Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Walk
Oct. 3rd, 2016 09:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
khiemtranCome with me this week on the Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Walk. One of Sydney's great treasures are her walking trails, some of which are quite famous. This walk features both spectacular city views and natural beauty spots that may make you think you're in the middle of nowhere. Plus, being Sydney, there'll be plenty of expensive houses to look at, and lots of cafes at regular intervals.
We'll start off by catching a ferry from Circular Quay. If we're lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a New Zealand fur seal on the steps of the Opera House.
The ferry will take us directly to Taronga Zoo wharf, where we can begin our walk.
To the right, lie the beaches of Athol bay, where we're planning a sailing expedition next week. Would you like to come?
The zoo entrance. If you've got time, you can duck in here for a look. We're in for a long walk though, so it might be best to save your legs.
As we walk along, keep you eyes peeled for local wildlife. And don't forget to check the canopy above you for birds.
First stop is Athol Hall, once one of a string of pleasure gardens along the lower north shore, now a function centre and cafe.
Next up is Bradley's Head. That grey tower is the mast of the original HMAS Sydney, a light cruiser (and one-time flagship of the Royal Australian Navy), that famously battled and sank a German raider, the Emden, in the First World War. Bradley's Head is now a memorial site for all Australian navy ships and sailors and there are plaques for ship lost at sea.
A close-up of the mast.
On the other side of Bradley's Head lies Taylor's Bay, a sheltered little cove that's another candidate for a sailing (or paddling) adventure.
Walking through this section, it's difficult to believe we're in the heart of a massive city.
Moored boats in Taylor's Bay. Note that they're all pointing in different directions. That's a clue that the wind is swirling around inside the cove. The wind is actually very strong (force six at least) out in the harbour, but Taylor's Bay is well sheltered by Bradley's Head.
On now to Chowder Bay, where we'll probably spot some Australian brush turkeys. These are actually fairly recent colonists in Sydney, being one of the species that prosper in urban and suburban environments.
By the time we reach Chowder Bay, we'll be ready for some refreshments, so let's stop at that cafe across from the beach (the small brown building on the lower left). At those public baths in the foreground, you can see seahorses and rays. When we were there, we saw two big fish (or rays) swimming past, and later, while we were leaving the cafe, we saw something very big under the jetty, and the kids fishing on the board walk jumping in excitement. Most likely it was a big ray, but we were too far away to tell for sure.
Next stop, Georges Head, where we can explore some of the fortifications that used to guard the harbour.
This maps shows the fields of fire of the different batteries.
Above Georges Heads, the heights contain the odd mix of a defence base and an artists colony.
After a steep descent, we're down on the other side of the peninsular and facing Middle Harbour. Balmoral at last!
What better way to celebrate, than with some of Sydney's best fish and chips..
We'll start off by catching a ferry from Circular Quay. If we're lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a New Zealand fur seal on the steps of the Opera House.
The ferry will take us directly to Taronga Zoo wharf, where we can begin our walk.
To the right, lie the beaches of Athol bay, where we're planning a sailing expedition next week. Would you like to come?
The zoo entrance. If you've got time, you can duck in here for a look. We're in for a long walk though, so it might be best to save your legs.
As we walk along, keep you eyes peeled for local wildlife. And don't forget to check the canopy above you for birds.
First stop is Athol Hall, once one of a string of pleasure gardens along the lower north shore, now a function centre and cafe.
Next up is Bradley's Head. That grey tower is the mast of the original HMAS Sydney, a light cruiser (and one-time flagship of the Royal Australian Navy), that famously battled and sank a German raider, the Emden, in the First World War. Bradley's Head is now a memorial site for all Australian navy ships and sailors and there are plaques for ship lost at sea.
A close-up of the mast.
On the other side of Bradley's Head lies Taylor's Bay, a sheltered little cove that's another candidate for a sailing (or paddling) adventure.
Walking through this section, it's difficult to believe we're in the heart of a massive city.
Moored boats in Taylor's Bay. Note that they're all pointing in different directions. That's a clue that the wind is swirling around inside the cove. The wind is actually very strong (force six at least) out in the harbour, but Taylor's Bay is well sheltered by Bradley's Head.
On now to Chowder Bay, where we'll probably spot some Australian brush turkeys. These are actually fairly recent colonists in Sydney, being one of the species that prosper in urban and suburban environments.
By the time we reach Chowder Bay, we'll be ready for some refreshments, so let's stop at that cafe across from the beach (the small brown building on the lower left). At those public baths in the foreground, you can see seahorses and rays. When we were there, we saw two big fish (or rays) swimming past, and later, while we were leaving the cafe, we saw something very big under the jetty, and the kids fishing on the board walk jumping in excitement. Most likely it was a big ray, but we were too far away to tell for sure.
Next stop, Georges Head, where we can explore some of the fortifications that used to guard the harbour.
This maps shows the fields of fire of the different batteries.
Above Georges Heads, the heights contain the odd mix of a defence base and an artists colony.
After a steep descent, we're down on the other side of the peninsular and facing Middle Harbour. Balmoral at last!
What better way to celebrate, than with some of Sydney's best fish and chips..
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2016-10-03 08:48 am (UTC)Turkeys! You have turkeys!
no subject
Date: 2016-10-03 09:18 am (UTC)Brush turkeys aren't that closely related to American turkeys (or confusingly, to "bush turkeys" which we also have). The ones on the north shore tend to be quite confident around humans and they'll come up quite close to picnic groups looking for food.
From the first photo
Date: 2016-10-03 01:51 pm (UTC)Re: From the first photo
Date: 2016-10-03 06:59 pm (UTC)That stretch of water used to be used for speed trials, so maybe the pillar is hoping the speed boats will come back again. Or maybe it just hopes that nobody hits the rocks...
Re: From the first photo
Date: 2016-10-03 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-05 03:56 am (UTC)The brilliant green ferns and the clear waters of Taylor's Bay are so inviting!
... And have I ever mentioned that there's an Athol in Massachusetts? It's a little north of where we are.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-05 07:34 am (UTC)Taylor's Bay is also a fascinating secret place. Most Sydneysiders could reel off the names of the most expensive waterfront suburbs, but I'm guessing hardly anyone would have heard of Taylor's Bay. Yet, there were houses, probably worth a few scallion dollars, with their own magical views of water and still within a short commute of the cbd.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-05 03:17 pm (UTC)Atholl meaning "New Ireland" probably is *not* related to the word atoll meaning a ring of islands. In fact, Merriam-Webster tells me that the latter word comes from "Divehi (Indo-Aryan language of the Maldive Islands) atolu"
no subject
Date: 2016-10-05 06:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-05 06:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-05 07:28 pm (UTC)