#shellharbour city museum

[rorytait]

A day trip to Woollongong & the HARS Aviation Museum

85km south of Sydney is Woollongong, an industrial port city. The drive down is very scenic through the Royal National Park.

Our main destination was the HARS Aviation Museum at Shellharbour Airport, but first we stopped by North Woollongong for lunch by the beach.

The HARS Aviation Museum has an extremely impressive collection of aircraft across a number of hangars. They are all packed in quite closely which makes it difficult to photograph but seeing them in person is very cool. You can go inside several of the planes too!

The airport is home to an old Qantas B747-400, still kitted out on the inside which you can tour. There are also wing-walks but I've done one of these previously at the Qantas Founders' Museum in Longreach.

After a lovely couple of hours being guided around by the volunteers, we started the drive home, stopping off at Stanwell Tops for this spectacular view looking back south.

[14 October 2022]

[traveljournalsg]

FROM MOUNTAINS TO COASTLINES

There is much to experience in New South Wales. Prepare to be wowed by rugged cliffs, picturesque vineyards and stunning beaches with these trips road trips from Sydney

The Blue Mountains The beautiful Blue Mountains offer vast, unobstructed views of vast eucalyptus-forests below. Here, you will get to see the world-famous Three Sisters from different lookouts, or take a short hike down to the Honeymoon Bridge where you can cross over to the ‘first Sister’! Be sure to explore the magical Scenic World with the Unlimited Discovery Pass too. Take the world’s steepest Scenic Railway right into the Jamison Valley, where you can walk along a 2.2 km elevated board through rainforest and open woodlands. Glide above lush canopies while standing on the Scenic Skyway’s glass-floored cable cars, also Australia’s highest cable car, strung across steep limestone cliffs. Feast your eyes on the lush rainforest, gorges and canyons, and get ready to be astounded by sandstones that reach 300 metres high and valleys that dip 800 metres deep.

The Hunter Valley About 2 hours’ drive north of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is home to Australia’s oldest wine region. With charming towns and quaint villages, the Hunter Valley’s rich history of Australian wine pioneers include Audrey Wilkinson, where you can visit a museum dedicated to Ms. Wilkinson and enjoy a wine tasting session as well as a masterclass with the in-house experts! End your visit to the Hunter Valley in a memorable fashion – with a stroll through the vineyards followed by an afternoon picnic with a bottle of the region’s well-known Semillon or Shiraz.

Nelson Bay Located in the suburbs of Port Stephens, this idyllic coastal beach boasts a variety of dining options making it a convenient spot for families with young children. The Sand Dunes are located just 10 minutes away from the central of Nelson Bay, so those looking to fill up their time with a little more adventure could spend hours’ sandboarding or revving through the golden lands on a quad bike. Visitors can treat themselves to a 360-degree, panoramic view of the lands and fresh water lagoons from the top of the Sand Dunes. Dolphin Watch CruiseDid you know that Port Stephens is the Dolphin Capital of Australia? Board a Dolphin Watch Cruise to spot a few of the 150 resident bottlenose dolphins frolicking in the water. During the whale migration season from May to November, you may even see playful humpback whales breaching from the water!

Grand Pacific Drive Hop into a car and cruise through one of Australia’s best coastal routes. The Grand Pacific Drive brings you through national parks, hugging dramatic cliffs on the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge and past beautiful seaside towns Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven. Sky-diving, surfing and apple-picking are just some of the many experience you can enjoy. Don’t forget to check out the Kiama Blowhole – the world’s biggest blowhole – a spectacular spot for a photo opportunity!a Blowhole – a spectacular spot for a photo opportunity!

Oyster Farm Cruise Visit a working oyster farm with Magical Oyster Tours, where you will have the chance to cruise on the wild, beautiful Pambula Lake, learn about oyster farming, the river estuary and of course, savour the famous and fresh Sydney Rock Oyster straight from the waters! Learn about the stories behind bringing your plate of oysters to the table – from its history, modern farming techniques and biological sciences behind – all these while enjoying a cruise ride downstream on the scenic Pambula River with a chance of spotting White Bellies Sea Eagles flying overhead. The entire tour takes approximately two hours and is an enriching travel experience like no other.

DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF VIVID SYDNEY

Enjoy Sydney’s icons both day and night as they light up during the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas.

Vivid Sydney The world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas – and Australia’s biggest event – is back from 26 May to 17 June 2017. This free, public event transforms Sydney into a colourful, bedazzling outdoor art exhibition, with mega light installations and projections on famous buildings that is bound to take your breath away. Sydney Opera House This world famous icon needs no introduction. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, the Sydney Opera House was quoted as “one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind”. Step into this superbly built building and unveil the stories behind its creation. During Vivid Sydney, the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House are illuminated with stunning designs and flashy hues – a sight that never fails to fascinate.

Darling Harbour There are plenty of things to see and do around the bustling Darling Harbour. Step into the SEA LIFE Sydney Zoo to meet the real locals – kangaroos, koalas and other friendly animals. Discover amazing sea creatures through Australia’s unique fresh water and marine environments at the SEA Life Sydney Aquarium, including a new ride-through expedition to see sub-Antarctic King and Gentoo penguins! When night falls, Darling Harbour gives one of the best views during a fireworks display – so be sure to check out the latest fireworks schedule when you are there during Vivid Sydney!

Sydney Tower Eye The Sydney Tower Eye is the tallest building in the city. Standing at 250 meters, it offers fantastic panoramic views of the city, where you can take in its famed landmarks all at once. On a clear day, you can even gaze at the silhouettes of the Blue Mountains from afar – a beautiful sight, especially during sunset. Watch the city glow with an orange hue atop Sydney’s highest point as buildings light up one by one, an experience made even more magical during Vivid Sydney.

The Rocks Walking Tour This is where European settlers chose to step ashore in 1788 and The Rocks became the birthplace of modern Sydney. Walk on the charming, cobbled streets of this historic area and be amazed with the early settlement story of the First Fleet of convicts and how they occupied The Rocks and Sydney Cove. The storehouses, pubs and working class cottages remain, reminiscent of the precious past of this vibrant town. At night, the place lights up with spectacular light art installations and large-scale illuminations during Vivid Sydney. Stroll along the waterfront and be entertained by live music performances. It is also one of the best places to take in the Lighting of the Sails.

[theupsidedownunderblog-blog]

HIGHWAY ONE - THAT'S ONE BIG ROAD TRIP!

Australia's Highway One is the world's longest national highway. The length runs 14,500 kilometers (9,010 miles) and covers the whole country. Australia's Highway One is a network of highways that circumnavigate the country, joining all mainland state capitals. At a total length of approximately 14,500 km (9,010 mi) it is among the longest national highways in the world, a list including the Trans-Siberian Highway (over 11,000 km or 6,800 mi) and the Trans-Canada Highway (8,030 km or 4,990 mi). Every day more than a million people travel on a part of it. WHEN TRAVELLERS TALK about doing a 'Big Lap' of Australia, it's Highway One that excites imaginations, providing access to some of our most celebrated destinations as it skirts the mainland's coastal fringes (and also makes a short skip through central Tasmania).

At around 14,500 km (9,010 miles), Highway One is one of the longest designated road routes in the world. When the first section of the route was signposted between Brisbane and Adelaide in 1955, it was Australia's only true national highway. Today, although more direct routes crisscross the country, none are more scenic than Highway One. Linking seven of our eight capital cities, Highway One incorporates classic drives across the Nullarbor, through the Kimberley and along Victoria's Great Ocean Road. It provides access to New South Wales' string of seaside national parks, passes through coastal towns along Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, and curves beneath giant karris in Western Australia's southwestern forests.

Australia’s Highway 1 is the longest national highway in the world. Image courtesy of Tony Bowden. Highway 1 covers practically every major inhabited part of Australia. Large capital cities, busy holiday resorts, dramatic coastlines, forests ranging from tropical to temperate gum forests, scrubland, deserts, and huge tropical swamps are some of the variety of landscapes that can be found along the route. Stretches of Highway 1 are very popular with interstate and overseas tourists. A drive around Highway 1 with a major detour to Uluru and back again practically covers most of Australia. The number 1 shield became part of the bush landscape to many travellers, truckers, and country people. Australia's biggest and grandest road trip The following is a circular itinerary, you can complete it by starting at any point and travel either clockwise or counterclockwise until you're back where you started. In this article the trip goes clockwise and starts and ends in Sydney. Sydney itself is famous for its opera house and the Harbour Bridge and is probably the most common point of entry to Australia from abroad. Sydney to Melbourne The coastal drive from Sydney to Melbourne along Princes Highway can be done with an overnight stop within two days, although you could probably take some time and spend at least four days on the road, with a couple of hours at each stop to thoroughly enjoy the South Coast. Lots of wildlife from whales, dolphins to seals if you keep an eye out, and plenty of seagulls and pelicans. There are countless unspoilt beaches along the coast — white sand beaches, surf beaches, tidal river beaches — such that you might actually get sick of it all, and taking the Kings Highway just before Batemans Bay and then the inland drive via Monaro Highway could be an option.

Batemans Bay Illawarra and Shellharbour Royal National Park, through Audley Weir and possible stops at Wattamolla and Garie Beach, although Audley Weir is sometimes flooded after heavy rain and you'll have to use the entrance at Waterfall instead. Grand Pacific Drive starting from Stanwell Tops to Austinmer via Sea Cliff Bridge Kiama for its blowhole, and nearby Minnamurra Rainforest

Kiama Blowhole Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla Jervis Bay has some of the world's whitest beaches at Huskisson and Hyams Beach. There's awesome surf at Ulladulla and Mollymook, and many surf competitions are held here. Batemans Bay has great oysters from the Clyde River. Pebbly Beach and South Durras are hidden gems where wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos can be found feeding peacefully. Contrary to the name, Pebbly Beach has great sand, though you'll have to step more carefully through the grass patches thanks to the kangaroos. There's also a good trail to walk on Durras Beach. Mogo for Mogo Zoo where there's wildlife, native and non-native, to cuddle and feed.

For the young at heart, a visit to the Mogo Zoo is a must! Sapphire Coast The Sapphire Coast covers the southernmost coastal region of New South Wales. No daytrippers from either Sydney or Melbourne here. Narooma for seal and dolphin sightings, stay overnight at Montague Island Cobargo, nicknamed the "Working Village" Merimbula Stop at Bega for its cheese factory, there's lots of free samples Eden for whale watching, Killer Whale Museum and Marine Discovery Centre. Green Cape Lighthouse is also worth a look

Eden Killer Whale Museum Over the Victorian border Gippsland Lakes - Lakes Entrance Wilsons Promontory, the most southerly point of the Australian mainland Penguins at Phillip Island After this you will arrive in Melbourne, almost as large as Sydney and considered Australia's cultural capital.

Melbourne is considered Australia's cultural capital. Melbourne to Adelaide The road is still known as Princes Highway, following the coastline to Geelong from where you can opt for a scenic sidetrip along the Great Ocean Road. Otherwise the road goes straight to Warrnambool, follows the coast for more than half of the way to the state border, goes inland to Mount Gambier and then mostly follows the coast to Adelaide.  

The Great Ocean Road Adelaide to Perth The road is still known as Princes Highway for about 300 km up to Port Augusta, a town which is one of the most important road and rail junctions in all of Australia. From here you can get north through the Red Centre all the way to Darwin, east back to Sydney and west to Perth, where this itinerary is going. The section from Port Augusta to Norseman is called Eyre Highway, much of it being a long and lonely road. There are still some small towns and fenced farmlands on the South Australian side, but across the state border there is only wilderness. At some places the road goes passes near the Great Australian Bight, so close that fog may reach the road, creating dangerous driving conditions. The road also follows the southern edge of the vast Nullarbor Plain. Between Caiguna Roadhouse and Balladonia Roadhouse, there's the 90-mile-straight; an almost 150-km-long stretch of road without even one curve. From Norseman you can drive straight to Perth, but Highway 1 goes back south to the ocean and follows the South Coast Highway and South Western Highway to Perth.

Port Augusta, South Australia Perth to Darwin From the West Australian metropolis, the road goes north to Geraldton, mostly inland. From here on the road is known as the North West Coastal Highway, but it will still mostly go inland. As with most of Western Australia, towns are far between here, larger ones being Carnarvon, Karratha and Port Hedland. Just before the latter, the road will be joined by the Great Northern Highway, the inland shortcut from Perth. After the junction to Broome there is a stretch of 800 km through the Kimberley with no real towns until Kununurra. After this the road is renamed Victoria Highway and soon you will cross into the Northern Territory, followed by some 450 km of outback to Katherine. Here the highway actually divides itself in two: Stuart Highway to the north is the branch to Darwin; to the south you get further along the road if you want to skip Darwin and dig into the next big serving of desolate outback right away.

Atlantis Falls, Kimberley Darwin to Brisbane Backtrack along the Stuart Highway to Katherine and continue for about the same distance to the Hi-Way Inn Roadhouse. Now follows probably the roughest part of the whole itinerary; the Carpentaria Highway and Savannah Highway across tropical savannahs almost out to the east coast, then along the unpaved Savannah Way into Queensland. After Normanton the road is paved again, and road quality improves gradually when you get closer to the Cairns and the Pacific coast. From Cairns, the road, known as Pacific Coast Highway and Bruce Highway, follows the coast, providing access to the Great Barrier Reef, yet another one of Australia's famous natural attractions. Eventually, you will arrive in Brisbane, the last state capital on this journey. Cooroy, known as the "Heart of the Hinterland" Eumundi for its bi-annual markets

Bruce Highway (Highway One) to Cooroy Brisbane to Sydney Back in the populated part of the country, the Pacific Highway along the coast passes the surf and beach destinations south of Brisbane and the Hunter Valley wine region. Beware that this is actually one of the most dangerous roads in all of Australia: Despite being a busy road, a large part of it is still two-lane highway with many twisty sections.

Hunter Valley Wine Country Tasmania The road connecting Devonport (where the ferries from the mainland arrive) to Launceston and Hobart is also a branch of Highway 1.

The ferry Spirit of Tasmania connects mainland Australia to Tasmania There are many ways to set up your car for a long-haul, often off-road trip, but here is how Catherine and David did it. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_1_(Australia) http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/highway-one/2011/12/highway-one-worlds-greatest-road-trip https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Highway_1_(Australia) Read the full article