Week 7
Took a
drive to the Central Coast this week just a couple of hours north of
Sydney. My destination was Pearl Beach
but after driving up the Pacific motorway my first stop was at the Koolewong
Foreshore Reserve which is located between West Gosford and Woy Woy along a
stretch of waterfront on Brisbane Water Drive.
Koolewong
Foreshore Reserve stretches along 700 metres of foreshore beside the calm
waters of Brisbane Waters on the Central Coast of NSW. It is a pleasant day
rest area with parking and several boat rampsKoolewong. It is southeast of Kariong and west of
Tascott. It has an elevation of 194
metres, and is near to Parry Park and Brisbane Water National Park.
Situated along the water’s edge of the Reserve is the
internationally recognised public art installation IMAG_NE which features large Scrabble letter pieces which spell out
the word “IMAGINE” with a space
where the second “I” would be. The
idea is to get members of the community to put themselves in the picture where
the missing I is. The artwork was installed on the waterfront by its creator,
Australian visual artist and creative producer Emma Anna.
I drove on through Woy
Woy, fully intending to stop here on my return.
I headed on through fabulous scenery until I stopped on the edge of Brisbane Water National Pasrkto take in these
spectacular views of the ocean looking over local beaches in the bay towards Lion
Island and the lighthouse at Barrenjoey Head. Around the corner facing out to the ocean is
Palm Beach, the most northerly of Sydney's northern beaches
I then drove on down to Pearl Beach and was blown away. True to it's name, Pearl Beach is a 'Gem'
located on the Western Shoreline, sharing the Peninsula with nearby Patonga.
Residences have been constructed to blend with the local vegetation which, over
the years, has been maintained mostly in its original pristine condition. The
result is that the appearance to the visitor is one of bushland with houses,
rather than the expected opposite.mThe area is home or a weekend retreat for
many of Sydney's media personalities. Pearl Beach is a wide, expansiove beach
with rock outcrop at either end. It also
features a popular Ocean Rock Pool perfect for safe swimming
Next visit was just a few miles along the coast to Patonga. Patonga is a
sleepy fishing village located at the southern end of the Central Coast. On
entering town, to the north you will find the local boat ramp with local
fishing boats anchored just of the beach. Patonga Beach is in pristine
condition in every sense of the word. The beach is unpatrolled but due to the
lack of swell, is a great place for families to swim, play or have a picnic.
This is where you might come across the local pelican population. While there a
couple of boats beached themselves and the occupants headed over the road to
the Patonga Beach Hotel for refreshments.You can catch a ferry from here to
Palm Beach or do a spot of fishing from Patonga wharf.
At the southern end of the beach is Patonga Creek. This inlet
is a terrific spot for young children to splash around. Follow the northern
bank around to the local caravan and camping park - Patonga Camping Area.
Facilities include electric bbq's, amenities block with toilets, showers &
laundry, boat ramp and tennis courts for hire.
On my return to Sydney I stopped in Woy Woy Set on a beautiful inlet, Woy Woy is a gateway to the
gorgeous beaches, waterways and national parks on the splendid Central Coast of
NSW. It is possible to explore the
picture-postcard coastline around Woy Woy on a scenic ferry tour.
Woy has been a popular
destination since the railway arrived from Sydney in 1889 after construction of
the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge. Today you can hop on a Central Coast-bound
train at Central Station and in 70 minutes alight in Woy Woy. A short walk from
the train station is the Woy Woy Wharf, where Central Coast Ferries operates a
regular ferry service to Saratoga, Davistown and Empire Bay. The scenic round
trip takes about an hour and travels across the sparkling waterways of Brisbane
Water and the Cockle Channel.
Near the Woy Woy Wharf can be found the delicious cuisine of
the Woy Woy Fishermen’s Wharf restaurant, with views over the water to pretty
Pelican Island. This is where I stopped to eat whilst taking in the sweeping
views of Brisbane Water. After eating
here I wandered around the surrounding area enjoying the magnificent vistas of
the waterway and Brisbane Water National Park.
On Wednesday Alfie and I met up with a friend from New
Zealand, Andrew Clemmett. We met for a
few beers in the Orient Hotel in the Rocks in Sydney, where Alfie only stayed
for a few as he was on his way home after working in Melbourne all day. Andrew and I stayed on in the pub all night
watching live cricket from India on the TVs and we had an enjoyable evening
catching up on events since our last time in Cardiff a couple of years ago.
Friday night was Opera night again. Amy and I went to see Salome at the Opera
House. We started off with bubbly in the
Lounge, thanks to Etihad and then had a pre-performance meal in the Overture
dining room. This was new to us and was really
good. We sat on a table overlooking the harbor
with splendid views taking in all the bustle of crafts coming and going. We were served a lovely three course meal and
dined at leisure before taking our seats
in the circle for our first viewing of this opera.
Salome is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss. The
libretto is Hedwig Lachmann's German translation of the French play Salomé by
Oscar Wilde, edited by the composer. Strauss dedicated the opera to his friend
Sir Edgar Speyer who was an American-born financier and philanthropist. He
became a British subject in 1892 and was chairman of Speyer Brothers, the
British branch of the Speyer family's international finance house, and a
partner in the German and American branches. He was chairman of the Underground
Electric Railways Company of London from 1906 to 1915, a period during which
the company opened three underground railway lines, electrified a fourth and took
over two more..
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| Richard Strauss |
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| Cartoon of Sir Edgar Speter |
Lise Lindstrom is riveting as Salome, finding fragility and
nuance in a role that demands a powerhouse voice and gifted actress.
Then what a way to finish off the week. Up in the early hours of Sunday morning to watch Wales defeat Ireland to win the Grand Slam for the 3rd time with Warren Gatland as coach. So Proud.
