Tag Archives: Lowestoft Bay

A tribute to the Australian men and women who fought in overseas wars hoping for a safer Australia

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Today is a powerfully important day in Australia’s psyche. It is ANZAC Day; a day of remembrance and commemoration. In particular, this year’s ANZAC day represents 100 years since our defence forces arrived on the beaches at Gallipoli, Turkey near the beginning of World War 1. In 1914, an officer created the acronym ANZAC to register the coming together of two sets of national troops: the AUSTRALIAN and NEW ZEALAND ARMY CORPS. From then on and because of the actions of those men and women during the first World War, ANZAC has come to mean mateship and extraordinary personal and team efforts in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. We talk about the ANZAC spirit.

From dawn services, to town and city parades, to commemoration services at cenotaphs, today Australians will watch, march, place floral wreaths or otherwise be involved. We will remember those who have lost their lives, been injured or otherwise involved not only in World War 1 but also in all other arenas of war where Australians have travelled to help out another country.

From the beginning of last century, most towns built cenotaphs or other memorials in prominent places. This blog, during the walk along the Derwent River, has shown photos of structures built for such commemoration purposes. It seems appropriate to reshow a selection.

On Stage 1 when walking near the mouth of the river on the eastern shore, I found the Lone Pine memorial standing proudly.  Today, ex-servicemen will gather there to remember the sacrifices of those who stormed the beaches at Gallipoli and went on to battle it out at Lone Pine. ‘Lest we forget’.

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The South Arm cenotaph.

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The Memorial Reserve at Bridgewater

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The Australian Tracker and War Dogs Memorial at Lowestoft Bay

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The Hobart City cenotaph on the Domain

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One war memorial, which I am yet to see, is located at Gretna a small rural town located inland from New Norfolk. The Gretna war memorial was built after World War I and sits on a hill overlooking the Derwent River. The spectacular photo below is by Lex Prebski and was taken from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-22/11-unsung-war-memorials-to-see-in-tasmania-this-anzac-weekend/6401618

Lex Prebski photo of Gretna war memorial

It is interesting that the two most special days on the Australian calender have an element of doing wrong to others: Australia Day on the 26 January celebrates settlement of Australia by foreigners and the displacement of the local indigenous peoples; and Anzac Day on 25 April commemorates the death and activity of thousands of Australian men and women fighting other nationals in wars outside Australia not of our making. The positive sides of these two days are equally clear to me: Australia Day is the chance for everyone who lives in  Australia to enjoy the fact we have a safe and friendly country; Anzac Day offers the chance to value people who had in the past or have currently, a belief and act on it hoping to make the world a safer place for everyone.

Lowestoft Bay in Berriedale on my 9th walk along the Derwent River

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Wandering down the track towards Lowestoft Bay, Berriedale’s Caravan Park and the headland with MONA were visible.

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Eventually at 3pm, I reached the northern end of the Lowestoft Bay and could see the Bay stretching around to the Berriedale Caravan Park.

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Once on the open mowed green parklands, clear walking tracks were easily accessible.

The most amazing discovery of this 9th stage of my walk along the Derwent River was a significant memorial to the dogs that had been part of Australia’s fighting forces.

Three different components constituted the memorial.

  • A panel detailed the stories of some of the dogs.

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  • Vertical panels placed at intervals along the Lowestoft Bay waterfront with the names of the dogs and the wars they had fought in. For example:

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  • A paved and constructed place for quiet contemplation

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This memorial was so unexpected; a remarkable series of features the like of which I have never seen before.  How many readers knew it was there?

From McCarthy’s Point to Berriedale on my 9th walk along the Derwent River.

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When I turned around for my last look northwards from McCarthy’s Point across Connewarre Bay and the main body of the Derwent River, the Cadbury factory was sunlit. I found it difficult to believe I had been there only 1 ¼ hours ago because of my experiences with new vistas since then: now the Cadbury factory seemed so far away.

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The walk from McCarthy Point moved along a pretty trail, well-trodden by others. It made for excellent walking.

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The vegetation was often lush and overgrown with free sown exotic plants.

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Before reaching Lowestoft Bay in the distance I was puzzled by … was it a woman washing herself in the garden.

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Of course on closer inspection this clearly was not the case.  First impressions can be so wrong!

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I thought the concrete blocks flanking ‘her’ feet were rather special element of the installation of this sculpture.

Closer to the water’s edge in front of this property stood a flag pole. This Australian flag was protected from the wind by nearby trees.  Considering the gale that blew around me all day in every nook and cranny it was extraordinary to have a moment of calm here.  Perhaps winds don’t blow here. Perhaps the flag always droops.

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In the photo above, across the Lowestoft Bay a section of the Berriedale Caravan Park is visible.

But before I reached the Bay,  I surprised a clan of rabbits happily resting on the leaf strewn path ahead of me.

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I had the feeling they were not used to pedestrians on a weekday and were most put out as they scurried off to hide.

9th Stage of walk along Derwent River completed yesterday, Tuesday 25 November

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I caught two buses from my home in Bellerive on the eastern shore, via the Elizabeth St CBD Hobart and the Glenorchy City bus malls, to reach Granton on the western shore of the Derwent River in the northern suburbs of the City of Glenorchy in the Greater Hobart Area.

At 8.26am I stepped off the Metro number X1 bus at stop 47 outside the York Hotel in Granton South and, with excitement about what the day might bring, I looked around and admired the view across the River to the suburb of Bridgewater before starting the tramp south.

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No footpaths or walk ways had been laid for pedestrians and so vigilance was required against the traffic on the Main Road. Occasionally a few metres of concrete or bitumen were laid for a new subdivision but generally a track for smooth safe walking was not on offer.

The weather started sunny but during the afternoon rain passed intermittently. In the photo below you can see the grey background blurred by rain, but meanwhile three pelicans were enjoying themselves on Lowestoft Bay.

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Relentless buffeting wind was the main feature all day. As a result, I couldn’t keep my sun hat attached to my head. Needless to say, I returned home with a blasted red face.  But happy from the pleasure of walking, discovery and the fresh air. Being a tourist in my home town is a revelation and a joy.

I walked southwards from Granton South to MONA (the world famous Museum of New and Old Art) at Berriedale and passed through the suburbs of Granton South, Austins Ferry, Claremont and half of Berriedale.

I experienced Goulds Lagoon, Austins Ferry Bay, Rusts Bay, Beedhams Bay, Bilton Bay, Dogshear Point, Windermere Bay, Knights Point, Windermere Beach, Connewarre Bay, McCarthy’s Point, Lowestoft Bay, and Cameron Bay. I plodded around bays and a golf course (I gained special permission to walk this private property but I would NOT recommend anyone else try it – see later postings), had a stopover at Cadbury’s, and hid from the rain in gazebos and art works. All up, I probably walked 18 kms.

Yesterday I covered 9 ¼ km of the River’s length on the western shore. This adds to my previous tally of 3/4km on the western shore making a total of 10kms covered as I trek southwards from the Bridgewater Bridge to the mouth of the Derwent on the western shore.

Specific details of the different legs of this 9th stage walk will be written up and posted in the coming days.

My favourite photo of the day was taken near the end of my walk, when I sat at the point where the southern end of Cameron Bay met the Derwent River (with MONA just over the hill). The water had been frothed by wind and I liked the lacy remnants floating by.  The intense colours are the result of the rich light quality caused by the heavy clouds overhead.

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