EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS TONGARRA

The Tongarra Bicentennial Museum was opened in 1988. The Museum collection includes artefacts significant to the history of Shellharbour, and those that tell stories about the people and places of past and present. It features pioneering and historical exhibits such as the Victorian Automatic Sock Knitting Machine and Handmade Patchwork Quilt; a large collection of early maps and panoramic photographs of the Shellharbour Local Government Area and a bronze bust of Caroline Chisholm, who is known as 'The Immigrants' Friend', who helped to settle families in Shellharbour in the 1840s.

Macquarie Pass National Park is part of the Illawarra escarpment south of Sydney and provides some magnificent scenery and displays untouched rainforest, covering 1,064 hectares. Visitors can view nature at its best, beautiful satin bowerbirds and lyre birds as well as swamp wallabies and wombats. It contains a diverse range of habitats and wildlife including several rare and threatened plant and animal species. The steep sandstone ridges and gullies are topped by cliffs, and the park supports heathland, woodland, tall open forest and significant rainforest areas. It is an excellent bushwalking and picnicking area, with spectacular scenery and waterfalls. Starting at the base of Macquarie Pass at the picnic area, you can walk to the Cascades Waterfall (two kilometres return).

Gardenalia is located in Robertson, the green heart of the Southern Highlands, on over an acre of land, and is a very different and eclectic garden. Gardenalia features containerised gardening, showcasing various plants and pots. All set up on auto irrigation. Also of interest are perennial borders, roses, espaliered fruit trees, peonies, fushias, succulents, delphiniums, composting orchard, chooks and veggies. The experience is enhanced by the quality of horticultural practice in this small but interesting garden.

Open on the last weekend of each month 10am-4pm Saturday and Sunday.