The Gong and beyond

Some pictures from a day around Wollongong, just walking around taking in the sites.  Not a big town by any means but you can walk along the beach for miles and then explore the little markets (on Fridays).   

Walking along a bike path you can see this little area of water and then just past the white sand is the ocean. 

St. Michael's Church in Wollengong - which was built in 1858.

Off in the distance you can see two lighthouses.

The Wollongong Courthouse.

The main reason I actually went to Wollongong was to take a yoga class.  It was almost exactly like the classes I take in the US except for the fact that the teacher sounded like Olivia Newton John.  Kind of hard to concentrate when you have musical scenes from Grease running through your head.

This is interesting, to me at least, that a fountain is dedicated, celebrating a referendum granting citizenship to Aboriginal people (granted in 1967).  THEY'RE NATIVES OF AUSTRALIA!  How can you grant them citizenship to a land you conquered and filled with convicts over 300 years ago?   They lived here for like 60,000 years prior to that (per wikipedia).  I know the US has it's own history with Native Americans - but in either situation I think "granting" them citizenship to their land it just insulting.

Wollongong market on Friday afternoon.  

Kiama

Kiama is approximately 45 minutes south of Wollongong, a small town know for the lava rock formation which during certain weather conditions turns into a blowhole.  Unfortunately the weather was too nice the day I went; you need to go during storms to see the rough sea push into land and up through the rocks.  

Besides the blowhole, the area is very nice to walk around and to grab a bite to eat either at a number of cute cafes or to picnic.     

Off in the distance the lighthouse appears.

Lava rocks forming the blowhole.

The lighthouse.

Killalea State Park close to where I've been staying.   This sight is great if you want to surf and the beaches are secluded.

Catchin' some waves.  They make it look so easy!

I was really at the beach in Killalea even though oddly it appears as if I was photo shopped in.

A sign headed toward Wollongong from Shell Harbor.  I'm not sure what's in the Blackbutt Forest but it's so funny to me that I laugh every time we pass it.