4.3.1  

With the 441 Bus I get to Birchgrove Park.

There are sport fields, including tennis courts and a football oval, a fanous one, supposed to be 'The Birthplace of Rugby Union in Australia'.

A path goes along Snail Bay. The view is superb.

Then along Louisa Road to the headland.

In between the long row of houses is a vacant block of land, a little public open space with a nice view of Snail Bay.

Louisa Road runs a long a narrow ridge, the houses on either side have water frontage. 

Those on the eastern side have City views,

and the ones facing west overlook Cockatoo Island.

There are some old houses, mostly terraces and some modern ones, but no apartment blocks.

The properties here looking well kept and pricey. 

At the end of Louisa Rd, at Long Nose Point is a little park, the Yurulbin Park. 

The local council put up an ‘Information sign on Aboriginal People who lived in and around the Leichhardt district’. 

 At the Point is Birchgrove Wharf. The ferry service is not so frequent from here and due to maintenance ferries have been suspended till middle of the year.

Back along Louisa Rd, this time on the other side of the road of course. Louisa Rd goes further than Birchgrove Park where I started off. 
Few town houses and apartments buildings appear.

4.3.2    
Now and then hidden steps lead to the water's edge with little green spaces.  Sometimes old machinery, remnants from long forgotten times are left standing. 

Behind and below Birchgrove Rd is Hopetoun Quays, a big townhouse complex and marina recently been built on a site which once was a coal mine and was later used for fitting out  ships. 

So good to have access to the waterfront. At the end of the boardwalk steps again, 122 of them, leading back up to Gow Street.  I did not realise that at northern end of the complex a public lift could have taken me down - and up again. 

When I go on walks I do have a local map with me, but I prefer to just walk along without following the map. However I do note down street names so that later I can trace my steps. Of course that way I often finish up at dead ends and have to go back, but I do discover interesting little spots. 

Soon many steps down again leading to a park with steep sandstone cliffs, Fitzroy Avenue Park. 

And there it is: 

The Dawn Fraser Bath. 

Unfortunately it too is closed for repairs. Next summer I will go there and swim a few laps, just to take me back when I as a teenager belonged to a swimming club. 

From there it is a short walk to Elkington Park and White Horse Point. Good view again of Cockatoo Island. 

Walking past Balmain Rowing Club, established 1882, another big older apartment complex dominates the scenery.

How could they ever build houses without balconies? 

But looking at them closer I had to admire the art work some residents put up. 

And also nice to see neat small vegie patches.

Walking along the Reserve in front of the buildings I disturbed  a flock of seagulls being fed.

The Reserve ends at Elliot Street Ferry Wharf. there is a nice restaurant.

4.3.3

Off Elliot Street turning into little lanes and unexpectedly I got to the foreshore again. Further on some roads would have taken me there too.  

More large town houses and apartment blocks where once factories stood. 

The good thing with these new housing developments is that the foreshore has been made accessible to the public and some nice park land has been created.

Some plaques at the Pump House ‘A’ of the old Balmain Power Station and more around the walk way give interesting information of this gone-by era.

And there we are at Iron Cove with its bridge.

Actually two bridges. 

The original 1882 Iron Cove Bridge was replaced in 1955, and after some controversy a second bride was completed in 2011 to easy the traffic on Victoria Road. 

It was getting late, because todays walk had lots of interesting spots, and because I started only in the afternoon, and because the sun sets now earlier.

The April Balmain Peninsula walks from bridge to bridge were real fun. 

Long walks are good - at least for me.

Harbour Walk 3.2   

 BLACKWATLLE BAY and ROZELLE BAY        

March 2012  

approximately 4 km  

over 2 hours

My walk earlier in March was a bit short, so I thought I better do another bit and go around the bay past Anzac Bridge.

The bay south of Anzac Bridge has 2 parts:

                                                                                                                                                     

Blackwattle Bay 

                                                   and

                                         Rozelle Bay

3.2.1   

I started just under Anzac Bridge, coming down Quarry Master Street. 

Bus 443 and 501 takes you to Harris and Miller Street, also the Light Rail stops there. 

And right there is the Fish Market. 

                            

It is great fun having a meal 

at the Fish Market, however it is not cheap there.   

Watching the morning fishermen trading session is fantastic, but you have to get up real early for that.

3.2.2  

From the Fish Market on one has to walk 

along Pyrmont Bridge Rd, opposite Wentworth Park for a short distance. 

There are derelict  industrial sites with rusty machinery. 

Turning into Taylor St and walking past the Secondary College. Then at the Rowing Club one is back at the water’s edge with great harbour views. 

The Glebe foreshore has recently been developed with nice parkland, foreshore walks and modern apartments.

Among the trees are still some beautiful old houses.

The old ‘Bellevue’, a 1890s historic home was going to be demolished in 1970s by developers, but local residents’ protest saved it. 

Restored now it is used as a  cafe. 

At this spot the view of Anzac Bridge is superb. 

If 1 hour walk is enough for you today, a little along Leichhardt St and you get to Glebe Point Rd and from here busses go back to the city . 

This point separates Blackwattle Bay and Rozelle Bay, but the fore-shore park continues. Remnants of old factory machinery are still scattered along the way making the walk even more interesting. 

3.2.3   

More new apartments along Rozelle Bay.

 In Bicentennial Park, where Glebe Point Rd ends, is a huge old fig tree.

Even some mangroves got established once the old ‘noxious industries’ like slaughter houses, tanneries, timber yards were removed. 

When we lived for a short time in Glebe in the early 60s, we used to buy fish and chips, and eating it in the park we watched huge timber logs floating in the water.

Soon after crossing Johnstons Creek one has to walk again for few hundred metres along streets. 

On the harbour side of The Crescent are more small industrial sites, most of them looking like being in the process to be demolished. 

                                                                            

On the other side of The Crescent is a nice mural. 

From here a bus and the Light Rail too goes back to the city. 

Turning into the busy Western Distributer, and then into James Craig Rd the harbour is busier again. 

Some big pleasure crafts and tour boats are moored there and the office of the Maritime Services is here too.

James Craig Rd is partially blocked off, but a parallel road takes you right under the northern point of the Anzac Bridge.

Some steps lead to a lookout 

just next to the monument 

of the other Anzac Soldier. 

The road does not continue and I had to go on under the bridge to get onto the footpath leading to the next bus stop on Victoria Rd.

And here ends todays walk, a walk a bit longer than anticipated, however it was very enjoyable.