Located in Narooma, (a five-hours drive from Sydney or 3 hours from Canberra), Australia Rock is an interesting geological feature bearing a resemblance to the shape of the Australian continent (without Tasmania). The shape is the result of thousands of years of erosion of the ancient chert and shale headland.
We parked at the Bar Rock Lookout carpark, which gives spectacular ocean views over the breakwalls and out to Montague Island. You also get a lovely outlook over to Bar Beach and the Wagonga Inlet.
Near the carpark is a memorial plaque to the Lady Darling, an 895-ton iron steamer that sank in thirty metres of water off Mystery Bay on 10 November 1880. It was on a voyage from Newcastle to Melbourne with a cargo of coal, and struck rocks about four miles south of Montague Island. Attempts were made to reach the shore but the Lady Darling filled rapidly and the crew abandoned ship. All made the safety of the Island.
From the lookout, stairs lead down to the break wall and Australia Rock. If you don’t want to take the stairs, you can drive down as there is a carpark.
An interesting place with some great views. Worth the visit is you are in the area.
Lady Darling Memorial on Bar Rock LookoutSeal Rocks from Bar Rock LookoutAustralia RockLove Locks on Bar Rock Lookout
Containing many large artefacts from Port Kembla’s military and industrial past, the Port Kembla Heritage Park is both an interesting and educational to visit. We parked at the end of Gloucester Boulevard, although you could also use the carpark at Foreshore Road.
The area formed an integral part of the defences of Port Kembla during the Second World War, with several large guns emplaced here. Along with the battery at Hill 60, they defended the vital steel works from a potential Japanese invasion. The guns are long gone with the only reminder they were here being the large concrete emplacements and command tower which is now the Breakwater Battery Museum.
The field of white painted concrete tetrahedrons is one of the first things you see when arriving. Originally placed on the beach to impede enemy tanks they now form a display near the old gun emplacements. They are similar to the ones at Stockton that are sometimes visible at low tide.
Gun Emplacement with anti-tank tetrahedronsTetrahedron anti-tank obstacles
Breakwater Battery Museum
Although closed during our visit, the museum houses local military memorabilia. Housed in the old command centre for the gun battery, it is only open every 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month from 11AM to 4PM. If you intend visiting, check the opening times because they may change.
Sited next to the museum is a German 77mm field gun captured by the 45th Battalion AIF on the 8th of August 1918.
Breakwater Battery MuseumGerman 77mm Field Gun
Monuments and Memorials
Scattered around the park are several monuments and memorials to significant local events. The largest memorial is to the Dalfram Dispute of 1938. The dispute was a political industrial dispute at Port Kembla, protesting the export of pig iron from Australia to Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It became famous for providing the nickname of Pig Iron Bob to Attorney General Robert Menzies, later to serve as Prime Minister.
Two monuments to the dispute are located here, one that looks like a giant grenade and a smaller plaque with a picture of the Dalfram.
Representing the area’s industrial past, a large Cowans-Sheldon 30 Ton Steam Crane sits below the museum. Nearby are several anchors and a dredge bucket, representing Port Kembla’s shipping heritage.
Dalfram Dispute Memorial
Dalfram Dispute MemorialAnchor from the Gabriella. Memorial to lives lost when she capsizedCowans-Sheldon 30 Ton Steam CraneDredge bucketAnchor and Chain
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Consecrated on 30th June, 1985, construction of Sri Venkateswara Temple started in 1978. Located in Helensburgh, 60 minutes south of Sydney, and 30 minutes north of Wollongong, the temple has ample parking. Built in a bushland setting, it serves as an impressive local landmark.
The NSW Office of Environment Heritage listed the Temple for historical, aesthetic, social as well as reasons of rarity and representativeness in the Wollongong Region.
Although serving as a major religious and sacred place for Hindus living in and visiting Australia, many non-Hindus and tourists visit due to the unique Temple architecture.
The complex consists of two large temples, one dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the other to Shiva/Parvathi. For this reason, there are two towers, each with beautifully carved decorations. Specialist sculptors, who used traditional methods completed the sculptures found in and around the temple, while using no modern tools.
Visitors are welcome, whether they want to admire the temple, or learn more about the Hindu religion. There are several important things to know before you visit:
no footwear, hats or caps are allowed inside. An undercover area is available outside the main entrance to leave your shoes.
No photography of any kind inside.
Be quiet and respectful at all times..
No mobile phone use inside.
No food or drinks inside
Inside The Temple
If you liked the exterior of the temple, the interior will amaze you. The numerous beautifully decorated shrines and idols were the highlight of our visit. Unfortunately we could not take photos because they are not allowed inside. However, being able to walk around an admire them up close was a great experience.
Sri Venkateswara TempleEntranceSri Venkateswara TempleIdol Outside the Temple
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
