Tasmania - Sydney

This trip over 3 weeks to Tasmania and Sydney was not all about birding, but visiting friends as well. We did manage to do some birding each day, even if it was in suburbia. We had seen all the endemic bird species on our last trip to Tasmania in 2007, so there was no pressure to chase birds. However it was nice to catch up with birds we had not seen for 17 years and visit places we had missed out on as well on that visit 

21/2/23

We travelled down to Cairns a day early to avoid any flooding issues as it is now our "Wet Season". Flooding events can cut the access roads to Cairns. On our way to check out the Cairns Esplanade for shorebirds we saw the cruise ship Queen Elizabeth berthed at the wharf so had to stop for a few photos.

 

 This Striated Heron was also having a look!

We stayed with friends in Cairns overnight, socialising and having a nice evening meal.

22/2/23

We woke early at 5.30 am to get organised again before having a shower, coffee and breakfast. Said farewell to our friends and headed to Betta Parking to drop off the car and get transferred to the airport. Plenty of time before the flight so had a coffee and some sushi to keep us going, whilst catching up on the internet. 

Cairns Airport

Boarded our plane to Melbourne and had a spare seat next to us - bonus! We had good views of Melbourne whist we were approaching the airport as we were sitting on the right side of the aircraft.

Suburban Melbourne

Melbourne City

Arrived in Melbourne OK and had some time to kill before the Hobart flight. Wandered around the terminal to find a coffee shop, but they were in short supply and finally found one attached to a grog bar. Pretty ordinary coffee. Got on our plane (Boeing 717) for the short flight to Hobart. Flying over the centre of Tasmania highlighted the drier interior of the island.

The Drier Tasmanian Interior

We arrived in Hobart and were lucky to get one of our suitcases first off the plane with the other one not far behind. Sorted out the paperwork for the hire car, including extra insurance. Got the car we ordered, a Nissan X-Trail which was red. Drove through Hobart to get to Kingston across the Tasman Bridge.

Tasman Bridge on the way to Hobart

We found our friends Ruth and Richard’s house and settled in before getting organised for the next days birwatching trip with Birdlife Tasmania.

Map of our travels

23/2/23

We were up early at 6.40 am to get ready for the Birdlife Tasmania field trip at Truganini Reserve. We had breakfast and found our way over to the reserve, where we met the group at the Grange Picnic Area Car Park. Then walked along the Bushland Track, which follows Cartwright Creek and eventually ends up at the Mt. Nelson Signal Station. It was a steep climb in places, but as is usual when birding our pace was very slow so we turned around part way along the track. There were many birds along here and, being with the locals, we were able to refresh our memories of Tasmanian birds quickly. The endemic birds we saw were Green Rosella, Yellow-throated, Black-headed and Strong-billed Honeyeater, Tasmanian Thornbill, Tasmanian Scrubwren. In addition there were Spotted Pardalote, Brown Thornbill, Grey Currawong and Forest Raven, Bird List. Back at the car park we had a coffee at the mobile food caravan and swapped stories. A good start to our trip, thanks to the Tasmanian Birdlife Group.

Birding along the Bushland Track

Bushland Track

Grange Picnic Area Car Park, Coffee Caravan

 

After lunch we headed into Kingston, where we organised a parks pass. It was cheaper to get a Seniors Annual All Parks Pass ($36.56) than a regular short term pass.

24/2/23

After breakfast we headed off to Peter Murrell Reserves to go walking and birding. A cool start soon warmed up as the morning progressed. We saw some more good birds along the tracks and in a couple of lagoons. Interesting birds seen and new trip ticks were Chestnut Teal, Black Duck, Kelp Gull, Eurasian (Common) Coot, Rainbow Lorikeet, Yellow and Little Wattlebird, New Holland Honeyeater, Black Swan, Brush Bronzewing, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Dusky Woodswallow, Grey Currawong and Grey Butcherbird. Bird List

Tasmanian Native-hen

Forest Raven

Dusky Woodswallow

One of the Lagoons on the Reserve

We did not see any Forty-spotted Pardalote in the White Gum this time, like we did on our previous visit. That sighting was memorable as it was Lindsay's 600 Australian bird seen. 

We spent nearly 2 hours here before heading off to the nearby Bunnings to have a coffee with a piece of raisin toast. In the afternoon we drove up to Mt. Wellington with Ruth and Richard along the winding narrow road. The weather was perfect, 28ºC and sunny with no wind. We took a few scenic shots at the top including a phone photo for three Texan ladies who were on holiday. Drove back down the road without incident. 

View of Hobart from Mt. Wellington

Summit of Mt. Wellington

25/2/23

We headed  into Hobart after a cooked breakfast - egg, bacon, tomatoes and toast - an infrequent treat! Our friends advised us to park in Woolworths multi-story car park and walk to the Salamanca waterfront and the market as there is no chance of parking in the street. Wandered around with the crowds, which were swelled by 800 passengers off a cruise liner. Another one due to arrive later in the week was bigger with 5,000 on board, good job we missed that one!

Salamanca Market

Then walked into town and visited a bookshop where we bought a copy of “The Compact Australian Bird Guide” as a handy field guide to keep in the car. 

Hobart Street Scene

We then drove out of town and up to the Mt. Nelson Signal Station. We decided to get something to eat in the café, but found out it was The Signal Station Restaurant with big meals, not exactly what we wanted. By now we were seated and ended up ordering a couple of pizzas and had a wait of 45 minutes. Not impressed, however the pizzas were very good and huge. Took what we could not eat away for tomorrows dinner. Bird List

Signal Station Restaurant

26/2/23

A leisurely start to the morning before we headed of south towards Margate, where we stopped to visit the Inverawe Native Gardens situated alongside North-west Bay. They have a species list of 110 birds including the 12 Tasmanian endemics on this property, but most were hiding on our visit! Had a wander around this rather quirky garden for 1hr 20 minutes checking out the plants and birds. Most bird action was in the North-west Bay with a few shorebirds on it, but most were too far away to identify, wished we had our scope. We could see Tasmanian Native-hen, White-faced Heron, Pied Oystercatcher, Australian Pelican, Little Pied Cormorant and Kelp Gull. The plants were interesting and obviously a lot of work has gone into transforming this block. Lindsay managed a photo of a Tasmanian Pademelon with her new camera. Bird List. North-west Bay Bird List

Tasmanian Pademelon

Inverawe Native Gardens overlooking North-west Bay

Continued on to Snug (great name), Kettering, Flowerpot and Gordon, where we had our coffee in the car, whilst the rain came down. The weather continued to be overcast with intermittent showers developing into rain as we drove around the peninsular to Cygnet, Woodstock and Huonville on the Channel Highway. Pulled over at at Ladysmith Park on the left side of the highway, just past the Boatshed Café on the outskirts of Huonville for lunch. There is a shelter here, which got us out of the rain and public toilet plus a nice view of the Huon River, when the rain eased off. Nice spot to eat our left over pizzas from yesterdays lunch. Bird List

Huonville Park

After lunch we went into town stopping at Banjo’s bakery and café for a coffee and a custard tart. Continued south to Dover, where we stopped beside a jetty and logged a few birds down. Black Swan, Little Pied Cormorant, Pacific Gull and  Sooty Oystercatcher. Bird List

Dover Jetty

Sooty Oystercatcher

Then onto Southport, still in the rain, where we investigated the beach area, which had a few birds including 17 Pied Oystercatcher and two Masked Lapwing on it. Then went back to the Southport Hotel, where we booked into our unit for the night.

Pied Oystercatcher

Masked Lapwing (Black-shouldered)

27/2/23

Up to a reasonable day, cool and not raining. Had breakfast and packed up then drove down to Cockle Creek, the furthest south you can drive in Australia. The last 35 minute section of road was unsealed, rain filled potholes, narrow and windy.

Cockle Creek Road

We reached Cockle Creek car park next to the closed Visitor Centre - Ranger Station and had a coffee to warm us up.

Cockle Creek Visitor Centre - Ranger Station

We took the walk to the Southern Right Whale sculpture and saw a few birds along the way including Pacific Gull, Tasmanian Thornbill, Grey Fantail, lots of Forest Raven, Silvereye and Yellow-throated Honeyeater. Bird List

Cockle Creek Inlet

Cockle Creek Beach

Cockle Creek Sign

Southern Right Whale Sculpture

Pacific Gull

Tasmanian Thornbill

There are quite a few shacks along the road.

Cockle Creek Shack

We drove back to the main sealed road and headed to Dover, where we stopped for lunch overlooking the bay. Lots of Black Swan (25), Little-Pied and Black-faced Cormorant plus a couple of Sooty Oystercatcher. Bird List. 

Sooty Oystercatcher

From here we drove to Huonville, where we had coffee and cake at the Boatshed Café beside the Huon River; this where the Huon Jet Boat departs from. 

Boatshed Café

Silver Gull ever hopeful for a handout

Huon River beside the Boatshed Cafe

It was then a drive along the A6 back to Hobart to get organised for tomorrows drive to Launceston.

28/2/23

Started off at 9.00am heading into Hobart and navigated the city before getting on Highway 1 north towards Launceston. Slowly lost most of the traffic in the suburbs and had an easy run, stopping at Bagdad to refuel. Turned off Highway 1 at Melton Mowbray (love all these English names!) and took the A5 to Bothwell, where we stopped to have morning coffee. We then discovered we had left the Thermos Flask behind at our friends house, so we had to buy a coffee at the service station. Continued along the A5 until we reached Miena, where we stopped at the Great Lakes dam. Took the 250m track to see John Beamonts grave and memorial and only saw a couple of Yellow-faced Honeyeater along the way.

John Beamont Grave - Memorial

Just as we were pulling away from here we heard a shout and a guy came running up to us to ask if we had left a pair of binoculars on the picnic table. Lindsay had left hers there and was lucky to get them back. Continued in the gloomy overcast weather for a stop at Liawenee boat ramp for lunch in the car. Only had a couple of Yellow-throated Honeyeater and 7 Forest Ravens here in a 20 minute count, better visibility through the misty rain might have helped seeing more. From here the weather got worse and before long we found ourselves in the dense low cloud as we were going along the windy road. As we dropped down the cloud gradually thinned out and we could see where we were going! Had a stop at Deloraine for a coffee before the last leg into Launceston. A few showers persisted, but we drove into the town and found our friends place, where we were staying for a few nights.

1/3/23

Awake to a sunshine and the prospect of a 23ºC day, so we set off with our friend Judy for the Tamar Island Wetland Centre. Stopped at the National Park Information Centre before setting out along the various tracks and boardwalks taking us through several inlets and lagoons. Plenty of waterfowl mainly Black Swan, Silver Gull, Chestnut Teal with a few Grey Teal, Australian Shelduck and Australian Wood-Duck. Other birds included Little Black and Little Pied Cormorant, Crested Tern, an immature White-breasted Sea-Eagle, Pacific Gull, Black-faced Dotterel and a lone Yellow Spoonbill. 

National Park Information Centre

Tamar Island Habitat

Chestnut Teal and Pacific Black Duck

Crested Tern, Silver Gull, Pacific Gull

Pacific Gull

Pacific Gull

Black Swan

It was not all about the birds, you have to be careful and watch where you step as there are snakes around including these two highly venomous Lowland Copperhead that were just off the foot path hiding in the grass. These snakes have a preference for low vegetation near water hunting for lizards, frogs and other snakes including smaller Lowland Copperheads.

Lowland Copperhead

Spent just over 2 hours here and could have spent more time to explore this extensive area. Bird List.

By now it was lunch time so we headed off to nearby Legana for lunch at a café. From here we went to Notely Fern Gorge State Reserve, located near the Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania. This is an ancient rainforest with tall trees, ferns and moss. Here we followed the track descending through fern glades including stands of Tree Fern Dickensonia antarctica, until we reached the bottom, where there was still some water flowing along the creek. 

Notely Fern Gorge Walking Track

Then it was a steep walk, all uphill to the Car Park. Pretty quiet for birds, but did see both Tasmanian Scrubwren and Tasmanian Thornbill as well as heard Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo and Grey Butcherbird. We drove back through Bridgeport and Launceston to our base. 

2/3/23

Our friend Judy took us on another guided tour of the area, showing us areas we had not been to before. We started out by driving through Launceston and heading along the eastern side of the Tamar River towards Low Head. We took a side trip to Bell Bay to check out the Aluminium Plant and saw a Wedge-tailed Eagle circling overhead. 

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Continued on to Low Head Lighthouse via George Town. 

Low Head Lighthouse

Plenty of European Starling, Silver Gull and House Sparrow, also European Blackbird and an Australian Magpie around this area. 

Australian Magpie Ssp. Hypoleuca

Retraced our tracks and crossed the Batman Bridge to Beaconsfield, which became famous for the mine site, where two miners were rescued after 14 days trapped underground. Bought some rolls and sandwiches at the local bakery before heading to Beauty Point where Judy used to live. Checked out the maritime ships moored here for training purposes. 

Beauty Point Marina

From here we went to Kelso, where we found plenty of birds along the shoreline, Black Swan, Silver Gull, both Pied and Sooty Oystercatcher, Masked Lapwing plus Grey Fantail and Scarlet Robin. Bird List.

Pied Oystercatcher

Next stop Greens Beach for lunch, found a picnic shelter with a roof for shade against the sun. Then onto Badger Beach Lookout, where we had great views along the coast, but were nearly blown off the cliffs! This area is part of the Narawntapu National Park. 

Badger Beach Lookout

Badger Beach

We walked down the track towards Badger Beach through the rocky heath vegetation.

Track To Badger Beach

Beside the track down to the beach was a small rocky outcrop, where we found a couple of Spotted Snow Skink foraging.

Spotted Snow Skink Carinascincus ocellatus

We then retraced our tracks to cross the Batman Bridge again and headed back to our base at Launceston.

3/3/23

We said farewell to our friends before driving into Launceston and out the other side to go north. We travelled to Exeter, where we turned off to Latrobe. Arrived in Latrobe looking for access to a park marked on the map, but failed to find it so we parked up in town and had a coffee at Banjos. We left town for Bells Parade and Pig Island on the outskirts of Latrobe, which is situated in the Mersey River.

Bridge to Pig Island

Pig Island Walking Track

We walked around the island and had a few good birds, photographed an immature Grey Shrikethrush Ssp. strigata, immature Superb Fairy-wren Ssp. cyaneus and Olive Whistler Ssp. apatetes plus a few introduced birds, Common Blackbird and Mallard were also around. Bird List.

Grey Shrikethrush Ssp. strigata

Superb Fairy-wren Ssp. cyaneus - Immature male

Olive Whistler Ssp. apatetes

Olive Whistler Ssp. apatetes

We had lunch in the adjacent park before driving alongside the Mersey River to Devonport and onto Mersey Bluff. Drove up to the Mersey Bluff Lighthouse overlooking an offshore rock outcrop, where there was 18 Black-faced Cormorant perched on it.

Mersey Bluff Lighthouse

 

Mersey Bluff Security Guards!

Back at the car park we found the security guards looking after our car!

Then headed back through Devonport and on to our destination at Eugenana, where we had booked a cabin for two days at the Lakeside Tourist Caravan Park.

Cabin

Very comfortable accommodation.

4/3/23

We heard a Tasmania Boobook (owl) during the night and awoke to a dry sunny day and began with a walk around the park. Birds were more active this morning than yesterday afternoon with some Yellow-tail Black-Cockatoo flying over, Tasmanian Thornbill and Grey Butcherbird foraging on the edge of the park. Bird List.

After breakfast we went to the adjacent 66 acre Tasmanian Arboretum, which is 12 kilometres south of Devonport. We spent 2½ hrs walking various tracks through many different habitats and saw 29 bird species. These included immature Fan-tail Cuckoo, Dusky Robin and a pair of Eurasian Coot with 6 juveniles in Founders Lake. Bird List.

Fan-tail Cuckoo - Immature

Fan-tail Cuckoo - Immature

Dusky Robin

Dusky Robin

Eurasian Coot with chicks

Eurasian Coot chicks

Also had at least 4 Platypus in Founders Lake.

Platypus

Went back to the Arboretum in the late afternoon, but not so much action as there was in the morning with 21 species. Only one new bird from this mornings list, Welcome Swallow flying over Founders Lake. Spent some time in the bird hide as the weather looked threatening, but only a few spits. A raft in the lake was a resting place for various wildfowl including Chestnut Teal, Hardhead, Australian Wood Duck and Australian Shelduck. Bird List.

Bird Hide at Founders Lake

Bird Hide at Founders Lake

Waterfowl on the raft

Had a few showers of rain in the evening

5/3/23

Heavy showers during the night, with one crack of thunder, but it had stopped by the morning which was grey and overcast. As were were leaving we saw some birds flying around the park entrance, so we stopped. There were a group of Green Parrot and some New Holland Honeyeater foraging in the trees. Good looks at the parrots which were low down, but moving around, so no photos. We then continued on the road back to Latrobe before heading North-west to Narawntapu National Park. First stop was the parks information/Ranger Station, where we were told that the once plentiful Wombat population was no more. The population here has been wiped out by a parasitic mite driven disease called Sarcoptic Mange.

Parks information/Ranger Station

We got a map and some wildlife info from one of the rangers. Then we set off for the walk to the bird hide through the camp ground, but did not get far as we bumped into Marilyn, a friend from our bird lodge days, small world, what a surprise - we last saw Marilyn at Bowra Station near Cunnamulla. Marilyn was over from her home base in Victoria. So we had some chatting to catch up with before we continued onto the bird hide.

Boardwalk To Hide

View From Hide

One of the first birds we saw was a female Musk Duck. 

Musk Duck - female

Musk Duck - female

Plenty of other waterbirds on the lagoon along with Forester Kangaroo and Tasmanian Pademelon around the edges. 

Tasmanian Pademelon

We were swamped by 20 New Zealand tourists who invaded the hide. We put on our tour guide hat answering questions about the birds and kangaroos as they did not seem to have a guide with them. Went back to Marilyn’s caravan for a coffee before we headed off to find a Striated Fieldwren in a spot Marilyn had told us about. We found a couple and several large male Forester Kangaroo and Tasmanian Pademelon seeking out some shade.

Forester Kangaroo

Forester Kangaroo having a rest

Back for lunch with Marilyn and a few pictures of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo feeding nearby. An interesting bug flew in to have its photo taken, looks like a Shield Bug. Bird List.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Shield Bug?

Said farewell to Marilyn and headed off to Scottsdale with a stop at Exeter for an afternoon coffee and to pick up some information at the tourist information office. Then off along some winding roads, including one unsealed, until we reached our  B & B at Scottsdale just before 5.00pm. Met our host and settled into our room before going out for a couple of Hamburgers at the Loud Iron café. Bought a few food items at Woolworths, which was just across the road from the café, before walking back to the B&B. 

6/3/23

Loaded up the car before going for breakfast at 8.00. Plenty on offer, muesli, coffee and toast was our choice. From Scottsdale we headed across to Derby, the mountain bike capital of Tasmania, where there was lots of bikes, cafes and people. From here we climbed up the ranges into the rainforest, but could not find any stopping places so kept going until we found the turn off to Pyengana. Drove to the oval, where there is a free camp, to use the toilet. Then a further 7km to the end of the road to park up and go for a 500km walk down to St. Columba Falls, which was well worth the effort. 

Walk To The Falls

St. Columba Falls

From here we drove back to the Pyangana Cafe for a coffee and to watch the cows come into the automated milking shed, this cow was enjoying the backscratch They are all micro chipped and recorded as they go through the gate to the shed and come in when they know they need milking, clever cows!

Automated Milking Shed

Next stop was St. Helens to fuel up and visit St Helens Important Bird Area at Colchis Creek Mouth, where we watched birds in a gale, which was a challenge. Bird List. Found Kings Park nearby for a lunch stop, not very exciting, but there was a shelter with table and chairs. From here we continued on to Scamanda on the coast and our final destination, Bicheno, where we found our Hobart friends Ruth and Richard at their holiday shack. We were allocated their overflow caravan to sleep in. After a curry dinner we drove down to the blowhole to look for Little Penguin, unsuccessfully as it was the wrong time of year. However, it was nice sitting on the rocks watching the full moon rise up as the water shot out of the blowhole.

Bicheno At The Blowhole

7/3/23

Quite heavy rain and wind in the night, slow start to the morning. Then I locked the caravan key inside and had to break in to retrieve it. Repaired the window catch before we went to Douglas Aspley River National Park, just north of Bicheno and walked down to the river.

Walk To The River

Aspley River

Quiet for birds, probably because it was very windy, Brown Thornbill and Tasmanian Scrubwren of interest. Bird List.

In the late afternoon we drove down to the Lobster Shack, in Bicheno, with our friends and found a table inside out of the wind.

Plenty of people queuing, some for takeaways some for sit down. We ordered the meals, fish and chips, Calamari and salad and Lindsay had a Shack Pack, which was a mixture of seafood. Very good meals all round.

8/3/23

Some rain overnight with lots of wind, which had died down by the time we woke up. Went for a walk to Denison Beach in the Denison Rivulet Conservation Park.

Denison Beach

Had a few birds along here including Green Rosella and a flock of Silvereye in the beach vegetation and on the beach Pacific Gull and Pied Oystercatcher.  Bird List.

Pied Oystercatcher

Back at our friends shack a mini bird wave occurred with 3 Green Rosella, 3 Grey Shrikethrush, Yellow-throated Honeyeater, 2 Spotted Pardalote and 3 Common Starling.

Grey Shrikethrush - immature

After a big cooked breakfast we set off south until we reached Swansea, here we stopped for morning coffee at Swansea Beach Park alongside Saltwater Creek. We had our first Tasmanian Native-hen for a few days foraging in the park and about 20 Musk Lorikeet - first for trip. Bird List.

Then onto Triabunna, where the ferry goes to Maria Island. We parked up beside the wharf and went for a short walk to stretch our legs. Plenty of Silver Gulls hanging around the fish and chip shop looking for handouts and more Musk Lorikeets in the surrounding trees. Bird List.

Maria Island Ferry

Continued along the coast road winding our way south to Orford for lunch. Stopped at two uninspiring cafes who were most unhelpful in our quest to get a multigrain sandwich. The third café we tried was much more professional and we got our lunch, not multigrain, but a very fresh white bread roll. Finished lunch and found the nearby Orford Bird Sanctuary.

We found some good birds here, the best being 3 Hooded Plover, at a distance but still identifiable, Hoary-headed Grebe (trip tick), Caspian Tern, Brown Thornbill and Musk Lorikeet ( 3^rd sighting today). Bird List.

Hooded Plover

From Orford we continued on to Sorell and across a couple of causeways then to Hobart. Drove through Hobart in lots of traffic and saw the giant Ovation of the Seas cruise liner in port. This was the cruise liner we had been told to expect, it's maximum passenger capacity is 4,905, you won't find us on it! Lindsay managed a photo of part of it as we drove along the highway.

Ovation of the Seas

Then onto Kingston where we fuelled up and visited the car wash to get the hire car looking good. Back to our friends to get ready and to pack up for tomorrows early start for the second leg of our trip in Sydney.

9/3/23 - Sydney Experience

Up at 5.30am with a coffee and away before 6.00 am and headed for the airport, going back through Hobart, with the traffic, which at this time of day was not too bad. Made it to the airport in one piece and dropped off the car before booking in. Got a breakfast roll and coffee for an early morning snack before we boarded the plane and took off on time 8.45 am. Uneventful journey arriving in Sydney 10.30 am. Collected our luggage, when we managed to locate the pick up area and headed out to get our arranged taxi. Waited around and no sign of our taxi at the taxi rank, which we thought was a logical pick up place, but apparently prearranged taxis do not pick up outside the arrival terminal. With no instructions as to where the pick up was and everyone we asked telling us they didn't know we got a regular taxi to take us to our friends Pat and Pete’s place in Stanmore. We were greeted with a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit.

10/3/23

Up for breakfast muesli and fruit. Pete took us to the railway station, where we caught the train to Central Station and transferred onto the Light Rail.

Light Rail

This took us to Pyrmont, where the National Maritime Museum is. Had a walk around before getting a coffee in the adjacent Ripples Café, nice coffee. Then paid our entry fee of $20.00 (Seniors Rate) which allowed us to visit the exhibits on the water, first we investigated HMAS Onslow an Oberon class submarine, very cramped inside and very interesting. 

HMAS Onslow

HMAS Onslow Engine Room

HMAS Onslow Old School Valves

Next the Daring Class Destroyer HMAS Vampire,  

HMAS Vampire

Finally we boarded the replica of Captain Cook’s ship HMB Endeavour, this Australian-built vessel is one of the world's most accurate maritime replica vessels. It was interesting to see the cramped conditions on this boat. 

HMB Endeavour - replica

HMB Endeavour - Ships Bell and Ropes

HMB Endeavour - Dining Room

HMB Endeavour - Joseph Banks Room

Then we had a walk around the museum looking at the various displays, including several ships made from Lego and several boats representing Australia maritime achievements.

Batavia Lego Model

Then had lunch with friends Lee, who Keith known for 65 years, and his wife Jean at the Little Snail restaurant, excellent 3 course meal. 

Little Snail Restaurant

Had afternoon coffee at Ripples Café before getting a ferry to Circular Quay. Said our farewells here and then walked around to the Opera House and Botanic Gardens. Bird List Then returned to Circular Quay to catch a train back to Stanmore.

Circular Quay, Cruise Ship, Harbour Bridge and Opera House

Harbour Bridge

Sydney Opera House

11/03/23

Had a day sightseeing in Sydney, caught the train to Town Hall. Enjoyed walking around the shops, but didn't buy anything apart from lunch.

Sydney Town Hall

Tried to find a spare battery for Lindsay's Sony camera, but none of the four camera shops we visited had one, surprisingly.

George-Market Streets, Sydney

Walked back to Town Hall Station to get the train, which set off for Stanmore, but at Central Station it was changed to go to Olympic Park, so we had to get off. The problem was due to power lines coming down over the rail lines south of Sydney and causing chaos on the whole system. Two more promised trains to Stanmore came and went to different destinations. Another train on the adjacent platform, which was going to Olympic Park stopping at a few stations, was changed to stop at all stations including Stanmore. This messing around took nearly an hour, but eventually we were on the move slowly. Finally got back to our friends for a coffee and very nice Custard Tart from the local Portuguese baker at the Sweet Belem Cake Boutique.

12/3/23

Today were had arranged to go birding with friends who we got to know when we ran Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge and they stayed on several occasions. Off to the station to get the train to Epping via a change at Strathfield. Met Jenny and Rob at the station and they took us to Lane Cove National Park, where they found a Powerful Owl for us, plus Eastern Spinebill and Spotted Pardalote. Bird List.

Powerful Owl

Then we headed off to Scheyville National Park, near Windsor.

Threatened Species Poster

He we walked a couple of trails, best bird seen was an Eastern Shrike-Tit, others included Fuscous Honeyeater, Yellow Thornbill, Paperbark Flycatcher and White-throated Treecreeper. Bird List. Had lunch here and explored a nearby area, which had a small pond on it with a few birds, Australian Swamphen, Pacific Black-Duck, and Common Coot. Also found a Robber Fly and some paper wasps, which stung Jenny plus a Brown Snake that nearly got trodden on. Bird List. Jenny and Rob then took us back to Epping Station to catch the train back to Stanmore. Thanks for a great day out, Jenny and Rob.

Birding at Scheyville National Park

Robber Fly

Wasp

13/3/23

Our friends Pat and Pete took us out for a day sightseeing, heading south ending up in Kernel at the Kamay Botany Bay National Park. Here we went along the foreshore Burrawang Walk, stopping at "The Eyes of the Land and the Sea" sculpture by Alison Page and Nik Lachajczak, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the 1770 encounter between Aboriginal Australians and Lt James Cook's crew of the HMB Endeavour at Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Australia. This sculpture is an abstraction of the ribs of HMB Endeavour and the bones of the Gweagel totem the whale. A single Crested Tern flew past as we were admiring the sculpture.

The Eyes of the Land and the Sea sculpture

Crested Tern

Saw a few other birds along the way including a mixed flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Little Corella feeding in a fruiting fig tree. Also New Holland Honeyeater and Noisy Miner feeding in some flowering Banksia. Bird List.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Out to sea the oil tanker Golden Prelude headed into the Kurnell terminal, which is now a shadow of it's past, when a large oil refinery was located here. This closed in 2014 and is now an import terminal to supply imported fuel.

Golden Prelude

We continued along the Burrawang Walk checking out the interpretive signs depicting the history of the area, both Aboriginal and European. A few birds were sitting on some of the rock outcrops including this Black-faced Cormorant and Pied Oystercatcher.  Bird List

Pied Oystercatcher & Black-faced Cormorant

The track ends at a whale sculpture set on the rocks. More about the sculptures here. 

Whales Sculpture

Met a group of tourists from Taiwan and China here trying to walk around the rocky headland, but sensibly they turned around as it was too dangerous. Retraced our steps back towards the car and called in to the Kurnell 1770 Bakery café for a coffee and cake, very nice. Then headed of to another part of the park, Cape  Solander, where there is an interpretive area with signage and viewing platforms to look for whales on migration, but unfortunately not this time of year. Met our new Chinese and Taiwanese friends again, having lunch, so stopped to have a chat with them. They offered us some dried fruit to eat, very nice. 

New Friends

Took a walk along a boardwalk over the rocks through some coastal heath country with only a few New Holland Honeyeaters in it. Did take some photos of an Eastern Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii.

Eastern Water Skink

Walked back to the car and drove to Yena picnic area for lunch. A few dark clouds appeared as we were finishing lunch so we hastily beat a retreat to the car. Just a light shower, which became rain as we headed back into town. Bird List.

14/3/23

Awoke to a gloomy day with threatening clouds, which soon turned into intermittent rain. Had breakfast and got a lift to the station to go into the city to meet our friend Fred, who was travelling down from the New South Wales central coast. Decided as we were early we would go to Circular Quay and have a walk around the rocks area. It started to rain as we got off the train so we used our umbrellas and managed to find a dry spot. No Takers for the open top deck on the Big Bus, but the ticket cart had an umbrella!

Big Bus

Ticket Cart

The Light Rail was a drier option.

Light Rail

The Rocks In The Rain

The rain stopped long enough for us to continue onto the Cruise Liner Terminal and get some pictures of the Opera House, followed by some pictures of the harbour bridge. 

Iconic Sydney Opera House

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Then back to the train station and Town Hall Station to meet our friend Fred outside the Queen Victoria Building. Had a coffee at the Queen Victoria Building, where Fred showed us his latest bird books with sound aimed at children " A First Book Of Australian Backyard Bird Songs" plus an adult book about Australian Bird Sounds, which is a work in progress.

Fred's Latest Book

Had a look around the Queen Victoria Building, which has some fantastic architecture along with many shops.

Queen Victoria Building

Then we walked down town and found the Birdcage sculpture in Angel Place, where nearly 200 empty birdcages are suspended mid-air with the names of common city birds written on the ground. This was a project in which Fred supplied the bird calls of 50 common city birds, most of them not heard in the city anymore. As night comes the bird calls change to nocturnal species. We could not hear the bird calls as some maintenance was being carried out and the calls were not being broadcast, which was a disappointment, especially for Fred as he had not seen the sculpture before.

Birdcage Sculpture

Lots of tourists around (including us!). We met an interesting couple and got talking to them for ten minutes. They were sightseeing in the city and were living in Western Sydney, the lady was Japanese and the man was from Malaysia. By now it was lunchtime so we tried to find somewhere to eat. Lots of high end eateries, but we only wanted a sandwich. Eventually found a place more to our liking and got a couple of wraps. Then back to Town Hall Station, where we said goodbye to Fred. Got the train back to Stanmore, where another shower was passing.

15/3/23

Last day of our holiday Pete took us to the airport and we booked in to our Jet Star flight to Cairns along with hundreds of others checking in, very busy. Filled in time before departure with a coffee and some food before boarding the uneventful flight back to Cairns. So ended a very enjoyable break taking in some birding, sightseeing and catching up with friends.