White Rabbit Gallery is a great little gallery in the heart of Sydney. Specialising in contemporary Chinese art its three floors are full of amazing works from paintings and sculptures to surrealist works. Entrance is free and with a cafe on site, specialising in Chinese teas and dumplings, there are refreshments available once you finish your tour.
Suspended from the atrium roof is the most stunning work, consisting of life-size people with dragonfly heads and wings. This amazing sight greets you on entering. A great view of this artwork is available from the ramp up to the second level, which is a great perspective.
Access to the second floor is via a ramp which passes close to the dragonfly men. Alternately you can use an elevator which also goes to all floors (it is the only access to floor 3), but we enjoyed the view of the art work while walking up the ramp..
During our visit there was a great variety of paintings on display on the first two floors and floor three was filled with a single, large sculpture.
There are also small rooms on the first two floors where audio visual displays are running.
Dragonfly Men in the Atrium of the White Rabbit GalleryDragonfly Men From the Second FloorDystopian Second Floor ArtSecond Floor ArtSecond Floor ArtThird FloorThird Floor Art
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Middle
Head on Sydney Harbour houses the remains of Sydney’s original fortifications.
Designed to repel an invasion from the sea, these huge concrete structures no
longer have their guns, but remain as a reminder of times when Australia
thought it was going to be invaded.
The Royal Australian Navy still has a presence in the area with HMAS Penguin still an active naval base. The car park for Middle Head is near the base. There is a fee for parking here and ticket machines are located in the car park.
Several of the old administration buildings are still in use and you walk past them on your way to the gun emplacements. The concrete structures are extensive, and you are free to walk around, through and over them. We explored them for a while and then admired the views over the harbour and towards North Head and South Head with Hornby Lighthouse.
Fortifications
Fortifications
View to North Head Across the Harbour
View to South Head Across the Harbour
There is a small display of cannon carriages, but this is in need of signage and maintenance to give context to the display. Likewise, the tiger cages constructed in the area require an explanation to make them relevant.
Tiger Cage
There are no food and drink outlets on the site, but we took our own and had a great view over the harbour while we ate.
Beehive Casements
Situated
on Middle Head and maintained by National Parks and Wildlife, this old fortress
can only be accessed by a guided tour. Details of the dates and costs can be
found on NPWS website.
To get
there, you drive through leafy Mossman and pass many lovely houses. Parking in
the area is limited, so either arrive early, or walk from one of the larger car
parks. Warning signs along the road show that parking in a non designated area
will incur a $300 fine.
Beehive Casements Tour
The guide
met us at the beehive casements where he gave an overview of their history and
significance to Sydney. We then walked down stairs to the interior of the fort.
The stairs can be slippery so take care. Once inside, you can see the extent of
the excavations needed to build them. The passageways are often wet, because
the sandstone they were built with is porous and water constantly sleeps
through.
Embrasures
facing Sydney Harbour provide a magnificent view and show why the forts were
built here as they have a commanding view of any ships attempting to enter the
harbour.
The shape
of the interior provides the name of the casements, as they look like a conical
beehives. The remains of several old cannons lie on the rock floors, but have
unfortunately been burnt by vandals in the past. Some other remnants like racks
for tools and coat racks still line the walls but have become rotted or rusty,
providing some interesting photographic opportunities.
Upper Works of the Beehive Casements
Beehive Casements Tunnel
Beehive Casements Interior
Stairs Down to Lower Level
Burnt Cannon Carriage
Burnt Cannon Carriage
For
another perspective of the beehive casements, look for them when taking the
Manly ferry. They can be found low down on the waterline of the cliffs. Looking
carefully the three gun embrasures are visible.
Beehive Casements From Sydney Harbour
A great place to visit and see Sydney’s early history as well as fantastic views over the harbour. For more early fortifications and military history, visit nearby Bradleys Head and the HMAS Sydney (I) mast and Royal Australian Navy memorials.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Many people using Sydney Ferries will have past Bradleys Head with its mast from HMAS Sydney, but many will not know its significance. This small headland holds memorials to the Royal Australian Navy ships lost during wartime. The RAN considers this location the pre-eminent naval memorial in Australia.
Location
HMAS Sydney Mast and Associated Memorials
The most striking feature on the headland is the mast of HMAS Sydney (I), because it stands tall above its surroundings. It commemorates all who served on the four ships named Sydney and forms the focal point for the other memorials. Walking around the gardens you come across memorials to individual ships, from the first submarine AE1 to HMAS Canberra.
HMAS Sydney (I) Mast
HMAS Sydney (I) Mast at Bradleys Head From the Harbour
The Rifle Wall
Doric Column
Sitting off the headland is a Doric stone column in the waters of the harbour. It is from the demolished Sydney Post Office and in conjunction with the tower off Fort Denison, it was used for speed trials of vessels in Sydney Harbour. No longer used for this purpose, it is an interesting sight.
Doric Column
Doric Column at Bradleys Head From the Harbour
Bradleys Head Light
The Bradleys Head Light, completed in 1905, is located on the point of Bradley’s Head Peninsula. Used as a navigation marker and warning light, it also makes for a great photograph. The lighthouse is mounted on a rock and connected to shore by a footbridge.
Bradleys Head Light
Access to Bradleys Head is past the Taronga Park Zoo and down a narrow windy road. On the way down, you will pass the Rifle Wall, part of the old fortifications built to defend Sydney. Although probably not as interesting as the naval memorials, it is still historically important and worth stopping at.
The Rifle Wall
A great little stop for a wander around, either before or after the zoo if you are interested. Or you could add it to a visit to Middle Head and its fortifications.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
