Flutterby

Main Terrace is the turnoff the Stuart Highway to access the old gold mining town of Pine Creek, and you have two opportunities to do it, as the street does a loop off the Highway through town, and out the other side. There is a lovely park and picnic area here, and several exhibits of mining equipment and operations. Alex Gory Park is a sad oval that also sits on Main Terrace. Often you see campervans parked along here, taking advantage of the facilities offered by Pine Creek for a respite from the long drives in this remote area.

At the end of Jabiru Drive there is just one way to turn, right – into Civic Drive. This street forms the perimeter of the Jabiru residential area, home to many of the workers at the nearby uranium mines. It is a sealed road, rarely busy, and has several community facilities and some well cared for homes.

Jabiru Drive is a turn off the Kakadu Highway used to access the small community of Jabiru in the Kakadu National Park. It is also the road on which the Gagiju Hotel stands. Built in the shape of a crocodile, the shape best appreciated from the air, this expensive hotel is an oasis in this harsh countryside. It’s worth a stop just to experience the foyer and appreciate the aboriginal artwork featured on its walls and in its gallery.

This street, which runs behind the Gagiju Hotel, and off Jabiru Drive, is home to the small shopping centre that services the Jabiru community. Newsagency, food and souvenir shops, it provides the essentials, but most residents tend to drive to Darwin to stock up on their supplies at the big supermarkets there. There are no homes in the street.

This highway is arguably the more picturesque route out of Kakadu, as it travels from the escarpment downhill before reaching the Stuart Highway. The views from the escarpment can be spectacular and gives an appreciation of the immenseness of this National Park. Two lanes, and sealed, it is more winding that the Arnhem Highway gateway, and getting stuck behind a slow moving vehicle (or several tractors on a tractor-rally in my case!) can delay your journey considerably due to lack of passing opportunities. The World Heritage Listed sign at the entry to the park is a great photo opportunity, and is a short walk to the Mary River Roadhouse where travellers stop to refuel and refresh.

This is a major road in the Sydney network that carries a high volume of traffic daily. In its Epping section, it is two lanes each way, with traffic lights at Blaxland Road, Essex Street and Pembroke Street. Buses with stops along the road contribute to traffic congestion, but this eased somewhat when the M2 Toll Road was opened as a paid alternative.

Like all of the streets in this part of Epping, Surrey is named after an English county (there's Cambridge, Norfolk, Surrey, Essex, Oxford etc etc). It runs from York Street (another one!)in the east to the railway line in the west. In the section to Oxford Street, there are some lovely homes, with picture perfect gardens, but from Oxford to the train tracks it is home units on one side, and more modern townhouses on the other.

There are no homes with a Ferry Lane address as it serves as rear lane access only to homes in both Renwick Street and Alexandra Street. Most of the homes in these streets have garages facing Ferry Lane, and as a consequence there are lots of driveways meaning little parking. Only when there are no cars parked would two vehicles have room to pass each other.

Just a small street, Raglan runs between Collingwood and Wolesley Streets and has been given over to home unit development, like many of the surrounding streets. It has easy access to the Wolesely Street Ferry Wharf, making it popular for commuters to the city who wish to avoid the traffic of Victoria Road. On street parking is very limited, mainly because of the number of driveways in the small street that service the apartments.

Running from Victoria Road to The Wolesley Street Ferry Wharf, this street is highly sought after. While there are still some (very expensive) homes here, much of the street is devoted to luxury apartment buildings, most with pools, and some with waterfront access. Its proximity to the ferry gives it pleasant access to the city, but can also create traffic in peak times.

Running from the very busy Victoria Road through to Thornley Street near the waterfront, Roseby Street has few residences. It is the main feeder street to the Birkenhead Point commercial centre, where, especially on weekends, traffic can be terrible. On its western side is a multi-level carpark, while on the eastern side is the shopping and commercial complex, and entrance to another carpark, this one underground. This, combined with pedestrian use, makes it very busy, but mid-week is not problem at all.

St Georges Crescent is one of the premium addresses in Drummoyne. It hugs the waterfront, giving many residents sensational views of this part of Sydney Harbour. As a consequence, developers recognised the potential, and moved in with bulldozers to level the old homes and construct apartment blocks. On street parking is difficult, and the road can be narrow in parts. The northern end meets Wolseley Street, at whose end is the Ferry Wharf for ferry access to the city.

Lyons Road is very busy as it takes traffic from Victoria Avenue, Drummoyne through to the Parramatta Road/Five Dock areas. At the Drummoyne end, there are few homes, with use being devoted to a commercial and retail purposes. Parking is difficult, and traffic lights try to manage the flow, but in peak periods, it can be a standstill.

From Lyons Road to Birkenhead Point, Renwick Street runs parallel to the very busy arterial road, Victoria Road. Back in the day it was a popular short cut for drivers wanting to avoid the congestion and traffic lights of the main road, but traffic calming devices and stop signs have twarted any advantage. On street parking for visitors is still at a premium, with commuters parking here and catching a bus to the city. Many of the homes are very old, but have been restored and extended to suit modern needs. Those on the northern side of the street have rear lane access as well, and some have water views.

Australian’s have a knack for stating the obvious in the naming of their streets, and Short Street is a classic example. It is a small stretch of bitumen road, between Philip Drive and Landsborough Street. Its northern side borders the freshwater creek bushland, a great example of dune regeneration. There are just a few houses in Short Street, who enjoy the quiet, bushland views.

Ocean Drive is one of the oldest parts of South West Rocks, and is home to several historic houses. The Boatmans Cottage is here, a mini museum to the nautical roots of the town. There is also a quaint arts and crafts shop that is run as a local craft cooperative. The village cenotaph is also here, a moving place to be on Anzac Day.

Livingstone Street is one of the boundaries to the Horseshoe Bay Reserve and the Village Green. It runs from Ocean Drive in the west to Memorial Avenue in the east, and is divided by a pedestrian island west of Prince of Wales Avenue. The Seabreeze Hotel is situated here, along with the Heritage Guesthouse and restaurant, and several other specialty shops. There are also several holiday cottages and flats, and a great fish and chip shop.

This is the only road access into South West Rocks (you can beach-drive from Hat Head!) and it is a tar sealed, extension of the South West Rocks Road, that begins in Kempsey. There are quite a few residences along this road, and they are inexpensive, neat and well cared for. Very family oriented area with easy access to the shopping centre. Closer to the village centre, the road gives way to bushland and holiday flats, shops and commercial buildings.

This is a dead end street (at the moment) that is home to South West Rocks' light industrial area. There suppliers to the building and marine trades here, including hardware supplies, kitchen and carpet suppliers. The road is not busy, is sealed, and there is plenty of parking for shoppers.

Very popular with fishermen, New Entrance Road runs along the Macleay riverfront, crosses the Back Creek via a causeway, and loops back towards the village before meeting Quarry Street. It is common to see cars parked along here as fishermen claim their favourite fishing spot. I've caught more "rock fish" here though, they are notorious for leaving me without hooks and sinkers. There is a boat wharf here as well, and many people enjoy the "Barbie Boat" cruis and barbecue up the Macleay River.