Island Resort: Wollstonecraft

We're in the North Shore now, with a suburb whose neighbours I already managed to tick off some time ago. 

Wollstonecraft

Entry into Wollstonecraft is a very convenient short train ride north of the city into this quaint, quiet station. 

Heading out,

I immediately started meeting the locals.

Underneath the train line is this small tunnel I liked, 

but didn't take, instead heading streetside to begin exploring Wollstonecraft. 

This bit of the suburb is very green and populated with apartments, like an off brand Singapore. 

It also features confusingly wavy roads of varying altitudes. 

As I continued on, the suburb offered a mixture of densities, from free standing homes, 

to almost-communist blocks, 

to some smaller heritagey units. 

The tip of the suburb features a reserve named Berry Island (it's not an island), which seemed like a good goal for my exploration, so I headed in that direction.  

On the way, I found interesting older homes of all shapes and sizes.

This one had some lovely purple spears outside. 

I continued downhill towards the not-island,  

passing a mint green house, 

with a hot pink car outside, 

a disturbingly perfect rectangle of hedge, 

and a house modeled after the same. 

When you think you've reached the bottom of the hill, 

you find it keeps going, 

but I did eventually make it down to the base. 

So Berry not-Island actually turned out to be quite wonderful, with a wide grassy area on the water, 

a beach of sorts,

a snazzy playground, 

and some industrial scenery, for those so inclined, 

and even a bushwalk,

which I naturally took. 

The bushwalk takes you through a wooded area (as you'd imagine), with the water on the other side peeking through most of the way. 

On this walk, you can also see a carving by the Cammeraygal people, the Indigenous people of Wollstonecraft, although it is a little bit difficult to find at first.

Not wanting to bore you with step-by-step commentary of the bushwalk, here are some highlights:

This tiny beach. 

A ship. 

Water. 

Some rocks. 

And finally, the park I started at. The whole walk is less than a kilometre and is fairly easy, so if you're in the area it's an enjoyable little detour. 

Checking off Berry not-Island, it was time to backtrack uphill, 

but rather than heading all the way back where I came from, I decided to again detour into another short bushwalk, this one through Bandangi Reserve. 

This one looks like this, 

and is more grassy and shrubby than woodsy. 

A little ferny too. 

The walk leads down these stairs, 

which, surprisingly, lead here. 

How about that. 

Interestingly, this patch of the suburb features this rectangle of grass, 

but also both an old industrial looking building and an absolute stack of modern resort-style apartments. 

This way is private apparently, but I headed on through anyway, declaring myself as an honorary guest to Wollstonecraft.

This way actually has an interesting view or two.

It also has these round trees and some tennis courts, 

and a highly artificial blue lake,

complete with fake crocodiles. 

Very pleasant though. 

From here, I'd seen what I felt like I needed to see in Wollstonecraft, and began my ascent back to the station,

and away from this resort-style complex. 

Oh and when I said ascent, I really meant it. 

After not too long a climb, I reached a reasonable altitude once more, 

crossing the rail line, 

and re-entering the bit of Wollstonecraft that looks like this. 

Bonus brush turkey. 

Having achieved all of my Wollstonecraftian goals, I returned to the station and headed home.

Wollstonecraft: Home to Sydney's best fake island.