Dean's Travels

Day 88 - 9th July

Sydney city to Woolongong

Distance Travelled - 184 km

Woke up after a somewhat refreshing sleep albeit not as long as I would have liked. The sounds of traffic passing me and people running or cycling past the car woke me just before 6 am. Stayed rugged up under the sleeping bag until 6.30 am and then got up to do some sunrise photography at Macquarie Lighthouse.

Walked up to the lighthouse and spent some time there taking photos in a lacklustre sunrise before heading off to find some of the other lighthouses.

Went back to Watsons Bay and photographed the two wedding cake lighthouses as they are called which mark the western and eastern entrances to the harbour. Then went off to try and find the Robertson Point lighthouse that I was struggling to locate definite information on. Talked to a few people but between us we couldn't figure out exactly where it was.

Decided to go and try and find the Vaucluse Bay front and rear lights which are, from the photos I have seen on the net, Rapunzel tower type structures built on normal houses. The information I had from the internet said they were best viewed, or located at, 12 and 88 Wentworth Street respectively. Found that street and drove up and down, walked up and down and all around and could find nothing that even resembled them. Talked to people working around the area and they had no idea either. Eventually decided to leave them unphotographed and moved on.

Went back into the fearful Sydney traffic and crossed to the other side of the harbour to go to Parriwi and Grotto Point. Found Parriwi ok and took a quick photo and then went to find Grotto Point. Found that location without too much difficulty and enjoyed the 20 minute walk down to the lighthouse and back, winding through bushland on a relatively well defined track. Took a few photos and came back. Set off to try and locate Robertson Point which was eventually revealed as normally known as Cremorne Point.

Drove there and walked the 3 km to the end of the headland to a spot known, funnily as, Robertsons Point. Took a few snaps of the lighthouse and walked back to the car. Once again it was a very pleasant walk. After getting back to the car went through the list of lighthouses and ticked off the ones I had photographed. I had missed the Vaucluse Bay front and rear and Fort Denison which is a small island in the middle of the harbour - a tad difficult to get to without a ferry ride - and that was it. Happy to leave it like that I made the decision to leave Sydney and head to Woolongong.

The drive to Wollongong was not too bad although all on highways. Got to the harbour and took a few photos of the two lighthouses in the harbour and then rang Norm Tarrant to see if I could visit him. Got the ok to go and see him so headed off to his place. Spent about an hour and a half there talking to him and his daughter-in-law before getting ready to leave. Just as I was about to I was invited to stay the night at Michael and Gai's place which was really nice to receive.

Came around and talked for a while and then was fed a very nice pasta for tea before lots more chatting about camping and travelling. Spent the rest of the night writing blogs and sorting photos and thinking about travel plans for the next few days and the start of the side trip into Canberra and surrounding areas.