Did Dangar in a day. Not that it was hard. It's barely a mile across. There's one shop and maybe fifty houses. The residents are the usual Central Coast mix of Dear Old Things who've lived there forever, yuppie commuters and cashed-up retirees.
Dangar Island ferry wharf. Get off the train at Hawkesbury River and catch the ferry from Brooklyn wharf (next to the station) to Dangar Island.
I went last weekend. It was one of those iffy days when it might rain and it might not. Mostly it didn't.
Being so tiny the island has no need of cars. There's just Bob-the-odd-job-bloke's ute for garbage collection and cartage of fallen branches. The next most powerful vehicles are two golf carts and several dozen wheelbarrows for carting one's stuff home from the ferry. Good exercise but probably a bit tiresome on those dark and stormy evenings.
A gate substitute near the Bowls club. It says "Beware of the Rabbit". I was.
Evidence in Kiparra Park of Aboriginal habitation on or visits to the island before white peeps came. I don't yet have a lot of info on the Aboriginal inhabitants of the Brisbane Water area. I do know though that caves are few and far between so housing was probably the bark humpy backed up by rock shelters like this in bad weather.
That pole with the red thingy on top above the rock is some sort of electrical thingy. The island is fully wired for power and phones.
Porto Bay from the Bradleys Bay beach. Porto Bay is one of the smaller bays in Ku-ring-gai National Park. The other side of Ku-ring-gai faces into Pittwater, which can be seen from Pearl Beach.
Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge & Spectacle Island from the Dangar Island cafe (the only shop on the island) next to the wharf. The island in the centre is Spectacle. In the distance is Mooney Mooney and the F3 Freeway from Sydney to Newcastle. On the right is Cogra Point. From there the railway runs north-ish along the edge of Mullet Creek then goes into NSW's longest railway tunnel and pops out a few minutes later at Woy Woy.
Brooklyn is behind (west-south-west of) the Woy Woy Peninsula. It and Dangar Island are technically part of Hornsby Council (Borough) in Sydney.
It held off raining until we were ready to go. Very considerate. But I love a rainy view anyways. Makes all the colours soft. It's raining again today. Nipped out for a paper earlier but it looks like that's all the walking I'll be doing today, sod it.
8 comments:
Must do Dangar one day. Some great photos, love that door.
It'll be a pleasant excursion.
Ta.
The door was nutty. First, why a door instead of a gate and second, a guard rabbit?!
hi, i live on dangar island and although there is only one shop it supplies us with all our basic needs.
The shop owners are amazing they have two kids between the age of 1 and 5 AND they run the shop basicaly by themselves!!!!!!!!!
But we also have a bowling club/restraunt and a film workshop for the kids, and across the water we have a sailing club. We aren't all snobby old people, Some of us are young couples looking for a new start or some, like me are just kids, with a island to play on with friends just around the corner!!
Anonymous, I do envy you growing up on Dangar. I loved it.
I revisited Dangar Island today. Saw the door with the bunny sign, the balinese door, the overgrown paths, the bowling club - not reminiscent of previous years but looking a bit desolute. Heard the plethora of birds, the wonderful variety of vegetation and walked along the country lanes. Its been a few years since I last visited but felt that deep urge within me of wanting to capture a bit of the past as well as the extremely peaceful and slow place environment. My late husband Phillip and i had enjoyed a couple of week stays on the island and quite a few day trips where we were welcomed by the community presided over by the Dowager of Island, Sheila. Sadly, Sheila has also passed on and I wonder who remains of those times. I do not remember all their names, but remember Russell who was very helpful to us. We went to a Friday night dinner and felt right at home amongst the islanders. I hope to visit again soon.
A lovely story, DIF. Thank yer for adding it.
Spike, i would of rather enjoyed to read something of better quality since your grammar skills were fairly poor ...-__-
Hi, I'm looking for Kim Watson who I believe lived on Dangar Island in 2007. She could have been at the post office. Is she still there? If so could you please email me at ... bergman_dale@hotmail.com. I need to get in touch. Thank you so much, Dale.
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