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Tag: south coast

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Wollongong Botanic Garden

Kawasaki Bridge over the creek Wollongong Botanic Garden

Wollongong Botanic Garden

Located at the foot of Mount Kiera, the Wollongong Botanic Garden is a great place to spend time to relax and unwind. Entry is free and the gardens are open every day except Christmas Day. We parked in one of the dedicated car parks, then spent an hour walking through the different themed area.

Our first stop was the beautiful pond and rotunda. Surrounded by flowering plants and palms, it was a nice place to stop and watch the waterbirds. One was even building a nest in the lilies, dragging nesting material across the pond from its edge.

A small stream flows through the gardens, feeding into the pond. By following it upstream, we came across the Japanese themed red bridge. Built as a gift of friendship it symbolises the connection with Wollongong’s sister city in Japan, Kawasaki.

From the bridge, we followed the path through the Australian rain forest section. This is the largest section in the gardens, showcasing a range of rainforest plants as well as those from the Illawarra region.

One of the highlights of the gardens is the succulent section, because of its amazing variety of plants. This garden is positioned on a built-up mound with sandy soil, because the succulents and cacti require good drainage. Large boulders have also been added to form rocky outcrops and slopes.

While walking, look out for interesting sculptures, like the insect hotel and Mercury Fountain.

Overall, a great place to visit and relax.

The pond surrounded by flowers and palms
The pond surrounded by flowers and palms
The rotunda in the pond Wollongong Botanic Garden
The rotunda in the pond
Kawasaki Bridge over the creek Wollongong Botanic Garden
Kawasaki Bridge over the creek
Creek Crossing
Creek Crossing
Middle Creek Garden Wollongong Botanic Garden
Middle Creek Garden
The Mercury Fountain
The Mercury Fountain
tree
One of numerous beautiful trees
Pathway
Pathway
tree
One of numerous beautiful trees
Wollongong Botanic Garden
Dryland area – in the rain
Succulent Garden
Succulent Garden
Succulent
Succulent
Insect Hotel
Insect Hotel

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

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Cathedral Rocks Kiama on the NSW South Coast

Cathedral Rocks

How to Get There

Located three kilometers, north of Kiama, Cathedral Rocks are an unusual volcanic rock formation, famous for their distinctive shape. We viewed them from two locations, up close from Jones Beach and further away from Cliff Drive.

Jones Beach has an excellent car park, with easy beach access, making it an ideal place to start your walk to the rocks. From the car park, walk to the beach and head south (or right as you face the ocean). This will take you to a small rocky headland, where you climb over rocks, until the Cathedral Rocks come into view.

Jones Drive provides a view of the Rocks from the opposite side, which is a great way to take some different photos. Parking is on-street, but there is plenty of room to leave your car. followed by a track down to the shore. We found that at high tide, the view was restricted, because it was not possible to walk out onto the rock platform. However at low tide, the view was great, just be careful of slippery rocks.

Jones Beach

A great place to visit in its own right, Jones Beach is wide and sandy, making a relaxing place to soak up the sun. Cathedral Rocks are to the south on the rocky headland and rock platform. Take footwear, as the rocks are sharp and slippery. We took Crocs, because they can be worn in water and protect feet from sharp rocks.

Jones Beach
Jones Beach

Cathedral Rocks

Standing above and surrounded by water, the rock formations look amazing, providing a great opportunity for photos. The rock platform gives many different vantage points to see the rocks as well as vantage points to see the rest of the coastline.

Cathedral Rocks
Cathedral Rocks

Cathedral Rocks Cave

While walking along the rock platform, keep an eye out for a small cave. You can see the Cathedral Rocks from here, while the cave entrance frames them. This gives another and different view.

Cathedral Rocks
View From the Cave

Cliff Drive

With views from above Cathedral Rocks, as well as a path down to sea level, Cliff Drive offers alternate views to Jones Beach. If you choose to use the path and walk down to the rock platform, low tide is the best time to visit. This will allow you to walk further onto rocks to get a good view.

Cliff Drive Cathedral Rocks
Cliff Drive Cathedral Rocks

What Did We Think?

A great place to visit and enjoy the beach as well as climbing over rocks. Visiting at low tide will give a you a better view.

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

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Cordeaux Dam New South Wales Australia

Upstream Wall of Cordeaux Dam

Cordeaux Dam

Constructed between 1918 and 1926, Cordeaux Dam provides water to Macarthur and Illawarra regions, the Wollondilly Shire, and metropolitan Sydney.

Egyptian-Style gateways and housings on the dam wall enhance the appearance of the structure and reflect the time of construction, as many Australian soldiers served in Egypt during World War One.

Cordeaux Dam was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in November 1999, because of the architectural, social and engineering values. Not only does it supply water, but it has great historical and current social value.

How to Get There

Located 90 minutes from Sydney and 30 minutes from Wollongong, it is a nice place to stop on your way to Picton Road. From the entrance, follow the road to the upper car park, where you can stop, or continue to the lower park and the dam wall. Shelters and seats at both locations provide shade and great picnic areas as well as toilet facilities.

The Dam

After Parking at the lower level, we walked across the dam wall, which let us see the architecture up close. Walking the length of the wall enabled us to see the spillway and the housings in detail. Brass plaques on the housings and gateways provide details on the dam, which informs visitors about its construction.

Specifications for Cordeaux Dam:

  • Total capacity: 9.364×10−5 billion gigalitres; 24,736 billion US gallons (20,597×109 imp gal).
  • Greatest depth of water: 52 metres (170 ft).
  • Greatest height of wall: 58 metres (191 ft) (above foundations).
  • Length of crest including pylons: 404 metres (1,327 ft).
  • Area of lake: 781 hectares (1,931 acres) (when full).
  • Top water level 304 metres (996 ft) AHD .
  • Completed in 1926.
  • Cost: A£945,000 ($1,908,000).
  • Concrete in wall: 215,176 cubic metres (281,440 cu yd).
  • Length of spillway weir: 152 metres (500 ft).
  • Width of crest: 5 metres (16.5 ft).
  • Width of base: 46 metres (150 ft).

Dam Grounds Opening Times

  • 10 am to 5 pm daily
  • Extended hours, 10 am to 7 pm, on weekends and public holidays during daylight saving time
  • Entry is free
  • Entry is not permitted 15 minutes prior to closing time
  • Before travelling check that the dam is not undergoing maintenance and closed
  • Upstream Wall of Cordeaux Dam
    Upstream Wall of Cordeaux Dam
  • Downstream Wall of Cordeaux Dam
    Downstream Wall of Cordeaux Dam
  • Roadway at the Top of the Dam Wall
    Roadway at the Top of the Dam Wall
  • Plaque of the Dam's Specifications
    Plaque of the Dam’s Specifications

What Did We Think?

We though it was a great place to stop on our trip to Jervis Bay, because the dam wall is interesting and the picnic tables and shade areas are well set up.

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