 | Sydney Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 2433 |  |
 | |  |  | Museums: Peel Back Layers of History at Hyde Park Barracks | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
HYDE PARK BARRACKS MUSEUM Yes, peel back the layers of history in this building that has been thefollowing: 1819 - 1848 MALE CONVICT BARRACKS Built from 1817 - 1819 to house 600 male convicts in secure overnight lodging. When you visit this place try one of the hammocks they slept in on level 3 & see how comfortable it would have been, especially if you were a little taller & fatter than average. 1848 - 1886 FEMALE IMMIGRATION DEPOT The hammocks were replaced by iron beds. Many of these were young Irish orphans seeking a new life in the Colony of New South Wales living here until hired out. 1862 - 1886 FEMALE INFIRM, DESITUTE ASYLUM For less fortunate women this became an increasing part of the central dormitory building (which you see in the attached photo) eventually taking up Levels 2 & 3. They were terminal patients, demented individuals & other social outcasts 1887 - 1979 COURTS & GOV'T OFFICES After female housing was finished in 1886 the Hyde Park Barracks undertook extensive refurbishment to change not only the main dormitory building, but also all the surrounding smaller buildings, for courts & other legal offices. In the last century (seems strange saying that about the 20thC)The Clerk of Peace, Industrial Courts, the Public Trustee, the Master in Lunacy (how crazy did he have to be? lol!) were housed here. 1979 - Present Just on 100 years ago there were plans to demolish the Hyde Park Barracks, but eventually in1975 a decision was made to use these buildings as a Museum. The Historic House Trust of New South Wales (www.hht.net.au) has administered it since 1990. Like the Museum of Sydney this is another gr8 museum, in my opinion, not only a fascinating part of our colonial history, but also a very manageable one to navigate. It will only take you a couple of hours or so to gain a great deal of knowledge & enjoyment out of this place.You can visit it at a cost of $7 for individuals, $3 for ch'n & concessions or $17 for a family. Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Leave a Comment Address: Queen's Square, Macquarie Street, SydneyPhone: 02 9223 8922Directions: Orientate yourself from Hyde Park. It is diagonally opposite the NorthEast corner of Hyde Park at the end of Macquarie Street.Website: www.hht.net.au Other Contact: 1300 63 777 (Infoline)
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| | | | Churches / Cathedrals: St Andrews - Centre of Spiritual Calmness | Tip Rating: | | | | |
I've said it bfore & I'll say it again (& not for the last time. lol!), it's funny how things happen. My plan on this day (with limited time) was to head up to Hyde Park, snap a few photos & have lunch at Bar Quattro where I've had coffee a couple of times before. But, (you knew that was coming didn't you!), I was walking past here to get to Hyde Park, took a couple of exterior photos & decided to have a squiz (aussiespeak for look) inside. To say I wasn't disappointed has the master of understatement striking yet again.Two aspects of the interior impressed & delighted me, & can be summed up as, the feel & the looks. For me as a person who picks up on the feeling & atmosphere of a place, I experienced a lovely calmness & spiritual (if you want to call it such) peacefulness. As impressed as I was with both Notre Dame & Sainte Chapelle, neither of them had this feel to them. The looks had a number of aspects that I enjoyed. Lovely stained glass windows (26)that aren't that common in Sydney, illustrating miracles & parables of Jesus & the great east window showing images of the life of St. Andrew. Beautiful timber & I must visit again to see if any is either red cedar or mahogany. The interior is not too big or complicated. But that works for it, not against it somehow. I could have enjoyed a chamber music performance by a group of students from the associated St Andrews Cathedral School at 1:10 p.m., but time was against me (& hunger as well). So, if you've been traipsing the streets siteseeing, or undertaking intensive retail therapy in the nearby QVB you may well be in need of a relaxing, calming (especially after the prices in the QVB shops) visit to St Andrews Cathedral. Rest awhile here & recharge your batteries. And just to finish off, for all of the above I didn't have to pay a cent (although one can make contributions voluntarily). It is Australia's oldest cathedral founded in 1819 but not consecrated until 1868 You can tour the cathedral at 11am & 1pm on weekdays & 12pm on Sundays. Leave a Comment Address: Cnr of George & Bathurst Streets, SydneyPhone: 02 9265 1661Directions: Right next to Sydney Townhall. I travelling by govt bus alight at George St/Bathurst St stop from: - 339, 413-423, 428-440, 501, X01, X23-28, X38-40 (X denotes Express Bus). Sydney Explorer Bus Stop 1. Town Hall is the nearest Train Station.
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| | | | Museums: Discover our Early History at the Museum of Sydney | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Today I visited the MUSEUM OF SYDNEY, The MOS is built on the site of the first Government House which was constructed in 1788. The beauty of this little Museum, in my opinion, is that it is so manageable. You only need a couple of hours maximum to get the best out of it. It is on 3 levels. The ground floor, or Level 1 as it is described in the map you will be given is where you pay your entrance fee of $7. There is also the MOS shop (as all museums everywhere have) & the MOS Cafe. Level 2 has a great display of a number of things, but I liked the models of the 11 ships of the First Fleet best. There is also the AGL theatre which is currently running 3 films continuously thoughout the day on The Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour & Fort Denison. These films are not long & were all made before 1950 so show some fascinating scenes of these parts of the city from over 50 years ago. Level 3 has among other things, the Focus Gallery & in this was my main reason for visiting today. It is currently housing, till December 5 this year an Exhibtion entitled - "Rex & Max Dupain's Sydney. Max is quite possibly Australia's most famous photographer starting back in 1934 when it was not a glamour profession in the least. It was not recognised as an art form till the 1970's. Max was a master of "Modernism" in his photography focussing on light & form. He passed away in 1992. Rex, his son was a painter for many years, it would seem as a rebellion against his father's interest/passion in photography. And yet he was ultmately drawn to it & today is recognised in his own right in this field, but takes a very different approach to his father. He is much more of a pictoralist. Despite this he & his father share many similarities in the location of many of their photos. It's a great exhibition & if you get to Sydney before Dec 5 I'll hope you'll visit the MOS not just for it, but everything in this great little Museum. I'll add a travelogue with some shots I took today. Leave a Comment Address: Corner of Bridge & Phillip Streets, Circular Quay.Phone: 02 9251 5988Directions: It's actually about 3 minutes back up the slight hill from Circular Quay.Website: www.hht.net.au Other Contact: 02 9251 5966 (Fax number)
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| | | | Beaches: Beaches as good as anywhere! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Yes the master of understatement strikes yet again. lol! Of course I haven't seen all the beaches of the world. I can only make my comparisons fairly on Hawaii, the island of Oahu & the west coast of the United States. These places are so important to me because as a young surfer, I started riding a surfboard at age 11, the places I read mostly about were Hawaii & southern Californian beaches. the famous big waves of Hawaii's North Shore. The then famous to us Aussies places in SoCal like Malibu, Huntington Beach (surfing through the piers!), Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Baja California & of course farther north in the cold waters of Santa Cruz. Well my fellow VTers in six trip to the good ole U.S. of A I've seen all of the Californian coastline from San Francisco to San Diego & many parts of it not once, but a number of times & I'm here to tell you that NONE of the urban beaches in the U.S. & that's what we're talking about here, beaches that are a part of a city & its suburbs, are anywhere as good or as pretty as most of Sydney's beaches. Now when you think of Sydney's beaches what obviously comes to mind are those 2 tourist icons, Manly & Bondi. Well there's nothing wrong with visiting either,or both, of those, but you are doing yourself a real disservice if you are a beach lover & you don't explore both our northern beaches & also some of our southern beaches. Check my Avalon page for one of our better nthn beaches & my new Coogee page for what I believe is the pick of our sthn beaches. The photo I've attached is of Shelley Beach & Fairy Bower which is a lovely 15 minute walk around the oceanfront from Manly Beach. Leave a Comment Address: Nthn Beachs nth of Manly, Sthn south of BondiDirections: For Northen Beaches either catch a ferry to Manly then a bus nth or a 190 series bus from Wynyard Station in the city (may have Palm Beach on the front up top). For Coogee the most direct buses are the 373 & 374 from the city.
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| | | | Museum of Contemporary Art - FREE!: Contemporary Art in Magnificent Quay Setting | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Yes, the MUSEUM of CONTEMPORARY ART is in a magnificent building in a magnificent setting on Circular Quay west looking across Sydney Cove towards the Opera House. Now for a little more about the building itself. I remember when I lived in Sydney before going to college that is was the Maritime Services Board Building which is a 6 storey masonry clad building (at Quay level) with a central tower and flanking wings. The building exhibits characteristics of the Art Deco style: the use of vertical element to articulate the facades, the stepping up of the central tower (see my attached photo -click to enlarge) and in particular the detailing and materials of the major internal spaces. Its monumental characteristics, symmetry and use of sandstone still show that it was once a government building. Hey, but what about the ART you're asking (& fair enough too!). Been here twice, once by myself then a week later with my 6 year old twin girls. We were fascinated & sometimes a little bit bewildered by the current exhibitions which are Le Bul a sculptor, Bridget Riley a painter & Yes, it's interesting, sometimes challenges, definitely sometimes thought provoking & so worthwhile having a squiz at. If you're interested in Art at all you really have to see this & the Art Gallery of N.S.W. for an interesting comparison is buildings & collections/exhibitions. Leave a Comment Address: 140 George Street, The RocksDirections: You can't possibly miss it. It's the big, still official looking building on the Rocks side of Circular Quay. It can be accessed from either Circular Quay level or the George St address above. Check their website, it is soooo cooooool!!!!Website: www.mca.com.au
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on March 28, 2005
Sydney
