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Hengrove Hall

This frothy beauty on historic Macquarie Street has caught my eye on several occasions. As a result, I have had finding out about its style and background on my "to do" list for some time. Fortunately, this building is heritage listed, so there is a substantial spiel about it on the  Office of Environment and Heritage website. Built in 1929 - 1930, the style of this nine storey commercial building is officially described as Interwar Old English. I was quite surprised to learn that it was designed at the height of art deco and not during the Victorian era as I had thought! However, I was also interested to learn that the architect Henry Eli White was also responsible for The State Theatre which has a similar interior decor theme (although much grander) with Hengrove Hall's Tudor doorway, puti, crowns and the like as seen above. The Office of Environment and Heritage also notes that the English Tudor manor house Hengrove House in Suffolk was the inspiration behind the Tudor doorway and the other elements of the exterior.

State Savings Bank

What has Doric, Ionic and Corinthian Columns and is pink all over? The State Savings Bank of course - another of my favourite buildings in Sydney. It is a Beaux-Arts Revivalist wonder right in the heart of Sydney city!

Built between 1925 and 1928, the exterior features a red granite base with pink terracotta tiles covering the upper outer levels. Four imposing Ionic columns stand at the front while the sides are decorated with handsome Doric columns. Inside it is as equally striking with enormous green pillars in the foyer and a white marble vault that features a massive bronze door with a wheel. Elegant hanging brass light fittings and complicated floral mosaic tiling are also details of the interior areas. As with the Grace Building that I wrote about in a previous post, I was lucky enough to go on a behind the scenes guided tour of this colossal beauty as part of an Open Sydney weekend held a few years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos of the interior, so you'll just have to take my word for it that it is quite the marvel inside!  Fortunately, it is also heritage listed as of 2000. More information can be found here which gives quite a detailed description of the building's significance and history. 

Out and About in Sydney in September/ October

Lots of firsts over the past couple of weeks! I visited West Head, more than likely for the first time, because boy! you wouldn't forget that view in a hurry (although I can't believe I haven't been there before). It's absolutely the most astounding view I've seen in Sydney for a very long time. Then there was finally visiting the Manly/ Queenscliff Wormhole, which has been on my 'to do' list for a while. It was everything I'd hoped it would be: a rough 110 year old hand crafted sandstone tunnel that goes through the rocky outcrop headland between Queenscliff and Freshwater beach. Following on from that there was the close encounter with a very young echidna who foraged about for food just in front of me and then came over and inspected my foot in a very enchanting manner. Other than that, there has been masses of wildflowers and plenty of birds building nests and singing.

Above, all fairly self explanatory: Mountain Devils very fit and out at the moment, flannel flowers, pink spider flowers and bees, a young active echidna, another variety of wattle, a pretty planting of white and purple statice accompanied by maroon daisies in a local park, a lady duck and an elegant white egret.

Below: red bottle brush, the 100 plus year old wormhole dug by local fishermen apparently. One of my favourite buildings in the city - the Grace Hotel. Did you know that this terra cotta clad art deco gothic beauty was used as a Pacific base by General Douglas MacArthur in the Second World War and has an escape tunnel in the basement that leads all the way to Circular Quay? I was lucky enough to see the entrance to the tunnel one Open Sydney in addition to the fabulous pent house that includes space in the fancy tower you see in this photo. Finally: bachelor buttons, sometimes also known as pinnk buttons - still going strong in parts of the bush around Sydney.    

Art Deco Sydney CBD Beauty - City Mutual Life Assurance building

I was lucky enough to actually go into the board room of this Art Deco beauty one Open Sydney day a few years back. It still had its original art deco interior wood panelling and light fixtures which still looked good some seventy odd years after they were first put in. I am not sure if all that still exists, but as you can see, the exterior is still a very handsome example of high art deco. 

It is heritage listed, and has a sizeable wikipedia page dedicated to its history and architect which is well worth a read. As for me, I am enamoured by the concetina-ed windows, the choice of materials in sandstone and polished black granite, the bronze details, and the Raynor Hoff bronze relief over the entrance. Finished in 1936, the architect Emil Sodersten was praised for the contemporary (at the time) design of this stylish building which still looks as lovely as ever today.

All information courtesy of wikipedia.  

Portrait of a Lady Gouldian Finch

Behold the lovely Amadina who is a Lady Gouldian Finch, who is actually also a...lady. Female Gouldian finches have a violet/ mauve bib, while the males have a purple bib. The Lady Gouldian Finch was first described by John Gould, famous ornithological artist who named the bird after his wife. You can read more about the Gouldian Finch here and here.

Out and about - March/ April photos

Here are a few photos I've taken on my travels recently:

1) The GPO clock 2) the stylish Art Deco entrance of the State Theatre 3) the decommissioned historic wooden escalator in Wynard train station now preserved and displayed as art: the "Interloop". 4) a handsome moth on the Great North Walk 5) a night jar in the Australian Museum 6) an example of a common mushroom sprouting up everywhere recently - this one from Garigal National Park 7) one of many sandstone faces that adorn the GPO (now Westin Hotel) 8) a rainy day reflection of the palm trees along College Street.  

The Archibald Fountain - A Sydney Art Deco Beauty

One of the loveliest fountains in Sydney city is the very art deco Archibald fountain. Designed by the French artist François-Léon Sicard, this pink granite and bronze Sydney icon features figures from Greek and Roman mythology including Apollo, Theseus and the minataur, Pan, Diana and various tortoises, dolphins, goats, deer, dogs and horses. It is named after the keen Francophile newspaper proprietor and editor J.F.Archibald who commissioned the fountain to celebrate the French/ Australian alliance during World War One. Fortunately, I often get to walk through the delightful Hyde Park and admire this Art Deco gem.  

All information from here.

Out and About - October

Cockle Head Creek, Bobbin Head Rainforest. We have had a lot of rain over the past couple of weeks here in Sydney, so the local rivers and creeks are bursting at the seams.

Freshwater Beach as seen from Curl Curl.

Duke Kahanamoku (1890 - 1968) memorial - near Freshwater lookout. This multiple Olympic gold medalist and accomplished actor is famous for introducing the Hawaiian sport/ pastime of surfing to the world.

An old advertisement in George Street exposed by construction works.  

Sydney Hospital, Macquarie Street

Australia's oldest hospital: Sydney Hospital in Macquarie Street. Most of the building is in the architectural style called 'Victorian free classical'. The charming late nineteenth century fountain, built in England as a memorial to thespian and theatre entrepreneur Robert Brough, features Australian Brolgas and black swans. It stands in front of the Gothic revival style Nightingale Wing of the hospital that houses a nursing museum and archives. (Information from The Dictionary of Sydney).

Out and about early August

Fountain in Martin Place, parrots in The Australian Museum, native somethings in the wildflower gardens, Queen Victoria in Queen's Square Sydney city, ornamental purple and white cabbage - y things in Hyde Park.