On display at the Newcastle Lock-Up until 5 February 2023, “Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt” by Alex Seton was specifically made for the cells of the Lock-Up. The title of the show refers to Kurt Vonnegut’s anti-war novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” about the fire bombing of Dresden that dislocates linear time.
These beautiful artworks are worth the visit and with free entry it’s even better. We had a great time here, slowly walking around the exhibits.
Our previous visit to the Lock-Up can be found here. It details the building’s history and shows the rooms and cells with no artwork installed.
Old Gaol Cellsby Alex SetonEverything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Alex SetonThe Amber of this Moment by Alex Setonby Alex SetonStill Very Much Alive in the Past by Alex SetonStill Very Much Alive in the Past by Alex SetonPillar of Salt by Alex Seton
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located near Gosford on the New South Wales Central Coast, Mount Penang Gardens covers eight hectares of beautifully landscaped gardens. With twelve distinct garden rooms, the displays range from drought tolerant Australian natives to water lilies in the cascading wetlands area.
Parking is available adjacent to the gardens and is currently being expanded, along with improved road access to the area. Entry is free, but dogs are not permitted.
Entrance and Aquatic Garden
Entrance is via the Waterfall Café which overlooks a large pond. This is an excellent place to start your visit or relax after having explored the gardens. From the café, a bridge crosses the pond into the gardens.
Café overlooking the pond Aquatic GardenWater Lilly in Flower
Wildlife
On entering, an information board shows the species of birds you might be lucky enough to see. During our visit though, we only saw a few wood ducks. Also, scattered throughout the gardens are some interesting insect hotels. These are designed to attract insects and provide shelter for them.
Insect Hotel
The Gardens
Well maintained paths wind through the gardens taking you from one setting to another. The sloping terrain allows walled “rooms” to enclose area creating a micro-climate suitable for humidity-loving plants. The bromeliads and ferns growing in one of these rooms were impressive.
We loved the bottle tree grove at the top of the hill because they are such unusual trees. It was great to see them growing here on the Central coast.
AmphitheatreRainforestMount Penang GardensWollemi PinesBottle Tree GroveBromeliads and Ferns
Sculpture Garden
Created in 1987 by a group of international sculptors at waterside Wondabyne, these massive artworks carved from Gosford sandstone. Gifted to the people of Australia as a bi-centennial gift in 1988 to as a bicentennial they are as varied in style as the artists who made them.
Bird of Paradise Totem by Apkwina AsanambaZone of Peace by Nu Nem Raj SakyaAboriginal Pondering the Future 1988 by Pavel KoichevSculpture Garden
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located above the high tide mark on Wamberal Beach is a driftwood sculpture Peace Dove by Peter Ush. Built from local driftwood and cuttlefish, it will not last long, so see it soon before nature reclaims it. Wamberal is located on the New South Wales Central Coast around a 90 minute drive north from the Sydney CBD.
We parked at Spoon Bay Road Reserve, where we were lucky to find a park. On weekend, this is a popular access to the beach and soon becomes difficult to find a park. Alternately, parking is available at the other end of the beach at Wamberal. Walking time along the beach to the sculpture is around 15 minutes from either end.
Easy to find, nestled in the dunes, the dove overlooks the Pacific Ocean, which provides a beautiful backdrop.
A great place to visit in its own right, Wamberal Beach is long and sandy, with no need for people to crowd together. Recent storms have created a lot of driftwood, some of which was washed up here. Many of the pieces were mini-sculptures themselves.
Wamberal BeachWamberal Peace Dove by Peter UshThe Peace Dove by Peter UshDriftwood on Wamberal Beach
