West Head and Barren Joey

Yesterday Sally drove mum and I up to the north east of Sydney. We started by driving up the eastern side of the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. From the entrance there is one long road up to West Head. It was being reapaired really well and caused some delay. However the 'Excel Road Management' consisted of two men with a lolipop stick each. All along the route there are places to park and signs to various walking tracks to beaches and coves. From West Head there was a view of the Barren Joey light house. West Head and Barren Joey are notable whale watching points overlooking what is said to be the busiest marine mammal channel in the world. (Not today)


A little way back is a serious peice of car park for the aborigine art site. This was a very large slab of sandstone on which are carved aborigine pictures which are like grafitti lines.


Before leaving we turned off for lunch at Aruna Bay. This is a marina with specialist shops and a restuarant.

Next we circled south below the estuary and back north up the peninsula leading to the Barren Joey lighthouse. We parked on Palm Beach. Here the wind was a little rough with just enough to push a wind surfer.


We gave up the idea of a walk up to Barren Joey light house - too steep. I wouldn't be able to get up and mum would not be able to get down. Instead we turned at right angles to the estuary and walked across the peninsula. The sound of the sea disappeared, but shortly we began to hear a roaring. The Pacific Ocean was crashing on the opposite shore. It is incredible the difference there is between one side and another of a very thin piece of land (See first picture). I tried hard to capture the power of the ocean.


We stopped off at Palm Beach for milk shakes and made our way past Newport and the Pondarosa to home, in time for Sally to pick up the girls.

Today is 'in' day. Emily has been swimming and soon the girls are off for hair cuts at Dural.