Tuesday 31 January 2012

Bridge Lane, ambulance

Bridge Lane is a very narrow lane off Bridge Street which doesn't allow for parking, so this ambulance parked close to the entrance of the Establishment Hotel and "Donut" artwork, must have been attending an emergency.

Monday 30 January 2012

Tank Stream Way, street art

Tank Stream Way is a city laneway that hosts temporary artwork for the annual Laneway Art as part of the Art and About Sydney festivalThe back of the Thai Airways International building, including windows and doors, has been used as a canvas for a piece of street art or graffiti art by Barry McGee which is described as "Untitled", but I believe it says "aMAzE".

Sunday 29 January 2012

Pyrmont Bridge

Pyrmont Bridge crosses Cockle Bay at Darling Harbour and connects the inner city suburb of Pyrmont with the Sydney central business district. The swing bridge was opened in 1902 but has been a pedestrian bridge since 1988. It also carries an elevated monorail track which remains stationary so that the monorails can cross even when the bridge swings open for large boats. A Sydney Monorail can be seen here crossing the bridge, heading towards Harbourside station at Darling Harbour.

Saturday 28 January 2012

Bridge Lane, Donut

Bridge Lane currently features temporary Laneway Art as part of the Art and About Sydney festival. "Donut" is a sculpture by Brook Andrew which is a large inflated PVC form in the shape of a doughnut, hanging high above the lane.The striking black and white matrix is an indigenous Wiradjuri design. The shape references ancient European and Indigenous depictions of time travel and healing, and the popular contemporary notion of a ‘pie in the sky’. At the end of the laneway, is a glimpse of another piece of art, in Tank Stream Way. "Untitled" is a piece of street art or graffiti art by Barry McGee.

Friday 27 January 2012

Museum of Sydney, Edge of the Trees

"Edge of the Trees" is a permanent sculpture at First Government House Place, the forecourt of the Museum of Sydney. It was commissioned especially for this site in 1995 and created by Janet Laurence and Fiona Foley, an indigenous artist and a non-indigenous artist, working together. It evokes the cultural and physical history of the site, before and after 1788, when contact and colonisation took place. The name of the sculpture comes from the 1985 essay by historian Rhys Jones: "…the 'discoverer' struggling through the surf were met on the beaches by other people looking at them from the edge of the trees." It consists of 29 large pillars of sandstone, wood and steel, which correspond to the 29 Aboriginal clans from around Sydney. The materials have been recycled from lost buildings in the city with historical references carved, burnt or engraved upon them and various artefacts embedded in windows within. When you walk amongst the pillars, you can hear a soundscape of indigenous voices reciting the names of places in the Sydney region.

Thursday 26 January 2012

Museum of Sydney

The Museum of Sydney is located on the corner Phillip Street and Bridge Street.  The museum is built on the ruins of Australia's first Government House, the house of Australia's first governor-general, Governor Arthur Phillip. It was built in 1788 and exposed by archaeologists in the 1980s before this museum was built. The museum explores colonial and contemporary Sydney through objects, pictures and digital media techniques. The raised metal lettering of the "Museum of Sydney" sign creates a shadow on the sandstone facade. The "Surf City" banner is for the surfing culture exhibition currently at the museum.

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Museum of Sydney, Tides Turn

"Tides Turn" is a sculpture created by Peter Collins, currently located in the forecourt of the Museum of Sydney. It depicts a surging wave and is constructed from Eucalyptus sticks and steel mesh. It is part of "Surf City", an exhibition currently at the museum that shows how the surfing culture and waxheads at beaches have influenced Sydney. This sculpture was originally displayed at the "Sculpture by the Sea" exhibition in 2010 at Bondi Beach. 

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Bexley, Uniting Church

The Bexley Uniting Church is located in Gladstone Street, in the southern suburb of Bexley. It was built in 1925 in the Federation architectural style and has been heritage listed for its aesthetic significance as an unusual architectural church design. It was originally a Methodist Church until the Uniting Church in Australia was formed in 1977.

Monday 23 January 2012

Bexley, house

"Dunvegan" is a historic house located off Harrow Road, in the southern suburb of Bexley. This mansion was built in the late 19th century in the Victorian Italianate architectural style. It has been somewhat altered with the removal of an upper storey veranda but retains most of its original features. It was once part of a large estate which fronted Albyn Street and has now been incorporated into the Scalabrini Village, a retirement village formed in 1969 by the Scalabrinian Fathers, an Italian missionary order.

Sunday 22 January 2012

Barangaroo, warehouse

This former warehouse is located along Hickson Road in the inner city suburb of Barangaroo. It is located opposite land which was once part of Sydney's port facilities and is now being redeveloped. This part of Hickson Road is also known as The Hungry Mile, which originated during the Great Depession. It came from harbourside workers lined up along the road opposite the wharves as foremen chose the casual labourers for the day and those without work were often left hungry.

Saturday 21 January 2012

Garden Island, Southern Surveyor

The Southern Surveyor is a ship used by marine scientists to explore and study Australia's oceans. It is operated by the CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia's national science and research agency. It is seen here moored in Woolloomooloo Bay at Garden Island, located in the eastern suburb of Potts Point. The island is a major marine engineering and refit centre for the Royal Australian Navy and Thales Australia.

Friday 20 January 2012

Woolloomooloo and Darlinghurst

A view of the inner city suburb of Woolloomooloo stretching back to Darlinghurst. In the foreground are two pubs, the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel and The Bells Hotel. In the distance, the tallest buildings are the The Elan and Millennium apartment towers at Kings Cross and the Horizon Apartments tower at Darlinghurst.
 Linked to: Skywatch Friday

Thursday 19 January 2012

Newtown, graffiti art

This graffiti art is on the back wall of the Botany View Hotel in the inner city suburb of Newtown. The hotel is located on the corner of King Street and Darley Street, with this back view from Maria Lane. Many businesses in Newtown whose walls had been targets of ugly graffiti have commissioned graffiti artists to cover those walls with their artwork. It seems to have worked in this case because the artwork or other walls of the hotel haven't been defaced since.

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Hyde Park, Archibald Fountain

The Archibald Fountain is a magnificent art deco style fountain located in Hyde Park. It was designed by French artist Francois Sicard and unveiled on 14 March 1932. It features mythological characters of ancient Greece. On one of the granite plinths radiating from the central pedestal is a bronze sculpture of Theseus slaying the Minotaur which represents the sacrifice for the good of humanity. Over the last three weeks, I featured the sculpture of Apollo from the central plinth along with the sculptures of Artemis and Jason from the other granite plinths radiating from the central pedestal.
Click here to view all participants of Watery Wednesday

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Annandale, Bicentennial Park

This curious structure was recently temporarily located in Bicentennial Park in inner west suburb of Annandale. From a distance I thought it was some sort of contemporary sculpture but as I approached it, I realised it was actually a stage used for some summer performances in the park. Any performer on that stage would not only be competing with the abstract shapes attached to the back of the stage but also the spectacular backdrop of Rozelle Bay, the Anzac Bridge and the artwork on the silos at Rozelle.

Sunday 15 January 2012

Annandale, viaduct

This viaduct is located at the back of Bicentennial Park, in the inner west suburb of Annandale. The viaduct was built in 1922 to carry the freight railway line between the Darling Harbour and Rozelle Goods Yards. It now carries the Metro Light Rail line, a tram between Central railway station and Lilyfield. The writing on the brick wall is not graffiti but a dog memorial wall. The dogs are commemorated with photographs, names and quotes at a place where dogs and their owners congregate.

Saturday 14 January 2012

Circular Quay

A view of Circular Quay ferry wharves, Circular Quay railway station and the city skyline rising behind them.

Friday 13 January 2012

Citigroup Centre

The Citigroup Centre building is located on Park Street, between George Street and Pitt Street. Built in 2000, it measures 243 metres to the top of the spire and is the tallest skyscraper in Sydney, although Sydney Tower is still the tallest structure. The Citigroup Centre building contains 41 levels of office space and The Galleries, retail space on 4 levels. It also has underground connections to Town Hall railway station and the Queen Victoria Building. The Food Hall on the lower ground level has recently been refurbished and resembles a nightclub rather than a food court, which seems to be the trend lately.

Thursday 12 January 2012

Sydney Hospital, Il Porcellino

Il Porcellino is a bronze sculpture and fountain which sits outside the North Wing of 
Sydney Hospital, along Macquarie Street. The original Il Porcellino is on display in the Museo Bardini in Florence, Italy. A copy also stands in the Mercato Nuovo or Straw Market, in that city. This copy was presented to the hospital in 1968 by the Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani in memory of her father and brother, both renowned surgeons at the hospital. The legend of rubbing the snout of Il Porcellino for good luck, provides a polished sheen.

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Hyde Park, Archibald Fountain

The Archibald Fountain is a magnificent art deco style fountain located in Hyde Park. It was designed by French artist Francois Sicard and unveiled on 14 March 1932. It features mythological characters of ancient Greece. On one of the granite plinths radiating from the central pedestal is a bronze sculpture of Jason with the Golden Fleece and the good things of the earth. Over the last two weeks, I featured the sculpture of Apollo from the central plinth and the sculpture of Artemis from another granite plinth radiating from the central pedestal.

Tuesday 10 January 2012

Ashfield, warehouse


This warehouse is located on the corner of Parramatta Road and Frederick Street, in the inner west suburb of Ashfield. It was originally the Peak Freens biscuit factory that produced Vita-Weat cracker biscuits, later taken over by Arnott's Biscuits. It has now been converted to Bunnings Warehouse, a hardware warehouse chain. The old factory building had been painted in pastel colours, most recently cream, which suited the art deco style. It's good that this building with the great clock tower has found a new use but it hasn't quite been the same since it adopted the corporate colour scheme of the hardware chain.

Monday 9 January 2012

Double Bay, Golden Sheaf Hotel

The Golden Sheaf Hotel is located on New South Head Road in the eastern suburb of Double Bay. This heritage-listed pub was built in 1936 in the art deco style. Its four bars and a rear beer garden were refurbished in 2009. 

Sunday 8 January 2012

Double Bay, council chambers

This historic building is the headquarters for Woollahra Municipal Council, located on New South Head Road, in the eastern suburb of Double Bay. This building was Redleaf, a Victorian Italianate mansion overlooking Sydney Harbour, designed by the architect George Allen Mansfield and completed in 1863It became the local government council chambers in 1947. The adjoining Redleaf Pool is named after the mansion.

Saturday 7 January 2012

Double Bay, wharf

This private wharf is located on Sydney Harbour, in the eastern suburb of Double Bay. It's for exclusive use by the residents of the nearby harbourside houses and apartments. This was viewed from the boardwalk around Redleaf Pool.

Friday 6 January 2012

Sydney Harbour

This brilliant blue sky above Sydney Harbour was viewed from the viewing platform above Circular Quay railway station, beside the Cahill Expressway. The view stretches from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Overseas Passenger Terminal across to the Sydney Opera House. A ferry has just departed from Circular Quay ferry wharves heading towards Kirribilli, on the north shore.

Thursday 5 January 2012

Botanic Gardens, Summer

'Summer' is a Victorian era sculpture located in the Royal Botanic Gardens. This is one of the 'Four Seasons' statues that adorn the Palace Gardens Steps. They came from Italy in 1883 from the studio of Charles Francis Summers, an Australian-born sculptor living in Rome. The steps were their original location but later they were separated and distributed around the gardens, where some lost vital body parts and adornments. They were restored by Australian sculptor Jacek Luszczyk who recreated missing parts. The restored statues were unveiled in their original location in 2010. 'Springand 'Summer' are located at the top of the steps, with 'Autumn' and 'Winter' located at the bottom.

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Hyde Park, Archibald Fountain

The Archibald Fountain is a magnificent art deco style fountain located in Hyde Park. It was designed by French artist Francois Sicard and unveiled on 14 March 1932. It features mythological characters of ancient Greece. On one of the granite plinths radiating from the central pedestal is a bronze sculpture of Artemis, the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt, wild animals and fertility. She is depicted here with a bow, a deer and hunting dogs. Last week, I featured the bronze sculpture of Apollo that stands on the central granite pedestal with more information about the fountain here.

Tuesday 3 January 2012

St Peters, workshop

This auto electrician workshop sits on the corner of the Princes Highway and Canal Road in the inner west suburb of St Peters. This building was originally a service station, typical of a few built in the area in the inter-war period, in the Spanish Mission-style. The stucco walls are not textured and while it might have had Spanish terracotta-style roof tiles originally, it now has roof tiles from a more modern era. Interestingly, this building was on the heritage register but has recently been removed.

Monday 2 January 2012

St Peters, Town and Country Hotel

The Town and Country Hotel is a famous pub on the corner of Unwins Bridge Road and Campbell Street, in the inner west suburb of St Peters. This pub has been immortalised in the song Duncan by Australian Country Music legend Slim Dusty.

Sunday 1 January 2012

Barangaroo, Darling Harbour

A boat heading into Darling Harbour from Sydney Harbour, makes its way past Barangaroo. This view is from Pyrmont, which would have had spectacular views of the fireworks last night for New Year's Eve celebrations, projected from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and barges on Sydney Harbour. This was also one of the last chances to view the northern end of Barangaroo before construction begins to redevelop the site, which has already begun at the southern end.
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