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Winter 2008
Hello there.... We are well and truly in the quiet season, which is good  and bad  .....
Good, because it gives the guides a chance to take a break, talk to
their partners & children again, go on holiday to some exotic
location & generally chill out. Bad, because the rhythm is out of
whack. Only one month to go and we’ll be back into it for sure.
So, what does happen in Sydney during winter...? HEAPS...! Unlike
other cities around the world, the climate through winter is mild. A
bit fresh at times, but with a good pair of boots and jacket you're
right to go. We’ve have had some rain on & off which requires a
brolly, but it’s all good. At least we can stop complaining about the
drought & the air is so fresh after the rain. What do Sydneysiders
do in the winter you ask? We go to the markets (see blurb below), go
for one of the many wonderful walks around the suburbs, city or
harbour. We go to the theatre, movies, out for dinner, shopping....
just like other cities. Lots go and watch the AFL (Australian Rules )
& NRL (Rugby League). Rugby Union is also very popular and soccer,
well, personally I feel this football code should be top of the list
for the absolute skill required, but alas, this is Australia. Wait and
see how things turn out when the Socceroos make it to the World Cup
again ..! But it’s not all about football. Some people go skiing...!
Yes, it snows in Australia. Not in Sydney, occasionally in the Blue
Mountains (about 2400meters / 6000 feet high & 2 hours west of
Sydney). There are a number of places to ski in Australia , the best
being in the "Snowy Mountains ", situated about half way between
between Sydney & Melbourne.
What's on in Sydney
 World Youth Day
15 July 2008 - 20 July 2008
Ultimately Sydney is a proud sponsor of the Catholic Mission Village and supporter of World Youth Day.
World Youth Day is expected to draw more international visitors to
Sydney than the Olympic Games. The week-long event has been organised
by the Catholic Church with the support of the NSW and Australian
Governments and is open to people from around the world and across
Australia.
Biennale of Sydney
18 June 2008 - 7 September 2008
Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of NSW & other sites around Sydney.
REVOLUTIONS - FORMS THAT TURN
Ms Christov-Bakargiev said today: 'I imagine the 16th Biennale of
Sydney as a constellation of historical and contemporary works of art
that celebrate and explore revolving, rotating, mirroring, repeating,
reversing, turning upside down or inside out, and changing perspectives
- both in art and life. Through installations, performances, films,
texts, an evolving online venue, conversations and other events,
Revolutions - Forms That Turn articulates the agency embedded in forms
that express our desire for change. Such literal and formal devices
will be charted for their broader aesthetic, psychological, radical and
political perspectives. .
Guided Group Tours ABC Ultimo Centre
21 January 2008 - 30 December 2008
The ABC Ultimo Centre brings together all aspects of the national
broadcaster, including Television, Radio, New Media, Transmission and
News and Current Affairs. The guided tour is likely to include a visit
to one of our two digital state-of-the-art television production
studios, an on-air radio studio, a news studio and control room, as
well as an insight into a variety of other ABC services, including
Archives and New Media. Tours are held for groups only (minimum 6
people) and are held Monday to Friday at 9.50am and 12.20pm. Tours run
from 45 minutes to up to 1.5 hours, depending on your group and the ABC
production requirements on that day.
Bookings are essential and restrictions apply. www.abc.net.au/tours/ultimo OR phone 8333 5488 for details.
ABC Ultimo Centre. 700 Harris St. Ultimo
Prices
7.50 Adult
5.50 Children
6.50 Seniors
Aboriginal Heritage Tour
30 May 2008 - 29 May 2009
The Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney offers an opportunity for
international visitors to learn of the richly diverse history and
culture of Aboriginal people of the Sydney region.
An important Ceremonial site for many of the Sydney Aboriginal
clans, and home to the Cadigal clan, Wogganmagule (Farm Cove) and its'
surrounds offered an impressive and carefree existence. With a diverse
array of bush foods, ample fresh water and a plentiful supply of
seafood from the harbour, it was paradise for the local Aboriginal
people for thousands of years.
The Aboriginal Heritage Tour offered by the Royal Botanic Gardens
will enable visitors an opportunity to experience the culture and food
sources of Aboriginal people with an Aboriginal guide in the heart of
the city.
When: Fridays at 2 pm, departing from the Moore Room, Royal Botanic Gardens - tours last approximately one hour.
Cost: $25 per adult and $13 per student
Bookings Essential: No booking - No tour
Contact Community Education Royal Botanic Gardens
Phone: 9231 8134
 Ultimately GREEN Over
the past 3 years or so Sydney has been experiencing insignificant
shortages of rain, leaving the dams that provide Sydney's drinking
water practically empty. In addition to water restrictions that
includes watering gardens and washing cars, various alternative
solutions have been forthcoming. Some measures, like subsidies for
installing rain water tanks and the use of recycled and grey water have
been very well received, whilst others, such as the hotly debated
Desalination Plant, still attract criticism. With rare exception
Sydneysiders got smart about preserving our most precious resource.
Then... it rained...! Thank God!
Then it rained & rained & rained & rained, to a point that
our gardens are lush and green, sporting fields and parks are water
logged and the dams are reaching levels not seen for many years. ...
Yeahhhhhh!
Here’s where it gets interesting.... Just when we have been convinced
about the value in water saving strategies the State Government has
lifted water restrictions by allowing daily watering of gardens and
washing of cars.......! How crazy is that?? Have we learnt nothing?
Ultimately Sydney will continue to preserve water and wash buses with a
bucket. We want our ‘future’ (pictured) Ultimately Sydney to never take
our precious water for granted. We will continue to teach them that
unless you have connections with the man upstairs, we will never know
if & when the next dump of rain is coming.
 EQ - Farmers Market
This place is fantastic. Only operating on the weekend, the markets have the most amazing food & flowers.
There’s fresh produce, coffee, exotic food from Ethiopia, gourmet
meats, cheese, olive oil, many varieties of bread, scrumptious French
crapes and so much more.
Make sure you don’t miss the tastiest orange juice in the world... Big call, I know, but it is...
Did you Know...?
Henry Lawson (1867-1922), Australian Poet and Story Writer
Known and loved as ‘the people’s poet’, Henry Lawson championed the
cause of the working man, both in the city and in the bush. Today, his
reputation rests on his wonderful short stories and his ballads.
Born in Grenfell, NSW. His father Peter, a Norwegian seaman, jumped
ship in Melbourne in 1855 to work in the gold fields. Peter married
Louisa, an educated country girl who latter developed and interest in
feminism and radical causes.
Henry’s childhood was not a happy one. Although his father had taken up
a selection of land near Mudgee, it was not successful. Peter was often
away leaving Louisa to look after the property and family. Money was
short and there was no local school for Henry until he turned eight.
Henry led an isolated and unhappy childhood, worn down by poverty,
tensions between his parents and fears of the future. His education was
patchy – in all he attended school for only about three years. When he
was nine, he contracted and ear disease which affected his hearing,
deteriorating further & leaving him with a major handicap by the
time he was fourteen.
In 1883 Henry’s parents parted and Louisa moved to Sydney. Soon
afterwards Henry joined her. He was sixteen. He mixed with Louse’s
radical friends and became a republican. During these years he began to
write, and in 1887 the poem ‘A Song of the Republic’ was published in
the Bulletin. In a few years Lawson had established a reputation as a
popular poet and writer of short stories. However by 1892 Lawson’s
problems with alcohol had started to surface. J.F Archibald of the
Bulletin organised a trip to the bush for Lawson. Carrying his swag, he
tramped from Bourke to Hungerford and back. This trip combined with his
childhood experience gave him a wealth of material for both his stories
and his verse. He knew first-hand the hardships of the bush and how the
people lived and worked.
...... This brief was taken from ‘The Best of Henry Lawson’, introduction by Margaret Olds.
Restaurant of the Season - Italian
Marina Sarina,
Woolloomooloo (Across the road from ‘The Blue Hotel’)
ITALIAN FOOD
If you are after great tasting food, professional, efficient, no fuss
at all service & fantastic margaritas, you’ve got to try this
place. Italian cuisine it also has an amazing selection of desserts.
10/10
On the go, take away restaurant of the season. Also offers eat-in - JAPANESE
AKASAKA,
110A Bathurst Street, Sydney (closest cross St. is Castlereagh Street)
For consistently fresh and yummy sushi, you can’t go past.... Perfect if you just want a quick healthy bite to tie you over.
Testimonial
On Sunday 16th March 2008 I arrived in Sydney on a business trip. I
only had very limited personal time so I took advantage of my arrival
day to see something of Sydney. I took one of your tours (arranged by
the concierge at the Hilton) and what a good choice it was!
The driver and guide was Alecks. He was extremely friendly - right
from the start - coming into the hotel to meet me. The tour was
excellent and made so much more interesting by the insights provided by
Alecks. He made numerous stops, helped with photos, gave choices about
distances to walk, mixed history with interesting facts and anecdotes
etc. It really was the best way to see as much of Sydney as possible
when you only have very limited time. I would thoroughly recommend it
to anyone.
Please send my special thanks to Alecks for making the trip very interesting and being a really great Guide.
Julie Bowers |
