The UNSW Staff Social Club members, associates and guests recently participated in a most memorable weekend tour of the Port Stephens area.
Overnight accommodation was arranged for Saturday at the magnificently appointed Salamandar Shores Motel ideally located on the foreshores of Soldiers Point. This complex is popular with tourists and provides spectacular views of the Port Stephens waterways and coastal peaks.
The group enjoyed visits to the following attractions: Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Oakvale Ewe and Lamb Centre, Nelson Head Heritage Light House, Tanilba House, Port Stephens Shell Museum, Fighter World - Plane Museum.
One of the highlights of the tour was a two hour dolphin-watching cruise aboard the M.V. Surprise. The huge spacious viewing decks provided the ideal platforms for our enthusiastic party members to view the numerous family groups of bottlenose dolphins at close range, which included quite a number of young dolphins.
Other highlights included:
- A tour of the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens conducted by local guides. This was most interesting and highlighted special features of the gardens, including various species of plants used by the aborigines for medicine and bush tucker. The gardens also contain one of the most comprehensive collections of Grevilleas in Australia. Fortunately for all the keen gardeners in the party, the majority of Grevilleas were in full flower.
- Tanilba House, an historic residence built by convict labour in 1831 and one of Australia's oldest monuments was well worth visiting. Most guests enjoyed a mulberry or two from the fully-laden 100-year-old mulberry tree incorporated with the landscape next to a massive Wisteria vine of the same age.
- A visit to Fighter World, adjoining the Williamtown RAAF base, was enjoyed during the return trip to Sydney. Visitors were able to inspect the cockpits of various fighter planes arranged with and surrounded by memorabilia of the Royal Australian Air Force's participation in past wars.
Once again the group was grateful for the thoughtfulness and excellent organisation by the committee members.
It was a wonderful weekend enjoyed by all. The coach driver was particularly appreciated for providing additional entertainment with his many songs, lively poems and tall stories.