Posts Tagged ‘this weekend in Sydney’

Irish Walk (Sydney)

Posted: September 16, 2019 in history, Sydney Streets
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So, this weekend, we followed a City of Sydney Irish walk which took as through some of the significant places where events concerning Irish immigrants in the young colony of Sydney occurred.

We learnt that

  • about 20,000 people were in Hyde Park on St Patrick’s Day in 1878 when there was an anti-Catholic riot.
  • that monument on the road at the top of the hill near St Mary’s Cathedral on the road to the Art Gallery was just a drinking fountain.
  • There’s a significant Irish Famine memorial at Hyde Park Barracks. Really cleverly done, it shows a dining table divided by a wall.
    • During the six years of great Irish Famine, when their potato crop was ruined by potato blight, about one million died and another one million left Ireland. The memorial remembers the 4114 orphan girls who were shipped to the Australian colonies. Some married, others were employed for different domestic work.
  • The original Martin Place only ran between George and Pitt Streets.
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Drinking Fountain

 

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Irish Famine Memorial at Hyde Park Barracks

 

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Irish Famine Memorial at Hyde Park Barracks

 

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State Library

 

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The windows are inspired by the Book of Kells

 

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St Mary’s Cathedral

 

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St Mary’s Cathedral

 

Callan Park

Posted: July 21, 2019 in history, Inner West
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We went for a walk with the pup around Callan Park, 60ha site in Lilyfield near the Iron Cove Bridge.

It became famous as a psychiatric hospital (Callan Park Hospital for the Insane) which was in use until 1994.

Thne buildings are now occupied by the Sydney College of the Arts.

The Bay Run runs through the park along the foreshore of Iron Cove.

Lots of off leash dog area to roam. Some beautiful old buildings in what was a very sad place for so many people. You’d like to think we are a bit better these days at caring for those struggling with mental health.

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Blue’s Point Rd, North Sydney

Posted: June 22, 2019 in history, Sydney Streets
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Our new pup Indie’s first proper walk. We forgot to take a pic of her first cafe outing!
A wander down this lovely strip this afternoon, following this guide from North Sydney Council.

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We’ve walked down this street before and never noticed the former Presbyterian School Hall

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1976! 1976! This chimney standing beside the fence at 126 Blues Point Rd belonged to a small cottage built in the 1860s. It was the last in the municipality to have electricity connected in 1976.

State Library Exhibition – “Dead Central”

Posted: June 2, 2019 in history
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Dead Central. the State Library’s current exhibition, is on display in Sydney.

Did you know that Central Station was the site of the colony’s first major cemetery? Thousands of graves were moved to accommodate the new station, which parliament wanted initially built in Hyde Park to avoid disruption.

Graves were moved to other cemeteries across Sydney.

A great exhibition – heaps of photos and a great audio guide. And FREE!

www.sl.nsw.gov.au/audio-dc

Harris Park Heritage Walk

Posted: May 5, 2019 in Sydney Streets
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This weekend we were at Parramatta for an event, so we tacked on the Harris Park Heritage Walk for a historical wander through colonial western Sydney.

The Harris Park Heritage Walk is an initiative of Discover Parramatta
It’s poorly signposted as you leave Parramatta ferry wharf but is a good wander through Experiment Farm Cottage, Hambledon Cottage and Elizabeth Farm.

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Skirting Sydney

Posted: May 5, 2019 in Sydney Streets
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This weekend we followed a tour from https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au called Skirting Sydney.
It focused on The Rocks and around Martin Place. This tour pinpoints key sites where girls and women lived and worked, where they were educated and entertained, and where pioneering activist women held meetings, published journals and sometimes in the process expanded the possibilities for all women’s lives.
Good stuff.

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Kate St, Turramurra

Posted: September 1, 2018 in Sydney Streets
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Kate Street is near Kissing Point Road and is a dead end street set amongst houses that are very similar to my grandmother’s house, all built probably around the early 1900s. Lots of huge gardens, huge trees, and a distinct lack of lawns owing to the shade and leaf letter.
At the end of Kate Street is Mimosa Oval and National Park or Forest that runs the whole way to Avondale Dam which is near Pymble ladies’ College.
There’s lots of Fox baiting going on in the area so Bailey didn’t do too much exploring.

 

Trent Road, North Rocks

Posted: August 30, 2018 in Sydney Streets
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Trent Rd runs into an industrial area at North Rocks. Bailey enjoyed a run through the bush at the end of the street, quiet on a Saturday afternoon.
I think it might be a bit busier on Sunday… the largest church compound we have ever seen is at the end of the road. Saesoon Presbyterian Church is a massive beast… hectares of land, thousands of square metres of buildings and car parks.

Judith St, Seaforth

Posted: August 30, 2018 in Sydney Streets
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Judith St runs east from Wakehurst Parkway.
One of the streets coming off it is Waterview St. We didn’t notice it the first time we passed it, but when we got to the end we saw that some of the residents of Judith St have lovely views out over Manly.

 

Emily St, Leichhardt

Posted: January 9, 2018 in Inner West, Sydney Streets
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Emily is our oldest daughter.
Emily St, not far The Forum at Leichhardt. Pretty little street. (And as an aside, hasn’t The Forum changed in the past 10 years? I remember taking the kids there and it was a thriving Italianate courtyard packed with restaurant goers creating a real buzz. Now it’s all a bit sad; virtually deserted, shops up for lease etc.)

On a walk in the surrounding streets it’s evident of the haphazard way some of these older streets and suburbs were settled and grew… some terraces have rear (dunny lane) access, others a side passage, others no access to the old privy at all. Shop fronts scattered through the residential areas, larger houses (the original estate house?) with generous yards. Really interesting.

Emily St
Leichhardt NSW 2040

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