If you get tired of shopping, want a break or are waiting for someone, while at the Greenhills Shopping Centre in Maitland NSW Australia, the area outside the food hall is a great option. Not only are there places for the kids to play, and tables and chairs to sit and eat at but there are some great sculptures located there. Spread throughout the area Animal March Sculptures, represents local wildlife. Made by Gillie and Marc you can find them either in the garden beds or around the tables.
The largest ones are of wombats, koalas and kangaroos, but if you look closely, you will find birds, turtles and possums. A great addition to the centre, it certainly adds interest to the area while showing the native animals that we need to care for.
A Family of WombatsMother and Baby KoalaKoala FamilyKangaroos with a Joey in the Mother’s PouchWombat and KangarooPossumsTurtlesLost WombatKookaburras
Completed in 1816 Parliament House in Sydney houses the Government of the state of New South Wales Australia. Originally a hospital, the central section of the façade is a two story Georgian building. When built, no funds were available to Governor Macquarie so he arranged funding via the importation of 60,000 gallons of rum licensed to a group of merchants. In return for the license, they built the hospital.
From 1829, the Legislature occupied the building, which had primarily been used as the residence of the chief surgeon. As the size of the colony of New South Wales expanded, so did the number of parliamentary representatives. As a result, north and south extensions were made for the old Legislative Council (now Legislative Assembly) Chamber in 1843 and the current Legislative Council Chamber in 1856.
Since then numerous additions and modifications have been made to the building. Despite many plans over the years, it remains one of the least grand parliament buildings in Australia, primarily due to its original design as a hospital.
Getting There
Situated in the centre of the Sydney CBD means that getting to Parliament House is quite easy. Several buses stop nearby in Macquarie Street, while the closest station is Martin Place.
We visited during Sydney is Open so access to otherwise closed areas was available. In addition, volunteers were stationed throughout the building answering questions and providing invites into the workings of State Government.
Parliament of New South WalesWaiting room with busts of past parliamentariansMarble staircase
Legislative Assembly
Being modelled on the British Westminster System, the Legislative Assembly is the lower house of government and corresponds to the House of Commons, (or the Australian Federal Government House of Representatives). As such, the colour of the carpet and seats is green.
This chamber of parliament debates legislation before it is sent to the Legislative Council and then the Governor for approval. The Governor is the British Monarch’s representative and is appointed by the NSW Parliament.
Legislative AssemblyLegislative AssemblyThe mace of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales
Legislative Council
The upper house of the NSW Parliament is the Legislative Council, whose primary colour is red, following the tradition of the British House of Lords.
Legislation passed by the lower house is debated here and either retired to the Legislative Assembly or forwarded to the NSW Governor if approved.
Legislative CouncilLegislative CouncilUsher of the Black Rod
The Library – Now the Jubilee Room
Although now used for meetings and functions, the Jubilee Room holds a significant collection of historical records, along with the only state government archive.
In addition to the amazing collection of books on the shelves, the stained glass ceiling is amazing.
Parliamentary LibraryStain-glass ceiling of the Parliamentary Library
Fountain Courtyard
The Fountain Courtyard is one of the most recent additions to Parliament House, having been added in 1983. Located around the fountain on the surrounding walls is part of the parliamentary art collection as well as temporary displays. A significant portion of the display is by indigenous artists, forming the Reconciliation Wall.
Fountain CourtIndiginous Art on Reconciliation Wall in Fountain CourtReconciliation Wall in Fountain CourtIndiginous Art on Reconciliation Wall in Fountain Court
What Did We Think?
This was a great visit because it was a good way to learn about the history of government in NSW as well as seeing both Chambers of Parliament. If you want to see how our government works, there is no better place to visit.
Running from 20 October until 6 November 2023, Bondi Sculpture by the Sea 2023 boasts 110 sculptures. Placed along the 2 km Bondi to Tamarama walk, they have the beautiful coastline as a backdrop.
Getting There
Because parking is limited at Bondi Beach, we took public transport. Catching the train from Central Station to Bondi Junction we then got the 330 bus to Bondi Beach. This is a very popular event and the bus was very crowded, but they were running regularly, so we didn’t have to wait long.
The Sculptures
With so many sculptures on display there should be something to interest everyone. This year, more use was made of Tamarama Beach, with exhibits on the sand.
Some of our favorite sculptures are in the photos below.
Jen Mallinson’s KnowingIndia Collins’s Yatra JourneyMela Cooke’s Halcyon DaysAnton Forde’s Papare ProtectionLaurence Edwards’ Man of StonesEiji Hayakawa’s Giant in the ForestAntony Xerri’s steel sculpture Machine Aesthetic – The GrindNorton Flavel’s Monument IIYoshio Nitta’s Put a Moon on the Table- Someone is Living on It
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
