There is not much point trying to walk through the industrial and port section at the north of Botany Bay so I decided to continue my walk along the coast by starting just south of the Airport.
As usual I headed from north to south. It's easier on the eyes.
But first, a couple of more prosaic photos. Here is the bus stop in Woolwich where I started my bus, train, bus journey to Brighton-le-Sands near the start of my walk.
Waiting at the bus stop at Rockdale station, I noticed this sign across the street. Immigration is a hot political issue in Australia. Here is a company that helps immigrants get visas of various kinds but specializes in education visas..
Most immigrants settle in the large capital cities like Sydney and Melbourne where there are plenty of jobs. The racial mix in these cities is quite different from the mix you would see in country towns where most people are white. This difference in diversity also extends to the food in restaurants. There are all kinds of foods available in Sydney, but limited selections in country Australia.
An interesting study has recently been published that uses DNA and determines that Australian Aborigines are descendants of a single wave of migrants that left Africa 72,000 years ago. In a way, everybody is a migrant or descendant of a migrant to this land. Some families have just been here longer than others.
Boredom waiting for a bus to arrive.
I took the first bus that would take me to the beach which ended up at Brighton-le-Sands.
I wanted to get a closer view of the airport so I headed north to begin with.
The entrance to Botany Bay with a plane coming in to land at the Airport.
I walked about a kilometer north and then continued on the sand for a while.
The usual clear water that surrounds Australia.
By chance I arrived a bit after 10 am and there was our return flight to Los Angeles (DL40) heading out to the runway. It's a Delta Boeing 777.
Getting ready to move onto to runway. Although the airport has two parallel runways, one is longer than the other and is typically used by the larger jets. The takeoff and landing patterns are affected by noise restrictions at night time.
By the way, Sydney Airport is the oldest continuously operating commercial airport in the world.
The plane takes off.
When I left the house earlier in the day, there were no clouds, but they certainly had built up quickly.
Erosion protection by natural grasses and vegetation.
A final barrier.
Interesting roof.
A pedestrian / bicycle path that lines the foreshore. There were quite a few people using it.
There are some weird and wonderful mansions and also a lot of new construction as older buildings are torn down. If you afford the land here, you can afford to tear down whatever is there to create your dream home.
Every now and then, an older building. I suspect this is from the Art Deco pre WWII period.
However this looks like a 50's or 60's creation.
I really liked the chimney flue shape on the side of the building.
The front of the collection of houses.
I left the bike path and headed down to a path for walkers by the beach.
I wondered what these poles were.
Commemorating the landing of the First Fleet in 1788.
There were two Perry's on board. I don't know why the ship's name was Unknown.
The answer to the mystery yellow poles. They supported volleyball nets.
Restaurants by the beach at Brighton-le-Sands.
Shark proof fence for swimming.
Although it was quite overcast, it was easy walking along the path.
Bottle brush.
Eventually it started to rain and I huddled in one of the sheds that dot the foreshore.
The rain was light but it well and truly made the entrance to Botany Bay disappear.
A traditional fish and chip shop.
You have to wonder how a shopping trolley ends up in a place like this.
Presumably a launching site for a boat but there was no way to get a boat down there.
Another shark proof swimming area.
Restaurant beside the beach.
I wandered over to look more closely at this small forest of trees.
Male cockatoos.
I presume these are cockatoos but they are lacking the crest.
The trunks of the trees are fascinating. Unfortunately I have not been able to find out what species they are.
An interesting name. If you click on the photo you can read the sign.
There was a huge storm in June 2016 and big waves damaged the foreshore. You can read more about it here. Now it all looks so placid.
Primrose House, one of the oldest houses in the area. A drop of rain must have landed on my lense.
A jetty missing a couple of spans. Perhaps it was damage from the storm.
A bridge over a little creek flowing into the Bay.
Sailing club. That probably means a club supported by poker machines.
Some of the houses are quite imaginative. The roof of this one slopes upward.
I don't think I have ever seen a bottle-brush hedge before.
Now this is a mansion.
The house next door. Quite a contrast and somehow I suspect I would prefer to live in this house.
The path continues. It's very easy walking with no hills.
Notice the telescope in the cupola.
The view for these expensive houses is essentially that of an expanse of water with mangroves on the other side.
I finally could see the end of my walk at the Captain Cook Bridge over the Georges River.
Somebody got a job lot of tiles.
Decorations on top of their garage.
Another sailing club.
So who is Rodney Rude? You can see an example of his act here.
Closer to the bridge were some old houses that no doubt will be demolished in the near future when the price is right.
Leaving behind a huge block like this one where the developer will put multiple residences or a block of flats.
I took a bus to Kogarah Station where I caught a train into the city. I was intrigued by the orange tiles on the columns.
It was a good long walk of about six miles and I did a further two miles walk along the Woolwich Peninsula when I discovered I would have to wait the best part of an hour for the next bus. It was all good practice for my walk in Tasmania in a week's time.
No comments:
Post a Comment