Pier One

Hickson Road, Dawes Point/Walsh Bay.
This area of Sydney has been revitalised by theatre and other performing arts companies, and upmarket housing and hotels. This building on the former finger wharf Pier One is a Sebel Hotel.

You can read about its history here.

Across the water you can just see the ferris wheel at Luna Park, and the tall buildings of North Sydney.

For previous pics of Walsh Bay - click here
For previous picks of Dawes Point - click here

PS For some reason yesterday's post would not allow comments to be left. I have no idea why. Just a Blogger quirk...

OH, HB and sandstone

There aren't all that mny places where you can get the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House in one shot. The Dawes Point (western) side of the bridge is one.

This is taken from Ives Steps Wharf right near Pier One.

I don't know what the little round copper-roofed sandstone building is - couldn't see a plaque (maybe I'm just unobservant), and I've been madly googling, to no avail. So if anyone knows what it is, I'd love to know. It's a footpath level, with the wrought iron fence along the water on either side.

Update: My Sydney bloggy colleague and indefatigable historical super-sleuth, Julie, has probably solved the mystery. The site was originally used as a tiny observatory, built by Lieutenant Dawes. But then Governor Macquarie ordered a crenellated tower be built as a defence against the Russians and French, so this is probably part of it.

Julie also uncovered some interesting information about the beautiful wrought iton balustrade - have a look at Julie's Plumbing the Deeps blog to find out more.

Curves of steel

Back to our walk around the Circular Quay / Dawes Point area under the southern end of the Harbour Bridge.

Can you see the BridgeClimb group up on the curve of the arch?

No, I haven't done it; it's quite expensive, but I do mean to one day. Can't take your own camera. I support that idea, despite the cynicism it engenders (that you are beholden to the operator's expensive photos). Well, actually, the photos are included in the cost, and it's a regulation imposed on the operators. Just imagine the devastating effect if some clumsy tourist dropped their camera hundreds of metres below through the windscreen of a car passing over the bridge? There have been deaths on motorways from idiots throwing rocks off much lower bridges into traffic. It just doesn't bear thinking about.

Harbour Bridge at Dawes Point Park

Here's one from the library (but not previously published), because work is so crazy busy I haven't been able to take any new photos lately. Hope to make a couple of excursions this weekend and snap some fresh stock!

Pylon and Palm at Dawes Point