Seventeen walkers followed leaders Don B and Pragati on what turned out to be a most enjoyable, full day on North Head.
Morning tea was taken outside 'The Boat House' on Shelly Beach, Manly. Whilst paying customers watched us, we watched the action on the beach.
After passing the pristine barracks and parade ground, our next stop was Gun Emplacement No. 2, built during World War Two. This is a mixture of the original and polished up.
The Fairfax track leads to one of the lookouts of the day
Barrie: Once a geologist, always a geologist
Lunch was taken on a grassy verge looking East over Sydney Harbour. Leader Don B very appropriately chose as his lunch-time chat a reminder of the First Fleet's landing at Botany Bay and the subsequent move to Port Jackson. He finished with an extract from the proclamation, written by King George 3rd and read by Governor Arthur Phillip, of the boundaries of the land claim: from Cape York in the North to South Cape in the South and West to ?. The best response from his auditors was 'some longitude'. Correct, but lacking the detail 'Westward as far as 135 longitude East.' Don kindly bestowed a reward of a 20 segmented Tablerlone chocolate bar. Then, to make our break perfect, we watched the tug boats escort 'New Amity' a Liberian registered oil carrier towards its berth in Gore Cove.
Our indefatigable leaders had arranged for afternoon tea at the 'Australian Bronze Sculpture House Cafe'. On reflection, as we approached, two bronze statues of Mary Poppins indicated what sort of treat was in store.
The cafe, before HVB walkers made themselves at home:
After serving us afternonn tea, where Pragati helped by going behind the counter to collect the money, Clive, a civil engineer originally from South Africa gave us a talk and guided tour of the 'factory'. Clive takes the sculpture's models from their clay stage, through to a wax impression and finally to bronze. Each final sculpture comprises many separate parts and Clive used as his illustration a WIP-two helmsmen at a windjammer wheel in a gale.
Working with the clay models.
Still in the moulding stage.... .... and finally one small finished bronze piece
Of course North Head has trees and shrubs in abundance, and flowers in season.
Flannel flowers were in season!
A hanging swamp and on the right: a Purple Flag Lily Patersonia, sometimes called the 'Native Iris' 
[Can anyone identify the tree for us?] On the right Flannel Flowers Actinotus helianthi
Dons B and W walking out towards the cars.
For the record, leaders were Don B and Pragati, followed by Elaine E, Helen A, Deidre, Barrie, Christine, Anne G, Dawn, Lyn, Ros G, Rex, Sue S, Wendy C, Wendy P, Anne R, Don W, Robyn M and Ray.
Photos by Ray (11, 13-16), Helen A (1,2,4,5,18,22), Wendy C (7-10, 12, 20), Wendy P (3,6,19) and Don W (17) and Deidre (21).
Flora identification by Sue S.
Bibliography: "Ray's Report" for 23 October 2015.