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
Probably the best place to start your trip to the Blue Mountains, Echo Point in Katoomba has amazing views, access to several walks and an information centre. Parking is available in the surrounding streets, where parking meters ensure no-one visits for free.
Our first stop was the Visitor Information Centre because recent rain had closed many tracks and we needed to find out which ones were still open. After speaking to the helpful staff, we walked around the viewing area which has fantastic views of the Three Sisters and the Megalong Valley. The Three Sisters are probably the most famous rock formation in the Blue Mountains with this being the best pace to see them.
A small track behind the Visitor Information Centre leads to Spooners Lookout with more great views over the valley and an end-on view of the Three Sisters. This is a paved track, people even took prams along one section of it. From here stairs lead down to the Sisters and the Giant Stairway (800 steps), but were closed for repair work). This small track also forms a section of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk which runs from Scenic World to Leura.
Unfortunately the Prince Henry Cliff Walk was cut in several places while storm damage was repaired. However, we walked a small section, seeing some amazing views.
Something to look out for on the way to Spooners Lookout is a series of metal sculptures of Australian wildlife. Placed onto rocks defining the track they make an interesting addition to the walk. These walks are relatively easy, and there are usually lots of people doing them., so can become busy!
The Three Sisters From Echo PointLooking Over the Blue Mountains From Echo PointSpooners LookoutThe Three Sisters From Spooners LookoutBlue Tongue Lizard Sculpture on the Walk
Although now retired from from its confrontations with Japanese whaling fleets, the MV Steve Irwin still looks impressive with its camouflage and skull painted deck house. Docked at Thales Marine in Newcastle, New South Wales, the ship is now owned by the non-profit organisation Ship4Good. Tours are a great way to learn about the fight to save the whales while contributing to the preservation of the ship.
We met our tour guide at the Thales Security Gate, where we were issued hi-visibility jackets for the walk to the ship. The jackets were necessary because the Thales dock is a working area.
Ship’s History
After a safety briefing our tour started with a talk on the ship’s history. Originally serving 28 years as the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency conservation enforcement patrol boat, FPV Westra, Sea Shepherd purchased her in 2006. Although originally named the MV Robert Hunter after Canadian Robert Hunter, co-founder of Greenpeace it was renamed the MV Steve Irwin following his death. Steve had been considering joining the vessel the following year before his death.
Over the next 12 years, the ship undertook 17 voyages ranging from anti-whaling and illegal fishing. These occurred in areas as diverse as the Antarctic and Mediterranean. However, she is most famous for confronting the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. These clashes occurred as close range, with activists throwing stink bombs onto Japanese ships and attempting to entangles their propellors. On several occasions, ships rammed each other, a very dangerous action because of the freezing Antarctic waters.
Tour of the Ship
Over the next hour we toured the ship from the bridge to engine room. On the bridge we were able to see where the ship and its operations were directed, with the large windows providing an excellent view of the surrounding area.
In the engine room, the two British Polar 12-cylinder 2,100 bhp Engines with their turbo chargers showed why Sea Shepherd bought this ship. The engines and the ship’s design gave it a speed able to match and overake the Japanese whaling fleet, while being relatively stable in rough seas. Along with the embarked helicopter this enabled them to find and harass the whalers.
Getting Around the Ship
Anyone intending on touring the ship should be aware of several restrictions. Several of the rooms and corridors are small and narrow. So if you are claustrophobic, this may be a problem. Moving from one deck to another is via steep stairways. If you are mobility impaired or have small children this may make getting around difficult. Remember to wear sensible enclosed shoes, because of the stairs and outside surfaces.
We had a great time here learning about the Steve Irwin’s history and seeing the inner workings of the ship.
Sea Shepherd’s MV Steve Irwin in Newcastle HarbourGangway onto MV Steve IrwinCovered walkway around the shipSome of the cruises the ship participated inSome of the cruises the ship participated inThrowing stink bombs at the Japanese whaling shipsDramatic painting of the ship at seaThe two 12-cylinder 1,600 kW enginesThe Steve Irwin’s propellor shaftThe BridgeThe Bridge
