Yup Taoist Temple
The main road and side streets have a fantastic number of old federation houses and buildings. Walking from the Sze Yup Temple to Glebe Road, we passed several interesting buildings and Federation Style cottages.
Federation Houses
St John’s Church
Located on Glebe Road, this lovely old church is a relaxing stop to walk around and admire. The stone work and doorways are great and even the surrounding stone wall is a work of art.
St John’s ChurchSt John’s Church
World War 1 War Memorial
The World War One Memorial sits next to St John’s Church.
World War 1 War Memorial
Street Art
Walking along the back streets we came across some street art in Mitchel Street There were a few of these art works scattered along the street and some adjacent roads. A great surprise as we walked along.
Street Art Mitchel StreetStreet Art Mitchel StreetOld Glebe Fire Station Mitchell Street
What Did We Think?
Glebe is a wonderfully relaxed place to visit, whether just visiting the foreshore, or venturing into the back streets, there is a huge variety of sites to take in. We had a great morning there.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
