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Category: South Coast

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Port Kembla Heritage Park

Breakwater Battery Sign

Port Kembla Heritage Park

Containing many large artefacts from Port Kembla’s military and industrial past, the Port Kembla Heritage Park is both an interesting and educational to visit. We parked at the end of Gloucester Boulevard, although you could also use the carpark at Foreshore Road.

The area formed an integral part of the defences of Port Kembla during the Second World War, with several large guns emplaced here. Along with the battery at Hill 60, they defended the vital steel works from a potential Japanese invasion. The guns are long gone with the only reminder they were here being the large concrete emplacements and command tower which is now the Breakwater Battery Museum.

The field of white painted concrete tetrahedrons is one of the first things you see when arriving. Originally placed on the beach to impede enemy tanks they now form a display near the old gun emplacements. They are similar to the ones at Stockton that are sometimes visible at low tide.

Gun Emplacement with anti-tank tetrahedrons Port Kembla Heritage Park
Gun Emplacement with anti-tank tetrahedrons
Tetrahedron anti-tank obstacles Port Kembla Heritage Park
Tetrahedron anti-tank obstacles

Breakwater Battery Museum

Although closed during our visit, the museum houses local military memorabilia. Housed in the old command centre for the gun battery, it is only open every 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month from 11AM to 4PM. If you intend visiting, check the opening times because they may change.

Sited next to the museum is a German 77mm field gun captured by the 45th Battalion AIF on the 8th of August 1918.

Breakwater Battery Museum Port Kembla Heritage Park
Breakwater Battery Museum
German 77mm Field Gun
German 77mm Field Gun

Monuments and Memorials

Scattered around the park are several monuments and memorials to significant local events. The largest memorial is to the Dalfram Dispute of 1938. The dispute was a political industrial dispute at Port Kembla, protesting the export of pig iron from Australia to Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It became famous for providing the nickname of Pig Iron Bob to Attorney General Robert Menzies, later to serve as Prime Minister.

Two monuments to the dispute are located here, one that looks like a giant grenade and a smaller plaque with a picture of the Dalfram.

Representing the area’s industrial past, a large Cowans-Sheldon 30 Ton Steam Crane sits below the museum. Nearby are several anchors and a dredge bucket, representing Port Kembla’s shipping heritage.

Dalfram Dispute Memorial
Dalfram Dispute Memorial
Dalfram Dispute Memorial Port Kembla Heritage Park
Dalfram Dispute Memorial
Anchor from the Gabriella
Anchor from the Gabriella. Memorial to lives lost when she capsized
Cowans-Sheldon 30 Ton Steam Crane
Cowans-Sheldon 30 Ton Steam Crane
Dredge bucket
Dredge bucket
Anchor and Chain Port Kembla Heritage Park
Anchor and Chain

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Bass Point Reserve

Bushranger Bay Bass Point

Bass Point Reserve

A place of significant cultural value, Bass Point Reserve is Heritage Listed, due to extensive Aboriginal and Colonial use of the area. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Elouera people lived here at least 20,000 years ago. Colonial settlers arrived 1803, although European explorers had passed through before this. Settled by cedar cutters and graziers, much of the area was cleared. Land clearing, disease and hostility by Europeans resulted in the collapse of the Aboriginal population.

The Gravel Loader

One of the first sites you see at Bass Point is the gravel loader which services the local basalt quarry. It forms an interesting contrast to the other more natural heritage areas because of its industrial use.

The Gravel Loader Bass Point
The Gravel Loader

Bass Point

Walking through the Reserve, we saw some small lizards, but no other wildlife, although larger native animals inhabit the area. The eroded basalt on the shore has places where colourful orange algae grow, adding some colour to the otherwise dull rocks.

Lizard
Lizard at Bass Point
Bass Point Reserve
Weathered Basalt and Orange Algae at Bass Point Reserve

US Cities Service Boston & 6th Machine Gun Battalion Memorial

On 16 May 1943, the US oil tanker US Cities Service Boston grounded here during a storm. Australian soldiers from the 6th Australian Machine Gun Battalion camping nearby assisted in the rescue of the 62 crew on board. All lives from the Boston were saved but four Australian soldiers perished in the rescue. Each year, a remembrance service commemorates the loss.

6th Machine Gun Battalion Memorial
6th Machine Gun Battalion Memorial
"US Cities Service Boston" & 6th Machine Gun Battalion Memorial
“US Cities Service Boston” & 6th Machine Gun Battalion Memorial
"US Cities Service Boston" & 6th Machine Gun Battalion Memorial
“US Cities Service Boston” & 6th Machine Gun Battalion Memorial

Bushrangers Bay

At the end of Bass Point Tourist Road is a small carpark that services Bushrangers Bay. This beautiful bay has vegetation growing down to the water line. A well-maintained wooden walkway provides access down to the pebble beach.

A viewing platform designed to provide views over the bay sits above and to the left of the steps but was overgrown when we visited. This obscured what would otherwise have been a great view.

Bushrangers Bay is a Marine Reserve, so fishing or removing anything from the area is prohibited.

Wooden steps down to Bushranger Bay
Wooden steps down to Bushranger Bay
Bushranger Bay Bass Point
Bushranger Bay

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Sri Venkateswara Temple

Temple

Sri Venkateswara Temple

Consecrated on 30th June, 1985, construction of Sri Venkateswara Temple started in 1978. Located in Helensburgh, 60 minutes south of Sydney, and 30 minutes north of Wollongong, the temple has ample parking. Built in a bushland setting, it serves as an impressive local landmark.

The NSW Office of Environment Heritage listed the Temple for historical, aesthetic, social as well as reasons of rarity and representativeness in the Wollongong Region.

Although serving as a major religious and sacred place for Hindus living in and visiting Australia, many non-Hindus and tourists visit due to the unique Temple architecture.

The complex consists of two large temples, one dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the other to Shiva/Parvathi. For this reason, there are two towers, each with beautifully carved decorations. Specialist sculptors, who used traditional methods completed the sculptures found in and around the temple, while using no modern tools.

Visitors are welcome, whether they want to admire the temple, or learn more about the Hindu religion. There are several important things to know before you visit:

  • no footwear, hats or caps are allowed inside. An undercover area is available outside the main entrance to leave your shoes.
  • No photography of any kind inside.
  • Be quiet and respectful at all times..
  • No mobile phone use inside.
  • No food or drinks inside

Inside The Temple

If you liked the exterior of the temple, the interior will amaze you. The numerous beautifully decorated shrines and idols were the highlight of our visit. Unfortunately we could not take photos because they are not allowed inside. However, being able to walk around an admire them up close was a great experience.

Temple
Sri Venkateswara Temple
Temple Entrance Sri Venkateswara Temple
Entrance
Sri Venkateswara Temple
Sri Venkateswara Temple
Hindu Idol Sri Venkateswara Temple
Idol Outside the Temple

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.