Monday, Sept 23.

Sydney

Back on the bike again today to visit some places before packing it up this evening.

The bike is the way to explore a city, but Sydney is all hills and steps. Some of the hills on main thoroughfares are forbidding. Those hills are in the centre and in the suburbs on both sides of the bridge. Sometimes a bit of a detour gets rid of the climb, or often there are series of steps designed for pedestrians, but not much of a problem in carrying a bike (without panniers) up one of these.

I set out early with my list. After dropping down to Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo, I had to negotiate one of these stairs to enter the Domain. 

I followed the path right by the water’s edge till I came to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and later Mrs Macquarie’s Point. This chair was carved out of sandstone by convicts for the wife of Governor Macquarie in 1810. Sh.e is known to have sat here watching ships from Great Britain coming in. 

Around here now, tourists (including myself) take time to capture special image while locals sit quietly at work, reading or just contemplating as they gaze out towards Fort Dennison. Fort Dennison was a penal site and has the only Martello Tower of Australia and the last one constructed in the British Empire.

 Trees here do their damnedest struggling with the rocks to find a grip in the ground. All along this  path there are great views of the Opera House with the sun always glinting off the curved shells.

The path leads into the botanic gardens with the city towering above.

To get to my next target, the Rocks, I passed along by the Opera House and by Circular Quay. 

The Rocks (at the city end of the Harbour Bridge) is where the settlement began. The Rocks Discovery Museum brought history to life from the pre-European time to the present day. My attention was caught by the quotation from Judge David Collins (1798) speaking of the local Aboriginal women “While fishing, the women generally sing while chewing cockles and muscles”. Shades of Molly Malone? The museum is housed in one of the old original stone structures.

 Some of the area has been renewed, but other parts are purely residential. I came across the Mercantile Hotel flying the tricolour.....and offering Guinness.

My main concern today was to cycle across the bridge. I got more than I bargained for. Cyclists have to use the path on the west side. I virtually had it to myself for the full 1.5km across. Some great views of Walsh Bay, Goat Island and Luna Park. The bridge carries cars, trains, cyclists and pedestrians.

At the far end (after negotiating more steps) I turned and walked back on the eastern side. This Cahill Path is strictly for pedestrians (and cyclists walking their bikes) and was more crowded. At first i passed over Kirribilli House and St Ignatius’ College (SJ) just behind. Now as I walked on, I had views of the Opera House and the hotel location behind it.

For lunch, I stayed in the a rocks area and enjoyed a Moroccan lamb burger on the pavement.

The bridge towered above with those noble souls doing the Bridge Walk. Viewed from underneath, this structure, opened in 1932, is massive as are those bolts holding it in place. 

Around the corner (Dawes Point) I cycled to investigate Walsh Bay. These were active wharves till the 1980’s and then deteriorated. By 2004, this 17 hectare site was renewed and now is the centre of Sydney Theatre and Drama. These wharves were developed under the direction of Henry Deane Walsh, an Irish born and educated engineer who was Engineer in Chief of the Sydney Harbour Trust. Another major development credited to an Irishman. It wasn't just convict Irish that contributed to growth of this country.

On my route home, I called into the upmarket Pitt St Mall shopping area beneath Sydney Tower Eye, the tallest building in Sydney at 250m. 

Nearby is peaceful Hyde Park, ’the lungs of Sydney’ wit the Archibald Fountain dedicated to the friendship and cooperation between Australia and France. At the other end is the Anzac Memorial to all those Australians who served their country in war. It is a plain memorial stating that it doesn’t wish to emphasise ’the glory or glamour of war, but those nobler attributes of courage, endurance and sacrifice’

St Mary’s Cathedral (1865) is just beside Hyde Park and was attracting a large number of visitors.

By mid afternoon, I was back in the hotel after another daly of exploration. Really enjoyed doing those things that I had planned for the day.

....and thank God for a lovely day.