Seeing Sydney from the air has made me curious, so I want to see a few places from the ground. Thankfully one of my new Hobart friends is back in Sydney and kindly offers to show me around the ‘Northern Beaches’. How could I say no ?!
Seeing the scenery from sea level makes the beaches no less enticing, although the surf is up and tempting though it is, a swim is not really an option. We visit a few, ticking off the ones used in the ‘Home and Away’ soap series. It’s wasted on me, but part of life here. They film 3 days a week flat out at locations all round this area. At the top of the Palm Beach peninsula we walk up to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse overlooking the entrance to the Pittwater river. A glorious view back to the city one way and far, far out to sea the other. I love a good lighthouse.
At Avalon and on the Pittwater we drive past endless beautiful and/or beautifully located houses, many with a river or estuary view or frontage. Most of which are second homes. Indeed my host takes me to his and I wondered what his ‘real’ house looks like ! Not my world, but fun to peek over the fence. It may only be an hour’s drive tops from Sydney, but you could be in another country. Where did I go wrong ?
At the beaches I note almost every one has a sea-water pool built into or incorporated in the surrounding rocks. This seems to be a real Sydney thing. Great idea for when the surf is up and you just want a swim, or for entertaining the youngsters in some safety. Some are more regular in shape than others, depending on how the rocks have been incorporated. None I see have a flat bottom or regular sides all round so nature adds her irregularities. It may only be an hour’s drive north of the city, but this part of Sydney is another world, with another pace.
Back in the city it’s a lovely day, the sun is shining and I’m not in a hurry for my next meet up, so I walk from a bay on the southern shores of the harbour round to the next one. This is Double Bay and I recall my host telling me on my last visit (12 years ago!) it has the nickname ‘Double Pay’. Clearly you need a bit of money to live here. The first property I notice is the police station. In the car park are the usual run-of-the-mill patrol cars. Outside on the road is a different beast. Some sort of fancy BMW, the like of which is unknown to me. I guess you want the police to blend in…
Walking along these leafy roads, the harbour stretches out to my right, postcard views between each house. So long as the latest extension hasn’t blocked the gap. I reckon every 3rd house has the ‘tradies’ in for a ‘reno’. (renovation) Builders’ pickups are everywhere and the sound of drilling mixes with the birdsong! I’m sensing a ‘reno’ here is not a new bathroom, but probably a new wing or interior ! I gather the former Prime Minister has a house nearby. Being a bit of a keen sailor he wanted some water frontage for his boat, so bought the house next door. As you do ! Like London, we are probably taking in multiple millions here. On the brow of the hill, I pause to check out the perfect vista of the Harbour Bridge through a carport (ornate electric gates, of course). Breathtaking and an estate agent’s dream. Then I clock the car in the car port is a brand new, fully blinged-up Aston Martin. As European cars carry a hefty premium here, this is one serious status symbol. Double pay, indeed !
On my last day in Sydney I’m with an old pal from London and his lovely Kiwi girlfriend, although they are both Sydneysiders now. We walk along the coast path from Coogee to Bondi. An iconic bit of coast which is today wild and windswept, although pretty sunny between showers. We kick things off with a huge ice-cream from the Coogee Pavilion. Delicious. Just down the coast is an amazing sight, the Waverley Cemetery*, a huge expanse of elaborate gravestones and mausolea, sweeping down to the cliff edge and, as of a few months ago, falling into the sea! (centre of aerial photo…) Some parts are out of bounds, so we walk through the graves, fascinated with the stories they hold. Many are Italian or Irish, reflecting the immigrants and their need to leave their mark in their new country. Joggers pass us by although one seems a little lacking in respectful attire. So relaxed, these Aussies!
At every turn there is another lovely cove, taking a pounding from the rough seas. In many surfers revel in the conditions, riding the waves in to shore and paddling back out again for another go. It’s a short-lived thrill, but I envy them enjoying the water. That is until a very loud, wailing siren goes off from a Surf Lifesaving Club, for all the world as if there is an air-raid. With more activity in the water, we stop to watch, siren still howling. A safety boat is plying back and forth shouting at the surfers. Another joins in from a nearby bay. They are trying to clear the water. A shark sighting ! Wow !! Of the 30 or so people in the water, about 8 steadfastly refuse to come ashore, preferring to surf. I imagine they’ve talked this one through over a beer and decided that crossing the road is more risky.
We reach Bondi and true to form more seawater pools. These are the ‘Bondi Icebergs Pools’**, built where the rock pools must be biggest to give a pretty regular shape. Well-maintained they look very inviting, were it not for the stiff breeze and cold seawater crashing over the edge every so often. A few determined souls are ploughing up and down, but there are more of us watching them. On the side of the large pool a couple of teenage girls are posing for their iPhones in impractical clothing (‘Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top’) We are willing the waves to catch them unawares… Of course this is Bondi on a Sunday, so the surfers are all in the water and there are a surprising number of folks on the sand. It may be a bit wet, but you can’t stop the Australians going to the beach.
So that’s it. Bye, bye Australia. Until the next time ?
