Quirky Places & Things of New South Wales Quirky Stories and Things of ‘Sydney Surrounds North’ Natural Quirky Places of Lake Macquarie Location: Lake Macquarie Destination: Sydney Surrounds North Lake Macquarie: Largest permanent coastal lake in the southern hemisphere and twice the size of Sydney Harbour. Beaches of Catherine Hill Bay: One of only two entirely state heritage listed towns in NSW and twice named one of Australia’s ‘101 Best Beaches’. Lake Macquarie Visitor Information Centre 228/234 Pacific Highway Swansea, NSW 2281 Information provided by Lake Macquarie City Council. Photos sourced here. Historical Quirky Places of Lake Macquarie Location: Lake Macquarie Destination: Sydney Surrounds North Dobell House: Rathmines Park Redhead Shark Tower: Reflects the life of Sir William Once home to the largest and Constructed during the Great Dobell and encourages visitors longest-serving seaplane base in the Depression, using timber from a on every level possible. Southern Hemisphere during WWII. nearby disused coal mine and relief labour for local unemployed men. Lake Macquarie Visitor Information Centre 228/234 Pacific Highway Information and images sourced here, here and by the Lake Swansea, NSW 2281 Macquarie City Council. Light Your Boat Festival Location: Lake Macquarie Destination: Sydney Surrounds North Quirky Facts: • Last held in June, 2018. • An open challenge exclusively for boats 5 metres or longer. • Entrants dress up their boats and take part in a flotilla parade held over Lake Macquarie. ▪ Boats depict turtles, whales and other sea creatures. ▪ The festival also includes fire twirling, food stalls, live music, fireworks and hula hoop workshops at Warners Bay. Lake Macquarie Visitor Information Centre 228/234 Pacific Highway Information and image sourced here. Swansea, NSW 2281 ‘Creative Lake’ Location: Lake Macquarie Destination: Sydney Surrounds North Quirky Facts: • An innovative curated collection of seven sculptures and murals by nationally and internationally acclaimed artists. • Built to enhance the existing Sculpture Park at the Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery. • Visitors “follow” the art by various modes of transport, including bike, boat, road or foot. Lake Macquarie Visitor Information Centre 228/234 Pacific Highway Swansea, NSW 2281 Information and images sourced here and by the Lake Macquarie City Council. ‘Big Blue’ Horse Sculpture Location: Scone Visitor Information Centre Destination: Sydney Surrounds North Quirky Facts: • ‘Big Blue’ has now been in Scone for just over 3 years. • 33% larger than a heavy horse and has 4km of blue hay bale twine wrapped around him. • Took the artist, Nick Adams (the artist) 6 months to complete it. • ‘Big Blue’ is split down the middle so that his front end and back end can be placed either side of glass or a wall. • If you look inside ‘Big Blue’ you can see his heart. Scone Visitor Information Centre Cnr Kelly and Susan Street Scone, NSW 2337 Information and Image supplied by Upper Hunter Shire Council Quirky things outdoors in the Dungog Shire Location: Eccleston & Tocal Destination: Sydney Surrounds North Boot Hill A selection of hundreds of shoes and boots strung along the fence of a property on Allyn River Road. Blacket Barn: One of Tocal’s mot important buildings and designed by colonial architect Edmund Thomas Dungog Visitors Information Centre Blacket. The building’s design is unique and 198 Dowling Street based on the elegance of Sydney churches. Dungog, NSW 2420 Information and images provided here, here and by Dungog Shire Council. Quirky Stories and Things of ‘Riverina Murray’ ‘Boofhead’ Railway Dog Location: Station Platform at Temora’s Railway Precinct Destination: Riverina Murray Quirky Facts: • Known as the legend of the rail network and immortalised in a statue located on the station platform at Temora’s Railway Precinct. • ‘Boofhead’ was a long legged black and white fox terrier and became Temora’s very own adventuring canine and railway dog. • ‘Boofhead’ road trains from Goulbourn in the east to Lake Cargelligo in the west during the 1960’s. Temora Visitor Information Centre 29 Goldfields Way Temora, NSW 2666 WWII British Jolly Roger Location: Greater Hume Shire Visitor Information Centre and Holbrook Submarine Museum Destination: Riverina Murray Quirky Facts: • From the ‘HMS Unsparing’, a submarine that operated in the Mediterranean Sea in WWII. It is believed to be the only WWII Jolly Roger in Australia. • The flag was rescued by crewman John Straw when the submarine was scrapped in 1946. • John Straw brought the flag to Australia when he immigrated. When he passed, the Victorian Submarine Association loaned the flag to the Visitor Centre. Greater Hume Shire Visitor Information Centre 15 Wallace Street Holbrook, NSW 2644 Information and Image supplied by Greater Hume Council Quirky Stories and Things of ‘Southern NSW’ Wombat Sculpture Location: The Town of Wombat, Near Wombat Hotel Destination: Southern NSW Quirky Facts: • Located at the end of town near the Wombat Hotel. Which was established in 1877. • Was paid for by an amused English Visitor. • The sign reads ‘"Our Wombat. This sculpture, unveiled on 7 April 2002, was the result of the inspiration and generosity of Peter Vardy of Surrey, England and the creative talents of Canberra artist Bev Hogg." Young & Hilltops Region Information Centre Lovell Street Young, NSW 2594 Information and Image Sourced: Here Young – Cherry Capital of Australia Location: The Town of Young Destination: Southern NSW Quirky Facts: • The town was originally called ‘Lambing Flat and once the location of the Lambing Flat race riots between European and Chinese gold miners in 1861. • The first location in NSW to have electric lighting installed in the streets and housing. • The commercial center of an agriculturally diverse district famous for cherries (of course!), peaches, plums and other stone fruits. Young & Hilltops Region Information Centre Lovell Street Young, NSW 2594 Information and Image Sourced: Here and Here ‘Merv’ the Merimbula Giant Oyster Location: Merimbula Visitor Information Centre Destination: Southern NSW Quirky Facts: • A cement-rendered fiberglass replica of an oyster which stands 93cm tall and 72cm wide. • Known as "Merv the World’s Largest Oyster“ and is a humorous celebration of the Oyster. • The replica was donated by the Merimbula Oyster Festival Committee at a public meeting two months after the first Merimbula Oyster Festival in 1979. Merimbula Visitor Information Centre 4 Beach Street Merimbula, NSW 2548 Information and Image supplied by Bega Valley Shire Council Teddy Couch Location: Eden Visitor Information Centre Destination: Southern NSW Quirky Facts: • Made by a local artesian who collected the knitted dolls from op shops in the area. • All dolls are sewed onto the couch. • Originally used as a wishing chair fundraiser for local hospital and is very comfy to sit on. • The Visitor Centre inherited the couch, which has become a great talking point for young and old. Eden Visitor information Centre Princes Highway & Mitchell Street Eden, NSW 2551 Information and Image supplied by Bega Valley Shire Council Quirky Stories and Things of ‘North Coast’ Painted Rocks at the Breakwall Location: Hasting’s River, Port Macquarie Destination: North Coast Quirky Facts: ▪ The rocks begin at Port Macquarie's Town Green and extends to the back of Town Beach. ▪ Began as an art competition in 1995 and eventually became an “outdoor gallery for all” to contribute to. ▪ The rocks have various meanings, including tributes to passed loved ones and commemorations of anniversaries or holidays. Greater Port Macquarie Visitor Centre 30-42 Clarence Street Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 Information sourced here. Image supplied here. Glasshouse Historical Display Location: The Glasshouse, Great Port Macquarie Visitor Information Centre Destination: North Coast Quirky Facts: • The Glasshouse is located in the historical heart of the early colonial township. • Excavation works on the Glasshouse site revealed archaeological remains of an overseers cottage (1824) including a convict era drain running diagonally across the site, convict kitchen gardens, school of the arts foundations (1884) and the first town hall (1892). Greater Port Macquarie Visitor Centre 30-42 Clarence Street Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 Information and image sourced from Port Macquarie-Hastings Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Council. “The Folly” Sculpture Location: Windmill Hill Reserve, Port Macquarie Destination: North Coast Quirky Facts: • Windmill Hill is one of sixteen sites of heritage significance adopted by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council in its award-winning archaeological master plan of 1999. • Represents the wooden shaft and stone grinding wheels of a windmill that once stood here. The windmill was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1900. • Created by Elands sculptor, Rick Reynolds in 2004 as part of Council's City of Arts programme. Greater Port Macquarie Visitor Centre 30-42 Clarence Street Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 Information and image sourced from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. Lake Innes Ruins Location: Lake Innes Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie Destination: North Coast Quirky Facts: • The remains of the elaborate estate built in the 1830s-40s by convicts and free labour for Major Archibald Clunes Innes, an entrepreneur and important figure in the settlement of Port Macquarie. • Innes was convinced that Port Macquarie would become the main gateway to the coastal area. • The Depression of the 1840s prompted Inne’s family to leave