Have you ever had one of those days when you walk around & the day can actually take your breath away?
Well today was just one of those magical days, the temperature was 24 deg., a light zephyr of a breeze was blowing from the north, the ocean glittered like a million diamonds, whales on their migration northward frolicked off the coast & this was all on the first day of July!
After of breakfast we went for a quick walk to the lagoon situated just behind the park & I was able to get some great shots of the early morning stillness.
After a q
uick morning tea with the locals (we scored free coffee cups!) we headed out to the Trial Bay Gaol located about 2klms from where we were staying & because it was close we left the car & enjoyed the walk in the sunshine. The old gaol wasn't a convict garrison, but it was built in the late 19th century to house 'good conduct' prisoners & use their labour to build a breakwall into Trial Bay. In 1903 that project was abandoned & the gaol lay dormant until 1915, when the government decided to intern male German civilians during WWI. This lasted until the end of the war & then, during the 1920's anything that could be unbolted & sold as scrap was achieved, till all that left was basically the building shell. In 1965 the area came under the control the Arakoon State Rec Area & since then rehabilitation works have been in progress to maintain this unique piece of our early penal history.
uick morning tea with the locals (we scored free coffee cups!) we headed out to the Trial Bay Gaol located about 2klms from where we were staying & because it was close we left the car & enjoyed the walk in the sunshine. The old gaol wasn't a convict garrison, but it was built in the late 19th century to house 'good conduct' prisoners & use their labour to build a breakwall into Trial Bay. In 1903 that project was abandoned & the gaol lay dormant until 1915, when the government decided to intern male German civilians during WWI. This lasted until the end of the war & then, during the 1920's anything that could be unbolted & sold as scrap was achieved, till all that left was basically the building shell. In 1965 the area came under the control the Arakoon State Rec Area & since then rehabilitation works have been in progress to maintain this unique piece of our early penal history.We also made the trek up to the monument that was erected for the German internee's that died whilst in captivity at the gaol & then down through the coastal heath to Little Be
ach. Every step you took presented another photographic opportunity & I was amply rewarded, although my photo's could never do justice to the beauty on display.
ach. Every step you took presented another photographic opportunity & I was amply rewarded, although my photo's could never do justice to the beauty on display.Later that afternoon, we went over to the Smoky Cape Lighthouse to see the beauty of the late afternoon playing upon the white starkness of the lighthouse & marvel once again at the whales migrating northward. Smoky Cape was actually named by Captain Cook on his discovery voyage in the Endeavour in 1770. If he'd had any sense he'd have stop & built a house there! With the last gasps of sunlight receding away, I once again headed back down to the lagoon & was able to capture the stunning beauty of sunset over a pristine coastal wetland.
This was such a special day, but unfortunately it was our last hurrah .... our next stop was Newcastle. Our 3,000klm holiday was over, but it will always be remembered as a stunning, relaxing & wonderful way to see NSW.
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