Yesterday Sydney Nimble took a visitor on our Royal National Park Tour. The main game was to see Wedding Cake Rock.

The construction work at the site, which detracted from the ambience of the rock as construction work does, has finished and the new fence is in place.

The new fence is a significant improvement.

It is less clunky than the previous fence and allows visitors to get a much closer look at the rock. The rock still has the goods and the walk to the rock provides the chance to see some spectacular coastal scenery.

The naming of the rock came from its white appearance and cuboid shape, that can be compared to a piece of wedding cake.

Wedding Cake Rock is best seen on a sunny day and yesterday we had the sun. It is also preferable if rain doesn’t precede a visit as surface puddles form and these may detract from the rock’s appearance.

There are numerous interesting sandstone formations on the way to the rock if you take a few detours. Sandstone is found around the world and has many natural variations in colour, shade, tone and grain.

Variation in sandstone colours is on display in the images below, ranging from white, grey through to yellow, orange, brown and tan.

A visit to Wedding Cake Rock is one of the highlights of our Royal National Park Tour. Join us and keep rocking.

the rock, there and fair

and again in case you missed it

between a rock and a hard face

watch your step

layered for perfection

Waverley Cemetery is one of those places that is overlooked by visitors to Sydney but well worth a stop - the coastal views are spectacular!

The coastal walk way from Bondi to Coogee runs just below the eastern edge of the cemetery. A walk along this impressive scenic pathway offers the chance to make a detour into the cemetery.

The second reason we find it appealing relates to the history and attitudes that are captured in a cemetery. Many of Sydney’s well known people have been buried here and Waverley cemetery contains an expansive collection of death memorabilia, including sculptures, graves, vaults, mausoleums and memorials.

The cemetery opened in 1877 and an intact drinking trough for horses remains on the pavement near the cemetary entrance. There is a vast quantity of stonemasonry on display including sculptures of angels, neo classical symbols and tombstones.

The cemetery is well laid out and designed with many internal roads and retaining walls. Fatigued cortege members may choose to rest in a number of sandstone shelters interspersed throughout the grounds.

The stand out monument in Waverley Cemetery is the Martyr’s Monument which is dedicated to the 1798 uprising against British rule in Ireland. The remains of one of the leaders of the rebellion, Michael O’Dwyer and his wife, reside here.

The memorial includes a large Celtic cross and also commemorates the Easter Rising of 1916 and the Long Kesh Hunger Strikes in 1981.

It is estimated that around 100 000 people have taken up digs at the cemetery, ranging from poets (Henry Kendall and Henry Lawson) to well known business people, politicians and sporting stars.

A Sydney tour of Waverley Cemetery is easily accommodated in our Sydney Bespoke Tour. Get in touch and we can discuss.

Two Irish Wolfhounds guard the entrance to the Irish Memorial

Angelic embrace

something is alive in the cemetary

a graceful sculpture remembering a woman who passed away in 1910

Sydney Nimble recently had the pleasure of going on someone else’s tour. Our guide Tom took us around the National Art School, which was formerly the Darlinghurst Gaol.

The buildings in the National Art School represent one of the most formidable collections of sandstone colonial architecture in Australia.

For those of us who like colonial architecture they are right up there - well preserved and swirling with stories.

The Darlinghurst Gaol specialised in accommodating bushrangers, rapists and murderers. It operated from 1841 until 1914.

76 people were hanged in the Darlinghurst gaol, and Sydney’s most notorious 19th and early 20th century criminals were provided with either short or long term accommodation: Captain Moonlight; Jimmy Governor (aka Jimmy Blacksmith) and the Rennie boys.

Famous Australian poet, Henry Lawson, did some time for failing to pay alimony and child desertion. Henry used the time well writing a number of poems.

The tour focused on the history of the buildings when they were used as a gaol.

D Block housed women prisoners and in one corner of this building plug marks can be seen on the wall where a padded cell was kept for more difficult customers.

D Block was connected to the prison chapel by a walkway as those in charge were uncomfortable with the idea of female prisoners venturing onto the general grounds of the gaol.

Probably a good idea in view of a number of rapists residing in the vicinity.

D Block was used as a theatre and for other events from late 1950s through to the 1970s. Catherine Hepburn and Robert Helpmann visited D Block in 1955 to assist in promoting the theatre whilst it was being restored.

The prison’s chapel has a cupola, which is a small structure placed on the dome or roof of a building. Cupola’s are used to provide light and or ventilation. Two photographs below show the chapel’s cupola from inside as you look up from the floor and from the exterior.

The sandstone for the prison walls was cut and hewn by convicts working in a chain gang at nearby quarries. Each sandstone block was marked so that a tally could be kept and the first photo below shows these markings.

The sixth photo shows D Block, which was comprised of three levels when the gaol operated. If you look behind the projector the markings can be seen where the stairs used to be located.

We highly recommend Tom’s tour, which can be booked through the National Art School’s website.

The Darlinghurst Gaol was a cruel place and tormented those persons that were incarcerated here.

Nevertheless stories about the prisoners, jail conditions, executions, and the public’s reactions to the gaol are fascinating.

markings identified the prisoner who worked on the sandstone block

chapel and cupola topped with a weather vane

the dark side of the cupola

not a metaphor - real ball and chain

dreaded D Block

Bells Line of Road

The majority of people visiting the Blue Mountains from Sydney will travel on the Great Western Highway. The road less travelled to the Blue Mountains is the Bells Line of Road. This name was derived from the efforts of Archibald Bell jnr, who in 1823, with the help of local Aboriginal guides marked out the route of this road.

The Bells Line of Road provides access to some great lookouts, walks and gardens.

The Royal Botanic Garden Mt Tomah

One of these gardens is the Royal Botanic Garden at Mt Tomah, which sits 1000 metres above sea level and features over 5000 species of cool climate plants. Cool climate vegetation from Africa, South America, Asia and Europe can be found here.

The Mt Tomah garden has one of the best collections of advanced Wollemi pines, which is not unexpected as these trees were found (1994) in the nearby Wollemi National Park.

Another much smaller garden, Windyridge Garden, is located further west in the historic village of Mt Wilson, and has many wonderful trees, shrubs, ponds, waterfalls and sculptures. Full credit to the owners, Wai and Rodger Davidson.

The amount of work maintaining a garden of this nature is not to be underestimated. The garden is not only beautiful but has a calming tranquillity. It is one of the highlights of the day.

The lookouts

There are many lookouts on the drive along Bells Line of Road. Some are marked, while some are not so well marked, or not marked at all. Walls lookout is very impressive and the walking time is around 30 minutes each way.

Our Sydney Blue Mountains Tour takes the Bells Line of Road and we visit the gardens and lookouts mentioned plus a fair bit more.

Scribbly Gum trees

On the way to a lookout you may come across a Scribbly Gum. Scribbly Gums are a variety of Australian Eucalyptus trees which play host to the larvae of the Scribbly Gum Moth.

Scribbly Gum Moths lay their eggs in Autumn and the larvae develop in the bark throughout winter. The scribble patterns are caused by the boring and eating process. Initially the larvae bore through the bark creating irregular loop tunnels, followed by zig zag loops.

Scar tissue forms and the tunnel is filled with highly nutritious thin walled cells. The larvae then eats its way back along the same path it created. When it leaves the bark cracks off leaving the scribble patterns underneath.

A fascinating process!

Protea perfection in Mt Tomah Botanical Garden

no key required for this Windyridge pond

primary school vandals?

Would you like a lichen covered chair with your coffee?

Sydney Nimble visited the Symbio Wildlife Park (Symbio), with three clients yesterday. The name Symbio is a shortened version of the word symbiosis. Symbiosis is a relationship between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both.

Symbio is a well run wildlife park and has a good mix of native and non native animals. The native animals include: kangaroos and wallabies, dingoes, echidnas (including an albino echidna), koalas, cassowaries, emus, wombats, goannas, Tasmanian Devils, and a variety of birds and reptiles.

When we parked at Symbio’s outside car park sulphur crested cockatoos were flying overhead and screeching loudly.

At certain times during the day there are presentations where a representative of the zoo talks about a particular animal. Koalas sleep a lot so feeding the koalas at presentation time brings these marsupials out of their slumber. Zoo staff advise that they get quite active at night. Unfortunately the zoo is not open!

Our small group also enjoyed the kangaroos and wallabies, which are remarkably tame and had no trouble with our presence. These guys are very relaxed.

The red pandas are cute and the monkeys (Tamarin and Marmoset monkeys from Central and South America) were not what we expected as they are some of the smallest types found. They looked very different to your typical monkey.

We give Symbio a big thumbs up.

Symbio is an excellent addition to our Sydney Royal National Park Tour. The only problem is deciding which part of the itinerary has to be dropped off to fit in the visit to Symbio.

We recommend allocating at least 90 minutes for a visit to Symbio, but you could easily spend more time here if you wanted to see a few of the animal presentations. Get in touch and we can provide a draft itinerary for a Royal National Park Tour which includes Symbio.

you looking at me - Bush Thick-knee

I am the king

prowling red panda

I know I heard something

Barangaroo Reserve

Barangaroo is a 22 hectare inner city suburb of Sydney located on the north west side of Sydney’s CBD.

The suburb is named after an aboriginal woman who had a significant influence in early contact between Aboriginal people and British authorities. She has been described as a powerful woman and was a respected provider of food (fisherwoman). Her second husband was Bennelong. Unfortunately Barangaroo passed away shortly after giving birth to her daughter in 1791.

The adoption of the word Barangaroo as the name of this newly created suburb is yet another example of a distinctive indigenous word adding to the richness of Australia’s vocabulary.

Many of Sydney’s place names are derived from Aboriginal words (eg , Bondi, Collaroy, Coogee, Cronulla, Curl Curl, Kirribilli, Maroubra, Narrabeen, Tamarama and Woolloomooloo).

The urban renewal of Barangaroo has been a landmark project in Sydney for well over ten years. The area was formerly docklands and known as the ‘hungry mile’. It was a tough, competitive and sometimes violent place. Workers from the 19th Century until the 1940s were known to walk from wharf to wharf searching for low paid work.

Barangaroo includes a 6 hectare headland park (Barangaroo Reserve) which was completed several years ago.

A significant part of the urban redevelopment in this new suburb has already occurred, however a six star resort and several residential buildings are still at the planning stage or under construction. A metro station is planned for Barangaroo.

The reserve is essentially an artificial hill, but it doesn’t look like one. Its contouring with the harbour, terraced plantings and dimensions generally make it fit in with its surrounds. Clever engineering and earthworks have given it the look of a hill whilst allowing a large void, known as the Cutaway, to exist underneath the parkland above.

The roof of the Cutaway required the fabrication, transportation and installation of massive concrete spans, which underpin thousands of cubic metres of rock, soil, grass and trees.

The Cutaway provides a unique area for events, exhibitions, television shoots, concerts and large gatherings. It is 120 metres long, 45 metres wide and the height of a six storey building. Natural light enters the space through a long vent on its east side.

A large scale planting of native plants, shrubs and trees (75 000 in total) has been undertaken at Barangaroo Reserve and the horticulturalists have largely chosen native flora that existed in the area prior to European settlement.

An incredible amount of sandstone has been used around the foreshore and throughout the reserve, showcasing the attractive look of this beautiful local material.

Barangaroo Reserve is a pleasant green addition to the City of Sydney which will improve over time as the trees increase in size whilst providing a unique multipurpose area that can be used by all Sydneysiders.

Sydney Nimble Tours includes a Barangaroo tour in our Eastern Suburbs, Woolloomooloo, Barangaroo day out. Alternatively we can include a tour of Barangaroo in our Sydney Bespoke Tour.

Barangaroo Reserve fits in well with the Rocks and Walsh Bay

the three green towers that descend in height are known as the International Towers

it came from the purple tent - opening night of Vivid at Barangaroo

looking west from the Stargazer Lawn at Barangaroo Reserve

This weekend Sydney Nimble went outside of its usual patch and visited the Southern Tablelands.

A group of like minded individuals bonded by their sense of humour and children stayed at a working sheep station, known as Markdale. www.markdale.com/ The patriarch of Markdale, Mark, took the group on an outstanding tour of the sheep shearing shed on the farm.

There was no marking time on this outing and Mark’s explanation of the shearing process and sheep husbandry business generally was refreshing and enlightening for a group of city slickers. There is another world outside of the Sydney bubble.

Markdale has an outstanding garden which includes a small lake with a tiny island and row boat, arched timber bridge, stone retaining walls and an assortment of trees. The garden was designed by acclaimed Australian landscape artist, Edna Walling.

The layout of the trees which include golden elms, aspens, silver birch, and eucalypts frame the garden in a way that allows the delightful heritage homestead to be seen from the surrounding countryside.

The property has significant history with the previous owners (the Ashtons) having held it for four generations.

On the drive to Markdale from Goulburn several places of interest were observed: Pejar Dam, Crookwell Windfarm, and some pretty stone cottages in Binda and beyond. The closeness of the road to the wind turbines provides many vantage points from which to appreciate the massive structure of these winged warriors.

The Crookwell area has plenty of wind and clean air. The shire is known for its fine wool, fat lambs, beef cattle and potato cultivation. The drive to Markdale takes around 3-3.5 hours and this duration excludes it from being within the day tour range of Sydney Nimble Tours.

If you would like to visit the Southern Tablelands we recommend a minimum of three nights, which allows two full days to explore this charming region.

Crookwell windfarm late in the afternoon

There’s sheep in them thar hills.

they always have to touch

baa

The Edna Walling Garden at Markdale is one of Australia’s great country gardens.

At times Balmain seems to have no end of small, narrow and windy streets. These streets contain a plentiful supply of heritage architecture, ranging from tiny cottages to grand colonial sandstone homes. It is a colourful suburb that is largely overlooked by visitors to Sydney.

Balmain is located across the water from Barangaroo and can be accessed by ferry or road.

We like Balmain’s history, heritage architecture, harbour panorama and vibrant atmosphere. It’s a nice place to take a stroll.

The East Balmain Wharf at the end of Darling Street and adjacent Illoura Reserve provide spectacular views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Barangaroo.

Nearby Fenwick Store was built in the 1880s and used for storage by a local tug boat operator. A first class restoration of this stone heritage building has recently been completed and it will soon commence a new life as a café/gallery.

There are other heritage houses nearby such as Ewenton House and Clontarf House that can be seen whilst walking on the Tom Uren walking route. Have a look at the Balmain Watch House (179 Darling St) which was built from Hawkesbury sandstone in 1854.

In the 19th century Balmain was known for ship building, engineering and boiler making. For a period of time the area even had a coal mine.

Balmain was a working class area. The industrialisation of the suburb resulted in many tiny cottages being built for workers and surprisingly drinking establishments flourished in this environment! Many of these pubs (public houses) still operate in Balmain today and they are great places to visit even if only to admire the architecture.

Balmain began to move away from its working class origins in the 1960s when its industry began to wane and Sydney siders started to appreciate the suburb’s desirability. The Balmain basket weavers, as famously referred to by a former Australian prime minister, began to move into the area. Gentrification and renovations followed bringing back to life many decaying historic homes.

If you have time squeeze in a short walk around Ballast Point Park, which is only a 5 minute drive from the East Balmain Wharf. The park was created in 2009 after an oil refinery was demolished and the land decontaminated.

This urban renewal project has given the community several different recreational areas and provides a great place for a picnic or BBQ on the harbour’s foreshore.

Sydney Nimble Tours would be delighted to take your small group on a walking tour of Balmain and Ballast Point Park https://www.sydneynimbletours.com.au/inner. This activity can form part of our Inner Sydney Tour or added to one of the other days out. We visit Balmain for about two hours.

Fenwick Store was in a dilapidated state for many years. The recently completed restoration is a job well done.

Ewenton House with exquisite oriel window

The Exchange Hotel is part of the fabric of Balmain.

No this is not a tribute to an Easter Island Moai. The rustic quote at Ballast Point Park reads ‘Stone statues of ancient waves, tongue like dingoes on shore’. These words are taken from a poem (The Death of Isaac Nathan) by recently deceased Australian poet, Les Murray. The font is designed in dots to represent the rivets used on this former industrial site.

The bright colours of Mort Bay as seen from Ballast Point - Barangaroo and city buildings in the background.

butcher and candlestick maker?

Listed below are places that are often missed by visitors to Sydney. They pass our highly discerning ‘great place to visit’ filter:

• White Rabbit Gallery and neighbouring green building, Central Park

• Brett Whiteley Studio (Friday to Sunday)

• Sydney University

• Short walking tour of Balmain including the wharf area, Fenwick House and the dry dock

• State Library

• The Grounds of Alexandria

• Artisan distillery or microbrewery at or near the end of the day

All of these places are close to the city (within 10-30 minutes).

Why not check some or all of them out?

If you are interested let us know and we will reply with a day plan for your approval.

The minimum time is 4 hours, so pick at least three or four places. If you would like to select most or all of the above places the inner Sydney tour can be made into a longer day trip (6-8 hours). 

Personalise an existing tour

If one or two of the above inner Sydney destinations appeal to you we can include these in any one of our other existing tours (except for the Blue Mountains).

After you have advised which one or two places you would like included and the tour you would like adjusted we will send a revised day plan for your approval.

Sorry but Harry Potter was not filmed here - entrance to the Quadrangle at Sydney University

don’t forget your hat, Ewenton House, Balmain

Buildings don’t get any greener than Central Park, Chippendale

As a part of Sydney Nimble’s continuous improvement program several representatives of the company attended a tour of the Sydney Town Hall (STH).

We were fortunate today in that most of the building was accessible. Sometimes areas are off limits if meetings or other events are being held. The STH is a working building.

It is a proud and forthright building constructed from brick and local fine grained yellow sandstone. The land on which it is built was formerly the site of the Sydney Old Buriel Ground (Sydney’s first cemetary). The STH was constructed in stages and officially opened in 1889. It is a mix of architectural styles, incorporating details from different periods and countries.

It has many exquisite features including, large doors and joinery crafted from red cedar, marble tiles and mosaics, two large triptych stained-glass windows, etched glass windows, tiled daddo panels, intricate plaster work, metal pressed ceilings and a 9000 pipe grand organ.

The vestibule to the main hall is exceptional. Its ceiling comes with altitude and is decorated in High Victorian style. The elliptical dome in the centre of the ceiling contains no less than 12 panels of curved stained glass. Each panel represents an allegorical virtue (eight in total) or one of the four elements (earth, wind, air and fire). A large crystal chandelier is suspended beneath the dome.

The main hall can accommodate approximately 2000 people. It has been used for multiple activities ranging from civic and public meetings, concerts, balls, dinners, corporate events and school presentations.

Tours of the STH are conducted by passionate volunteers and are a worthwhile investment of time, particularly if you like heritage buildings and or have an interest in Australian history.

Sydney Nimble Tours can include a visit to the STH in one of our days out but if you are staying in the city it is an activity that you can easily organise on your own. Whilst there don’t miss, if you haven’t already seen it, the Queen Victoria Building across the road.

the vestibule dome is stunning

Captain James Cook

The stained glass in this image was made for the centenary of the Colony of New South Wales in 1888. The woman signifies New South Wales.

Sometimes referred to as a ‘temple of democracy’ Centennial Hall is a pleasant place to enjoy an event

Coat of arms from yesteryear - it was thought appropriate at the time for the indigenous gentleman on the left to be clothed in yellow shorts!

Sydney Harbour has some quality beaches which are often overlooked by visitors and locals alike. Bondi Beach, Palm Beach or Manly Beach are more likely to attract the attention of beach goers.

Standout harbour beaches located to the north of the Harbour Bridge include Balmoral Beach, Chinamans Beach, Clontarf Beach and Castle Rock Beach.

These beaches offer something different by providing a safer place for a dip, being largely protected from the surf. Some harbour beaches, such as secluded Castle Rock Beach, are enhanced by a natural bush setting. Castle Rock Beach can be accessed via the Manly to Spit Bridge coastal walk and is adjacent to the Sydney Harbour National Park.

Another less known beach is Chinamans Beach, which was named after Chinese residents who organised market gardens in the reserve approaching it. The beach stretches for about 200 metres and faces directly north. This beach is a solid choice if you seek a mellow experience away from the crowds.

Balmoral Beach’s popularity can sometimes be a negative as it gets busy on warm weekends - too much love! The better option is to visit during weekdays or early in the day on a hot weekend. It is however a beautiful beach with great views towards the entrance to Sydney Harbour (the Heads). On a Saturday afternoon you may catch the impressive sight of yachts racing in the distance.

There are several restaurants on Balmoral Beach. Alternatively follow the advice of local real estate agents and have take away fish and chips at the beach whilst enjoying the village atmosphere!

Although referred to as Balmoral Beach, it is in fact two beaches, with Edwards Beach being located to the north of Rocky Point Island (you can’t miss it) and Balmoral Beach located to the south.

Sydney Nimble Tours can include a visit to any of these beaches in our Sydney Harbour, Northern Beaches, National Park Tour. There are other harbour beaches on offer but why give away all of our secrets in one blog?

Go forth and get harbour beached!

a small and secluded harbour beach

The official canine representative of Sydney Nimble Tours at full speed - Sandy Bay, a designated dog beach near Clontarf Beach.

slick curves at Clontarf

no mob at Chinamans

A harbour beach to yourself?

Yesterday Sydney Nimble Tours took a small group on a Royal National Park Tour. The day started with a stopover at the perfectly still waters of Audley Weir.

This was followed by a walk along the Jibbon Loop Track to the Jibbon Headland Aboriginal engravings and Shelley Beach.

At this point it was time to enjoy a coffee at Bundeena before heading to Garie Beach for a picnic lunch. The main event for the day was a bush walk from Garie Beach to Thelma Head.

The group showed off its fitness on the ascent to Thelma Head. The views of Garie Beach to the North and Era Beach to the South reveal the grandeur of cliffs and lushly forested hills abruptly ending before the Pacific Ocean.

On the way to Thelma Head the shoreline has a significant area of tessellated pavement which in parts was rectangular and in others triangular.

The name tessellated originates from the resemblance of the rock to the tiles of a mosaic floor. The day was completed by a refreshing body surf at Garie Beach.

The amount of walking you do on our Sydney Royal National Park Tour can be varied. If for instance you did not wish to do the two hour return walk to Wedding Cake Rock we can substitute a shorter walk and visit other locations.

The great thing about the Royal National Park is that there are a lot of choices available. What about a visit to Symbio Wildlife Park in nearby Helensburgh.

See www.sydneynimbletours.com.au/royal-national-park-tour/ for the options that are available a Royal National Park Tour.

gum trees reflection at Audley Weir

Alien messages or tessellated pavement?

The beginning of an era… (North Era Beach)

You know you are fortunate when you drive down the street and not only are the Eucalyptus trees blooming but you also have Rainbow Lorikeets gorging themselves on the nectar loaded flowers. Rainbow Lorikeets are equipped with a hairy tongue which enables the extraction of sweet sticky nectar and pollen from native flowers.

The Rainbow Lorikeet is a species of parrot found in northern and eastern Australia and more lately in Western Australia (from 1960s) and is one of the most beautiful birds found in Australia.

The explosion of colour provided by a combination of this bird’s plumage and the bright red flower of a gum tree is extraordinary.

The trick to taking a photo is to get reasonably close to the birds without panicking a flight to safety. If successful you will be well rewarded. Both of the bird species below were photographed on the route of Sydney Nimble Tours’ Harbour, Northern Beaches and National Park day out https://www.sydneynimbletours.com.au/sydney-harbour-and-northern-beaches-tour/.

Another iconic parrot flocking around Sydney lately is the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. These guys make a raucous screech if they are in the mood.

In the second photo even the other Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are impressed by the precision of their friend’s landing. Three screeches for all!

explosion of colour

loud proud and great landing technique

a bird banquet of sweet sticky nectar

an item? - probably Rainbow Lorikeets commonly travel in pairs

Sydney Nimble Tours visited Wedding Cake Rock today. Wedding Cake Rock is a unique sandstone formation, located in the Royal National Park south of Sydney.

The only way to access Wedding Cake Rock is to repetitively put one foot in front of the other.

Vehicular access is not possible and the closest track starts at the backstreets of the small town of Bundeena (Eric Street or Beachcomber Street offer parking if the small car park is full).

It takes between 40-50 minutes to walk to it from the carpark. If you walk briskly you will reach the rock in 40 minutes but if you want to take a more relaxed walking mode and stop at a few places allow 50 minutes plus time taken for breaks. On the way you will also see The Balconies and the Waterrun.

Wedding Cake Rock has gained notoriety in recent years mostly due to Instagram.

Its white colour, flat top and smooth edges gives it the look of a slice from a wedding cake. The crack on the western side of the rock enhances the appearance of a sliced piece of cake.

It is most dazzling on a sunny day as the blue of the Pacific Ocean provides a perfect contrast to the white of the rock.

Sandstone is created by the sedimentation of sand by water or wind. Once accumulated the sand becomes sandstone when it is compacted by the pressure of overlying deposits and cemented together by the precipitation of minerals.

In the case of Wedding Cake Rock the sandstone is white as the mineral irons have been leached out by dry air and sea salt.

Wedding Cake Rock is well worth the walk and one of the highlights of our Sydney Royal National Park Tour https://www.sydneynimbletours.com.au/royal-national-park-tour/ .

Wedding Cake Rock is a joy to behold

ledgy and edgy

sliced and ready to go

the Waterrun

Dust storms do not generally occur in coastal areas of NSW but yesterday was the exception. Sydney was hit by gale force winds. The city was enveloped in a cloud of dust. The dust storm was brought by a cold front which moved through the western parts of NSW.

On a positive side surf conditions were excellent. Offshore winds and 3-4 feet plus of southern swell made for some very nice lines and quality waves. Curl Curl in particular had one of its best days in quite some time. Whilst Manly was also shapely it was smaller as it missed some of the Southern swell.

Sydney Nimble Tours visits Curl Curl, Freshwater, Manly, Bilgola and Palm Beaches on the Harbour, Northern Beaches and National Park Tour https://www.sydneynimbletours.com.au/sydney-harbour-and-northern-beaches-tour/

Please enjoy the photos of surfing glory at Curl Curl and Manly Beaches.

Manly Beach tube

Curl Curl surf on the day of dust

Boogie boarder carving it up

Going right late in day

Manly hanging ten

If you are walking through the side streets of the city you may come across an artwork called ‘Underwood Ark’. It is a suspended Blackbutt tree that appears to pierce through three pedestrian walkways located above Underwood Street. The large root system can also be seen from Dalley Street (a street that runs between George and Pitt Streets, not far from Circular Quay).

A person walking along Underwood or Dalley Street may be surprised when they come across Underwood Ark. Why is a large tree stripped of all bark hanging 10 metres above Underwood Street? Is it there to create a feeling of walking under wood?

The tree is 35 metres long, with an estimated age of two hundred years and weighs 18 tonne.

Underwood Ark was installed in 2017 and resulted from a collaboration between Mirvac and the National Art School. The tree was sourced from the South Coast of NSW.

The artist, Michael McIntyre, who sculpted the root ball explains in a vimeo that the concept behind Underwood Ark was to respond to the natural bush that once existed on the land and evoke a feeling of pre-settlement.

Blackbutt (Eucalyptus Pilularis) is a type of hardwood that is native to the east coast of Australia. The name Blackbutt originates from the base or butt of the tree being blackened after fires.

Underwood Ark is not only a novel artwork but a reminder that you never know what you may randomly find in the streets of Sydney.

Connection with pre-settlement

Sydney Open is presented by Sydney Living Museums and allows Sydneysiders and visitors to see 40 different buildings in the CBD of Sydney, over two days. Today (4/11/18) was the second and final day. Most of the open buildings would not otherwise be available for the public to inspect and enjoy.

The open buildings extend over a significant distance and it is not possible to see all 40 buildings in the 6 hour window period (10am-4pm). Difficult choices have to be made!

Of the buildings visited today by Sydney Nimble Tours the following were considered exceptional: 50 Martin Place; Baker McKenzie premises at Barangaroo (levels 44-46) and the AMP Building at Circular Quay.

Level 46 of Baker McKenzie’s premises provided outstanding views of Sydney, particularly to the south, west and north. Macquarie Bank is located at 50 Martin Place and provided access to wonderful art deco architecture on the ground floor whilst the rooftop area displayed sophisticated Australian artwork, super stylish boardroom and unique views of Martin Place.

The AMP Building has a box seat view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Royal Botanical Gardens. The first photograph below was taken from the AMP Building; second and third photos are of 50 Martin Place foyer, fourth photo is Sydney Tower through the eye of a silver doughnut and the final photograph shows the turbulence created by a turning catamaran on Sydney Harbour.

https://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/sydneyopen

Open Sydney - Art deco foyer of 50 Martin Place

Indigenous art and art deco staircase

Sydney Tower

Sydney Nimble Tours - wake of a catamaran on Sydney Harbour - photographed from level 46 of Baker McKenzie premises in Barangaroo

Whilst on a northern beaches tour we observed half a dozen kiteboarders speeding through the water and doing some amazing aerial manouvres. If you are fortunate enough to be driving by a beach and spot this activity it is worthwhile pulling over and having a look, even if only for ten or fifteen minutes. Kite surfing requires a reasonably strong wind so the conditions will not always be right. The photographs below, taken at Long Reef Beach, show the acrobatic feats being achieved in the course of what can only be described as a thrilling sport.

no fear of heights

cruising back to beach

hard landing?

controlling the kite can be challenging

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is one of the most delightful and expansive places in Sydney.

The land area is 30 Hectares. Whilst there you have the option of visiting the NSW Art Gallery, Government House (inside tour by appointment only) and the Music Conservatorium as these three buildings are in the broad area.

The Gardens are centrally located to the east of the city, offer a perfect location for photographs, and the Opera House can be accessed from the Gardens. There is a lot to see and the only limitation is the amount of energy you have.

If I had only a few days in Sydney a reasonable time allocation would be one and half to three hours. There are plenty of spots to have a picnic and enjoy the ambience and vistas of the opera house and harbour bridge.

Some of the highlights for me include: Calyx, Southern African Garden, succulent garden, native plants and trees, Mrs Macquarie chair and the gardens of Government House.

As we are in Spring the next few months are a perfect time to visit. The Waratah is the floral emblem for New South Wales and one of Australia’s most brilliant native plants. A patch of these plants are currently in full bloom. Sydney Nimble Tours can include a visit to the Gardens in any of our days out.

The photos below in top to bottom order: crimson coloured Waratahs, Government House gardens with photo bomber, flowers in Southern Africa Garden and Government House entry.

Waratahs in the Gardens

Government House with photo bomber

Southern African Garden

Entrance to Government House