Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour, located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers. The island was originally heavily timbered in red gums which attracted many sulphur-crested cockatoos. This view is from the lower north shore suburb of Woolwich.

Rushcutters Bay

These yachts are moored in the eastern suburb of Rushcutters Bay. These are some that you might see out on Sydney Harbour and this was a perfect sunny day to go cruising on the harbour. The apartments in the background are at Darling Point.

Haymarket, Market City, Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year coincided with Australia Day this year, which meant there was a fusion of culture and celebrations at some events. Market City is a shopping centre above Paddy's Markets at Haymarket, near Chinatown. It was decorated with lots of red and gold decorations, including a Wishing Tree in the centre court and lanterns hung above.

Rockdale, fire station

Rockdale Fire Station, built in 1938 in the art deco style, is located in Bay Street in the southern suburb of Rockdale. It replaced the fire station on the corner of Princes Highway and Bay Street established in 1897. This fire station closed in July 2006 when the Rockdale Fire Brigade moved to the new Arncliffe Fire Station.

Rockdale, houses

This Federation Queen Anne home with woodwork in the Art Nouveau style is located in Watkin Street, in the southern suburb of Rockdale.

Hyde Park, Australia Day, flags

Australia Day is Australia's national day which is celebrated on the 26th January. This date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove in 1788. The city is often decorated with flags for various celebrations and events. For Austalia Day this year, eye-catching red, blue and white flags have been displayed throughout the city. These are located along Elizabeth Street at Hyde Park, beside the Oddfellows war memorial.

North Strathfield, Australia the movie

'Australia' is the epic movie that was released in November, directed by Baz Luhrmann. The movie stars well known Australian actors Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman and newcomer, young Brandon Walters, who practically steals the movie. David Wenham, Bryan Brown and David Gulpilil are also in the cast. This week, 'Australia' became the third biggest Australian movie in Australian box-office history. A huge billboard advertising the film sits in a prominent position at North Strathfield, in between the M4 Motorway and Parramatta Road.

Campsie, theatre, Australia map

The Australia Day public holiday is coming on Monday, which makes this weekend, a long weekend. I thought I'd post an interesting display with an Australian theme that I found in Campsie. It's a map of Australia made up of many pieces, which I suppose symbolises all the different people from all the different countries around the world, that have come to Australia and helped create this great nation. It's quite suitably placed in Campsie, which is a very multicultural south-west suburb. It's located opposite the council chambers for the City of Canterbury, on the side of the Orion Function Centre, previously the Orion Theatre, an art-deco cinema on Beamish Street.

Bass Hill, drive-in cinema

One of the last surviving drive-in cinemas in Sydney was this one in the western suburb of Bass Hill. It closed in 2007 but luckily, I managed to snap this photo before it was demolished a few months ago to redevelop the site into a large residential estate. Drive-in cinemas were very popular in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s. Their popularity declined in the 1980s, as video cassette recorders and tapes increased in popularity. I have some fond memories of my parents taking me to the drive-in cinema at Matraville, as a child back in the 1970s. The only drive-in cinema still open in Sydney is at Blacktown.

Tempe, Cooks River

This view across the Cooks River to the inner west suburb of Tempe, is from the southern suburb of Wolli Creek. It features industrial and commercial developments with the skyline dominated by a large concrete water tower. The Cooks River can look quite picturesque and it was once a popular resort, with large crowds attracted for swimming and boating on the river, until it became too polluted by industrial estates further upstream. Later, part of the suburb became landfill, colloquially known as 'Tempe Tip' which has now been redeveloped for commercial use with some beautiful parklands near the river. 

Connells Point, Georges River

This view of the Georges River is from the southern suburb of Connells Point.

Kyle Bay

Kyle Bay is a small suburb on the northern shore of the Georges River. This view of the bay and the river beyond it is from Merriman Reserve. Many of the homes situated on the bay have their own private jetty for boats.

Hurstville Grove, wetlands

The Moore Reserve Wetland is located in the southern suburb of Hurstville Grove, close to the Georges River. I didn't know these wetlands existed in the middle of this suburban area, so I was quite surprised to stumble across them recently.

Double Bay, wharf

The Double Bay ferry wharf is located at the end of Bay Street, in the eastern suburb of Double Bay. It provides access to the Eastern Suburbs ferry services on Sydney Harbour.

Sans Souci, sunset

These balmy summer evenings are great for a walk along the beach. I captured this glorious sunset on Wednesday night around 8 pm looking towards the Captain Cook Bridge at a spot where Sans Souci ends and Sandringham begins, where the Georges River flows into Botany Bay.

Hyde Park, Sydney Festival

The Festival of Sydney is in full swing and runs for most of the month of January. The Bosco Theatre is a spiegeltent that has been set up in Hyde Park, on the corner of College Street and Park Street. Spiegeltents were created in the early 20th century and are travelling pavilions that have been used for concert venues, dance halls, bars and entertainment salons.

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Malabar, beach

This beach is at Long Bay, in the eastern suburb of Malabar.

Circular Quay, big boat, little boat

I had to take an alternative route to work this morning and my train passed through Circular Quay station. I was impressed by the sight of a cruise ship in port, Rhapsody of the Sea, so I jumped off the train and took this snap from the platform. I thought it made a good contrast with a smaller ferry that was departing at that time. I'm one of the people who think that having this elevated railway station at the quay is an eyesore, but one positive is that it provides an ideal viewing platform of the beautiful Circular Quay, Harbour Bridge and Opera House from this angle.

Clovelly Beach

Clovelly Beach is a small beach that sits on the end of a narrow bay in the eastern suburb of Clovelly. The bay is popular with swimmers  and a rock pool sits below the Clovelly Life Saving Club.

Maroubra Beach

Maroubra Beach is another popular beach in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. This photo was actually taken in winter when the beach is not crowded.

Bowral, warmorial

This ornate archway with the words 'Lest We Forget' in the metal lacework is part of the war memorial, in the southern highland town of Bowral in the same reserve with a .

Bowral, war memorial

his is my blog's first photographic foray outside Sydney. I visited Bowral this weekend, a town located 126 kilometres south west of Sydney. This war memorial is located in the in the southern highland town of Bowral.

North Bondi, surf life saving club

This Surf Lifesaving Club sits behind the sand along Campbell Parade, in the eastern suburb of North Bondi. It is north of the iconic Bondi Beach and features many flats overlooking the beach. 

Manly, Shelly Beach

Shelly Beach is located in the northern suburb of Manly. Not to be confused with the other Shelly Beach in Sydney, in the southern suburb of Cronulla. This one is close to North Head of Sydney Harbour and a locality known as Fairy Bower. On the western point of the beach is a famous surf break known as the "Bower". Shelly Beach is the only inland facing ocean beach on the east coast of Australia.

Sydney Cricket Ground

Cricket is the top summer sport played in Australia. This week, the Third Cricket Test between Australia and South Africa is being played in Sydney. Here are a couple of photos of the Sydney Cricket Ground entrances in Driver Avenue at Moore Park. The historic Members' Pavilion and Ladies' Pavilion are shown at the top and the newer Brewongle Stand is shown on the bottom.

Cronulla, Shelly Beach

Shelly Beach is the southernmost beach of the southern suburb of Cronulla. The beach does not feature much sand and the name is derived from the sea shells that proliferate the area. This Shelly Beach should not be confused with another Shelly Beach in the northern suburb of Manly.

Cronulla, bank

This Commonwealth Bank building is located on the corner of Cronulla Street and Ocean Grove, in the southern suburb of Cronulla. This part of Cronulla Street is now part of Cronulla Mall, where most buildings have been painted in pastel colours. This building was built in 1938 in the art deco architectural style.

Clovelly Beach

The Clovelly Life Saving Club is located above the southern promenade at Clovelly Beach, in the eastern suburb of Clovelly.

North Cronulla Beach

Cronulla is a southern suburb of Sydney which features a number of beaches. North Cronulla Beach is popular with surfers, sunbakers and families. This view of the beach with the apartments behind it, is from the north.

Cronulla Beach

A view of the beach in the southern suburb of Cronulla. The southernmost patrolled beach is simply known as Cronulla Beach but is sometimes also referred to as South Cronulla Beach. The Cronulla Lifesaving Club and Cronulla Pavilion are art-deco buildings that sit behind the beach. It's summer holiday time in Sydney and many Sydneysiders head for the beaches. 

Milsons Point, New Years Eve celebrations

An estimated 1.5 million people watched the fireworks from vantage points around Sydney Harbour last night. The early fireworks at 9pm on the harbour are for families to enjoy and then they can go home early. The fireworks at midnight are a lot more spectacular since they are also launched off the Sydney Harbour Bridge and city skyscrapers. Milson's Point, north of Sydney Harbour, was a lot less crowded than the city always was. Here are a couple of shots from both sides of the bridge, although my camera is not too good at night.