To get an idea of where we were we headed to Bulli lookout first thing in the morning. Overlooking the town gave us an impression of what these small beach towns look like along the coast of New South Wales.

When researching our road trip I had come across pictures of the Hindu Sri Venkateswara Temple in Helensburgh, close to Bulli. It does not seem to be a major tourist attraction even though it is located right next to an animal sanctuary. But as I was stunned by the pictures I had found I wanted to visit.

Indeed we were the only tourists there. Nonetheless we were greeted very friendly by a member of the Hindu community. As he noted that we were unfamiliar with the temple he started to explain to us about the history of his religion and about Hindu deities. He even invited us to a ritual he had one of the monks perform for him and his friends. It was a visit we will certainly not forget.

On our way back to Bulli we stopped at Kelly waterfalls but skipped the hiking track as the ground was very wet from the recent rains.

The beaches around Bulli are not recommended for swimming due to the strong waves and currents. You can surf in these waves and as school was out for the day we say lots of children head to the beach for surfing lessons- which was quite a spectacle to watch.

In order to allow people to swim safely, however, the communities built rock pools along the coast that are open to the public free of charge. These pools are being fed by sea water and allow for a swimming experience of a different kind.