travel Archives - Page 22 of 47 - Destination's Journey

11 August 202213 August 2022

Hermitage Foreshore Walk Sydney Harbour

Hermitage Foreshore Walk at Vaucluse on Sydney Harbour

Running from Hermitage Reserve to Nielson Park, the Hermitage Foreshore Walk is a great way to take in Sydney Harbour and views to the city. In addition, you pass several historical houses, which are worth a visit if opened.

How to Get There

We walked from Vaucluse House and started the track at Strickland House, however if you want to use public transport, bus 325 has several stops along Vaucluse Road. For the return trip, bus 325 will take you either back to the start, or to Watsons Bay Wharf where you can catch a ferry.

Strickland House

We started the walk about halfway at Strickland House. This historic residence originally called Carrara was built in the mid-nineteenth century. The house has passed through many owners and is now owned by the New South Wales Government. Strolling around the grounds gives you an idea of the lifestyles of those who used to live here. The views over Sydney Harbour are amazing.

Unfortunately access into the house is not available, but you are able to walk around the outside.

Rear of Strickland House — Strickland House

The Foreshore Walk

From Strickland House, we followed the Hermitage Foreshore Walk, starting at Milk Beach. The boardwalk was in very good condition and made the walk easy, although in several places we did have to walk on sand and watch for incoming waves.

The views over the harbour are spectacular, with the bridge and Opera House visible at times. We even saw a seaplane taking off from Rose Bay.

Easy walking on the boardwalk Hermitage Foreshore Walk — Easy walking on the boardwalk

Weathered boulders on the Hermitage Foreshore Walk — Easy walking on the boardwalk

Greycliffe House

The walk finished at Nielsen Park, where you will find Greycliffe House. Tours of the house need to be booked through NSW Parks and Wildlife. You are able to walk around the outside of this neo-Gothic Victorian house and it’s gardens. Even from the outside it looks impressive.

What did We Think?

This was a pleasant and easy walk, with amazing views of Sydney Harbour, with several historical house to see along the way. Only a short (but uphill walk) from here is Vaucluse House which is open to the public.

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

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4 July 20224 July 2022

Fort Scratchley Newcastle

Fort Scratchley Newcastle

No longer used by the military, Fort Scratchley is now a memorial to the servicemen and women who served there. During World War Two, the Japanese submarine I-21 attempted to shell Newcastle and the BHP Steel Works. Fortunately most of the shells missed or failed to explode with no-one hurt and only minor damage caused. Fort Scratcheley returned fire but failed to hit the submarine. In doing so, it became the only Australian fort to fire on an enemy ship.

Regularly fired by volunteers, two of the original guns are still in place. Most of the original buildings and tunnels are intact and can be viewed, with guided tours of the tunnels also available.

Now a heritage site, the fort’s buildings and guns from World War Two are still intact. Still operational, the guns are fired each day by volunteers. The upperworks and buildings are free to walk around, but a tour of the tunnels require a ticket as it is a guided tour.

As well as the fortifications, the views over Newcastle and the nearby beaches are fantastic.

Fort Exterior Displays

On entering the fort, you are free to enter all areas apart from the underground tunnels. As the tunnel tours are timed, we booked one and then went exploring the remainder of the fort. At the top of the hill, the 6-inch guns that fired on the I-21 can be seen and you are able to get close to them.

Older muzzle loading guns have been returned to the fort and re-sited where they used to be. The size of the 80-pound cannon really has to be seen to understand how massive it is.

The fort's buildings on the upper level Fort Scratchley — Outside wall of Fort Scratchley

Display Rooms

Rooms that used to house soldiers now serve as display rooms showing the history of the fort. A full room is dedicated to Sir Peter Scratcheley who the fort is named after. Another room has a model of the I-21 and some of the shells fired that night.

Weapons display Fort Scratchley — Display of Sir Peter Scratchley

The Tunnels

The highlight of the trip was the tunnel tour which takes you under the fort and into its working areas. The guide was great and full of information about the fort’s past and how it worked. From the magazines that used to store the fort’s ammunition to the gun emplacements it was a comprehensive tour. We were able to get close to most of the guns to get a detailed look.

One of the fort's tunnels Fort Scratchley — One of the tunnels, a safety light and stairs leading out

What Did We Think?

This was a great place to visit, because it’s full of local history and amazingly restored guns and displays. Well worth the visit.

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

22 June 202221 June 2022

Kanning Walk Kincumber Australia

Exposed rocks and boulders along the Kanning Walk

Kanning Walk Kincumber Australia

Located near Kincumber on the New South Wales Central Coast, Kanning Walk is a 1.2 km track as well as a cave and beautiful scenic Australian bush to enjoy.

We parked near the “mud brick building“, which is also marked as a kiosk. Unfortunately, it is closed, so any thought of a coffee was put aside until we finished the walk. This area also has toilets, electric barbecues, tables and sun shades. Along with the large grassed area, this would be a great place for a family picnic in summer. Also located here is Honeman’s Rock, a small rock outcrop overlooking the picnic grounds.

Kanning Walk

The walk begins near the carpark, where a sign points the way to go. One of the first sights is the root system of a fallen tree, which you pass through at the start. The well maintained track leads through eucalypt forest which was very shady and peaceful dover their uring our visit early on a winter’s morning.

After 200m, the track follows the base of a small sandstone outcrop which contain several small caves (more like rock overhangs). Probably so that visitors don’t think this is the main caves, a nearby sign points to its location 150m away.

Surprisingly large, the main cave is around 7m by 9m and provides nice shade from the weather. During summer this would be a great spot out of the sun.

Continuing on the walk, we passed some interestingly shaped trees that have been sculpted by bushfires over the years. As the track neared the return trail, some banksias in bloom were seen growing in the more exposed areas.

Around 100m passed the cave, the walk meets the Yanina Trail, which is a wide fire trail. Well signposted directions show the way back to the mudbrick building or adventuring on to other walks..

This was a fun easy walk with an interesting cave to see along the way.