Eden, south coast of New South Wales
Eden, south coast of New South Wales
As we travelled south that afternoon we passed through many lovely areas and some beautiful towns. This part of the journey was new territory to us. We had seen the coast further south west in Victoria and to the north in NSW, but had never visited the stretch of coastline between Bermagui and Mallacoota.
Superb Fairy-wren, Eden, south coast of New South Wales
When it came time for afternoon tea we aimed for the lovely town of Eden. We drove down to the bay and found a suitable picnic seat overlooking the magnificent bay. The beach was quite crowded with people from the caravan park walking distance away. It was a very relaxing break from driving.
While we had our cuppa a family of Superb Fairy-wrens decided to join us. The male put on quite a show for us in the nearby bushes, posing nicely for my camera.
Eden, south coast of New South Wales
Mimosa Rocks National Park, New South Wales
Mimosa Rocks National Park, south coast NSW
One of the places I wanted to revisit on our drive south along the coast of New South Wales was Mimosa Rocks National Park. The last time we had been there was in 1981 which was getting on for 30 years ago. Too long, in fact.
I had vivid memories of what it looked like but obviously the years had blurred the image. It was nothing like I remembered! In fact, I think we went to a different part of the park this time. The access roads may well have changed in that time too.
Again, we didn’t have much time to explore the park. We had a quick lunch and a look at the beautiful beach and then off again on our trek south.
The only birds of interest were three Pied Oystercatchers patrolling the beach.
Pied Oystercatchers, Mimosa Rocks National Park
Mimosa Rocks National Park, south coast NSW
Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales
Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales
When we travel we often watch out for local bakeries to visit. It’s an indulgence of ours – and a lot of other people I know.
To be fair we did need to get some fresh bread to make sandwiches for our lunch later in the day. We found a suitable bakery in one of the towns we passed through on our journey south along the south coast of New South Wales.
A little further on we pulled off the main road into the picnic area at Mystery Bay. This is a part of the Eurobodalla National Park. It was a lovely sojourn while we enjoyed a cup of tea and the delights of the bakery.
Morning tea at Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales
Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales
Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales
A short visit to Bateman’s Bay
Bateman's Bay, south coast NSW
After our short stay in Canberra during our holiday last year we drove the short distance to Bateman’s Bay on the south coast of New South Wales.
The first half of this part of our journey was through rolling hills and open farmland. It was a beautiful part of the country but it was rather dry because it was the middle of summer.
The last half of the road from Canberra to Bateman’s Bay drops dramatically down a very sharp escarpment. It is a spectacular drive and has many twists and turns with many sharp hairpin corners. I had no opportunity to stop and take photos. It was a warm day and not surprisingly several cars had stopped on the up track due to overheated engines.
This was our first visit to this beautiful seaside town. It is one of the most popular summer holiday destinations for tourists and especially those into water activities, especially fishing.
Bateman's Bay, south coast NSW
The Manly Ferry, Sydney
Manly Beach, Sydney
During our visit to Sydney in December 2008 we took the train into the city and then caught the Manly Ferry. This huge ferry seats over a thousand people and it was hard to find a seat. I guess everyone was heading to the beach at Manly that afternoon. It certainly is a popular place.
Crowded Manly Ferry, Sydney Harbour
The ferry ride takes about a half hour. During the journey all passengers are treated to magnificent views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the many bays and points along the harbour. It is a very relaxing way to see the sights of Sydney Harbour. On a hot day it can also be very refreshing with the cool breeze off the water.
Taking the Manly Ferry was one thing I really wanted to do on this particular trip to Sydney. On our last trip we didn’t take a ferry on the harbour.
One of the many ferries at Circular Quay, Sydney