Are you one of the 24,500 people who work in the CBD? If you are, we’re challenging you to forget about another lunch at your desk!
If picking up a bite from one of the local cafés or restaurants isn’t for you, and you don’t need to hit the shops, why not try something different?
Here are five suggestions to recharge the batteries that’ll boost your brainpower and get the blood moving to help you push through a busy afternoon.
1. Walk the walk
It’s an eight-minute walk from Wollongong Town Hall to Marine Drive. So, pull on your walking shoes, grab your water bottle and get your steps up for the day. According to Google maps, the 3km walk from the end of the Crown Street Mall, down to Marine Drive and up to Flagstaff Hill lighthouse and back takes about 40 minutes.
2. Find creative inspiration
Wollongong Art Gallery – it’s right in the heart of the CBD and perfect for a lunchtime jaunt. Open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, and on weekends from 12 noon to 4pm, the Gallery has a regular program of exhibitions that change throughout the year. Right now, you can catch Coomaditchie: The Art of Place curated by Tess Allas and Reflection Works from the Collection. The Gallery is free to enter.
Image: Coomaditichie Public Art Photography talk with local photographers Anthony Smith and Nina Kourea who discussed their practices and the documenting of Coomaditiche public artworks with curator Tess Allas
3. Pick your park
MacCabe Park is great – it’s right in the heart of the CBD and has plenty of space for lolling about at lunchtime. However, if you really want to stop and smell the flowers check out the tidy lawns and rose beds of Pioneers Rest Park? A former Church of England cemetery, this sweet space is on our city’s heritage register and is associated with significant people and events from 1833 to 1919. It’s on the corner of Kembla and Bank Streets and has park benches and a picnic tables.
4. Get on your bike & go for a swim
We’re a proud UCI Bike City and, as part of our commitment to improve cycling opportunities, we’re focussed on improving cycling infrastructure across the city.
From Kembla Street you can ride on a dedicated cycleway north to Smith Street, down Smith Street to Harbour Street and get to the foreshore area at Belmore Basin in just five minutes. That leaves plenty of time for a swim!
Now, we know this isn’t for everyone, but did you know North Wollongong Beach is patrolled year-round? That means, even in the middle of winter, the red and yellow flags are up, and the lifeguards are on duty from 9am-4pm at this popular beach.
If a winter dip in the sea doesn’t appeal, then the Continental Pool is also open for those brave enough for laps. It’s open 6am-2pm Tuesday to Sunday.
5. Check out Wollongong Library
If you’re not a member of Wollongong City Libraries – don’t worry! Everyone is welcome to drop in and check out the wide range of books, magazines, DVDs and CDs for loan. Wollongong Library makes a welcome lunchtime retreat if the weather’s cold, and there are always new titles to discover. Plus, becoming a member is free and easy if you find a title on your must-read list while you’re there. Just ask one of the team at the library’s front counter and they’ll help you out.
