The city by night

I recently had a day long conference in the middle of Sydney.

The office had a great view of the Bradfield Hwy as it approaches the Harbour Bridge (below).

I decided to walk home around the new Barangaroo work site to get to the Darling Harbour ferry.

The area around Wynyard Station is still a bit of a mess, but pedestrian overpasses are in place and every time I go by, you can see more features.

I'm not quite sure where the new Barangaroo area becomes the location we've always known as Darling Harbour. Maybe the use of these names will change as time goes by?

Wherever the cartography dividing line might be, the Imagine sign marks the end of the construction area and the beginning of the lovely waterside boardwalk around Darling Harbour.

The view from the ferry back along the boardwalk I had just walked down.

Darling Harbour was a working harbour until just after the end of WWII.
The area was full of warehouses, wharves, trains, boats and smog.

Barangaroo used to be called The Hungry Mile during the Depression years as hundreds of out of work men lined up there waiting to get work in one of the warehouses or on one of the boats.
The old pics below are from Wikipedia.

Darling Harbour 1900 looking from Pyrmont across the Pyrmont Bridge into the city.

Darling Harbour & Barangaroo 1950 from the city looking across to East Balmain and Goat Island to the right.

This post is part of Saturday Snapshot

Another View of Barangaroo

 On a recent walk around my suburb, I captured a few pics of the new Barangaroo development from East Balmain.

Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Anzac Bridge

Panorama around Darling Harbour and Johnstons Bay

Panorama of Darling Harbour and Barangaroo

This post is part of Saturday Snapshot

Darling Harbour at Night

Recently I was in the city for a book event that took me to the Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour.

I love the city and the harbour at night time.

It glistens and buzzes and sparkles everywhere you look.

The Maritime Museum currently has a Shackleton exhibition.
In the foyer, a suspended replica of Shackleton's lifeboat, the James Caird dominates the space.

"Cockle Bay was once a working harbour district where some of Sydney's poorest lived in hovels surrounded by shipyards, cargo wharves and quarries. 

In anticipation of the 1988 Bicentenary, a huge redevelopment project was launched to reclaim this 54-ha (133-acre) site, and the area was revitalised through the wonderful Aquarium, the Maritime and Powerhouse Museums, and the Cockle bay and King St Wharf developments. Combined with a visit to Chinatown, Darling Harbour makes for a lively and entertaining excursion." 

(DK Eyewitness Travel, Top 10 Sydney)

"Pyrmont Bridge opened in 1902, this 369-m (1210-ft) bridge, with a quaint copper-roofed control cabin, is the oldest electrically-operated swingspan bridge in the world. It swings open to allow vessels up to 14m (46ft) tall to enter of depart Cockle Bay."

Double click on the panorama's below to see them in all their glory!

Cockle Bay

This post is part of Saturday Snapshot

Chinese Garden of Friendship

Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour

"The garden was China's gift to Sydney during Australia's 1988 bicentenary celebrations. Interpretation boards provide insights into Chinese garden design and philosophy and the Tea House makes for a peaceful retreat from the harbour."

I recently spent a morning in the Chinese Gardens with family.
It is a lovely, peaceful haven right in the middle of the city.
The tea house is a great spot for morning tea or lunch.
On the day we were there, we saw the pavilion being prepared for a wedding later on in the day.

Saturday Snapshot is a now being hosted by Melinda from West Metro Mommy

The rules are simple:

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken and leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online. 

Sydney Aquarium

Sydney Aquarium (as quoted in the Eyewitness Travel Top 10 Sydney)

"See over 12000 all Australian aquatic animals, including sharks, rays and crocodiles. Ride the glass-bottomed boat over the tropical fish in Australia's largest Great Barrier Reef display."

I didn't count to see if there were 12000 animals, but it did take us 2-3 hours to wander around the entire exhibit (we even did it with a 2 yr old and a baby in tow and they didn't get bored once!)

The four glass tunnels where a highlight as was the playful dugong.
The coloured lights in the jellyfish enclosure made for lots of fun photos.
We didn't see the glass-bottom boat, but the Great Barrier Reef exhibition was the last one you go through and my little niece and nephew were ready to go home by then, so we didn't even look for it.

I fell seriously in love with the dugong!



Saturday Snapshot is a now being hosted by Melinda from West Metro Mommy

The rules are simple:

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken and leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.