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A stroll down Macquarie Street into Hyde Park

Another pre-pandemic city field recording taken at approximately 9:00am Monday morning in mid February. The recording begins at the corner of Martin Place just as a bus trundles past. From there I walked up the super historic street that contains important old sandstone buildings such as the Sydney Hospital (1811), the NSW Parliament House (1810), the Historic Houses' headquarters (1854 - formerly the Sydney Mint building), the elegant St James' Church (1824) and Hyde Park Barracks (1811) just to name a few. I pass lively cafes and morning bustle, stopping for a minute at a popular cafe that was doing a roaring trade. From there I walked to the end of the street past the statue of Queen Victoria gazing at the law courts on the right which is in turn being gazed at by a statue of her Consort, Prince Albert on the opposite corner to the left. I then crossed the road and walked into Hyde Park. I walk up to the splashy sound of the Archibald fountain which is accompanied by the cheery sound of rainbow lorikeets calling to each other in the large fig tree canopy overhead.      

Macquarie Street walk

 

The Martin Place of Before

Before the pandemic, when it was some distant "something" happening "somewhere else" i.e. two months ago, I had started getting interested in field recordings. One morning in early March I woke up bright and early, caught the express bus into town, got off at Wynyard station and got my recorder out to witness the loveliness of the GPO/ Westin hotel bell chime for nine O'clock. That was the last time I have been on a bus, and more or less the last time I went into town. 

So, here for three minutes of listening pleasure is the nine O'clock GPO/ Westin clock chime (approximately 1 minute in), a tram dinging along George street, nearby construction of the Sydney metro line, morning workers hustling to work, a passing hot rod, and a very vocal Australian raven amongst other things. 

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