Newcastle Harbour Lunch Cruise
Last Sunday we had a day out with the Travel Club and did a bus trip up to Newcastle. The day was grey and overcast when we left Penrith and it soon became wet and drizzling with rain as we journeyed on the M4, M7 and M1 freeways up the Coast to Newcastle. Newcastle is 192.9 kms north from Penrith and it takes approximately 2 hours and 19 minutes to get there by road.
After driving for over an hour we crossed the twin cantilever bridge at Mooney Mooney Creek in the Brisbane Water National Park on the Central Coast. We had morning tea in the nearby Deerubbin Reserve which is situated on a peninsula jutting out into the Hawkesbury River. Luckily, there was a break in the rain and we were able to enjoy our morning tea stop, under cover, in a picnic shelter in this popular spot. However, it soon started to rain again and we hurried back into the bus to continue on our way to Newcastle.
We arrived at Lee Wharf in Honeysuckle Drive where we boarded our Nova cruise boat to take us on a two hour luncheon cruise on Newcastle Harbour, one of Australia's most diverse regional ports.
Once we were all safely aboard, we left the wharf and cruised down passing Newcastle's renewed picturesque foreshore precinct which is an eleven hectare regional level park bordering the harbour. We passed Fort Scratchley, the Convict Lumberyard site and Customs House. Most of the park sits on reclaimed land previously used for mining, shipping, harbour activities, power supply, bond storage and rail marshalling yards. They are planting trees along the foreshore to create more usable shade. There are also mature Norfolk Island pines, each measuring 5 to 9 metres in height. There are plans to plant more native trees throughout the Foreshore precinct. I noticed many cafes along the foreshore including a bold banner with the words "How's the Serenity" which I assumed was the name of a cafe.
We saw the port's coal loading facilities and many big ships up close. We also noticed the many little tug boats busily chugging along the water, ready to guide the big ships in or out of the Harbour. There were also some sailing yachts on the harbour.
Newcastle Harbour is a dangerous port to enter and has been responsible for shipwrecks. All ships must be guided in and out by a pilot.
We journeyed as far as the mouth of the Kooragang wetlands which is an area containing fifteen kilometres of boardwalks, cycleways and walking tracks through floodplain forest where people can experience the natural wild habitat of the area, listening to the birds and frogs and spotting spiders, insects and other wildlife.
We indulged in a freshly prepared buffet lunch of fresh prawns, sliced ham and barbecued chicken together with a choice of fresh salads and afterwards there was cheesecake or mudcake with strawberries and cream for dessert followed by a serve yourself tea or coffee.
The weather did not improve and it became hard to see anything through the foggy windows of the boat. Because it was pouring with rain, we were not able to go upstairs on top of the boat which would have been an ideal vantage spot to take photos.
However, despite the inclement weather, we enjoyed our boat cruise on Newcastle Harbour and the fabulous lunch we indulged in with our friends from the Travel Club.
The journey home was down the Pacific Highway, passing through many townships on the Central Coast. This was intended to be a scenic trip but as it was still raining most of these townships were just a blurry image through fogged-up windows! However, they were well familiar to us and it was nice to once again be travelling through this beautiful and familiar area.
