Wendy's Garden - Lavender Bay

Wendy Whiteley created this special spot, known locally as ‘Wendy's Secret Garden’, on an area of railway land below Clark Park. It is currently leased to North Sydney Council for public use. The garden sits above North Sydney car sidings, which are used to store rolling stock between the morning and evening peaks.                     Location Map

 

Wendy was awarded an OAM on Australia Day 2009 ‘for service to the community through the establishment and maintenance of a public garden at Lavender Bay, and as a supporter of the visual arts’                                           

Our walking group reached the garden from Milsons Point Station via Alfred and Lavender Streets. After visiting the garden, we followed the narrow strip of foreshore which links Quibaree Park to Luna Park and the Harbour Bridge. Continuing the garden theme we crossed the bridge to the Botanic Gardens via the expressway pedestrian walkway above Circular Quay.

 

Lavender Bay from the foreshore walk

The Norman Lindsay Gallery

The gallery at Faulconbridge, run by the National Trust, displays the work of artist and writer Norman Lindsay (1879-1969). Various rooms of the attractive sandstone cottage house oil paintings, watercolours, sketches, ceramics and ship models. Within the expansive landscaped grounds is 'Lindsay's Cafe' where I enjoyed lunch on my visit.                     

 

While Lindsay is known for his paintings of voluptuous women in classical poses, he was also a political cartoonist and wrote and illustrated the 1918 children's classic 'The Magic Pudding'.                   Location map

The gallery has a limited bus service from Macquarie Rd near Springwood station (about 5Kms). The 690C bus, currently 11.06am (Mon to Fri), with a return bus at 13.40, should be suitable. Check the Mid Mts Bus timetable