Born or Bred a Traveller?

25 May Born or Bred a Traveller?

From my early years I had no option but to travel, because my parents’ job involved moving around to where they were told to go.

By the time I was 9 years old I had lived (with my parents and brother) in 9 different towns in northern NSW, western NSW and southern QLD. Before I married I’d lived in 19 different houses. Even after leaving my parents home I moved around, and now that I am at the ripe old age of ….. well, an old bloke, I have lived in 27 houses in lots of different places.

There were some aspects of moving around that I didn’t like when I was young. I hated losing friends and changing schools, but I always enjoyed exploring the next “new” town and house.

Though I didn’t really form a bond with any of the places in the country. I probably wasn’t old enough to do that. However, I immediately loved Collaroy (on the northern beaches of Sydney) when we moved there in 1959. From then on I grew to love the city of Sydney, it’s CBD and surrounding areas.

So on this day I had a very enjoyable time wandering around the “skirts” of Sydney’s CBD with Maggie, Luke, Julia and Oscar. Something many other Australians are starting to do again, now that Covid-19 restrictions are being gradually lifted.

Darling Harbour on the Western Edge of Sydney’s CBD

Travelling on the “good unfinished ship” Imax Theatre

Nice boat, but I don’t think I could handle a voyage by yacht

A harbour cruise would be good

City view from the Pyrmont Bridge

City view from under the Pyrmont Bridge

The understructure of the Pyrmont Bridge, with a place to charge your phone?

The CBD end of Pyrmont Bridge

The “controllers house” – used when the Pyrmont Bridge “twisted” open to allow yachts to pass

There isn’t much room in the “controllers house”

Sydney is where the British colonisation of Australia began and it’s also where Australia’s first people began to be dispossessed of their land and their rights.

Barangaroo, the Place and the Woman

“Barangaroo, the woman from whom Barangaroo the place takes its name, was a considerable influence in the days of the early European colony… She was an independent and strong member of the Cammeraygal clan who lived in and around the north harbour and Manly.

The first written account of her in 1790 described Barangaroo as being in her early 40s, worldly, wise and freer of spirit than the settlers expected of a woman.

Her first husband is said to have died of small pox, which decimated the clan around Sydney after European settlement. Her second husband was Bennelong, a Wangal man and one of the best known Aboriginal people from Sydney’s early days.”(www.barangaroo.com)

For more information on Barangaroo, the woman, use the following link.

www.barangaroo.com/see-and-do/the-stories/barangaroo-the-woman

Oscar, enjoying the walk with Dad, Mum, Grandma & Owl

The old eastern wall along Hickson Street, Barangaroo

The construction zone on Hickson Road, Barangaroo

View of Balmain East from the recently created Barangaroo Reserve

Oscar & Luke explore the multilevel landscaping within Barangaroo Reserve

The Anzac Bridge & Jones Bay Wharves from Barangaroo Reserve

Let’s run, let’s beat Grandma

Sydney Harbour Bridge from Barangaroo Reserve

Like moths to the beacon

Years ago kangaroos could have been lying here in the shade, just like this. Except …

The Palisade Hotel

High Street Millers Point, with the historic Sydney Observatory behind

The Barangaroo Hotel Casino under construction, with office & residential towers behind

The new hotel is looking more like a huge yacht with its foresail unfurling around the mast.

As much as Maggie and I love to travel and explore Australia or overseas, it’s always good to return home to Sydney.

Cue the music, “I still call Australia Home” by Peter Allan or “I am Australian” by Bruce Woodley. They never fail to raise the “goose bumps”.

I’m turning all soppy on you now. I’d better go …. See you next time.