R. Craig Collins > Web Page Design > Portfolio > Australia

Summer '19, Florida and Australia © R. Craig Collins, 2019

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to my planning notes

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Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable

To the travel blog, and of course the pictures

PLANNING ITEMS https://www.sydneymetro.info/map/sydney-metro-interactive-train-map
Real Time Trip planning https://transportnsw.info/routes/train

Great map: https://transportsydney.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/2013-05-20-draft-swtt-2013-network-map.png
My Google Map
https://jetsettingfools.com/sydney-walking-tour/ Free walking tour
https://jetsettingfools.com/bondi-to-coogee-coastal-walk/ Free walking tour
https://www.timetravelturtle.com/things-for-free-sydney-centre-nsw-australia/ Free Museums, etc.
https://www.weekendnotes.com/free-museums-sydney/90597/

To the travel blog, and of course the pictures, when we get back

More Maps Below  

Pearl, 30th anniversary gift

   

The Trip

Wednesday, Travel
Friday, Bay area
Saturday, Zoo, Central Business District
Sunday, Beaches
Monday, Travel

(Scroll down for A LOT OF DETAILS on places visited, and of course, the pictures once we return)
Under construction, later scroll down for TONS of info... travel blog will be finished shortly... honest.

Wednesday, July 31:
Depart for Gracie's 12:30pm-2:00pm
2:45 AUS, check in
ETA 79701813 79701839 https://www.eta.homeaffairs.gov.au/ETAS3/etas

Jersey Mike's $11.55 AMEX
Austin Chronicle, Junior Mints $3.13 AMEX

AUS DL 758 Upgraded from 27B-C to 17 D-E, 5:17pm-6:26pm LAX 3 hr 9 minutes

Layover 4 hr 4 minutes was extended due to curfew in Sydney
Wednesday July 31 DL 41 55 D-E 10:30

Thai chicken salad , Egg Cheese Croissant, Egg sausage potato
10:30pm-6:35 am 15 hr 5 minutes

Thursday, Mar 14:
Cross the International Date Line

Friday,  Aug 02:

DL 41 10:30pm-7:30 am SYD
Uber to Hotel $42.06 + 2.06 Tip AMEX
1 hour
( 24 hours plus for travel, + 6 hours, 30+ hours wake to nap)
Hotel 59https://www.hotel59.com.au/
P: +61 2 9360 5900
E: hotel59@myoffice.net.au
59 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay NSW 2011, Australia
Itinerary # 7405195378488
Confirmation 1719123

9:00 George checked us in for room 3

Outside view

9:30 breakfast: eggs, bacon, toast, coffee and tea

10:30 walk to Kings Cross, locate Nashi Purchase Opal $70 AUD/$48.17 AMEX

To get the most out of our trip, we basically did all the stops on https://jetsettingfools.com/sydney-walking-tour/ Free walking tour, just in a different order.
Some commentary below is from the tour notes, as well as a few details from Wikipedia.

Normally we travel for the 5 Cs: Castles, Cathedrals, Countryside, Culture, and Cuisine... this trip we also added Creatures to the list.

Start walking towards Finger Wharf; very hilly city, long flight of stairs to get to next street.

A popular tourist attraction since it was completed in 1981, the Sydney Tower stands at 1,014 feet in the center of the city. The tower features dining options, event space and an observation deck, called the Sydney Tower Eye. Located at 820 feet, the enclosed viewing deck provides 360-degree views of Sydney.

Woolloomooloo and Finger Wharf
The inner-city suburb of Woolloomooloo developed as a working-class neighborhood around the bay of the same name. Extending into Woolloomooloo Bay is Finger Wharf, the longest wooden-piled wharf in the world, measuring 1,345-feet-long. The wharf was built in 1915 and used for 70 years as a busy shipping wharf. It fell to disuse in the 1970s, but has recently been revitalized with an upscale hotel/housing/restaurant complex

Harry’s Café de Wheels
A Sydney institution,  ‘Pie ‘n Peas’ since the late 1930s and is claimed to be Sydney’s best pie. Although not an original location, the restaurant displays old-time photos that show the history of Harry’s. If you are hungry, we recommend ordering a beef pie tiger-style. The three-inch, piping-hot beef pie is topped with mushy peas, mashed potatoes and gravy. The inexpensive pie can serve as lunch or a mid-morning snack.


The Domain
Originally used as a small farm for the penal colony, today the Domain comprises the expansive green space to the east of the city center. Paths crisscross through the park that is used for recreation and relaxation. Many historic government buildings and the Royal Botanic Gardens are found in or near the Domain.

Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair
Hand-carved by convicts in 1810, the stone bench – now known as Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair – was a gift to the wife of the New South Wales governor. The viewpoint of the harbor – and especially of the Opera House and Bridge – isa favorite spot in Sydney.

Royal Botanic Gardens
Established in 1816, the Royal Botanic Gardens feature an array of plant life. Free for visitors to stroll and admire, the park also offers a range of programs and tours. 

Government House
Built in the Gothic Revival style in the 1840s, the Government House is the vice-regal residence of the New South Wales’ Governor. The grand interior is open to visitors, as is the garden, which provides stunning views of the harbor and Sydney Opera House.

Sydney Opera House
The Opera House is, by far, the most recognizable Sydney landmark. The iconic building took 14 years to complete (1959-1973) and stands today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The massive staircase – nearly 100-meters-wide – leads to the entrance, but we recommend staying on the ground level and completely circling the structure to gain perspective before climbing the stairs.
Two halls of ‘stacked shells’ make up the award-winning structure that features amazing acoustics. The theaters inside (of which there are multiple) have hosted world-known musical and theatrical talents. The facilities can be toured (for a fee), but it’s free to walk around the exterior of the building.

Circular Quay
. Located on the north side of the Central Business District, Circular Quay is the beating heart of Sydney. A steady pulse of buses, ferries and trains transit through the harbor that is a must-see for tourists. While the harbor hosts top Sydney landmarks, it also has historical significance. Circular Quay was the landing site for the first ships carrying European convicts. It was from the penal colony built on the shores that Sydney grew into the city it is today.

Rocks

Rocks Museum| Kendall Lane (enter via Argyle Street), Free, 10:00-5:00 The Rocks Discovery Museum is a free, family friendly museum which tells the story of The Rocks area of Sydney from pre-European days to the present. Housed in a restored 1850s sandstone warehouse, the museum is home to a unique collection of images and archaeological artefacts found in The Rocks – some of which you can even hold.

Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, Free, 10:00-5:00

Cutting-edge Australian & international contemporary art in a grand, waterside art deco building, interesting exhibits, but no photos. See https://www.mca.com.au/

They did have a nice view out back

2:00pm Michal's Pattisary $17.18 AUD, Beef Pie and Beef Potato Pie, with Latte and Chai

T to Circular Quay, then walk across Darling Harbour

Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray St, Parts Free


The Australian National Maritime Museum is Australia's national centre for maritime collections, exhibitions, research and archaeology

Central Business District to Chinese Garden of Friendship and Chinatown

The Chinese Garden of Friendship is a traditional Chinese garden in Sydney’s Central Business District. The gardens, which were designed by sister city, Guangzhou, represent the bond between Australia and China. A significant Chinese population has dwelled in the city since the 1800s, but the current Sydney Chinatown was established in the 1920. The most decorative part of Chinatown lies along the short, pedestrian-only street, Dixon Street, and features ornate Chinese gates, shops and eateries.

Paddy’s Market 460 SydneySouvenirs.com.au
Housed inside an enormous brick building near Chinatown, Paddy’s Market has wall-to-wall stalls hawking everything from junk souvenirs to purses, wigs and costumes – all priced to sell. A few places peddle brand name clothes that may or may not be authentic. It’s easy to get lost in the maze of booths, each aisle looks identical to the previous. A fun shopping experience and a feast for the senses, the Paddy Market is worth a visit. Souvenirs $13.00 AUD

Central to Kings Cross, to Woolworth's Metro for Cookies and Milk, $3.30 AUD
6:00 Dark, explore the area, and have dinner at Pizza Planet near the hotel, $17.00 AUD

7:00 Chocolate shortbread cookies, before turning in after a VERY long day

Saturday. Aug 03:
6:30 up,

The view from the Hotel 59 Cafe


Hotel 59 Cafe


7:45 breakfast: french toast, bacon, coffee, and tea

9:00 start walking

St. Mary’s Cathedral
The grand façade of St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral features two gothic spires. The towers stand at 245 feet – and make St. Mary’s one of the tallest churches in Australia. Building commenced in 1868 after previous churches on the site were destroyed by fire. In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI visited St. Mary’s for World Youth Day.

We then went to Hyde park, to see the fountains, and look back at St. Mary's

The Mint
originally built as a wing of the historic Sydney Hospital in the 1800s, the Sydney Royal Mint occupied the building from 1855 until 1926. The coining factory was the first outside of England. Since the mint closed, the structure has been used by several government entities and today houses the office of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.

Barracks
The Hyde Park Barracks is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the historic heart of Sydney. Built to house – and control – male convicts, the barracks had far-reaching impact as the administrative hub of the colony’s convict system. After 1848, it sheltered immigrant girls and young women, and cared for older, sick and poor women. 

Old Sydney Hospital
Nicknamed the Rum Hospital because profits from rum sales were used to fund the building, the Sydney Hospital is the oldest public building in the city. Built in 1811, the structure is still used as a hospital today, specializing in ophthalmology and hand surgery. The bronze boar, Il Porcellino, that sits outside is said to bring you good luck if you rub its snout.

Parliament of New South Wales
The New South Wales legislature offices and chambers are housed in a complex on Macquarie Street. Although the structure was expanded and renovated over the years, the historic Parliament House dates to the early 1800s. The unassuming structure was originally part of a hospital, but the space was converted to Parliament chambers in 1829.

State Library of New South Wales
Established in 1826, the State Library of New South Wales – or Mitchell Library – is the oldest library in Australia. The building dates to the early 1900s and is open to the public.

Across the street, neat old tower amoungs the new

We then walked around the south end of the Botanical Gardens, and the area called the Garden Palace

The Garden Palace was a large, purpose-built exhibition building constructed to house the Sydney International Exhibition in 1879 Designed by James Barnet and constructed by John Young, it cost of ₤191,800 and was completed in only eight months... due to the importation from England of electric lighting, which enabled work to be carried out around the clock. Designed to follow London's Crystal Palace, the plan for the Garden Palace was similar to that of a large cathedral, having a long hall with lower aisle on either side, like a nave, and a transept of similar form, each terminating in towers and meeting beneath a central dome.

The Garden Palace was constructed primarily from timber, which ensured its complete destruction when engulfed by fire in the early morning of 22 September 1882. The only extant remains of the Garden Palace are its carved Sydney sandstone gateposts and wrought iron gates, located on the Macquarie Street entrance to the Royal Botanical Garden.A 1940s-era sunken garden and fountain featuring a statue of Cupid marks the former location of the Palace's dome.

A neat view of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music

We then headed for the Circular Quay, passing some neat older building... well, old for Sydney. We also got a view of the gates to Government house, which we say the day before.

Circular Quay, waiting to board the ferry to the Zoo

Ferry/Zoo
Again, we normally travel for the 5 Cs: Castles, Cathedrals, Countryside, Culture, and Cuisine... this trip we also added Creatures to the list. We started by taking the cable car from the wharf.

We first went through an aviary, with tons of brightly covered birds

Our animal exploration started with the nocturnal animals, like the big earred bilbies, the spiny echidna (too dark to get a decent picture), platypus, wombats, kangaroos, koalas, wallaby, emu, tasmanian devil (he too was camera shy), cassowary, and even more brightly covered birds in the other aviaries. We also saw giraffes, elephants, and seals.

Bilbies, they ran like hamsters the whole time

Wallaby

Koala

Kangaroo


Emu and cassowary

They had a tiny platypus who swam the whole time

Wombat, he was huge.

They also had wonderful garden areas...

... and walking areas with aviaries like the "Outback"

We also saw giraffes, and elephants.

Back to the ferry, and back to Sydney

Ft. Dennison and the Opera House

Circular Quay, souvenirs $5.60 AUD

2:00 Fish and chips at the Quay, $25.00 AUD

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Rd, Free, 10:00-5:00
Opened in 1874, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of the largest galleries in Australia. The Art Gallery exhibitions – which are free to the public – include a range of art, including works from Australian and European masters, as well as entire galleries dedicated to Aboriginal and Asian works.

4:00 Back to the Circular Quay, and a ferry to Manly Beach, and surfers; souvenirs $7.00 AUD

6:00 City lights on the Ferry back to Sydney

Hyde Park
Since the first European settlers arrived, the park was used as a recreational space. However, it was in 1810 that Governor Macquarie dedicated the space as Hyde Park (naming it after Hyde Park in London). The green space has been used as a Cricket Ground, a horse racetrack, an outdoor boxing ring, a rugby field and military exercise grounds. At the north end of Hyde Park is Archibald Fountain, which celebrates the relationship between France and Australia during World War I.

ANZAC War Memorial
At the south end of Hyde Park is Sydney’s ANZAC Memorial. Opened in 1934 to remember the Australians who fought and died in World War I (the Great War), the memorial now stands to honor all Australians who have served in the military forces.

T back to Kings Cross

7:30 Oporto Chicken Pita $26.50 AUD

Cookies back at the hotel

Sunday, Aug 04:
8:00 breakfast: eggs, bacon, toast and coffee/scrambles eggs, sausage, beans, toast, and tea

9:30 tried to upgrade seats for return trip, but missed them... but got checked in.


10:00 Bus to Watson Bay

Watsons Bay looking toward Manly

Pacific side

Harbor side


National Park, with artifacts from the Dunbar, Pacific side

Bus to Bondi Beach

Lush reastaurant-Bondi Pavillion: Shrimp, salad, sourdough, $33.40 AUD

12:20 start our 6.5 km/4 mile hick to Coogee... steep at times, but WOW.

Bronte Beach

Cliff side cemetary

One missed turn... took us to the water, back tracked up a big hill, and read about the area

Coogie Beach

2:40 Coogie bus to Town Hall
Sydney Town Hall Easily recognizable by its clock tower and grand staircase, the centrally-located Sydney Town Hall is a popular meeting place for locals. Built on former burial grounds in the late 1880s, the town hall is home to the Sydney City Council Chamber, the offices of the Lord Mayor and the Centennial Hall. The concert hall features the Grand Organ, which dates to the late 1800s.

Queen Victoria Building
Filling an entire city block, the Queen Victoria Building – or QVB, for short – was built between 1893 and 1898. The landmark Victorian-Federation era arcade, which features multiple domes, is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. The spacious interiors include four floors of retail space, cast-iron railings, original tile work and two clocks: The Royal Clock and the Great Australian Clock. At the south entrance is a large statue of Queen Victoria.

4:00 Woolworth's Metro $6.00 AUD Australian candy for family

5:20 Walked to Pie Face, Chicken Bacon Cheese pie, chocolate pie, latte, fanta $24.90 AUD

5:40 Pie Face, banana bread for breakfast, $4.50 AUD

6:00 Coles $.55 AUD for cookies, then wandered Kings Cross area

$265 left over, will convert to Swedish Krona in the morning
.

Monday, Aug 05:
5:30 am depart for airport Uber $24.05+2.05 tip AMEX
6:30 check in


SYD DL 40 9:30am -6:15am LAX 13 hr 45 minutes
Layover 5 hr 5 minutes
Kicked out of Terminal B due to construction, had to walk outside past Terminal 3 to get back to Terminal 2

Gracie sent us money to buy passes to the Sky Club in LAX for our 30th Anniversary

Mon Aug 5 LAX DL 758 11:20am -4:25pm AUS 3 hr 6 minutes

Dinner with Gracie at Jasmine's Mexican food, $35.56

What a great Anniversary, what a great trip

Maps

Florida trip, Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee July 2019

Seasons 52, Orlando