Tag: travel

Week 12 of 2025

~ joannerambling ~ 2 Comments

I had a damn good night slept straight through; it is warm at 6am so yeah, it’s going to be hot again.

I had to turn the air con on, I had a headache from the heat.

I decided to order pizza and get it delivered, haven’t done that in years but I walked in the kitchen couldn’t find anything for lunch, we have no bread, so decided on pizza.

It has been stinking hot all day out the back in the sunlight it was 48C at 1pm. It has finally sunk into Tim that often the temperature stated on apps and telly isn’t taken in the sunlight but in shade and there is often a big difference.

I had a damn good night slept straight through; it is much cooler this morning and there is a strong wind.

Tim had to come home from work he failed the breathalyser, he was just over, so he is now off for the day. I wasn’t surprised as he did drink a lot yesterday and he didn’t eat much all day.

This afternoon Tim booked our next cruise it will be next April as in April 2026. It is an Australian cruise going to Tassie. Jess and Tasha are coming with us. I wish Sue could come with us.

I am really tied and feel sad this afternoon.

I had another good night slept straight through again. A cool day and a productive morning doing housework.

It warmed up during the day but wasn’t hot.

After I had my wash, I did my makeup in the bedroom as Tim wanted to use the bathroom. I have decided I will do that in future as it will be easier than having to rush.

When I was getting the clothes out of the washing machine, I found one of Sam’s rings that was missing.

This afternoon I have felt tired and sad why I am sad I do not know.

I had to make a Dr’s appointment as I need a script, it’s Friday morning at 8.48am.

Steps: 7,949

I had another good night slept straight through again. A cool day but it is supposed to warm up.

Sue came over to ask for a roll of toilet paper, I gave her two rolls, also gave her the last couple of bottles of vodka cruisers. She drove me down to get a loaf of bread.

While waiting for Sam this arvo I started to feel like shit, extremely tired, slight headache and nauseas.

I felt unwell I went to bed at 7.15pm but woke at 9.30 and was unable to settle again, so 10pm I got and used the powerfit for 20minutes, after I finish this, I’m going back to bed.

Steps:10,399

I am feeling much better this morning and after I went back to bed I slept through the night. Tim only has his school runs today so will be home between 10am and 1.30pm.

It is 19C this morning but should reach 29C by 1pm, my BGL was 5.5

At around 11.15am I started to feel really tired again.

I turned the air con at 1.30pm.

I have zero motivation this afternoon but at least I don’t feel sick.

Steps:5,226

I had a good night; I am waiting for Tim to leave before I have a shower and get ready for the day.

It is currently 18C and we are looking at a top of 28C.

Sue drove me to the doctors all I needed was a script, I also went to Woolies for a couple of things.

It started to rain around 11am but thankfully stopped when I went up to wait for Sam.

Tasha came down looking for bolts in Tim’s shed she couldn’t find what she needed so she will be off to Bunnings tomorrow. Tim said he also needs to go to Bunnings.

Steps: 2,652

I had a good night; I sleeping straight through till the alarm went off.

I have a lot of lower back pain this morning and feel very tired, I started to fall asleep while waiting for Kathy to all and she rang at 10am.

After a slow start I picked up and managed to write a couple of letters and write up Monday’s and Tuesday’s blog posts.

Tim bought Macca’s for lunch what I wanted was right, but he wanted a Big Mac and that’s not what he got. He said he was going to ring and abuse them, I told him to ring and calmly say he got the wrong order, he did as I suggested and as we live close by, he went back, and they replaced the order without issue.

Tim also finally helped Tasha put a cupboard on her bedroom wall.

Steps: 9,306

Mining Disasters

~ joannerambling ~ 2 Comments

This week we are talking about mine disasters in my area, that being Newcastle in New South Wales.

My paternal grandfather was a coal miner as was his father both worked at the Standford Merthyr collier, I believe my great-grandfather was killed while working he was crushed between two mine train cars also known as minecarts or mine wagons, are specialized rail vehicles used to transport ore, rock, or other materials within mines.

There is a miner’s memorial in the town of Kurri Kurri which has a plaque with all the names of miners who passed while working in the local mines and his name is on it.

I know my grandfather was working at the mine at the age of 14.

One of the first disaster was on Monday 21st March 1898 at the Dudley pit around 9.20 am a huge explosion was heard as far away as Belmont and a rumbling underground as far away as Newcastle.

Coal dust filled the air for more than 15 minutes, when it had cleared it was realised the pithead roof had been partially blown off, the shaft cage had been propelled from the bottom of the shaft 30 feet into the air, lots of other destruction and trapped men inside. The local town folk ran to the pithead hoping for survivors, but the loss of life was inevitable given the extensive underground damage, smoke and poisonous gases.

There was little hope of survivors, but the rescue team worked late into the night. Over the next 2 weeks the rescue team managed to recover 10 out of the 15 bodies.            

The mine was flooded and there were still fires burning underground. The decision to close the pit was made and it was not re-opened until 17th June. Newspapers at the time reported on the dangers of the mining industry and this explosion was one of many world-wide.

The official inquiries and inquests found there to be an accumulation of a huge volume of gas in the pit to be the major cause of the disaster. The only comfort for the townsfolk at this time was that there were not more men killed as only the shift men and some officials were underground.

Normally there could be up to 200 working on-site.

Moving on in April 1946 rain caused subsidence at Cessnock No 2 colliery, this led to heat build up and the fires that followed made national news. Some thought the fire should be blasted with artillery or bombed from the air to get the fires under control. Of course, local residents thought those were stupid and dangerous ideas, thus the idea was scrapped.

Some thought that the 10m coal seam should have been mined using open cut mining, but during WW11 it seems the government pushed for underground mining.

At Easter 1946 previous predictions of a possible collapse, heating and fires if the rich seams were worked underground were proved right.

The fire underground was so fierce that at times flames burst to the surface shooting up to 10m into the air. Great sinkholes also appeared in the ground around the area and there were awful smelling fumes around causing distress to local residents.

Explosives were used to blow in the sides of the craters and soil was dumped in.

Miners from all over the district joined in to help control the huge blaze.

There have been many other disasters it isn’t the safest of industries to work in.

Island Fox

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This will be the last post about foxes we are ending with the Island Fox.

The Island fox is native to six of the eight Channel Islands in California it is considered critically endangered by the IUCN, it is threaten by golden eagles, disease, and habitat destruction.

The Catalina Island Conservancy and Institute for Wildlife Studies have established a fox recovery program for the island fox. This program includes vaccination, relocation, and captive breeding. 

The island fox is a small fox species that is endemic to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. There are six subspecies, each unique to the island it lives on, reflecting its evolutionary history. They are generally docile, show little fear of humans, and are easily tamed.

The island fox has similar markings to the gray fox. They have gray colouring on the back, rust colouring on the sides, and white underneath. The face has a distinctive black, white, and rufous-coloured patterns.

In March 2004, four subspecies of the island fox were classified as a federally protected endangered species: the Santa Cruz Island fox, Santa Rosa Island fox, San Miguel Island fox and the Santa Catalina Island fox.

Island foxes reach sexual maturity at 10 months, and females usually breed within the first year. These foxes can live for up to 10 years in the wild, but four to six years is more typical.

They are generally docile, show little fear of humans, and are easily tamed. Island foxes played an important role in the spiritual lives of native Channel Islanders. They have been likely semi-domesticated as pets, used as pelts, or for other functions, like pest control.

They are omnivorous, eating both plants and other animals. They eat a large amount of insects, some island deer mice, reptiles, and fruit from native plants. New evidence is showing marine resources may be important for island foxes. Their diet also changes with the seasons.

 The primary threat to the island fox is predation by invasive golden eagles. The species is also very vulnerable to canine distemper transmitted by domestic dogs, habitat fragmentation due to development, and habitat loss to introduced livestock and game species.

Ireland

~ joannerambling ~ 2 Comments

I was going to write about another middle east country but since today is St. Patrick’s Day I changed my mind and now writing about Ireland.

The Republic of Ireland occupies most of the island of Ireland, off the coast of England and Wales. Its capital, Dublin, is the birthplace of writers like Oscar Wilde, and home of Guinness beer. The 9th-century Book of Kells and other illustrated manuscripts are on show in Dublin’s Trinity College Library. Dubbed the “Emerald Isle” for its lush landscape, the country is dotted with castles like medieval Cahir Castle.

The island of Ireland comprises the Republic of Ireland, which is a sovereign country, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. I will write about Northern Ireland at a later date.

The population is around 5.4 million, there are two official languages, English and Irish.

Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Its historic buildings include Dublin Castle, dating to the 13th century, and imposing St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191. City parks include landscaped St Stephen’s Green and huge Phoenix Park, containing Dublin Zoo. The National Museum of Ireland explores Irish heritage and culture.

The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century and was briefly the second largest in the British Empire and sixth largest in Western Europe after the Acts of Union in 1800. Following independence in 1922, Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State, renamed Ireland in 1937.

The national flag of Ireland, often called “the tricolour,” is a vertical tricolour of green, white, and orange, with green at the hoist (pole side). 

Green: Represents Irish nationalism and the Gaelic tradition. 

White: Symbolizes peace and a lasting truce between different groups. 

Orange: Represents the supporters of William of Orange. 

This flag was first introduced by Thomas Francis Meagher in 1848 and became the national flag after the Easter Rising of 1916. 

The flag was given constitutional status in 1937. 

Their currency is the Euro since 1999 before that it was the Irish Pound

When it comes to religion, Christianity, particularly Catholicism, holds a significant place. The Catholic Church has a long history and cultural influence in Ireland, and many Irish people identify with the Catholic faith. 

While Catholicism is the largest religion, other Christian denominations, such as the Church of Ireland (Anglican), and other religions like Islam and Eastern Orthodoxy, are also present. 

A significant portion of the population, 14.5%, identified as having no religion in the 2022 census.

The Irish Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and does not endorse any particular religion. 

There has been a decline in the number of people who identify as Catholic, as well as a rise in the number of people who identify as having no religion.

In Ireland, significant strides have been made in advancing women’s rights, including equal voting rights, legal protections against discrimination, and a focus on eliminating violence against women, but challenges remain, particularly in achieving true gender equality and addressing data gaps. 

The 1937 Constitution of Ireland guaranteed women the right to vote and to nationality and citizenship on an equal basis with men.

Ireland is generally considered a safe and welcoming place to travel, with low crime rates and a friendly population. However, like any destination, it’s important to be aware of potential risks and take necessary precautions, especially in larger cities. 

Ireland has a relatively low crime rate compared to many other European countries

The Irish people are known for their hospitality and welcoming nature. 

Ireland is considered a great destination for solo travellers, both male and female. 

Week 11 of 2025

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I was up at 5am as per usual after a shower I was ready for the day even though I only had maybe 3hrs sleep last night.

Kathy and family called in so we could give Summer her birthday present, it was a crochet kit to make a turtle and a kangaroo, she loved it.

It started raining around midday and rained on and off for the rest of the afternoon.

By 2pm I was feeling oh so very tired. I did manager to stay awake till 8.30pm.

Steps:11,640

I slept well, didn’t wake till the alarm went off at 5am.

Sue took me to Woolies so I could get a few things.

Jess had me go over and help her prepare a casserole in her slow cooker, even though I had written out instructions for her. After it was done, she had Sam bring me a small bowl of it, I thought it tasted just fine.

It has been decided that Tim and I along with Tasha & Jess are going on a cruise in November, so I spent a couple of hours this afternoon finding a cruise and getting prices.

Steps: 5,699

I slept well, didn’t wake till the alarm went off at 5am. Although I went to bed at 8.30pm, woke at 10.30 and got up for an hour on returning to bed I went straight off to sleep.

It is a sticky morning, and I don’t like it.

Tim came home as his sporty was cancelled and while he was here, he had the front sliding door opened even though while I was in my armchair I was cold due to the breeze I said nothing. I did close the door when he went outside, and he opened it again when he came inside.

Steps: 5,380      

I slept well, didn’t wake till the alarm went off at 5am. It is raining this morning and suppose to rain most of the day.

It started out cool but warmed up by 11am.

Well, it didn’t rain all day thankfully and this afternoon before I went to meet Sam I vacuumed out and mopped the kitchen and bathroom floors, I also folded the laundry these jobs took half an hour and left me feeling like shit. I was so unsteady I decided to take the scooter up to wait for Sam instead of walking.

Steps:5,667

I slept well, didn’t wake till the alarm went off at 5am. I have to wait till after Tim leaves to have a shower, it is going to be another warm day.

I turned the air con on at 1pm as I was sweating so much. Although when I walked outside it didn’t seem that hot.

Sam told me this afternoon that she is going away for the weekend with Bailey and his family, I hope she has a good time. I asked Sam if Bailey’s parents knew he was gay, she said he isn’t gay because he nonbinary. I said nothing but thought well yeah, he is gay as you are both male.

Tim decided it was time to again state to me how much he despises referring to Sam as she, I told him again I get it, but it is better than alienating Sam he said that he tries to just refer to use Sam’s name which is what I told him to do.

Steps: 6,227

KELLI’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 31 TODAY

I slept well, didn’t wake till the alarm went off at 5am. We are in for another bloody hot day with a temp of 32C

I turned the air con on at midday and turned it off at 5pm.

Sam has gone away for the weekend with her friend Bailey and Bailey’s family.

Blain came down and asked if needed can he hang out here on Sunday as he doesn’t want to be alone in the house with Benny who still hasn’t left. Blain told his mum if Benny isn’t gone by the end of the month him and Ta’lia will be moving out.

Steps:10,621

I had a decent enough night, there is a lovely breeze through the house, but we are in for another bloody hot day.

Tim and I went over to Lake Fair, and he bought a couple of pairs of trousers. I got some photo frames then I went to Woolies for a few things.

Tim is working this arvo and night he said he should be home between 11.30 and Midnight.

It has been very hot today so hot I started to feel unwell and turned the air con in the bedroom on to help cool that part of the house down.

Steps: 2,999

History of Newcastle New South Wales

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Today, we are looking at a bit of the history of Newcastle in New South Wales, the town was named after the famous coal port in England, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The city was originally called Coal River and then Kingstown. 

In 1797, Lieutenant John Shortland discovered the Hunter River estuary while searching for escaped convicts. Then in 1801, Governor King authorized a group of convicts and soldiers to settle in Newcastle to mine coal. This settlement was short-lived and closed in 1802 but was re-established in 1804. 

After the settlement was re-established, it was named Newcastle to imitate the English coal port. The city’s link to Newcastle-upon-Tyne is still evident in some of its place names, such as Jesmond, Hexham, Wickham, Wallsend, and Gateshead.

The coal mined from the area was the colony of NSW first export. Newcastle gained a reputation as a “hellhole” as it was where the most dangerous convicts were sent to dig in the coal mines as punishment.

Newcastle remained a penal settlement until 1822, when the settlement was opened up to farming. Military rule ended in 1823, and prisoner numbers were reduced to 100 while the remaining 900 were sent to Port Macquarie. Port Macquarie is 245km or 153 miles.

After the town was freed from the influence of penal law it began to acquire the aspect of a typical pioneer settlement, and free settlers soon poured into the hinterland.

Today, the Port of Newcastle remains the economic and trade centre for the resource rich Hunter Valley. It is the world’s largest coal export port and Australia’s oldest and second largest tonnage throughput port.

The population of Newcastle, New South Wales in 2024 is around 174,529. This is based on a forecast prepared by population experts on behalf of the City of Newcastle.

Lake Macquarie’s estimated resident population is around 220,000 people, making it the third largest regional city in NSW.

I live in Lake Macquarie

Week 10 of 2025

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I slept well woke only once to pee, a cool morning we are in for another hot day, with a top of 29C, it is currently 6am and 23C.

Tim took the car in for its first service, I noticed after he left that he forgot his phone, that would be annoying as who doesn’t scroll through Facebook while waiting. Those who left their phone at home that’s who.

I changed the sheets and by the time I was done I was dripping sweat and felt exhausted. So I turned the air con on.

I have answered 6 letters today.

Tim went and cashed in cans and bottles.

Steps:11,150s

It was midnight before I fully settle last night, at 5am I got up and took my meds then went back to bed for an hour.

Around 10am Tim and I went to Sue’s so he could change her flat tyre, however, he wasn’t able to get the lug nuts off as the tool he had was too big as was the one Sue had. Although the one Sue had, come with the car so you would have thought it would fit.

We called into the shops so I could get the scrips and some bread before coming home.

I have been tired on and off all day and it has been stinking hot.

Steps: 6,085

I had a much better night, last night, felt a little heavy headed when I first got up, but I am doing better now.

I made myself an egg and cheese roll for breakie but only managed to eat half of it.

Tim went to Sue’s after his morning school run to change her tyre, but he wasn’t able to do it as he couldn’t get the lug nuts off as they were on too tight.

This afternoon Dawson called in to see me and make sure I knew had another car.

Been raining this afternoon.

Steps: 9,822

Another good night, I can’t have my morning egg flip as we have no milk till the groceries are delivered and I have no bread, but I did have a stale bread roll which I have used to make a grilled cheese.

So, I managed to only eat half of the bread roll, nothing wrong with it just no appetite.

I had a wagon wheel hot cross bun for lunch, but it was too rich for me, in future I will only have half at a time.

It started out cool but warmed up by 11am.

By 5.45pm I was falling asleep, I will stay up till 7.30pm.

Steps:7,947

Another good night, I slept straight through waking only when my alarm went off.

I have both front and back sliding doors opened and it is nice just a slight breeze.

It started raining while I was wait for Sam this afternoon.

Tasha drove Blain’s girlfriend’s car to Tafe and on her way home the car stopped, and she couldn’t get it going and was in a state. Tim was able to go and help her turned out it was a flat battery.

Kathy rang Tim via Facebook as she does every Wednesday just to see him and have a short chat.

Steps:9,999

Another good night, I slept straight through waking only when my alarm went off.

I had a shower after Tim left for work, then I vacuumed before making breakie.

Sue rang the mobile tyre place, she had to buy a new tyre as they wouldn’t put the spare on in place of the flat one, well the guy turned up he was a friend of Ed and Les, she got the number of the mobile tyre mob from Sandy. Anyway, he told her for only $20 more she could have got two tyres as they would waive the call out fee.

It started to rain here around 1.45pm it didn’t last long maybe 10-minutes. It then started raining again at 3.30pm.

Steps:12,201

Had a reasonable night’s sleep, although when the alarm went off, I didn’t want to get up.

This morning I was sitting here reading blogs when I heard a loud squark and I jumped, when I turned round there was a cockatoo standing a foot away from me, I said what do you want, it walked over to bird seed and looked at me, so I feed it and all the others out the front.

It has been a nice day, haven’t done much not much motivation today. I started to feel real tied by 6pm.

It is 8.30pm and I am off to bed.

Steps: 5,945               

I had a good night, woke at 5am with the alarm but after taking my meds I went back to bed for another 40-minutes.

It is raining this morning; it looks like it will be a wet day.

I have been feel blah all day.

Kuwait

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This week we are looking at Kuwait, a country I have heard of but know bugga all about.

Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south.

The capital is Kuwait City it’s located on the Persian Gulf, and is the country’s political, cultural, and economic centre. The city has a modern skyline with skyscrapers, mosques, malls, and hotels 

The city features a mix of Western-style architecture and traditional Islamic architecture. It is home to Kuwait’s Seif Palace.

The city’s name comes from the Arabic word kūt, which means “fort”, it underwent a transformation after the discovery of oil in the 1930s. 

As of January 2024, Kuwait’s population was 4.91 million people. This includes 1.545 million Kuwaiti citizens and 3.36 million expatriates. 

The official language is Arabic.

The official currency is the Kuwaiti Dinar.

Their flag was adopted on 7 September 1961, and officially hoisted 24 November 1961. Before 1961, the flag was red and white, like those of other Arabian Gulf states at the time. Now the flag is a tricolour of green, white, and red with a black trapezium on the hoist side. It is the only flag in the world featuring an acute trapezium.

Kuwait is an emirate. The Emir of Kuwait, a hereditary monarch from the Al Sabah ruling family appoints the prime minister (who is always a royal) and other members of government, as well as members of judicial, police and financial institutions.

An emirate is a political territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. The term “emirate” is similar to “kingdom” or “principality”. 

The Cabinet of Kuwait is the chief executive body of the State of Kuwait. The 46th cabinet in the history of Kuwait was appointed on 12 May 2024. On 15 April 2024, Amir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah assigned His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad as Prime Minister.

There has been some progress in women’s rights but there is still discrimination in many aspects of life. They have access to education, economic and political rights, and can serve in the military, police, and as judges.

Kuwait’s personal status laws discriminate against women in matters of marriage, divorce, and child custody, including by requiring women to have male guardian permission to marry and by stripping them of spousal maintenance from their husband if they refuse to live with their husbands “without justification.”

In Kuwait, women should dress modestly and conservatively, covering their arms, shoulders, and legs. Tight-fitting clothing is not recommended.

Traditional dress consists of the abaya, along, black cloak that covers the body except for the hands, feet, and face and the daraa a traditional Kuwaiti dress that is long-sleeved, loose, and floor length.The hijab and the niqab are worn by some women, especially during religious occasions.

There’s an increased risk of terrorism in Kuwait, including threats against military bases. Maintain a high level of security awareness and be aware of your surroundings.

It’s illegal to buy, sell, import, carry and consume alcohol. Penalties range from fines to imprisonment and deportation.

Week 8of 2025

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What a night, I haven’t had a lot of sleep, but I am still up and dressed and starting my day. It is a chilly 17C only supposed to reach 21C, my BGL was 5.0

I sent Tim a short clip about Parkinson’s, and he couldn’t be bothered to look at it. This annoyed me, I am trying to help him, and others understand a bit about Parkinson’s.

I have been tired all day often dropping off for a moment while watching TV.

Steps: 5,238

I had a good night, slept straight through till the alarm went at 5am it is a coldish morning with the temp sitting at 15C only supposed to reach 21C again today.

Sam is starting a Tafe course this morning, so no school today, Tasha will drive her there, but she is going to catch a bus home, I hope that works out well.

Sue took me shopping as I wanted some stuff from Woolies and also needed stamps. While out we booked in to have a massage next Monday.

Dawson come over for a visit he was here for a couple of hours, it’s always nice to see him.

Sam arrived home while Dawson was here, she said Tafe went well but it felt like a long morning. There was no problem catching the bus home.

Steps:9,517

I had a good night, slept straight through till the alarm went at 5am it is a coldish morning with the temp sitting at 15C we are looking at a top temp of 26C today.

Sandy has got a rental place in Raymond Terrance,32k’s from me or a 41-minute drive from me. It isn’t somewhere she really wants to live but with only 3 weeks till she will be homeless she is just happy to have a place.

Steps: 7,533

I had a good night, slept straight through till the alarm went at 5am, after Tim left for work, I had a shower. It is currently 16C with a top temp of 26C.

Tasha was in a bit of a state as her ride to Tafe cancelled at 11pm and Sue isn’t answering her phone. She did eventually answer, and she drove Tasha to Tafe.

Sue took me to have my hearing checked and I got a quote on the basic hearing aids, $2,098. I will check with Tim and order them. I have another appointment on the 25 March.

We then went to the chemist to get scripts and webster pack for Sam, I rang on Friday to arrange the webster pack, it wasn’t done.

Steps: 9,760

I had another good night, slept straight through till 4.20am when I had to pee, went straight back to sleep till the alarm went at 5am.

It is currently 20C, we are looking at a top temp of 24C, with showers during the day.

While sitting up the front waiting for Sam’s transport we had so very light rain.

I have vacuumed twice, cleaned the bathroom, done a load of washing and hung it up to dry, I have also done 20-minutes of exercise, and I am exhausted.

It has been raining on and off all day and was raining when I went up to meet Sam at 3pm.

On the 6 March Jessica will have no power for a couple of hours while the neighbour’s meter is change.

Tim was an hour late getting home this afternoon due to a traffic accident.

Steps:9,657

SUMMER’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 12 TODAY

I slept well, woke once to pee but straight back to sleep.

Had a nice talk with Sandy this morning.

This afternoon I walked up to meet Sam but while I was waiting a white van pulled in and I just knew it would be a delivery for us, so I came back, and it was, and it was heavy so I was glad I could get the delivery man to carry inside for me. I then decided to take the scooter up as my legs were shaking and I felt unsteady.

It is 5.30pm and I am feeling like shit, I have a headache.

I am having a restless night.

Since I am up, I checked my emails and had one from Miller’s about a $5 sale so went into the site ordered 5 things, they had 2 of the 5 but not surprised as they are closing down.

Steps:13,170

After a rough night I still got up at 5am, had a shower and now I am ready to start my day. I have already vacuumed once, went to unpack the dishwasher only to discover I forgot to put it on yesterday.

I put the dishwasher on after breakie, then when it was finished, I unpacked it.

I am just not with it today, however, around 4pm, I managed to write 2 letters.

Steps:9,029

Fort Scratchley Newcastle’s Big Guns WW2

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 This week we are looking at Fort Scratchley which is where the big guns of Newcastle are located. It was built in 1882 to defend the city against a possible Russian attack. 

However, its guns were not fired in anger until 8 June 1942, when the Japanese attacked Newcastle. Although they were only part of the defence of Newcastle, which included heavy guns at Fort Wallace and Shepherds Hill along with searchlights, radar stations and observation post.

At the time there were some Novocastrians who had mixed feelings about the guns, although during live firing exercises they would crowd the hill to watch the gunner’s blast away at make-shift targets towed behind tugs or other boats.

Because the vibration of the guns would break windows and shake crockery from the shelves residents were given noticed of exercises so they could put fragile goods in safe places.    

After World War II the fort was home to 13 Medium Coast Battery RAA, a unit of the National Service Scheme, which was renamed 113 Coast Battery RAA in the 1960s. The army left the site in November 1972.

The 6-in guns were relocated to King Edward Park, 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away, as a memorial. However, after extensive lobbying, they were returned to Fort Scratchley in 1978.

In the first decade of the 21st century the site underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and reopened as a museum.

In 2014, History show TV presenter Sir Tony Robinson visited the Fort to produce a segment for his show Tour of Duty  which was aired in 2015.

In 2015, the Fort’s sole Nordenfelt gun was restored to fully functional condition and is fired on special occasions from its position in the underground casemate

Fort Scratchley is owned by the City of Newcastle (CN) and managed by volunteers from the Fort Scratchley Historical Society.

There is a guide at the gates who can give you a map to explore the Fort.

Visit the Parade and Ceremony Grounds, galleries and museum collections, learn about our historic guns, however, you cannot tour the tunnel.

Guided tunnel tours are led by passionate Fort Scratchley Historical Society volunteers with a wealth of knowledge and provide unique insight into the history of the site.

Individuals, families and groups of less than 12 people can purchase tickets at the Fort Scratchley shop. Schools, clubs or other social groups of 12 or more people should email booking requests through our contact page.


Unfortunately, due to the narrow stairs and hallways, the tour is unsuitable for wheelchairs, walkers, prams and strollers.

 There’s also a shop with ice creams and drinks, souvenirs and gifts.