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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
This certainly is a quick visit and I would like to return some day. I only have three days here and am staying quite far out but in a beautiful area called Elanora Heights, and according to Suzanne my hostess a number one suburb of Sydney. They have lots of really lovely trees, some showing their autumn colours at the moment.
I took the ferry to Manly on Saturday to explore Sydney and see the Opera House etc. The ferry trip was really a good way to get there and we came in towards the bridge passing the Opera House, a stunning view. I walked my poor little feet off, to the bridge, around the Opera House taking loads of photos as usual, I walked past The Rocks and missed the market, just because I forgot to go back to it!! I had decided first to buy some lunch then eat it in the Botanical Gardens which I did and it was just lovely sitting in the sun overlooking the Opera House, but then I forgot to go back to look around The Rocks!!
The Opera House is stunning The Opera House was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 28 June 2007. It is one of the 20th century’s most distinctive buildings, and one of the most famous performing arts centres in the world.
The Sydney Opera House is situated on Bennelong Point, close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who in 2003 received the Pritzker Prize, architecture’s highest honour.
Contrary to its name, the building houses several separate venues rather than a single opera theatre, the two main venues, the Opera Theatre and the Concert Hall, being housed in the two larger shells.
I had a tour of Government House which is in the centre of the Botantical Gardens, then walked over to look at the harbour and sit in the famous Mrs Macquarry’s Chair, her governor husband had it carved out for her to sit and look over the harbour – mid-19th century I think.
Mrs Macquaries Chair, also known as Lady Macquaries Chair, provides one of the best vantage points in Sydney. The historic chair was carved out of a rock ledge from the exposed sandstone in the shape of a bench in 1810 for Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s wife, Elizabeth, as she was known to visit the area and sit enjoying the panoramic views of the harbour and the expansion of the colony. Mrs Macquaries Point provides excellent views across the harbour. Looking
north and east you can see Kirribilli House, Fort Denison and the Navy dockyards at Woolloomooloo. The views from Mrs Macquaries Chair are the most popular in Sydney attracting more than 1,000 visitors a day. .
Whilst walking back to the ferry it suddenly poured with rain, rather unexpected but a couple of rainbows made interesting photos.
Sunday dawned and Suzanne took me around the local area to the pretty village of Avalon and on to various beaches, surrounded by rocky headlands. We walked around Narrobeen Head which reminded me of the river mouth at Sedgefield. Today, my last day here we went up to West Head, the views are stunning over expanses of water, Lion Island and beautiful bays. An early start at five oclock tomorrow morning when the shuttle bus collects me to go to Sydney Airport for the next leg of my trip flying to Christchurch, New Zealand.
More from New Zealand ………..