Bantry Bay (New South Wales) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bantry Bay |
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Bantry Bay seen from the bluff at the northern end of the bay.
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 Bantry Bay
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | Northern Sydney, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | 33°46′55″S 151°13′04″E / 33.78194°S 151.21778°E |
| Primary outflows | Middle Harbour, Port Jackson |
| Basin countries | Australia |
Bantry Bay is a beautiful bay found in the Garigal National Park. It's part of Middle Harbour within Sydney Harbour in New South Wales, Australia. You can reach it by walking down the steep Bluff Track. This track starts at the end of Grattan Crescent in Frenchs Forest. The bay was named after another Bantry Bay, which is located in Ireland.
Contents
History of Bantry Bay
Early Aboriginal Life
Long ago, Aboriginal Australians lived around Bantry Bay. We know this because of the many middens found along the shore. Middens are ancient piles of shells and other waste. They show us where people used to eat and live.
A Popular Spot Becomes a Storage Area
In the early 1900s, Bantry Bay was a very popular place. Many people from Sydney would visit it for fun day trips. They had been coming here since the 1840s.
However, the government had other plans for the bay. In 1907, they decided to use Bantry Bay to store military explosives. This idea was not popular with the local people.
Explosives Storage Facility
By 1910, work began on building new explosives storage buildings. These buildings are called magazines. There were nine of them in total.
Before this, old ships called hulks were used to store explosives. These ships were in a nearby area called Powder Hulk Bay. The new magazines at Bantry Bay replaced these old ships.
In 1915, the state Explosives Department took over the site. They were in charge of all explosives in New South Wales. The facility at Bantry Bay was used until 1973. After that, it was closed down.
Bantry Bay Today
Wildlife and Safety
Bantry Bay is known to be a home for bull sharks. These sharks live in the estuary.
Maintaining the Site
Today, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service looks after the old explosives site. In 2003, they announced plans to spend A$350,000 to fix the old roofs.
As of 2006, the site was still closed to the public. This was because of old explosive contamination. However, you can still get great views of the site.
Walking Tracks and Views
You can see the site from the eastern side of Bantry Bay. To get there, use the Timbergetter's track. This track starts near Seaforth Oval.
There are also walking tracks on the west side of the magazines. These tracks let you access the area from the nearby homes in Killarney Heights.
Protected Natural Area
Before it became part of Garigal National Park, the area was already protected. It was a reserve of about 250 hectares (620 acres). This reserve was listed on the Register of the National Estate. This means it was recognized as an important historical and natural place.
