"'He shot through like a Bondi tram!' It’s fading now, but this colourful expression was part of the Australian idiom for many decades, meaning to depart at high speed. Whether Sydney trams were ever that fast is another question; but since the city’s tramways were closed in the 1960s, there’s been little chance to find out. There is, however, one exception..."

Exploring inner-city Sydney by light rail, from Paddy's Markets to Jubilee Park.
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"We soon discover that you’re always popular in a helicopter; as we move above the treeline of the Escarpment, we spot the observation towers and walkways of the Illawarra Fly, a treetop walk, and people stop to wave. Touching down again, we’re exhilarated. The great thing about a helicopter ride is that you don’t lose contact with the environment the way you do in an aeroplane."

A weekend away in the coastal town of Shellharbour, New South Wales.
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"Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Newtown is an interesting place to hang out, with its aged Victorian shopfronts and terrace houses, plentiful eateries, and a dose of grunge remaining amid the gentrification. But there are also its murals. Along busy King Street, down side streets and along hidden back walls is an intriguing collection of large-scale paintings..."

"Stretching from the broad banks of the Clarence River up to the Queensland border, the water-rich Northern Rivers region is threaded by numerous waterways, from humble creeks to mighty rivers. They all eventually end in the Pacific Ocean. I head to northern New South Wales in search of greenery, relaxation and good food. There might even be a Hollywood star in the mix..."

Exploring the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.
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"A fresh example of the flashpacker hostel is this YHA facility in The Rocks, which opened in November 2009. The location itself is remarkable, with the purpose-built hostel buildings suspended on pillars above an extensive archaeological dig revealing the foundations of tenement houses from the early 1900s. What’s notable about the place are its environmentally-friendly innovations."

Detailing upmarket 'flashpacker' hostels across Australia and New Zealand.
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"Back in October 2007 a small cluster of Sydneysiders protested outside the New South Wales Parliament in an unconventional manner: by clutching a book in one hand and a glass of white wine in the other. But that was then. Now that Melbourne-style small bars do exist in Sydney, where do you go to stock up on appropriate reading material to accompany that cheeky chenin blanc?"

"Co-owner Russell Crowe was tickled by the idea and donated a pile of props and costumes from his films. He also bent the ear of a few of his co-stars, and they put in too. However, as I step past old farming implements and through the inner door of the barn, it’s not a Hollywood prop that immediately catches my eye. On the left is a red and green motorcycle, gleaming attractively under the bright lights..."

Exploring the Museum of Interesting Things in Nymboida, New South Wales.
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"The most ancient part of Sydney, The Rocks, is seething with historic old drinking houses (some with historic old drinkers), but which is the oldest Sydney pub still standing? Initial research provides a shortlist of four that could possibly claim the title; in fact, two of them do positively lay claim to it. So, fired with curiosity, I’m off on a pub crawl through The Rocks and its sister suburb, Millers Point."

Adjudicating the thorny question of which establishment can claim the title of Sydney's oldest pub.
Available for republication from December 2009 (print only).

"From 1970 to 1973, a lively artists’ colony was firmly established at 59 Macleay Street, in what became known as the Yellow House. Every surface was painted over, the place was humming with artists and those who wanted to see their art, and cabarets, theatre and film screenings took place. If Austin Powers had dropped in, he would’ve declared it a 'swinging shindig'."

Uncovering hidden gems in the inner suburbs of Sydney, Australia.
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"In Sydney, Colleen Harrison guides The Rocks Ghost Tours, and is spoiled for choice with spooky locales. 'We talk through stories of murders, suicides, hangings, hauntings and ghosts, in the birthplace of Australia,' she says. One place the tour passes is the gloomily-named Dead House, Sydney’s first morgue."

Delving into the paranormal via ghost tours across Australia. 
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"The Penrith-based company produces an unconventional product: an Australian sake. 'It won’t give you headaches, drunk in moderation,' says managing director Allan Noble. When I ask him if working with strong liquor is the best job in the world, he smiles. 'Well, a bonus of working with the rice is its skin care benefits. My head brewer – Hiro Uchiyama – looks awfully young.'"

Revealing the artisan distillers of Australia, from rum makers to sake brewers. 
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"Call it social analysis, call it serious research, call it a thinly-veiled attempt to claim cocktails as a work expense on my tax return. I was determined to check out the Sydney CBD bar scene on my latest visit. Could the Melbourne bar habitué find interesting places to have a tipple while on business or pleasure in Sydney? Fired by the old Sydney-Melbourne rivalry and a healthy thirst, I chose to accept this mission."

A profile of six great drinking holes in Sydney's city centre. 
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"What does it mean to have 'star quality'? It could be a look, a pout, a certain something that the camera loves. Brad Pitt has it, Cate Blanchett has it, even Jim Carrey has it. And Sydney has it. Many of the city’s streets and buildings have featured in major films. Usually any evidence has long gone, and the location has shyly blended back into the daily life of the city. But with a little knowledge, you can relive the moment."

Redisovering Sydney's most famous movie locations.
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"Just another day in the harbour city? Not exactly. I’m on the Sydney by Diva tour, departing from the gay strip on Oxford Street. The bus is decorated with a large lipsticked smile, and the passengers are divided into first or economy class. It’s not easy being the only economy passengers aboard; we're frisked before entering, advised to avert our gaze, and thrown a box of Cheezels to go with our cheap bubbly."

Seeing Sydney via a number of off-beat tours. 
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Images available.

I also have a selection of high-quality digital images available, depicting a variety of international locations. 
See examples of my travel photography.

If you'd like to republish one of these pieces, or would like a new piece written about the same location, please get in touch via the contacts below:

email:
tim@iwriter.com.au

phone:
0411-242327
(international +61-411-242327)

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