Victor is a very busy man, working two jobs, neither paid. He sees lots of films, plays, performances and travels often, within Australia and overseas. Yet he set aside his day off, Thursday, to show us some sights. How kind people of the internet have been, people who gone on to become friends. He collected us at our hotel at 10.30 and we crossed the bridge to the northern shores. Our first stop was Bradleys Head, a wonderful spot. We had seen it from our cruise the day before. It was so nice there, we wished we brought along a picnic lunch and a thermos. The weather was divine, sunny and warm but not hot. Bradleys Head was once a fortification.
This is a mast from HMAS Sydney.
Ah, across the shore is the building where Victor lives.
This is as good as time as any to bring this up. ABC local radio Sydney is very different to ABC local radio Melbourne. ABC Melbourne between 8.30 is quite hard hitting, with local, national and international matters discussed at quite speed by perhaps ABC's local radio senior broadcaster, Jon Faine. ABC Sydney local radio is so different, hosted by the quite lovely, funny and very clever Wendy Harmer. Instead of as in Melbourne between 8.30 and 9.00, Wendy was lightweight, with discussion of Sydney's jacaranda trees in bloom and brush turkeys. They have come into Sydney of late, like the Bin Chickens did some years ago, aka Ibis.They cause havoc in people's gardens and are becoming a pest. I did laugh when a radio caller in said to spray them with a water pistol to get rid of them, and Wendy responded, no, that does not work. She knew as her own garden had been invaded. Brush turkeys are native birds, so can't be easily dealt with as they are protected. Here is a brush turkey.
Maybe you have worked out that that this is the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
This column came from the original demolished Sydney Post Office. Doric, is it?
The brush turkey is an interesting looking bird, but it is invading.
Ah, did I mention the view of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
Train tracks out onto the pier, perhaps for the supply of provisions of whatever force was resident there.
Just such a beautiful spot.
Bradleys Head light.
Kookaburra was not sitting in an old gum tree.
We reluctantly left Bradleys Head and went on to Manly.
We had a nice lunch here.
This photo is not one to click on. It is terribly bad, but what a monster of a tree.
I had mentioned to Victor that I would like to see Fairfax Lookout. He had no idea where it was and nor did any of his friends. It was worked out that where I wanted to go was North Head, that is the northern side of the entrance to Sydney Harbour. Looking at South Head.
Black bull rushes. Interesting.
We went on to the old Quarantine Station. We had to be driven down to the site in a mini bus. Doesn't this little beach look so fabulous.
Things were moved around at the Quarantine Station by trains.
Oh, could this be an inclusion for an updated Loos with a View by Red Nomad?
Now, there was a discussion about whether this was a regular Sydney Ferry service or not and I don't remember the outcome.
The quarantine station was a place to isolate foreigners who arrived, in early days. Those with infectious diseases, Cyclone Tracy victims, and the Vietnamese War baby orphan lift babies. You could not help but feel some sadness. Victor as a government employee visited the quarantine station in an official capacity often.
Pile your luggage onto trains that will ride into these autoclaves. Your luggage will be steam heated by the boiler to 46 degrees, 115 for you foreign folk, and all nasties will be killed.
These are called the funicular stairs as once a funicular travelled up the steep hill.
The boiler chimney. It was very quiet with few people around. We knew the site offers accommodation, but no one was staying. There was a decent sized restaurant. We waited for quite some time for the mini bus to return to collect us, and then we found where all the people were, sprinkled all over the large site. There were holidaying people along with two day work conference people. It hosts weddings etc. Quite interesting. You can see some more here.