Bondi Beach, ice rink

Bondi Beach has this week been transformed into the Bondi Bergstation, a replica of a European Alpine Village, as part of the Winter Festival. It features a 500 square metre outdoor ice skating rink overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There are also a number of ski huts and chalets serving alpine delicacies such as Goulash, German Bratwurst, Pretzels, Gluhwein, and Schnapps. I was there when the ice was cleared for a brief performance by a young skater before regular skaters slowly returned to the rink, late in the afternoon and continuing into the night.

Click here to view all participants of My World Tuesday

Cook and Phillip Park, zorbing

Thrillseekers were recently able to walk on water in one of the fountains, in the square beside Cook and Phillip Park. The 3.2m clear plastic inflated orb has double-sectioned balls, with one ball inside the other and an air layer in between. Zorbing usually involves an orb rolling downhill or off a ramp but in this case the rolling was on water. The rope ensured thrillseekers didn't end up rolling down the hill into the park or into the traffic on College Street or William Street. It was one of the attractions here at the recent Australian Winter Festival which also featured an ice rink.

Click here to view all participants of Watery Wednesday

The 3 Wise Monkeys Pub, George Street

The 3 Wise Monkeys Pub (right) is located in on the corner of George Street and Liverpool Street in a heritage listed, former bank building. The three wise monkey statues (left) above the entrance have been dressed in supporters colours for the Soccer 2010 FIFA World Cup which starts tomorrow in South Africa. From left to right, Speak No Evil barracks for South Korea, See No Evil barracks for Australia and Hear No Evil barracks for England. The building was designed for a bank by Wardell and Vernon Architects in the Victorian Italianate style and built in 1886. It was originally the 'Southern Branch' of The Bank of Australia which then became The Bank of Australasia from 1879, the ANZ bank from 1970 to 1998 and was finally turned into a pub in 2000.

Alexandria, Alan Davidson Oval

With summer coming to an end and autumn just begun, this Cricket match played on Alan Davidson Oval last weekend will be one of the last of the season. The oval, named after a famous Australian cricketer Alan Davidson, is located on the edge of Sydney Park in the inner city suburb of Alexandria. It is used for cricket in the spring and summer is also used for Australian Rules Football in autumn and winter.

Click here to view all participants of My World Tuesday

Cabramatta, leisure centre

The Cabravale Leisure Centre which opened in 2007 features some very comtemporary architecture. It's named Cabravale because it sits on the border of two western suburbs, Cabramatta and Canley Vale. Officially, it's in the suburb of Cabramatta but it's actually closer to the commercial centre of Canley Vale. The leisure centre features swimming pools, a gymnasium, wellness areas and function rooms. I prefer the architecture I see in older buildings but this sort of modern design catches my attention and I think all that metal looks good against the blue sky.

Click here to view all participants of Skywatch Friday

Glebe, Wentworth Park

The Wentworth Park Sporting Complex is located in the inner west suburb of Glebe. It is best known for the greyhound racing track that has been here since 1932. This view of the art deco clock tower and track looks back towards the city office buildings and Sydney Tower features prominently in the background.

Cammeray parks

These views are from the Long Gully Bridge that links Cammeray to Northbridge that I featured in yesterday's post. The western view (top) is of Flat Rock Creek, in Flat Rock Gully Reserve. The eastern view (bottom) is of cricket players in Tunks Park and boats on Long Bay.

Little Bay golf course

The Coast Golf Course in the eastern suburb of Little Bay provides magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean while you play.

Click here to view all participants of My World Tuesday

Chullora recycling centre (Theme Day: Big)

This big bicycle located at the front entrance of the Waste and Recycling Centre, in the western suburb of Chullora, is made of recycled bits and pieces. That's cycling and recycling. The Bicycle is a sculpture built by Jonh Ridley, Andy Lugiz and Phillip Becker

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants of this theme day

Cooks River wakeboarding

The unseasonal warm weather on the weekend brought out the wakeboarders on the Cooks River at Tempe.

Click here to view all participants of Watery Wednesday

Tempe sports centre

The Robyn Webster Sports Centre located in the suburb of Tempe features outdoor netball courts and indoor netball, volleyball and soccer courts. The Aboriginal mural painted on the outside of the building is called 'Gift Given' and features fish, lizards, snakes, men and women in diamond formations. It is the largest mural in the Southern hemisphere and the detailed walls and roof are a landmark for planes landing at nearby Sydney Airport. I chose to feature this Aboriginal artwork today because this week in Australia is NAIDOC week, which is a time to celebrate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and recognise the contributions of Indigenous Australians.

Sydney Football Stadium

The Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park, which is also known as Aussie Stadium, is used for many major sport matches and cultural events such as rock concerts. The SFS is the home ground to a number of professionalteams in the different football codes popular in Australia, including the Sydney Roosters in NRL rugby league, New South Wales Waratahs in Super 14 rugby union and Sydney FC in A-League soccer. The Sydney Swans in the AFL Australian Rules Football play their home ground matches next door at the Sydney Cricket Ground. It is also the venue for many semi-finals and preliminary finals in these competitions and hosts many international matches.

Carlton, St George Dragons

It's Autumn and the rubgy league football season has just begun. I thought I'd share a couple of landmarks associated with my NRL football team, the St George Illawarra Dragons. St George Dragons have a long tradition in the competition since 1921. They merged with a newer team, the Illawarra Steelers back in 1998. Their Sydney homeground stadium is at Jubilee Oval in Carlton, which features a Walk of Fame (left) at the entrance. Just down the road on the Princes Highway in Beverley Park is the St George Leagues Club (right).

Beverley Park, golf course (Skywatch Friday)

The storm clouds were lurking about, but the golfers were enjoying the sunshine while it lasted at Beverley Park Golf Course.
Click here to view all participants of Skywatch Friday

Moore Park tennis courts

The Moore Park Tennis Courts include this facilities building that features Federation architecture.

Moore Park, Kippax Lake (Watery Wednesday)

This fountain and sculpture in the middle of Kippax Lake at Moore Park was dedicated to Australian sportswomen in 1967. It was designed by Diana Hunt and constructed in metal on a concrete base. Kippax Lake was named after William Kippax, a Sydney City Council Alderman.

Click here to view all participants of Watery Wednesday

Gymea Bay Baths

The heritage-listed Gymea Bay Baths are a popular attraction on Gymea Bay, part of the Port Hacking estuary in the southern suburbs. The Gymea Bay Swimming Club have been using the baths for over 40 years.

Botany Bay, kitesurfing

Some more kitesurfing scenes from the beach at Monterey, on Botany Bay. A couple of kitesurfers launched their kites into the breeze while on the sand (top), before jumping on their boards that took them out into the bay. Another kitesurfer, who just returned to the crowded beach, searched for a spare spot to rest his kite (bottom).

Botany Bay, windsurfing

I knew that windsurfing was always a popular sport on Botany Bay but what I hadn't realised was how popular kitesurfing had become. Another heatwave on the weekend sent the crowds out to the beaches and the strong breezes over the bay provided the perfect conditions for the windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts. This lone windsurfer (top) was outnumbered by the kitesurfers on the bay. On the beach (bottom), the resting kitesurfers were outnumbering the swimmers with their colourful kites scattered around them. Windsurfing or Sailboarding uses a board attached to a sail. Kitesurfing, also known as Kiteboarding or Parasurfing, involves a kite held by the hands and a board strapped to the feet.

Click here to view all participants of Watery Wednesday

Hyde Park kick

Sydney was sweltering through another scorching hot day but that didn't stop these two blokes from kicking the ball around in Hyde Park in the midday sun.