Sydney Daily Photo extras

Gözleme at The Rocks Markets

2009-07-19T20:12:00.004+10:00

Dawes Point

2009-07-04T20:04:00.008+10:00

Recently I published this photo on Sydney Daily Photo, wondering what the little sandstone building is. Fellow Sydney blogger, Julie, took up the challenge and has been doing some sleuthing. See her post here. It was taken at Ives Steps Wharf at Dawes Point, just on the western side of the Harbour Bridge.

It may have formed part of a fort, built under Governor Macquarie's instructions to fend off prospective invading French or Russians (Napoleon remained interested in Sydney after his Man At Sea, La Perouse, was pipped at the post by Captain Cook.

Today I went for another poke around the area, and while there's isn't a plaque or signboard indicating what it is, I think Julie may be correct. The only thing I did find was these pieces of sandstone embedded in the pavement. Further up the hill, where I took the photos below from, there are cannons in the park, but much of it is fenced off as some sort of work is going on.

Breakfast Point

2009-04-26T14:56:00.014+10:00

Breakfast Point is a brand new, still-in-progress housing development between Mortlake and Cabarita, on the Parramatta River. The site used to be a gas works. Environmentalists and some residents say that the formerly heavily industrialised site still contains toxins, and that clean up plans are inadequate. See here.

It's an interestign development, on a huge site. Lots of people would love it, but when we drove around my son just kept saying "It's so clean!" In the end he said "OK, enough - let's leave - it's just too.....American looking."

It does have that manicured-edge look of a Pleasnatville or Stepford or Wisteria Lane of the Desperate Housewives. The houses and apartments are cookie-cutter perfect, every blade of grass manicured.

And I think the fake-New England church, which is a community hall is just too "cutesy" for words, and makes me laugh. The Country Club lendss that air of exclusivity, and I think is meant to evoke the "romance" of Connecticut in the 1950's, when only "the right sort of people" were allowed to join, and housing covenants ensured none of the "wrong sort" appeared - Blacks, Jews and the like.

Of course, none of that would apply here, and the few people I saw getting in and out of cars (I was the only person walking anywhere) were very diverse. But it all just looks far too twee for me to be happy there.

I think one of the most interesting aspects is that many of the residents have turned NIMBY and oppose the proposition of a marina for luxury boats in the bay upon which this development is located. There are "No Marina" signs adorning various balconies. But in keeping with the overall "look" they are uniform, neatly blue and white - no hand-painted individualistic placards and protest at Brekky Point!

Below: The fake - church Community Hall
Below: The Village Green

Below: the sign featuring the Country Club
Below: The Country Club

Below: View to central Sydney, and there's that bridge!
Below: No Marina
Below: Looking to Cabarita Park

More photos from the Australian Open

2009-01-28T20:49:00.023+11:00

Above: The stage is set... for a new era in Open tennis

Above: Frank, Michelle and Ben

Above: Margaret Court Arena and Melbourne city in the background. We watched a "legends" doubles match here: Henri Le Conte and Mark Phillipousis playing Mats Wilander and Joakim Nystrom. In my view, Melbourne should be the permanent home of the Olympics and every other major sporting event. I can't think of, or don't know of another major city which has its magnificent sporting venues so close to the city and the lovely river setting. And with efficient, free public transport (tram shuttles) to move tens of thousands of people in a matter of minutes.

Above: Serena Williams serves to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Azarenka couldn't complete the match due to illness, so Williams won 3-6 (yes, she lost the first set) 4-2

Above: Victoria Azarenka serves

Above: Rod Laver Arena and Garden Square

Above: French supporters in Garden Square, wearing their flag cape-style in the best tradition of Australia Day flag-wearing jingoism (taken on Australia Day, 26 January)

Above and Below: Melbourne Park and the Yarra from the Grand Hyatt 19th floor

Above: Rafael Nadal (Spain) serves to Fernando Gonzales of Chile

Above: Nadal has a habit of pulling at the back of his shorts, as if his undies don't fit right. Some suggested Pat Rafter, who adorns buses and trams selling Bonds "Very Comfy Undies" should have a word to him.

Above: Fernando Conzales goes for a shot.

Above: Line umpires and 1.5 ball kids. for every match there is a chair umpire, 9 line umpires and 6 ball kids. I expect no less next time we take to the court at Malua Bay.

Above: Part of the crowd in Rod Laver Arena

Above: Jim Courier, who commentates for the Australian broadcast talks to Nadal after his win over Gonzales. No use being shy of the media if you're a tennis superstar. It's part of the deal.

Above: This building is a gym complex opposite the tennis centre, but in 1956 it was the Olympic Swimming complex. The pool eventually leaked and was taken out. A new international aquatic centre was built in another part of Melbourne.

Above: The Players Box near where we sat. It got occupied by Tsonga's contingent.

Above and Below: Wendy Turnbull, former Australian chammpion of the 1970s and 80s, and World No 3 was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame on Australia Day. A bust is made of each inductee and displayed in the grounds. She was 3 times runner-up in Grand Slam singles events, and a four time doubles winner (11 times runner-up), 5 times Mixed Doubles winner (1 time runner-up).

Above: French supporters in the crowd cheering on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga beat American James Blake in this fourth round match.

Above: Tsonga on court

Above: Jim Courier interviews Tsonga after his win.

Above: The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) opposite.

Above: "Our" court - Court 4 where we had a hit between 8.30 and 9.30 am on Tuesday. Ben serves.

Above: Our fans Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) and Ai Sugiyama (Japan) came down to watch and just because Hantuchova has her back to us and her people are all absorbed in their own world doesn't mean we didn't put on a dazzling display....of incompetence.

Above and Below: The only one looking anything like the real deal was Ben. It cost me a lot of money to make sure he could look this good on a tennis court.

Above: Hantuchova and Sugiyama on court winning against Cara Black (Zimbabwe) and Liezel Huber (USA). We thought we could perhaps offer some tips on play....

Above: Serena and Venus Williams, who won against Su-Wei Hsieh (Taipei) and Shuai Peng (China) in 3 sets. They weren't listening to us early on.

Above: Venus Williams

Above: Michelle and Ben mull over the two days' events in Garden Square.

Australian Open 2009

2009-01-28T07:20:00.004+11:00

These photos are collaged on Sydney Daily Photo - close-ups for you to identify!

Blue, Orange, Red and Green

2008-11-20T13:51:00.000+11:00

Above: Yo-Yo 2008 by Michael le Grand. Painted steel.

Above: Rock Pools by Grant Flick (Victoria).
Steel and reinforced resin. Flick says:
A soft collision
Linked in spiral rhythm
Defy eco rift

Above: Parabola 2008 by Philip Spelman (ACT).
Made of fabricated painted steel. "An abstract composition using colour to emphasise the positive and negative spaces and forms.

Above: On the roof of the kiosk at Tamarama, is Astrogarden by Eva Steen Christensen (Denmark). It's made of astroturf and thread. "Starting with everyday things Christensen is interested in the foreign and visually beautiful results of wrenching architecture and furniture out of their usual shapes."

To view all my 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts on Sydney Daily Photo CLICK HERE.

To view additional sculptures on Sydney Daily Photo Extra, CLICK HERE.

Form of Scenery (Sculpture By The Sea 25)

2008-11-14T07:25:00.000+11:00

To view all my 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts on Sydney Daily Photo CLICK HERE.

To view additional sculptures on Sydney Daily Photo Extra, CLICK HERE.

To view other skies around the world, CLICK HERE.

Sculpture By The Sea - Shells, Molluscs and Stone

2008-11-12T19:00:00.001+11:00

Ode to Joy by Lea Ferris. made of calacatanagu marble, plastics, metal, electric parts.

"Seemingly simple organisms once inhabited this place. Maybe in the future they will once again, maybe they won't. But who are we to interrupt their song of joy?"

Family Gastropoda by Sebastian McIntyre (USA). Made of Colorado yule marble.

"Seashells have always intrigued me. From slow moving mollusc growing calcium year by year, a tasty meal, an empty home, a limestone fossil, a marble block, a sculpture."

Gone (function IV, environment) by Natalie Windsor. Made of polycotton and natural rock.

Well, my (to me) obvious first reaction was that this was an homage to the great Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrap of the Sydney coast at Little Bay in 1969.

Natalie Windsor, the artist comments: "Our natural environment is the most precious resource we have. How do we respond when we see something we know should be there - gone?"

Regathering by Natalie Billing (Queensland). Made of raku clay.

"Memories gather on the shoreline of our minds. Meticulously, laboriously formed and shaped they last only until the next wave, then they wash away."

The Ocean's Gift by Jian Hua Qian. Made of marble.

"The ocean's gift - fruits, flowers and trees signify that the love of humanity can continue. Lives never cease to multiply."

Dancing With The Stone by Chris Kortland (Nethrlands). made of Belgian hardstone.

"In this place I tried to find lightness and movement in a solid and heavy material."

I am sorry about the quality of these pics - the sun wa sin entirely the wrong place!

To view all my 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts on Sydney Daily Photo CLICK HERE.

To view additional sculptures on Sydney Daily Photo Extra, CLICK HERE.

Sculpture By The Sea - Heavy Metal

2008-11-08T21:21:00.001+11:00

What Lies Under (Water resonator No 7) by Philip Spark. Made of steel, copper, cast iron, brass.

"It looks like the real thing. here today, gone tomorrow."

Development by Daniel Clemmett. Made of recycled steel and enamel.

Who would be surprised to learn that he loves cars and motorbikes, and apart from being a sculptor, earns his living as a smash repairer!
Read more about him here.

"The work is designed to engage on different levels, with intent to question our contemporary actions and to reflect on human development."

Blocks on Blocks: one on two, ball and ring, 1997 by Fletcher Benton (USA). Made of weathering steel.

Benton has work represented in many leading galleries: Smithsonian Institute, LA County Museum of ARt, Mentropolitan and Whitney museums New York. This is the first time he has exhibited in Australia.

The Yearning by Braddon Snape. Made of painted stel, reinforced precast concrete.

"A pier or raft like concrete slab traverses the rising slope. Perched, where the ground falls away beneath, as a solitary mariner yearns for the sea."

Return Ticket To Sydney by Jørn Rønnau (Denmark) . Made of cast iron

"Travelling is an important issue in peoples lives. This sculpture is about travelling geographically and historically through life."

From Dartbrook to the Reef by David Teer . Made of varied and waxed mild steel.

"It was a good adventure, to walk in the shadows of an old tree."

Contest for Attica by Robert Hague. Made of bronze and weathering steel.

"Poseidon, a central figure in the Parthenon sculptures is now but a fragment."

Strange Fruit (Bound Toy Construction) by Jimmy Rix. Made of bronze.

"This work enlarges the elements I associate with my childhood and the memories of attachment."

Inochi 3 (in bing) by Zero Higasgida (Japan). Made of stainless steel

"I think we could create a liveable world if people realise the preciousness of the lives and love for microbes in grass and trees which dwell in rivers or the sea."

Floating Figure by Greg Johns (South Australia). Made of corten steel

"Floating figure is from a series I started in 1991 and continue working on today. One task I set muself about this time was to produce sculpture which reflected Australia. I wanted to produce work which in appearance grew out of this place, rather than reflecting international styles. To do this, I drew on two stories, one brought into Australia at the time of European arrival, and one which preceded that arrival. I have often descrobed the resulting sculptures as being hybrid."

Wind Goes By by Hiroyuki Kita (Japan). Made of stainless steel and ball bearings.

"It is my great pleasure for you to enjoy my sculpture in such a rich natural environment."

Rhythm by David Horton. Made of mild steel.

"Using a non objective approach I am trying to stumble upon the amazing geometric relationships the ancient Greeks used in their pediments."

Reaching For Balance II by RM (Ron) Gomboc (Western Australia). Made of polished stainless steel and donnybrook stone.

"Working on a series of sculptures relating to journey and the balance of life."

Judgement of Mammon by Ingrid Morley. Made of copper and phosphor bronze.

"Mammon is the name given to the demon of materialism. I hope to personify ythr disquiet of a "being" struggling between material conquest and spiritual anorexia."

A Sign For The Times by Chris Ormerod (South Australia). Made of silicon bronze and mild steel.

"Climatic change is affecting our planet, we see signs of pressure. Social and environmental fault lines are appearing. The cracks are geting bigger."

Angkor Torso III by Clara Hall. Made of bronze and sandstone.

"For many people life is a blanacing act. What amazed me about the ruins at Angkor Wat was the fragile equilibrium between supported structure and total collapse."

Talisman by Jock Clutterbuck (Victoria). Made of fabricated brass.

"My works are informally improvised out of units into elements and gestures into a unity or statement."

Transfiguration 'Screw" VI by Mitsuo Takeuchi (Japan). made of stainless steel.

"This is an experiment in which I am expressing the concepts of position and visible topologies as one substance."

Paper Moon (aka Bill's Boat) by Orest Keywan. Made of steel and polymer.

To view my main 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts CLICK HERE.

Sculpture By The Sea - Planes and Angles

2008-11-08T18:44:00.002+11:00

Above: Gravity, by Jonathan Leahey. Made of steel. "Children make paper planes and use them in fun. Adults make steel planes and use them in anger. In the end, gravity always wins."
Below: gnosis by Bruce Radke. Rusted steel, painted steel, timber. "Our self created world of illusion may be rendered meaningful through self knowledge."

Above: Stationary shape by Haruyuki Uchida. Stainless steel and magent. "I want to make sculptures that are closely connected to gravity."

Below: Infinite Possibilities by Linda Bowden. 500 year old reclaimed jarrah, exterior ply, pine wood, fibreglass resin. " Inspired by a Mondrian 'composition' it struck me this work could be put together in any number of ways."

Above: Dynamic supermarketism supersupreme composition no 2 by Charlie Trivers. Statement: "Pizza and sculpture - two passions. What a combination! 100% handcrafted and fabricated by the artist." Uh-huh!

Below: Salt by Caz Haswell. Comment: "This work stems from an interest in the possibilities of abstract geometric construction. Architecture and basic geometry have been an influence on the development of structural dialogue."

Sculpture By Sea - Others

2008-11-07T18:15:00.000+11:00

Below: New Nomadic Home by Edward Horne and Charlotte haywood. Made of steel, aluminium, timber, felt, acrylic, pvc, rope. "Conforming too a square brick house? Attached to ownership and living beyond your means?"

Below: m.080801 by Toshio Iezumi. Float glass, mirror. "I make my works from two points of view - the contour of the piece and the optical reflection and depth."

Below: Land Sew No 3 by Mimi Dennett. Stainless stell, rope, pvc, pipe. "The humility of the Country Women's Association and a desire to mend the earth inspired this giant needle and thread stitching up a crack in the earth."

Below: If you need an extension of time to pay, press # by Bjorn Godwin. Polyester resin, mixed media, phosphorescent powder. "We regret we cannot provide any further extensions."

Below: Interface by Michael Lipman. Steel, timber. "My aim is to create the interface between the ocean and man. The ocean is turning back the iron road as its force cannot be controlled."

Below: Icon by Marcus Tatton. Eucalyptus, stainless steel. "The digital age sweeps our world along. This work questions how wise people in history would have regarded the current rate of change.

Below: Floating Memories by John Ramsay. Aluminium, styrofoam, plastic plaster. "The idea is that you are connected to the sea by a line whose mysteries will unfold via the telegraphic signals of the brightly coloured fishing floats."

Below: Close To Lands End by Alex Asch. Mixed media. "This work explores the memory of childhood, the distortion of the past through the mind's eye. The building is a surreal collage of the architecture of my past."

Below: You Want to Do What? !!! (Tow an iceberg from Antarctica) by Tania Spencer. Galvanised wire. " Both scientists and artists are considered mad or crazy when they broach concepts that are left of field."

Below: Dry Docks: They're Shipping It In by Alexandra Byrne. Corrugated iron, steel timber. "'Dry Docks' reflects my perception of Australia's water crisis and those means being implemented to assuage it."

Below: Plug In by Sally Kidall. Salt casting compound. "The tension implied by placing these electric plugs out of context is challenged by the vulnerability of their material, evoking a desire for harmonious relationships."
I was interested that the plugs are British ones, and then read that the artist has recently returned from studying and exhibiting in the UK.

Below: Astrogarden by Eva Steen Christensen. Astroturf, thread. "Starting with everyday things Christensen is interested in the foreign and visually beautiful results of wrenching architecture and furniture out of their usual shapes."

A Below: The Measure of Time by Rae Bolotin. Glass, steel, water. "Time and water are two of our most precious resources. In this piece, drops of water measure the 18 days of Sculpture By The Sea.

Below: Carbon Trader by Stephen King. Stringy bark. "Will the carbon trading market remove CO2 from the atmosphere?"

Below: Poroplastic 2 by Richard Goodwin. Motorcycle, stainless steel pipe. "'Poroplastic' is the explosion of a new motorcycle held together with lines of force which become an elaborate stainless steel frame."

Sister Cities

2008-08-31T18:25:00.001+10:00

Celebrating Sydney's Sister Cities: Florence, Guangzhou, Nagoya, Portsmouth, San Francisco and (possibly) Wellington.

FLORENCE

If you stroll around the Mercato Nuovo in Florence you may come across "Il Porcellino" (the piglet - though it's not a pig but a boar) - a brass fountain sculpted in 1612. Apparently tossing a coin in and rubbing its nose ensures a return to Florence (shades of the Trevi Fountain in Rome?). There are copies in various places around the world, including outside Sydney Hospital. It was donated in 1968 by the Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani in memory of her father and brother who had both been renowned surgeons at the hospital. There is a coin box to make a donation to the hospital, and rubbing its nose is purported to bring good luck.

Below: Il Pocellino, in Florence's Mercato Nuovo, and the Sydney replica.

GUANGZHOU

Formerly known Canton in English, this port in southern China, located on the Pearl River, has changed immeasurably since I was there in May 1978. Thirty years! I've looked at pictures on the web, and WOW - the river is lined with glittering towers.

Below: The Pearl River. I seem to recall this was taken from Shamian Island, which was once an area divided into two European concessions : French and British.

Below: The buildings of the Canton Trade Fair, now the International Import and Export Fair, a huge event which happens twice a year. It was opposite our hotel, the Dongfang, so we were lucky enough to visit. It was choc-a-blok with Maoist industrial and agricultural proaganda. Marvellous!

Below: The Dongfang Hotel. It's a lot glitzier than this now. The view from my room.

Below: School children in Shamian Island district
Below: Pictures from the Guangzhou Chinese Garden in Sydney

NAGOYA

Below: On Botany Bay is a signifier of Sydney Ports Corporation's sister relationship with Yokkaichi Port Authority in Japan. Yokkaichi is in the Greater Nagoya area.

For a view of the Nagoya Gardens in Sydney's Hyde Park, visit Julie's blog, Sydney Eye .

PORTSMOUTH

There's no Mary Rose in Sydney, and Admiral Nelson's Victory never came here, but Portsmouth's link would Sydney is all about ships. It is from Portsmouth that the First Fleet bringing the first convicts to Australia sailed.

Below: Sculpture The Bonds of Friendship commemorates the relationship. There is an identical one in Portsmouth

Below: Anchor from the H.M.S. Sirius, the flagship of the First Fleet
Below: The Victory at Portsmouth
Below: The Naval Museum at Portsmouth

SAN FRANCISCO

It seems pretty obvious why San Francisco and Sydney have a suister relationship. An iconic bridge, a beautiful harbour, an out, proud and political gay community, lovely terraced houses in now trendy parts of town, hills, a vibrant Chinatown, and a tower with views. There's even a prison on the harbour, though Alcatraz is somewhat larger and more contemporary than Sydney's Pinchgut.

Below: THAT bridge

Below: "Painted ladies"

Below: Storm approaching, from Coit Tower
Below: Hmmm, not QUITE the same Painted Lady, Ms Emma Chisett of Darlinghurst

WELLINGTON

Controversy! Is Wellington a sister city or not? Sydney City Council claims it is, but Wellington City Council has other ideas, relegating Sydney to the status of "Friendly City", saying "a friendly city relationship is less formal than a sister city relationship and it generally has a lower profile. It is likely to be a long term relationship, but the level of community support and involvement is not as high as with a full sister city relationship." So there, Sydney!

I visited New Zealand in September-October 1984. Bet things have changed since then! I couldn't think of anything specifically related to Wellington in Sydney (apart from a large number of New Zealanders living in Sydney)

Below: View of Wellington, weatherboard houses tumbling down the hill and the Botanic Gardens.

Leucospermum Watch

2008-08-08T18:29:00.006+10:00

I'm keeping a watch on this plant, in a street near me, checking how it changes through the year. I fell in love with it when I saw it!

Below: Photos taken 4 August 2008

Below: Photos taken 08 Aug 2008

Taken 17 August 2008:

Below: Three photos taken on 25 Deptember 2008

Leucospermum (Pincushion, Pincushion Protea or Leucospermum) is a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, native to Zimbabwe and South Africa, where they occupy a variety of habitats, including scrub, forest, and mountain slopes.
They are evergreen shrubs (rarely small trees) growing to 0.5-5 m tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, tough and leathery, simple, linear to lanceolate, 2-12 cm long and 0.5-3 cm broad, with a serrated margin or serrated at the leaf apex only. The flowers are produced in dense inflorescences, which have large numbers of prominent styles, which inspires the name.
The genus is closely related in evolution and appearance to the Australian genus Banksia.

Sun reflected

2008-08-07T21:04:00.001+10:00

And here's a view on an ordinary overcast day!

International Worker Memorial Day

2008-04-28T21:00:00.003+10:00

A day dedicated to remebering workers who have died in the course of their employment. This is the ceremony in Sydney today. For the full story see Sydney Daily Photo.

Miles Franklin, Hurstville

2008-04-17T23:49:00.000+10:00

Statue of the author of My Brilliant Career, Miles Franklin, born Stella Maria Sarah Miles Lampe Franklin . Located in suburban Hurstville, the sculpture by Jacek Luszczyk commemorates her connections with Hurstville: she and her family lived at nearby Carlton and she hired a Hurstville hotel room to type in.

The Miles Franklin Award, the first and most prestigious literary award in Australia, was established in 1954 with a bequest from Franklin. The award celebrates Australian character and creativity and is awarded for the novel of the year that has the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases. The Award this year is worth $ 42,000.

The 2008 Longlist was announced on 13th March. 59 books were submitted. The longlist of nine comprised:

Landscape of Farewell by Alex Miller
Love Without Hope by Rodney Hall
Orpheus Lost by Janette Turner Hospital
Secrets of the Sea by Nicholas Shakespeare
Sorry by Gail Jones
The Fern Tattoo by David Brooks
The Memory Room by Christopher Koch
The Time We Have Taken by Steven Carroll
The Widow and Her Hero by Tom Keneally

Today the shortlist was announced, and it is those books highlighted above.

Read more about them here.

19th June - Winner announced

http://www.trust.com.au/awards/miles_franklin/

Waverly Cemetery: Ocober 1 Theme Day

2007-09-30T23:25:00.000+10:00

These photos are additional to the October 1 Theme Day photo at Sydney Daily Photo. I have shown some of these before, but not in the larger format.

Holroyd Gardens

2007-09-10T23:21:00.000+10:00

Glebe redevelopment

2007-08-16T14:48:00.000+10:00

This is Australia (for Ben)

2007-07-30T19:45:00.000+10:00

Molineaux Point, Port Botany

2007-07-26T22:12:00.000+10:00

Additional photos to that shown on Sydney Daily Photo.

Anzac Bridge

2007-07-25T06:28:00.000+10:00

Garrison Point, Georges Hall Sunday Picnic

2007-07-16T10:51:00.000+10:00

Foggy Canberra

2007-06-13T13:24:00.000+10:00

Scenes from my morning walk along Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra

The Australian National Museum
The lake
The back of the National Museum
The Enterprise operates cruises on Lake Burley Griffin

Cotoneaster tree

View from hotel as fog starts to disperse

Without fog - Parliament House with the huge flagpole (detail below):

Flying Kangaroo - for Kate in St Paul

2007-06-09T11:14:00.000+10:00

Photos featuring Sydney Harbour Bridge

2007-05-31T08:15:00.000+10:00

The nuts and bolts of it all. Above: 19 June, 2006. Below: 20 June , 2006

Below: Cast iron toilet facilities in the shadow of the bridge at Millers Point. 22 June, 2006

Below: The curve of the arch, 06 July, 2006

Below: NOT Sydney Harbour Bridge, but the version in Queens, New York. Taken May 2006. Posted 6 July, 2006
Below: Finger wharf at Walsh bay, with the bridge. 20 July, 2006
Below: You can JUST see bridge walkers, as if they are on the roof of the finger wharf. 21 July, 2006
Below: The bridge from inside Wharf 4/5 at Walsh Bay. 21 Aug 2006

Below: The curve of the approach at Milson's Point. 29 Sep, 2006
Below: The bridge from Lavender Bay. 20 Oct, 2006
Below: Pylon and palm, Dawes Point. 15 Jan, 2007
Below: Harbour from Circular Quay railway station. 20 Jan, 2007

Below: The view from the Harbour View pub. 22 Jan, 2007
Below: The view from the bridge at the point where the reconciliation march plaque is located. 26 Jan, 2007
Below: from the park on the northern side, Milson's Point. 07 March, 2007
Below: View from the bridge. 11 March, 2007

Below: Rainy day, Young St. 24 April, 2007
Below: Reconciliation walk, 26 May 2000. Posted 26 May 2007
Below: Blues Point Tower. 31 May, 2007

May Day 2007

2007-05-06T16:22:00.000+10:00

More images from the May Day march. Read about it at Sydney Daily Photo.

Cities not my own- May 2007 Theme Day

2007-05-01T22:39:00.000+10:00

Labor Party Conference opening demonstrations

2007-04-28T00:42:00.000+10:00

Qld Premier Peter Beattie holds adoorstop media conference:

Your Rights At Work Rally march and Concert

2007-04-22T13:26:00.000+10:00

A Unions NSW "Your Rights at Work" rally, march and concert was held today.

Crossing into Hyde Park to gather for the rally:
Hard to estimate the crowd when you are pretty close to the front:

But it looked very big from the corner of College and Oxford Sts:

War graves, Rookwood

2007-03-05T07:39:00.001+11:00

Two Queens In Sydney

2007-02-20T22:09:00.000+11:00

QM2
5.51 pm
These kids were having a great time diving into the harbour. Risky with all the boats circling around viewing the QM2 5.51 pm

Your loyal correspondent on-the-spot! 5.54 pm
Lucky Sydneysiders doing in their laps with the QM2 berthed in the background 6.07pm
Woolloomooloo Bay where QM2 is berthed 6.11 pm
Here comes the QE2! 6.50 pm

QE2 meets The Bounty (replica) 6.57 pm
Waiting to see QE2 7.07 pmQE2 turns around. . .7.14 pm
...and backs into her berth at Circular Quay. 7.20 pm

This morning the Queen Mary 2 sailed in, and this evening Queen Elizabeth 2. We were there this evening. The QE2 is berthed at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, between the harbour Bridge and Opera House. The QM2 is too large for that berth, so is one bay around at Garden Island in Woolloomoolloo Bay.

Rookwood - a Conference of Crows

2007-02-16T20:00:00.000+11:00

These blackbirds (crows? ravens? rooks?) have made Rookwood Cemetery their home. Note also the picnic table and umbrella, for use by visiting relatives, and probably placed there by family.

The Chinese section - predominantly red marble headstones:
The Islamic section, and Office:

For Oya

2007-02-10T23:26:00.000+11:00

Cooling off at Olympic Park

2007-02-07T12:04:00.000+11:00

Sydney's Olympic Park is a great place to go for a trip on the weekend. You can swim at the Aquatic Centre, or ride a bike around and explore this huge site, or, like these kids, take advantage of this really nifty fountain to cool off.
Panorama (also showing time-shift if you follow the child in blue!):

The main Olympic arena (background) and the 'Superdome' (where they staged basketball and other sports) behind the fountain.
A great fountain to ride your bike through to help cool off:

The pyramid is a grass covered mound built of toxic soils from this site, which was contaminated from decades of industrial pollutants:
I stood under the jets for a while:

Better be careful, however, if the wind shifts while standing under the arc of the water jets for your wedding pics:

Learning to surf, Broulee and Rosedale, January 2007

2007-01-06T13:47:00.000+11:00

First, carry your board to the beach...

First instructions

Warming up

Not bad, after a couple of hours

Up ?

Up...?

Up!

Hey!

Practise, practise, practise

...and practise some more...

Back to the lessons....support teams

There's always that board lifting

Fairly crowded out here!

But keep on going, even when it rains.

Paddling instructions

Oops - there's lots of falling off to do before perfection

Look Mum - no hands! Or board.

Tiring work

Looking good! (And sun at last)

Well, it was looking good...

Success!

Rosedale sunrise

2007-01-05T13:12:00.000+11:00

5.29 am
5.33 am

5.41 am

5.43 am

5.45 am

5.51 am

5.58 am

5.59 am

Boatshed Beach 5.59 am

6.03 am

6.04 am

6.08 am

Some favourites from 2006

2006-12-31T12:33:00.000+11:00

A favourite because it says so much about Sydney cafe/coffee culture, which I think is amongst the best anywhere. Original post

I love the texture of the rocks, but even more that this photo was taken in mid-winter, which says a lot about Sydney! Original post.

The War Memorial in Hyde Park - reflection photos make you, well, ummmm, reflect, especially when it is something as tragic as war. Original post.

The angels at Waverley cemetery - I just love them! The cemetery, with its stunning clifftop location, and sea views is a wonderful place to walk. Original post.

A special favourite because it's my son - on a torrentially rainy Sunday in Bondi in September. Just the sort of day for a hot chocolate and latte! Original post.

Sydney Harbour at night - my first attempt at a (tripod-less) night shot, and I was very pleased with the result. An incredibly balmy September night. Original post.

A personal favourite, because they are my feet, at my gym pool, and swimming is one of my all-time favourite things (in fact the only exercise I can sustain on a long-term basis). Original post.

Sunrise with pelican over Botany Bay. I was pretty proud of having been up this early!
Original post.

Sydney people - April, May, June 2006

2006-12-31T12:00:00.000+11:00

Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (my first ever post) - 19 April
The UFO Christ Man - 20 April

Getting some air - 24 April
Speakers Corner, May Day - 1 May
Two Imperial Chinese ladies - 6 May

Winter cricket - 4 June

Window cleaning - 8 June

Two men - an important announcement - 23 June

Sydney people - July, August, September 2006

2006-12-31T11:16:00.000+11:00

No Laughing Matter - 4 July

Norton Street, Leichhardt (World Cup celebration) - 10 July

Midday sun - 11 July

Midday shadows - 12 July

Red shoes - 13 July

Kite surfing, Botany Bay - 16 July

Sunbathing - 30 July

Il Pocellino - 1 August

Statue Busker, Circular Quay - 3 August
My corner shop - 5 September

Mexican sailors - 9 September

Hot chocolate, Bondi -11 September

Air guitar - 24 September

Falun Gong - 25 September

Sydney people - October 2006

2006-12-31T11:09:00.000+11:00

Tai Chi in the park - 3 October

School Holidays - 14 October

Surreal! - 17 October

Double Trouble - 19 0ctober

Goths, Sydney Town Hall - 28 October

Sydney people - November 2006

2006-12-31T10:47:00.000+11:00

Kevin Little - stained glass artist - 1 November

Zzzzzzzz, Newtown - 6 November

Cafe talk, Sunday morning, Newtown - 13 November

Christmas window - 18 November

Smile! - 19 November

Boys just wanna have fun - 23 November

Backyard card game - 27 November

IR Laws - Just not cricket - 30 November

Sydney people - December 2006

2006-12-31T10:31:00.000+11:00

Proud Mum Moment - the team won the final! - 6 December

Pigeon Man, Darling Harbour - 8 December

Sally and Nathalie do lunch - 9 December

Windy Day - 11 December

Workman - 13 December

A very sombrero Christmas - 14 December

Fire Brigade Band - For Dad - 19 December

Bill - Big Issue seller - 20 December

Darlington Public School kids - 25 December

Macquarie Street lights

2006-12-23T00:19:00.000+11:00

Macquarie St in central Sydney has a string of beautiful colonial buildings along it. For the past two weeks, up until Christmas night, someof these buildings have been lit each night with this wonderful array of designs. These are a few. [I don't have a tripod, so forgive me where some are a bit blurry]

These photos compement the one at Sydney Daily Photo.

The Hyde Park Barracks

Sydney Town Hall (not in Macquarie St)

State Parliament building (part of the original Sydney Hospital)

The Mint

The State Library, Mitchell wing

Conservatorium of Music (my son took this one)

Mortuary Station

2006-12-03T02:00:00.000+11:00

Additional photos to those on Sydney Daily Photo

Below the belt (for Kim in Seattle)

2006-12-01T15:01:00.000+11:00

The red shoes - originally posted on Sydney Daily photo on 7 July 2006

and some 'rough drafts' that I rejected:

Pretty good legs:
Another "ghost who walks" but not quite as interesting visually:
The quintessential Aussie thongs:
Interesting foowear for the golf driving range! :

Your Rights At Work: Worth Fighting For

2006-11-30T10:48:00.000+11:00

These photos are linked to my Blog on Sydney Daily Photo.

Part of the crowd gathered at Belmore Park to watch the live satellite broadcast from the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). A second Sydney rally was held at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour. The two rallies converged to form a single march of 40 000 through the main streets of Sydney.
Sharan Burow, the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), and a former NSW school teacher (yay!) address the MCG crowd, esptimated to be about 50 000. People watched the broadcast in 500 venues across Australia.
Greg Combet, Secretary of the ACTU. You can see him in a previous blog, and read more about the sort of workplace issues being fought in this campaign.

Kim Beazley, Leader of the Opposition Australian Labor Party, tels the crowd at the MCG, and across Australia, that if elected in 2007, his party will "rip up these unfair laws".
Part of the march through the Sydney streets.

For more information, see the ACTU website - see the speeches and listen to Jimmy Barnes rock out his anthem "Working Class Man"

Blog on rally of June 28 Part 1

Blog on rally of June 28 Part 2

Botany Bay sunrise

2006-11-23T21:05:00.000+11:00

Kevin Little - StainedGlass Artist

2006-11-02T14:01:00.000+11:00

Almost the first words Kevin Little said to me when I wandered into his workshop to ask him if I could take a photo of him at work were “I’ve been here for a long time, but not for much longer”.

Kevin is 75, and, one of, if not the most pre-eminent Australian stained glass artists. His workshop is right near where I live.In its heydey, Kevin's business employed 30 artisans here and throughout country areas. But, he told me, "There’s not much of a living to be made any more from being a stained glass artist. “The Protestant churches don’t put in stained glass windows any more, and the almighty dollar rules everything. Even restoration jobs are done on the cheap these days” he said. Kevin also lamented the destruction of much of the stained glass in churches and houses as newcomers rip them out. [I'm pleased to say that we had Kevin repair one in our house when it was damaged a few years back.]

As well as work in glass, Kevin also restores furniture and all manner of things including a gorgeous grandfather clock he found in pieces in a kerbside junkout. He collects an array of things too vast to describe, and his studio/workshop is a veritable museum. Every object has a story, and the connections they weave between people are amazing.Kevin took me on a tour of his world, and I especially loved seeing a couple of fragments of 14th century stained glass, and the “sweatshop” end of the studio, where Kevin showed me the traditional method of drawing a design in chalk, before tracing it on to paper.This is true artisanship, which is not going to be there for much longer.

Kevin has had commissions from many of the leading institutions in Sydney, including Sydney Hospital, the Town Hall and St Mary’s Cathedral.

From A Village Called Arncliffe by R.W. Rathbone. (Wild and Woolley, 1997)

"David McColl Little migrated to Australia from Scotland in the 1870s. Although a butcher by trade, he became interested in the art of leadlighting and eventually obtained a position with Lyon and Cottiers the leading leadlight manufacturers and stained glass artists of their day.In1906 he moved to Arncliffe and opened his own business in Barden Street where he employed his ten children in the trade. Such was the quality of his work that he was soon receiving commissions from churches, public buildings, private homes, shop fronts and the furniture trade.When building activity declined during the Depression, he concentrated simply on glazing to see him through and as leadlighting faded from favour during the thirties and forties the process almost became a lost art.In 1944, David Little died and his business was taken over by his son, William, who, anxious to ensure that the craft did not die out, apprenticed his son Kevin to the trade.Kevin studied art at the East Sydney Technical College before succeeding his father as proprietor of the enterprise in 1956. He specialized in the restoration of ecclesiastical stained glass doing work all over Australia, New Zealand and Canada.With the upsurge of interest in restoring Victorian, Federation and Art deco houses, Kevin Little is recognized as one of the most skilled exponents of the art of leadlighting and stained glass artistry in Australia. He carries out work for the Heritage Commission, the National Trust and the Department of Public Works.H not only restores and repairs existing windows but designs memorial and heraldic windows as well. He has recently been retained to restore the windows of St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney while his windows for the new St Matthew’s Anglican Church at Albury have been nominated for inclusion in the National Estate. "

For Mimmu

2006-10-14T22:58:00.000+10:00

Swimming in lake at Tampere, about 9 pm

Cabin we stayed at near lapeenranta (Lake Saimaa?) where we had sauna and swim in the lake.

The Duke in Sydney

2006-10-12T00:08:00.000+10:00

These are additional photos to the ones shown at Sydney Daily Photo

On August 7, Dana at Honolulu Daily Photo posted a wonderful picture of Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.

Here's The Duke in Sydney!

He is credited with popularising surfboard riding in Australia when he demonstrated his skills at Freshwater Beach (see photo below) in December 1914.

The statue was unveiled by his widow Mrs Duke Paoa Kahanamoku (Nadine) on Australia Day, Wednesday January 26, 1994.

There's a walk around the headland with mosaic tributes to the many Australian men and women who have since been world surfing champions.

The plaque at the site adds "It is hoped that this Park and the men and women it honours, will help to fulfil Duke's dream of surfboard riding becoming an Olympic sport." .

Freshwater Beach

These are the pictures shown at Sydney Daily Photo:

Raining inside & out the Lamrock Cafe, Bondi

2006-09-10T16:25:00.000+10:00

Looking out of the Lamrock Cafe

Oops! Looks like it's raining inside too!

Lattes and hot chocolates, Bondi 10 Sep 2006

2006-09-10T16:07:00.000+10:00

Festival of the Winds, Bondi, 10 Sep 2006

2006-09-10T15:19:00.000+10:00

Attack of the killer scarf

It was so windy and so wet, the festival was a bit of a blow out this year. None of the festive atmosphere of previous years.

Asian Field by Antony Gormley

2006-08-19T22:22:00.000+10:00

Exhibited as part of the 2006 Biennale of Sydney. Read about it at Sydney Daily Photo.

Gladstone and Wentworth

2006-08-04T17:01:00.000+10:00

Wylie's Baths, Coogee

2006-08-02T17:01:00.000+10:00

Yours truly on the cliff walk, with Wylie's Baths in the background

Wylie's

Looking north to Coogee Beach, with Wylie's below.

Angels of Waverley Cemetery

2006-07-31T18:04:00.000+10:00

Fallen angel

The cliff walk between Bondi and Coogee

2006-07-30T17:01:00.000+10:00

This section is between Bronte and Clovelly, looking north. The closest beach is Bronte, the one in the middle distance Tamarama, and the nitch between headlands in the distance is the bay occupied by Bondi Beach.

In my opinion, winteris the best season for walking in Sydney. Today it was about 21 degrees, perfect for walking without being too hot.

I sat on these rocks enjoying the sun, and looked down at the trio sunning themselves:

Just below me to the right, this woman was catching the winter rays.

Reflections II

2006-07-27T17:01:00.000+10:00

More from the Hyde Park reflection pool.

Reflection

2006-07-26T18:54:00.000+10:00

Clouds, Water and Sky writing

2006-07-19T17:01:00.000+10:00

Yes, they were advertising this.

As one wit observed: I think part of the failure comes down to the fact that we don't call boobs 'hooters' in Australia. And I'm not sure a restaurant called 'tits' would get far.

Botany Bay - Lady Robinson Beach

2006-07-18T17:01:00.000+10:00

A very bracing swim - the air temp was about 15 degrees

Kitesurfing, Botany Bay

2006-07-17T05:03:00.000+10:00

Midday shadows

2006-07-12T17:01:00.000+10:00

Under the bridge 2

2006-07-10T07:59:00.000+10:00

Under the railway bridge 1

2006-07-10T07:43:00.000+10:00

Sydney, New York

2006-07-06T14:25:00.000+10:00

I recently spotted this bridge, looking for all the world like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on the taxi ride to JFK airport.

It is the Hell gate Bridge, built before the Sydney one. It's a railway bridge in Astoria, Queens.

There's some really interesting information about it here and here (and much better pictures!)

Peeling paint on door

2006-07-05T18:22:00.000+10:00

This old door is being used as a back gate. See the original photo, a close up of the peeling paint at Sydney Daily Photo.

Shell decorations

2006-06-29T22:02:00.000+10:00

Here's the Catholic Presbytery in Homebush decorated with shells shown on my Sydney Daily Photo Blog.

Your Rights At Work rally and march Part 1

2006-06-29T13:15:00.000+10:00

40 000 people attended the rally this morning in Blacktown, a western suburb of Sydney, against the Howard government's workplace legislation, which basically screws workers and favours the bosses. Here's some pictures. Of course, every well-dressed rallyer needs the t-shirt!

There's more information and links on my main blog: Sydney Daily Photo.

Your Rights At Work rally and march Part 2

2006-06-29T13:00:00.000+10:00

More pictures from today's rally and march. More information and links here.

The French Connection extra

2006-06-26T18:13:00.000+10:00

JC Decaux toilet, corner of Elizabeth and Park Sts, at Hyde Park

Great Synagogue

2006-06-25T17:53:00.000+10:00

Here's some more photos of the Great Synagogue in Elizabeth Street

Foggy day in Sydney

2006-06-25T08:17:00.000+10:00

Fog over the city from near Central Station

Another shot of the fog in my local park . See the first one at Sydney Daily Photo.

Two men and an important announcement

2006-06-24T15:15:00.000+10:00

More from the Morris Iemma and Mike Rann media conference.

George St Pissoir

2006-06-22T18:16:00.000+10:00

Some extra photos from my main blog - here

Ferris wheel, Luna Park

2006-05-28T18:32:00.000+10:00

Ferris wheel. Additional to the photo posted on Sydney Daily Photo.