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Sawmillers Reserve on Sydney Harbour

Wrecked Barge at Sawmillers Reserve

Sawmillers Reserve on Sydney Harbour

Located in the Sydney suburb of Waverley, Sawmillers Reserve is a beautiful park with an industrial heritage. For 100 years from 1880, the area housed a sawmill, but is now a leafy park on Sydney Harbour. Not only are remnants of the sawmill visible, but a ship wreck sits on the harbour foreshore.

Getting There

Public transport is a great option when visiting here, because parking is limited. We used the train, getting off at North Sydney Station before walking ten minutes to the reserve. On the way we stopped at a little coffee shop, before continuing.

Alternatively, it’s only a 10-minute walk from McMahons Point Ferry Wharf, giving another easy way to get here.

Ruins at Sawmillers Reserve

The reserve contains the remains of the sawmill, which have been placed together by artist Jane Gillings. The ruins draw attention to the changing use of the site from industrial, to open public space.

Remains of the Timber Yard at Sawmillers Reserve
Remains of the Timber Yard

Ship Wreck

The wreck of a Marine Service Board Hopper Barge lies just offshore, making an excellent backdrop to Sydney Harbour. Now slowly rusting away, the barge broke its moorings in the 1960s, before grounding in Berrys Bay off Sawmillers Reserve. This barge was used to carry dredged material out to the spoil dumping grounds off Sydney, but is now a heritage listed wreck.

Wrecked Barge at Sawmillers Reserve
Wrecked Barge on the Foreshore

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Stockton Newcastle New South Wales

Nobby's Head From Stockton

Stockton is an easy drive from Newcastle across the Stockton bridge and Kooragang Island. We parked in the ferry car park and walked from there. There is a great coastal walk along to the breakwater which was the main reason for our visit. Fairly flat and very well maintained, we found it to be a very relaxing easy walk.

About halfway along the breakwall is the wreck of the Adolphe . This has been incorporated into the breakwall along with several other wrecks that are not visible. A viewing platform next to the wrecks allows you to get a good view of what remains of the ship.

Wreck of the Adolphe on Stockton Breakwall
Wreck of the Adolphe on the Breakwall
Wreck of the Adolphe on Stockton Breakwall
Wreck of the Adolphe on the Breakwall

From the breakwall there is a great view of Nobbys Headland and lighthouse. We have walked Nobby’s many times but this was a totally different perspective of a classic Newcastle landmark.

Nobby's Head From Stockton
Nobby’s Head From Stockton Breakwall

Tank Traps on Beach

Rough seas and high tides have uncovered relics from World War Two on Stockton Beach. Placed here to impede any attempted invasion these concrete tetrahedrons are tank traps from the 1940s. Visible at low tide, they are an interesting sight stretching along the beach.

Shipwrecks at the Stockton Bridge

On our way home we stopped near the Stockton Bridge. There is a rack of boats that looked interesting as well as the wrecks of several boats in the water. Best seen at low tide, the wrecks are badly corroded, but make an interesting sight. The wreck closest to shore is the Kate Tatham, a barquentine that carried cargo between Australia and New Zealand. Run aground here in 1922, then abandoned and left to decay. The wreck furthest from shore is iron-screw steamer Sylvan.

Boat Rack
Boat Rack
Shipwrecks at Stockton Bridge
Shipwrecks at Stockton Bridge the Kate Tatham (right) and the iron-screw steamer Sylvan (left)
The Wreck of the Kate Tatham With Stockton Bridge in the Background
The Wreck of the Kate Tatham With Stockton Bridge in the Background
The Wrecks of the Kate Tatham (TR and Sylvan (L)
The Wrecks of the Kate Tatham (TR and Sylvan (L)

If you are in Newcastle and don’t want to drive around to Stockton take the ferry from Honeysuckle and then walk to the breakwall.

Stockton Ferry Hunter
Stockton Ferry Hunter

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