My father Arthur Naylor was a prolific Sydney walker. He was strictly a day walker who used public transport to get to and from his walks, seemingly covering all of Sydney and surrounds but without keeping any records or taking photos.On 25 July 2006 Arthur passed away in Tamworth three days short of his 92nd birthday. His passing coincided with my retirement and with more time on my hands I had already started to go on walks around Sydney. With a recently acquired digital camera I began to keep a pictorial record of my walks and upload them on to the internet. I have developed this into a more structured website that I have named "Arthur's Footsteps" in honour of my father. See Dedication. In the spirit of my father's walking, I will be taking walks that can be completed within a day by someone living in Sydney using public transport. The first walk starts from the point where road distances in Australia are traditionally measured - the Francis Greenway designed obelisk in Macquarie Place, erected in 1818 [McHugh 1999]. The first series of walks cover the eastern shoreline of Sydney Harbour to South Head; the eastern beaches; the shoreline of Botany Bay; and the coastline south to Wollongong. As well as descriptions of the walks and pictures the site includes notes on suburbs, places of interest and interesting historical characters. Walking is regarded by many as the 'perfect exercise'. No fancy equipment is needed and it can be easily incorporated into a busy schedule. Walking increases aerobic fitness, helps contain weight, aids the digestive system, aids circulation, decreases blood pressure and is a natural tranquiliser helping to reduce anxiety and stress. [Kuntzleman 1979, pp. 1-2.] And, of course, it is the best way to get out in the fresh air and discover the natural wonders of your area. When it comes to natural wonders, Sydney is truly blessed. It is famous for its beautiful Harbour and there are many great walks around the Harbour with access improving all the time. But there are also many other beautiful waterways outside the main harbour including Broken Bay, Pittwater, Middle Harbour, Botany Bay and Port Hacking. There are quaint inner suburbs and a suburban sprawl with surprisingly large tracts of urban bushland, particularly around the river and creek systems, of the Nepean/Hawkesbury, Parramatta River, Lane Cove River, Cooks River and Georges River. Surrounded by Kuringai National Park to the North, the Blue Mountains National Park to the West and the Royal National Park to the South, Sydney truly is a walkers paradise. For information on how to use the site go to Using This Site. Disclaimer This website is no more than a narrative of my personal walks. It is not an invitation to for anyone to to attempt the walks described on this site. Bushwalking can be dangerous and I do not accept responsibility for any inconvenience, loss or injury sustained by anyone attempting any of the walks described on this website. |
