Sydney

There’s a pedestrian and cycle bridge that goes over a tollway that connects Sydney’s Woolloomooloo to the back of the Art Gallery of NSW. I know the wire mesh is to stop people dropping items onto cars, but I don’t know why there’s a blue/purple light over the road.

Gurrajin, now also known as Elizabeth Bay, was a fishing village Governor Lachlan Macquarie set up for displaced Aboriginal people. The famous Bungaree led these people. This morning was a little warmer than expected, the yachts were still sleeping.

In 1825, the Governor of NSW (his name was Brisbane) granted land that became Cooper’s Brisbane Brewery, this lane was within the boundaries and was called Brisbane Lane. In 1905, it was renamed Sutherland Lane. It feels a bit ominous in the dark hours.

Even on a grey start, Sydney can still manage a bit of sparkle.

The forecast is for showers. I think I shall not listen to the pundits as the hit miss ratio is underwhelming. Sydney’s Rushcutters Bay was pearling on this rather delightful dawn.

Near the Sydney Harbour Bridge (you can see a pylon lower left) on the southern side is The Rocks to the east and Millers Point on the western side. There are some wonderful alleys. This is Parbury Lane in Millers Point, foot and bicycle traffic only.

First light over Sydney Harbour on a chilly early morning as most sleep in on the long weekend Monday, but not me. I’m here to witness the inky depths and the gentle breeze rolling over the surface.

Construction of the Sydney Opera House started in 1959 when Australia was a mostly conservative, inward looking nation. It’s hard to fathom that white, middle class, traditionalist blokes let Jorn Utzon design take shape. (Well there was a lot more to it really)

There’s very little new aerosol art in Sydney’s Surry Hills with the exception of commissioned portraits of footy stars, to find the old pieces, back alleys must be sort. This one is in Fitzroy Lane which was named after Sir Charles Fitzroy who was Governor of NSW 1846-1855.

Diversity is the key, if every morning was a bright and clear day, nothing would be special. Even on a drab, grey Sydney winters dawn, Centennial Park delights with a pond of ducks.

A sunrise, clouds, a jet, a container ship and a rock jetty make this Botany Bay winter scene. And typical of Sydney, I’m at a spot named after an English seaside resort town. Our Ramsgate is not in Kent.

Sunrise approaches behind me as a cool breeze ripples the inky waters of Sydney Harbour. On a clear winter’s day, a couple of icons pose for the shot.

Some light rain overnight, showers possible later, but as I stalked the back streets of Sydney’s Surry Hills at dawn, the clouds above seemed harmless.

The stars and moon align.

The local Dharawal people called Bondi - Boondi or Bundi. The names translates to water breaking over rocks, but on this cool Sydney dawn, the water was rather tranquil.

High hopes under low clouds. Construction in Sydney.

If you like rain, Sydney is the place to be this week. So I wandered just a few metres from my back gate to get as colourful a dawn as I could with the help of the walls on Ridge Place in Surry Hills.