Good-bye to Albury/Wodonga and a chance to see this beautiful countryside from the air.
Flying out of Albury/Wodonga and over Lake Hume
and flying into Sydney, over Botany Bay
Back in Sydney again for a few days before leaving.
The Strand was built in 1891 and opened in 1892, as the fifth and last of the arcades built in Sydney in the Victorian era. It is the only one remaining in its original form today.
When I was here in December I posted a picture or two of the Queen Victoria Building which first opened in 1898 and was named to honour the monarch's Diamond Jubilee. Elaborate Romanesque architecture was chosen for the grand building, which housed a concert hall, coffee shops, showrooms, warehouses and a wide variety of tradespeople. The QVB spans four floors and occupies an entire city block. The dominant feature is the majestic centre dome, consisting of a glass interior and an exterior copper-sheath, which illuminates the city's night sky. An original 19th century spiral staircase sits alongside the dome.
Made in England, the Royal Clock performs on the hour showing six scenes of the Royal English History, representing the close connection between England and Australia.
The Australian Clock is the world's largest hanging animated turret clock. It tells the story of Australia from the perspective of both Aboriginal and European settlers and includes 33 picture scenes, 15 of them animated.
The Customs House is an historic Sydney landmark located in the city's Circular Quay area, where the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge are also located. Constructed initially in 1844-1845, the building served as the headquarters of the Customs Service until 1990. People of the Eora tribe are said to have witnessed from the site, in 1788, the landing of the First Fleet.
The General Post Office (GPO) is a landmark building in Sydney. The original building was constructed in two stages beginning in 1866 and finishing with the addition of the clock tower in 1891. The building stretches just over 114 metres, making it one of the largest sandstone buildings in Sydney.
Clovelly Beach again - 28 degrees and beautiful sunshine, yet as you can see things are just a bit quieter now than during the summer holidays.
Darling Harbour is a harbour adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, with its primary function being a large recreational and pedestrian precinct.
The Rocks became established shortly after the colony's formation in 1788. The original buildings were made mostly of local sandstone, from which the area derives its name. From the earliest history of the settlement, the area had a reputation as a slum, often frequented by visiting sailors and prostitutes. During the late nineteenth century, the area was dominated by a gang known as the Rocks Push. It maintained this rough reputation until approximately the 1870s. By the early 20th century, many of the area's historic buildings were in serious decay. In 1900, bubonic plague broke out, and the state government resumed areas around The Rocks and Darling Harbour, with the intention of demolishing them and rebuilding them. More than 3800 houses, buildings and wharves were inspected and hundreds demolished, but the continuation of these plans were brought to a halt due to the outbreak of World War I. During the 1920s, several hundred buildings were demolished during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Until the mid-1970s government actions continued to be in favour of demolishing The Rocks buildings however, local residents won in the end, and instead of demolishing The Rocks, renovations transformed the area into a commercial and tourist precinct with some of the older buildings and original laneways adding to the area's character.
A trip down the Parramatta River is always a lovely way to spend some time on a beautiful weather day. And the fact that I was meeting a friend in Parramatta was really even more delightful than the journey to get there. The Parramatta River is an intermediate tide dominated, drowned valley estuary and the main tributary of Sydney Harbour.
Old Government House is a former "country" residence used by 10 early governors of New South Wales between 1800 and 1847. It is located in Parramatta Park and is considered a property of national and international significance as an archaeological resource. It also serves to demonstrate how the British Empire expanded and Australian society has evolved since 1788.
Parramatta Town Hall, a two-storey building in Victorian Free Classical style, was built in 1880 and is heritage-listed.
Stay tuned for more of my favourite places in Sydney.
