PROJECT 52 - ILLAWARRA COAST

'Project 52' this week is 'I'...

This was a bit of a tough one, as I am trying to get OUT of the Sydney Metro area... AND AS most of the 'I's were of considerable distance, so I became 'creative'...

Illawarra, Industry, Iron - it had to be, Port Kembla !!!! A great day out with my mate Mark!

(We trundled further down the Illawarra and these will come later in the weekend/during the week...)

The land was called 'Illawarra Farm'. In 1883 a port was opened to ship coal brought from the mine at Mount Kembla. Because of its association with the jetty serving the Mount Kembla mine, the area previously called Red Point became known as Port Kembla. The earliest reference to this name seems to have been in 1892.

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie

PROJECT 52 - HUNTER RIVER, HONEYSUCKLE & HEXHAM

The task for the weekend was 'H', and a work colleague in Melbourne looked up 'H' and Honeysuckle was the suggestion; so I said "why not"!!

Initial planning I noted that Nobbys Head Lighthouse was very close, as was the Hunter River... So it was a 3am alarm, and on the road 3.45am for the 2two and a bit hours drive north to Newcastle with an image in mind of the Lighthouse wat sunrise. However, on approach, first light was starting and I thought I was going to miss it!! Photo above had me going crazy on the back of the screen!!

After some breakfast of a Bacon & Egg Roll with a coffee, I went up again, and there was a ferry nearby at the Queens Warf for the shuttle service accross to Stockton, aptly named 'HUNTER'!!!

And further up the Hunter River, was many ships and tugs at idle...

As it was now pushing to time to meet some of my team for lunch, I started the drive, and passed through, another 'H' - Hexham!!!

This is a well known 'pinch-point' on the Pacific Highway for those of us that drive between Sydney and anywhere North; Brisbane! Back when I worked at the Botanic Gardens, I was on a Committee where there was, at the time, discussion about this bypass, and how some of the land at the Hunter Region Botanic Garden will be acquired, I guess finally after 12 odd years it has happened! Below are some of the pics of the bypass progression!!!

And then - it was lunch at the 'Harrigans Hotel', an unexpected venue considering I was doing 'H' this weekend! From the moment you enter into the Grand Entrance' it is like no other I've been to!!! Below, which is a 12 image, stitched panorama of the entrance...

Next weekend, is 'I', and I am struggling as to where to go to, stay tuned...

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie

PROJECT 52 - GOULBURN, GUNNING & GRABBEN GULLAN

This weeks 'Project 52' was 'G', and as all three were very close, Goulburn, Gunning and Grabben Gullen it was!!!

Goulburn

As Australia’s first inland city, Goulburn is a proud historic town, combining grand heritage and country charm with contemporary museums, festivals, restaurants, and galleries. There’s also plenty of epic outdoor adventures to be had in the surrounding region, from rock climbing and abseiling to motorsports and skydiving.

Standing on Goulburn’s fringe is the Big Merino – one of Australia’s iconic ‘big things’ and symbolic of the city known as the fine wool capital of the world.

Gunning

Passing through some wonderful rolling hills with plenty of livestock, we came across several wind-turbine masts, both between Goulburne and Gunning and then Gunning and Grabben Gullen!

One of Australia’s most significant colonial explorations began here in 1824. Explorers Hume and Hovell led a groundbreaking expedition from Gunning to Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne in search of new grazing land. Explore this history and more on the Gunning Town Tour.

On the main street is the fascinating Pye Cottage Museum. The historic slab hut cottage is furnished with household items, intriguing photographs and agricultural tools and artefacts from the area’s rich wool heritage. Originally built in Dalton in 1860, the settlers’ cottage is one of the last of its kind in the area.

Grabben Gullen

The Albion Hotel, situated just 10 minutes from the township of Crookwell and 20 minutes from Goulburn, offers a cosy bar with indoor and outdoor dining areas.

For the enthusiast and the curious there is Memorabilia and a Motorcycle Museum, the collection representing owner and chef Ray' other lifetime passion.

Affectionately known as the Grabby Pub you will find a good bistro and an eclectic mix of decor around the bar. In addition, there is an undercover BBQ area which is great for functions and entertainment. The Albion Hotel specialises in seafood!

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie

ROAD TRIP TO DUNEDOO - PROJECT 52

A long day today for my 'Project 52' where I am going out every weekend to somewhere starting with the letter in the alphabet... This week ' D'!! Dunedoo it had to be!!

Dunedoo is a tiny rural service centre on the crossroads of the Golden and Castlereagh Highways. It is surrounded by fertile plains, gently rolling hills and wide valleys. The local water comes from the Talbragar River. The surrounding district is agricultural and concentrates on wheat, cattle, mixed farming, timber, fat lambs and wool. The commercial centre is effectively a run of shops along Bolaro Street which runs beside the railway line.

Dunedoo is located 354 km north west of Sydney via Mudgee, 97 km north east of Dubbo and 88 km north of Mudgee.

Dunedoo is well known to Australian travellers due to its distinctive name ‘Dunny’, which is a colloquial Australian word for a toilet. The name is actually derived from a local Aboriginal word meaning "swan", which are commonly found in the area's lagoons.

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie

CARLINGFORD & CAMELLIA - PROJECT 52

This weeks 'Project 52' had me staying in Sydney metro area, as we've had some horrendous weather this past week, with many trees down and wires cut, so I played it safe near home...

For 'C', I visited the newly opened 'Carlingford to Westmead' L4 Tram Line (others will want to call it a 'Light Rail' - I beg to differ...)

The stabling yard is located in 'Camellia', which is located behind the Rosehill Racecourse.

The Carlingford railway line was originally constructed a ‘heavy rail’ line in Sydney, NSW.

It was opened from Clyde (on the main western line) to Subiaco, renamed Camellia, in January 1885, then by means of the construction of a bridge across the Parramatta River, and then up the hill to Carlingford in 1896!

The line was also used heavily on race days at the Rosehill Racecourse.

The busy James Ruse Drive, required a bridge to be built to cross over it, and this bridge Bidgee Bidgee Bridge, to recognise the important Aboriginal heritage of Parramatta as well as the life and legacy of Bidgee Bidgee – a prominent local Aboriginal Elder. It uses Australian-made weathered steel to minimise future maintenance and reduce disruptions to light rail network operations. 

The ‘Heavy Rail’ line was closed on 5 January 2020 with most of the line converted to be part of Parramatta Tram Line, otherwise known as the L4 Carlingford to Westmead, which opened in December 2024. A very short section between Clyde and just short of Parramatta Rd, was retained for use by Sydney Trains.

'End of the Line' - both for the tram, and the old Carlingford Produce Store surrounded by the ever growing Carlingford unit blocks... After over a 100 years of continuing presence, Carlingford Produce Store closed its door permanently on February 27th, 2021.

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie

BEN BULLEN - Project52

Continuing on with the 'Project 52' of visitiing a letter of the alphabet everyweekend, today I headed west for 'Ben Bullen'... Not much there really, just a lonely old abandoned railway stattion, which made for a bit of interest with the stabled coal wagons in the siding...

Ben Bullen is located on the Castlereagh Highway (almost) halfway between Cullen Bullen and Capertee.

The place name Ben Bullen is derived from the local Aboriginal word meaning “high, quiet place”.

The village was formed when the railway was constructed in the early 1880s. While goods trains still use the railway line the small railway station is closed. Since the closure of the railway station a bus service serves the community.

Ben Bullen is surrounded by picturesque cattle grazing land and the Gardens of Stone National Park. Farming and coal mining are the main local employers.

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie

AUSTINMER BEACH & OCEAN POOL - PROJECT 52

I have wanted to get back into the 'Project 52' for a while, in many ways to challenge my photography and see new things and venure either to parts of Sydney Metro I have not yet been to, or to head further out of Sydney to see what is about...

So in this weeks edition, the first weenend where I will e posting this series, it was off to 'A' for Austinmeer along the upper Illawarra, before you hit Wollongong.

The afternoon before, I checked my Weatherzone app on my mobile, and saw that first light was to be 0510, WOW this was going to be an early start as it was just over an hour to get there! I pushed off at about 0330 just to be sure, and was a very pleasant drive south, windows down, music on, and the road ahead well lit up with the lightbar on the car! Arrived nice and early, and positioned myself atop of the changerooms for the beach, which was like that of a 'lookout' offerring up splendid view across the beach. I set up the camera, programed for a frame to be taken every 20 seconds, and whilst it did its thing, I simply chilled in my campchair.

The Austinmer Rock Pool, also known as ‘ocean pools’ or ‘ocean baths’, was first built in the early 1910s and then rebuilt or replaced several times at various locations along Austinmer Beach. You can still see the remains of the Children’s Bathing Pool at the foot of the steep cliff of Brickyard Point.

Here are some of the pics I got, along with the lifeguards Hut, in the middle of the beach, with the sun just tipping over the horizon of the Tasman Sea.

Hoo roo for now...

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Bernie