Designed by convict architect Francis Greenway, St James Church Sydney is the city’s oldest church. Built between 1819 and 1824 using convict labour and consecrated on 11 February 1824 it has been in continuous use to the present day. Located at the end of King Street, the closest train station is St James which only a three-minute walk away.
During our visit, the altar area and organ were undergoing repairs. Unfortunately, Covid has caused delays to the replacement parts for the organ, however, the rest of the church is open to look around.
St James Church
The Undercroft (The Crypt)
We were lucky to be able to see the undercroft (crypt), because it is not always open. One of the highlights, the Children’s Chapel is located here. Unique in Australia the murals were painted by the Turramurra Painters, a collaborative partnership of artists.
Also stored in the crypt are the ashes of former parishioners, including former prime minister Gough Whitlam.
The CryptLeft Wall of the Children’s ChapelRight wall of the Children’s ChapelChildren’s ChapelStored Ashes, including ex-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
Interior
The interior of the church was totally remodelled in 1900–1902, although the marble memorials were retained. It has also retained its original character as a Georgian town church. It has remained this way with the exception of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit (south portico) which was rebuilt in 1988.
This is an interesting and historic little church, with the highlight being the undercroft and the Children’s chapel.
Central Aisle looking forwardCentral Aisle looking backStained glass window and memorialsStained glass window and memorialsSt Peter stained glass window and memorialsBeautiful stained glass windowMemorial stained glass window to William Broughton the First Bishop of SydneyChapel of the Holy SpiritChapel of the Holy SpiritBaptismal Font
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Born in Grenfell, New South Wales in 1867, Henry Lawson is one of Australia’s most well-known writers. Although his works were published during his lifetime, Lawson suffered from financial and alcohol problems. While living at Market Street in Naremburn, he would often stop at what is now called the Henry Lawson Cave to sleep off his visit to a tavern.
After looking in the cave, we’re not sure why Lawson would sleep here because it certainly does not look comfortable.
Marked with a carved stone block bearing the poet’s likeness, it’s easy to find at the rear of the baseball diamond. To commemorate Lawson, the local council frequently organises poetry readings and performances by the local community.
We visited the cave after walking the Flat Rock Gully Walking Track because it was on our way to the Incinerator, which is now a café. An underpass from the track goes past this location and on to the Walter Burley Griffin Incinerator which now operates as a café and art space.
An interesting place to see for its history, especially if you are a fan of Lawson’s work.
Carved Sign to the CaveThe Henry Lawson CaveEntrance to the Cave
Although now retired from from its confrontations with Japanese whaling fleets, the MV Steve Irwin still looks impressive with its camouflage and skull painted deck house. Docked at Thales Marine in Newcastle, New South Wales, the ship is now owned by the non-profit organisation Ship4Good. Tours are a great way to learn about the fight to save the whales while contributing to the preservation of the ship.
We met our tour guide at the Thales Security Gate, where we were issued hi-visibility jackets for the walk to the ship. The jackets were necessary because the Thales dock is a working area.
Ship’s History
After a safety briefing our tour started with a talk on the ship’s history. Originally serving 28 years as the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency conservation enforcement patrol boat, FPV Westra, Sea Shepherd purchased her in 2006. Although originally named the MV Robert Hunter after Canadian Robert Hunter, co-founder of Greenpeace it was renamed the MV Steve Irwin following his death. Steve had been considering joining the vessel the following year before his death.
Over the next 12 years, the ship undertook 17 voyages ranging from anti-whaling and illegal fishing. These occurred in areas as diverse as the Antarctic and Mediterranean. However, she is most famous for confronting the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. These clashes occurred as close range, with activists throwing stink bombs onto Japanese ships and attempting to entangles their propellors. On several occasions, ships rammed each other, a very dangerous action because of the freezing Antarctic waters.
Tour of the Ship
Over the next hour we toured the ship from the bridge to engine room. On the bridge we were able to see where the ship and its operations were directed, with the large windows providing an excellent view of the surrounding area.
In the engine room, the two British Polar 12-cylinder 2,100 bhp Engines with their turbo chargers showed why Sea Shepherd bought this ship. The engines and the ship’s design gave it a speed able to match and overake the Japanese whaling fleet, while being relatively stable in rough seas. Along with the embarked helicopter this enabled them to find and harass the whalers.
Getting Around the Ship
Anyone intending on touring the ship should be aware of several restrictions. Several of the rooms and corridors are small and narrow. So if you are claustrophobic, this may be a problem. Moving from one deck to another is via steep stairways. If you are mobility impaired or have small children this may make getting around difficult. Remember to wear sensible enclosed shoes, because of the stairs and outside surfaces.
We had a great time here learning about the Steve Irwin’s history and seeing the inner workings of the ship.
Sea Shepherd’s MV Steve Irwin in Newcastle HarbourGangway onto MV Steve IrwinCovered walkway around the shipSome of the cruises the ship participated inSome of the cruises the ship participated inThrowing stink bombs at the Japanese whaling shipsDramatic painting of the ship at seaThe two 12-cylinder 1,600 kW enginesThe Steve Irwin’s propellor shaftThe BridgeThe Bridge
