Wondabyne, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Wondabyne is a suburb located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales
, Australia
, as part of the City of Gosford local government area.
The suburb contains Wondabyne railway station, which is serviced by CityRail services to Wyong on the Main North railway line
and is adjacent to a wharf on Mullet Creek, a tributary
estuary
of the Hawkesbury River
. The train station has a very short platform, long enough to hold only around one train door.
Due to the rugged terrain of the area, Wondabyne station is the only station in Australia that does not have vehicular access. The station relies on water access for its existence.
Just north of the railway station by the water is a 70 acres (28.3 ha) tract of land owned by Gosford Quarries that contains a sandstone quarry. Stone is cut from the quarry periodically for restoration works on Sydney city buildings that were originally constructed many years ago from Wondabyne sandstone. In 2000, the quarry was brought back into operation to provide stone for the two spires of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
. The spires now complete the construction of the cathedral which was started in 1868.
Wondabyne is a popular starting point for bushwalks into the surrounding Brisbane Water National Park
. Destinations include Pindar Cave
, Kariong Brook and Wondabyne Trig - the latter offers extensive views of the surrounding area. Walking trails also join the Great North Walk
(which stretches from Sydney to Newcastle) for more extensive trips.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, as part of the City of Gosford local government area.
The suburb contains Wondabyne railway station, which is serviced by CityRail services to Wyong on the Main North railway line
Main North railway line, New South Wales
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
and is adjacent to a wharf on Mullet Creek, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
. The train station has a very short platform, long enough to hold only around one train door.
Due to the rugged terrain of the area, Wondabyne station is the only station in Australia that does not have vehicular access. The station relies on water access for its existence.
Just north of the railway station by the water is a 70 acres (28.3 ha) tract of land owned by Gosford Quarries that contains a sandstone quarry. Stone is cut from the quarry periodically for restoration works on Sydney city buildings that were originally constructed many years ago from Wondabyne sandstone. In 2000, the quarry was brought back into operation to provide stone for the two spires of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
. The spires now complete the construction of the cathedral which was started in 1868.
Wondabyne is a popular starting point for bushwalks into the surrounding Brisbane Water National Park
Brisbane Water National Park
Brisbane Water National park is a national park in New South Wales, , 47 km north of Sydney.The park has many pleasant and interesting walks that can vary from mild to rugged. One walk that can be easily accessed via public transport, is the walk to Pindar Cave on the escarpment above...
. Destinations include Pindar Cave
Pindar Cave
Pindar Cave is a geological formation which appears as a massive concave of overhanging sandstone rock, north of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in Brisbane Water National Park. Although its name implies a cave, the whole formation is actually an overhang. There are no similar formations of the...
, Kariong Brook and Wondabyne Trig - the latter offers extensive views of the surrounding area. Walking trails also join the Great North Walk
Great North Walk
The Great North Walk is a walking track which runs from Sydney to Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. The main track, in length, runs between the Obelisk in Macquarie Place in Sydney to Queens Wharf Tower in Bicentennial Park in Newcastle and is well sign-posted. There are many "side tracks"...
(which stretches from Sydney to Newcastle) for more extensive trips.