Last Friday David and I spent the day in Sydney. It was a bit of a whistle stop visit, as we wanted to activate our new Opal card, so we drove to Newcastle and got the train to Sydney. $2.50 each for a 350 km round trip isn't bad is it.
As well as a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art, I also wanted to go to Angel Place to see and photograph the Forgotten Songs artwork in Angel Place, which is the subject of today's photo.
Forgotten Songs commemorates the songs of fifty birds once heard in central Sydney, before they were gradually forced out by European settlement. The calls, which filter down from the canopy of birdcages suspended above Angel Place, change as day shifts to night. The daytime birds’ songs disappearing with the sun, and those of the nocturnal birds, which inhabited the area, sounding into the evening.
From Angel Place we went to the Queen Victoria Building and I will be posting photos from there over the next few days.
Today is the first day of autumn here in Australia and it is still pretty warm. Today the temperature is 30 degrees C (86 f). Apparently it is going to be similar temperatures for the rest of the week too.
Lovely commemorative idea, poignantly capture nicely detail from your depth of field and perspective Babs, so sad when the music dies, out of interest thought I'd compare the train prices, Virgin Trains East Coast to London 332 km Cheapest one way single off peak advanced booking $54.65 AU and $202.31 AU one way single at peak times looks like you got yourselves a bargain:)
This made me so sad to read and it really brings home how much is lost due to mans prosperity. What a lovely tribute and I will definitely put this on my bucket list of places to visit. This is a lovely capture.
What a poignant scene and story ! -- thank you for sharing Babs , So sad that humans can completely change the balance of nature and not always for the best !
and it is only getting worse. I was in Sydney last week for 2 days, staying in the middle of Surrey Hills and in the entire time I did not see a single bird, not even on. The city is totally DEAD :( fav shot, and thanks for the story I'm glad someone is remembering the birds this way, what we have done to our country is shameful.
Terrific photo Babs, and such an interesting, albeit rather sad story behind it. Train travel is so much better with a Senior's Concession card, or so we've found. Geelong-Melbourne return is around $7.50, you'd be crazy to drive - and have to park the darned car.
Very interesting story about these birds. That would have been an enjoyable experience to be able to hear them! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. FAV for history!
@pcoulson Wow that is expensive Peter. Don't you have seniors discounts in the UK? The $2.50 ticket for seniors is a day ticket that includes not only the train fare but also trams, city loop trains and buses for the whole day. So all we pay for the two of us for the day is $5. As you say a bargain. We leave the car at Broadmeadow in Newcastle (the parking there is free too) and then we travel on the train to Sydney.
@golftragic So true Marnie. We wouldn't take the car to Sydney if we just go there for the day. As you say not worth the money spent on petrol and the price of parking in Sydney makes your eyes water.
This area of Sydney is doubly sad as Angel Place is right next to Martin Place where the hostage siege was in 2014 at the Lindt Café.