Dirty Jokes: Henley

Can somebody tell me which region this suburb falls into? Calling it the North Shore feels like it's just one peninsula too many across, considering its landmass is shared with such characters as The Rydes. Regardless, North Shore is all I've got. 

Henley

This is Henley, the kind of suburb nobody's heard of, including me. 

It turns out that if you catch a bus from the city down Victoria Road, you can get out right outside this suburb's bounds, 

at the misleadingly titled Gladesville Reserve. 

Starting my exploration of this place took me through said reserve (cautious that it was magpie season),

as well as a children's playground with rock climbing walls! Is this is a standard feature in play sets these days?

Anyway, I soon reached the other side and could begin on this residential pocket of an ambiguous region of Sydney. 

At first, we haven't got anything too surprising, a smattering of trees and some large houses.

But I was soon treated to a surprise city skyline, which is always a treat. 

My first (and surprisingly, not only) point of interest in this suburb was away from the glitz and glamour of the city though, so I headed uphill, leaving the skyline behind me. 

Through a little bit more suburbia, 

and soon hitting the end of the street, marked with a small patch of grass, a glimpse of water and a sign for Henley Baths. 

As the "baths" bit suggests, this is a local swimming pool right in the river. Gorgeous - you'd never know you were swimming in Parramatta River. 

And, despite the lovely day, I was the only person here, apart for a bird or two. 

The amateur geologist can also enjoy some unusual markings on the sandstone wall behind you, 

But I had good day of suburbsing planned ahead of me, so I wasn't here for a swim. I backtracked and continued on. 

This is where I started to notice just how fancy Henley actually is. Expensive looking houses with hedges outside, check.

Water-view backyards, check.

Top quality street names, check.

The journey down Dick Street was short but impressive,

as I passed a camouflaged brush turkey, 

and some presumably heritage residences,

to reach the end of the street with another watery terminus. 

I couldn't tell if this spot has a name, but as well as the above pictured patch of grass, there's also get some decent views of the suburbs to the south of the river (Abbotsford and Chiswick - I think)

as well as a small beach. 

With that out of the way, I climbed back on Dick, backtracking uphill.

This route revealed more evidence of Henley's apparent dapperness.

At the climax of the hill, it was time to pack up the suggestive phrasing and get off Dick,

onto a different street with a much less fun name. 

Despite this, Henley remained classy here too. 

Before long, my route through Henley,

routed me back to where I began,

and I headed back through Gladesville Reserve. 

The suburb is meant to end here,

However for some reason the borders of Henley also capture the Ferry Wharf of the neighbouring suburb. Since I was going there anyway, I figured "may as well".

Hooray.

From the ferry wharf, bridge aficionados can enjoy the bridge of the River Parramatta, also known as Gladesville Bridge. 

And with that out of the way, I departed Henley and entered my next suburb. 

Henley: Surprisingly wonderful.