Destination's Journey

Tag: travel

  • Machu Picchu at the Australian Museum Sydney

    Machu Picchu at the Australian Museum Sydney

    Machu Picchu at the Australian Museum Sydney

    Open until the 23rd of February 2025 at the Australian Museum in Sydney, Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is a unique opportunity to experience Andean culture in Sydney. With over 130 artifacts from five Peruvian Empires to see it’s an amazing experience.

    Getting There

    The Domain carpark is the closest secure parking spot to the museum, being only a ten-minute walk away.

    Getting there using Sydney’s public transport system is easy, with the Museum, St James and Town Hall train stations all within a ten-minute walk of the museum. Bus stops along Elizabeth Street, next to Hyde Park are another great option to get there.

    Tickets

    Access to the exhibition is by paid ticket. As this is proving to be very popular, it’s advisable to book ahead online to ensure you get in.

    The Exhibition

    Everyone starts with a short audio-visual presentation explaining the history and mythology of the Peruvian Empires. It concentrates primarily on the Mocha-culture and its hero-god Ai Apaec.

    Once the presentation is complete, access to the displays is left to your own timing. An hour is recommended, but it would be easy to take longer. The initial exhibits show the beautiful craftmanship used to make jewelry, pottery and other objects. Many of them depict the struggles of Ai Apaec who ensures the return of the rains each season.

    The final exhibits are magnificent gold funerary and religious regalia. Only the most important members of society were allowed to wear these gold and silver items. Being buries with them carried their status into the after life.

    What Did We Think?

    If you have an interest in history or South America, this is a must-see while it’s in Sydney. The amazing range of exhibits, particularly the gold regalia makes this a highly recommended exhibition to visit.

    Stele representing a Goddess Chavin Culture 1250 BCE - 100 BCE
    Stele representing a Goddess Chavin Culture 1250 BCE – 100 BCE
    Crystal drop necklace Moche Culture 100-800 CE
    Crystal drop necklace Moche Culture 100-800 CE
    Owl God ceramic pitcher Moche Culture 100-800 CE
    Owl God ceramic pitcher Moche Culture 100-800 CE
    Warrior Lord. Ceramic stirrup spout bottle. Moche Culture 100-800 C.E.
    Warrior Lord. Ceramic stirrup spout bottle. Moche Culture 100-800C.E.
    Flaring Bowl showing episodes of the mythological epic of Ai Apaec Moche Culture 100-800 C.E.
    Flaring Bowl showing episodes of the mythological epic of Ai Apaec Moche Culture 100-800 C.E.
    Priest's Head stirrup-spout bottle. Moche culture 100-800C.E.
    Priest’s Head stirrup-spout bottle. Moche culture 100-800C.E.
    Ear flares featuring a mosaic bird warrior Mocha Culture 100-800C.E.
    Ear flares featuring a mosaic bird warrior Mocha Culture 100-800C.E.
    Gold Crown. Chimu culture 1100-1470C.E.
    Gold Crown. Chimu culture 1100-1470C.E.
    Tumi, a ceremonial sacrifice knife. Moche Culture 100-800C.E.
    Tumi, a ceremonial sacrifice knife. Moche Culture 100-800C.E.
    Ceremonial Cup with Mythological Fertility Scenes Lambayeque Culture 700-1300 C.E.
    Ceremonial Cup with Mythological Fertility Scenes Lambayeque Culture 700-1300 C.E.
    Gold imperial regalia. Likely from one of the nine rulers of the Chimu Empire. 1100-1470C.E.
    Gold imperial regalia. Likely from one of the nine rulers of the Chimu Empire. 1100-1470C.E.
    Warrior's armour. Moche Culture 100-800C.E.
    Warrior’s armour. Moche Culture 100-800C.E.
    Funerary crown Vicus Culture 100-400 CE
    Funerary crown Vicus Culture 100-400 CE
  • Wineglass Bay Freycinet Peninsula Tasmania

    Wineglass Bay Freycinet Peninsula Tasmania

    Wineglass Bay

    One of Tasmania’s most popular destinations, Wineglass Bay was our first stop on a recent holiday to the Apple Isle. Arriving at Coles Bay early in the evening, we stayed two nights in Coles Bay, giving ourselves the whole of the next day to explore.

    Access to the Freycinet National Park is by a Parks Pass, which can be purchased at the Visitor Centre or the carpark. If you decide to ride a bike, rather than drive, access is on a per person basis, rather than per car. A bike rack at the top of the car park shaped like a whale is conveniently placed to leave your bikes.

    Rated at Grade 3, the track to the lookout is 2.6km return, with an estimated time of 1 to 1.5 hours to complete.

    Whale of a Bike Rack Wineglass Bay
    Whale of a Bike Rack

    The Track Going Up

    Starting as a gravel track the, path winds through beautiful Tasmanian bushland as it goes uphill. Many sections have steep steps to navigate the steepest sections, making the going easier than climbing over rocks. In one place it passes through a narrow gap between two boulders.

    Extremely well maintained, you can see where your entry fee is spent, because the upkeep of the track must be huge.

    Large visitor numbers in the peak season has resulted in the National Park Authority turning the lower section of the track into a one way loop. Although we went in winter, this was still a great feature, as you don’t meet people coming the other way and have to step off the path to let them pass.

    Start of the Wineglass Bay Track
    Start of the Wineglass Bay Track
    Wineglass Bay Track
    Wineglass Bay Track
    Interesting Bark Colours on a Gum Tree
    Interesting Bark Colours on a Gum Tree
    Formed Steps Going Up
    Formed Steps Going Up
    Interesting Chair on the Way Up
    Interesting Chair on the Way Up
    Boulder Turned into a Weather Shelter
    Boulder Turned into a Weather Shelter
    Small Track Between Two Large Boulders
    Small Track Between Two Large Boulders
    Steps Going Up
    Steps Going Up

    The Views

    Although the track is steep, the views make up for it, being amazing even on a cloudy day like we had.

    A viewing platform half way up gives views back over Coles Bay.

    The main attraction though is the view of Wineglass Bay, which is breathtaking. A one-way metal walkway provides different views of the bay, with several large platforms to look out from.

    The views still looked great, even though it was cloudy. The low cloud clinging to the surrounding hills looked really good, adding a great feel to the area.

    View Looking Back Over Coles Bay
    View Looking Back Over Coles Bay
    Cloud Covered Rocks From the Viewing Point
    Cloud Covered Rocks From the Viewing Point
    Wineglass Bay
    Wineglass Bay
    Walkway at the Viewing Platform with Low Cloud
    Walkway at the Viewing Platform with Low Cloud

    The Track Going Down

    The first section of the return walk retraces your steps until you arrives at a junction off to the right. This takes you on the return loop, so that you do not hold up people on the upward leg. Once again there are many steps, although this time you are going down rather than climbing up.

    The only wildlife we saw was a small wallaby that jumped off the track before we could take a photo. However, we were lucky, as another decided to visit our accommodation and sit on our veranda.

    Two Boulders on The Track Going Back Down
    Two Boulders on The Track Going Back Down
    The Track Going Back Down
    The Track Going Back Down
    Bennett's Wallaby Outside Our Accommodation
    Bennett’s Wallaby Outside Our Accommodation

    What Did We Think?

    This was a great walk, even with the clouds because the views are amazing. Designed for tourists, the path is well maintained, so with plenty of rest stops the climb up is fun. Don’t rush, take breaks and admire the views and surroundings as you go.

  • All Saints’ Anglican Church Bodalla

    All Saints’ Anglican Church Bodalla

    All Saints’ Anglican Church Bodalla

    Completed in 1901, All Saints’ Anglican Church sits on a hill on the outskirts of Bodalla, a small town on the New South Wales south coast.

    Getting There

    Only a 40-minute drive from Batemans Bay, Bodalla is on the Princes Highway, so if you are travelling the coast, you will probably pass through. Parking at the church is very easy, as there is room at the back of the church, or on the street outside. We parked outside and walked, as the short driveway is bordered by mature bunya trees. Flanking both sides of the walk up the hill, the huge trees add to the beauty of the church.

    The Church

    Designed by architect Edmund Blacket (and later his son Cyril Blacket), and funded by T.S. Mort, a prominent local businessman, All Saints’ is built of local granite. The woodwork, including the amazing ceiling is of oak. The stained glass windows, the Chancel tiles the unusual reredos of marble mosaic, as well as the pipe organ, were brought from England.

    Born in England at Bolton, Lancs. in 1816, T.S. Mort came to Australia in 1837, a pioneer of Australian dairying (through the creation of the Bodalla Estate), of engineering and shipbuilding at Balmain (Morts Dock), the wool industry and other enterprises. He devoted the last fifteen years of his life to the invention of a process of freezing and exporting Australian meat to supply the need of England. He died on 9th May, 1878, of an illness contracted in ministering to the needs of one of his workmen.

    During our visit to Bodalla, we were fortunate to find the church open for cleaning. The interior is beautiful, with stain-glass windows, commemorative plaques on the walls and amazing woodwork for the ceiling. If you are in the area, it is certainly worth a visit.

    Bunya Pine Trees at All Saints Anglican Church
    Bunya Pine Trees at All Saints Anglican Church
    All Saints Anglican Church Bodalla
    All Saints Anglican Church
    Inside All Saints Anglican Church
    Inside All Saints Anglican Church
    Altar All Saints Anglican Church
    Altar All Saints Anglican Church (note the Chancel tiles)
    Stain Glass Window
    Stain Glass Window
    Stain Glass Window All Saints Anglican Church
    Stain Glass Window
    Baptismal Font
    Baptismal Font

    Our photos are available for purchase on

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.