W

atson's Bay

 

November, 2006








Australia flag






A few miles beyond Nielson Park is Watson's Bay and beyond it South Head, the eastern end of Sydney harbor. It has been on our agenda for a long time and this weekend we got there, but by bus, rather than bicycle. (One can also get there via a ferry from Circular Quay; for us that would have meant going the wrong way just to enjoy the boat ride.)

We had come all the way out to Watson's Bay to nosh on some famous Aussie fish and chips, sip on a glass or two of chilled Aussie Semillon, and take a stroll along the South Head cliffs. We'd thought of going to one restaurant and locals had told us it was over priced; instead, they said, go to the Watson's Bay Hotel. When we arrived we found that the Watsons had become a branch of Doyles — we could either eat in the Doyle's pier, or Doyle's hotel, or Doyle's couryard; We chose the latter with a good view of the inner bay on to central Sydney.

After lunch we set off to walk the kilometer or so to South Head. We had more good Sydney weather and were treated with great views all the way up the harbor to the downtown and Harbor Bridge. The walk goes mostly through a park and along the way we were treated to views of the mostly-male nudist beach at Lady Cove, the light house on the top of South Head, and the jumble of rocks across the channel below North Head

The park is located on what was once military land. The army gave its training ground up. The Navy, as it seems Navies always do, still retains its hold on a good part of the place. When it is all park and a bit more is added then there will be a terrific cliff-line walk all the way south from South Head to Bondi Beach. And there is already a walk, which we made in our first weeks, further south to Coogee Beach.




December 15, 2006