Underground Story

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm Macro f2.8 @ ISO 400, 105mm f3.5, 1/20 sec

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St James underground railway station is on the City Circle line in Sydney, Australia. The station is located under the Hyde Park.

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/25 sec

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St James Station is most notable for the abandoned tunnels connected to the station.

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/50 sec

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You can only get to the abandoned tunnels by entering up the used tunnel along the train tracks and its believed that the entrance is now sealed? You can see a photo of one of them *HERE*

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/125 sec

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One of the abandoned tunnels is flooded and forms an underground lake, ten metres wide, five metres deep, and one kilometre long known as St James Lake. There have been a number of proposals to use the abandoned tunnels at St James Station and other underground spaces for the storage and recycling of water. In the mid 1990s, Ian Kiernan proposed that the abandoned water tunnel, Busby's Bore (I previously talked about it *HERE* ) be redirected to St James Lake where water could be stored and recycled. Sydney has a number of little known railway tunnels See link *HERE*

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/25 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/15 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/50 sec

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Rear Deck and Wood Fired Pizza Oven Phase I

Finally got the back yard 'repairs' completed to Mums place in Bendigo.

This is the before shot from January 2010

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f8, 1/320 sec

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This is now . . .

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/50 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/40 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/40 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/30 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2 @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/25 sec

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Phase I of the 'Wood Fired Pizza Oven Project' is underway with the slab and walls of the table to hold the oven almost complete. Just some mortar in some joints, rendering of the walls and formwork, reo and pouring of the table top. then an oven can be installed above with wood stored below.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2 @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/613 sec

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Old Rozelle Hospital & Environs

The grounds and buildings of what were formerly known as Callan Park Hospital for the Insane from 1878 to 1914. It's on the shores of Iron Cove but this post I am on the Balmain side, just 5 Km from Sydney's CBD. See previous post here. Below is Iron Cove and a Yacht moored in the morning sunrise with the moon setting in the distance.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f2 @ ISO 200, 35mm f8, 1/250 sec

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Old man Pandanas in the grounds of the old Rozelle hospital

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/60 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/160 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/250 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/250 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/125 sec

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Formerly Known as Callan Park Hospital for the Insane

The grounds and buildings of what were formerly known as Callan Park Hospital for the Insane from 1878 to 1914. It's on the shores of Iron Cove on the Lilyfield side, just 5 Km from Sydney's CBD. In 1915 the facility was renamed Callan Park Mental Hospital, and again in 1976 to Callan Park Hospital then finally in 1994 to Rozelle Hospital. It was vacated in 2008, when all the services and patients were transferred to Concord Hospital. It is a decaying mess now and I would think some of it is of significant heritage value. The New South Wales Government has not revealed its intentions for the 42 hectare site but it would make a great site for appropriate dwellings if the valuable assets were retained. The next Liberal fascists that get into power will probably bulldoze the site, cut down all the trees, replace the grass with rubber playground surface and put up a fine Metricon / Meriton style multi story flat complexes surrounded by vibrantly coloured planter boxes filled with non-indigenous plants. Should sell like hot cakes:)

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/40 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/250 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/200 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/125 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/100 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/25 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/20 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/50 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/13 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 400, 11mm f2.8, 1/40 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f5.6, 1/25 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/320 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 400, 11mm f8, 1/100 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 400, 11mm f8, 1/60 sec

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The Hungry Mile

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 400, 11mm f8, 1/160 sec

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This area what was known as Millers Point is now named Barangaroo, the name being officially gazetted in 2007. This newly named suburb contains the "Hungry Mile" an area of the docks that was also officially renamed in 2006 after strong lobbying from the Maritime Union of Australia. The name "Hungry Mile" is an acknowledgement of the site's historical significance to waterside workers. The Hungry Mile in the early 1930's and 40's was a place where the notorious ‘bull’ system prevailed, where employers pitted worker against worker, at times violently. For many labourers it was a despised, humiliating, demeaning experience. As historian Margot Beasley explains in her book Wharfies (1996): Under this system, men assembled in a public place to be chosen for the day’s work by foremen or stevedoring agents of the shipping companies. Favourites for work were the “bulls”, men of such physical strength they work longer or harder than others. Such a system also favoured compliant and docile workers and facilitated discrimination against militant or troublesome men who might agitate for improved conditions, ironically, that would benefit them all.

The Not So Hungry Mile

A stark contrast to the plight of struggling workers of yesterday is the 11 story building of today that was built as part of the redevelopment of the King Street district, at the darling Harbour end of the Hungry Mile. The Macquarie Bank building is encased in a steel structural support, known as a diagrid, which sits outside its glass walls. Macquarie Bank is the sole occupant of the $350M building and the bank's headquarters remain in Martin Place.

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 400, 11mm f8, 1/320 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f7.1, 1/100 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 400, 11mm f8, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 400, 11mm f8, 1/200 sec

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The Chinese Garden in Darling Harbour

The Chinese Garden in Darling Harbour Sydney was designed and built by Chinese landscape architects and gardeners and the local Chinese community to share their rich cultural heritage and celebrate Australia's 1988 Bicentenary, the Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and cooperation between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 @ ISO 200, 200mm f2.8, 1/60 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/13 sec

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The garden scenes are all constructed to be best viewed from a pavilion but on paths windows are used to frame garden views which provide multiple layers of scenery and create a sense of the infinite in the finite, artfully distant views are incorporated into the whole scene. Screen walls often have moon shaped (round) doorways and small windows in the shapes of vases and apples.

Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/60 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f2.8, 1/80 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/20 sec

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Chinese Classical Gardens are a place for the contemplation of nature and the design should provide a place for to connect with nature. Chinese gardens are built not planted. The essential elements in a Chinese garden are a wall surrounding a pavilion, a pool, and a mountain with a tree.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 @ ISO 200, 70mm f8, 1/10 sec

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Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 @ ISO 200, 82mm f8, 0.4 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f22, 1/10 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f2.8, 1/400 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 16mm f2.8, 1/50 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f3.5, 1/60 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/50 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f3.5, 1/200 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f3.5, 1/200 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f3.5, 1/500 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 13mm f2.8, 1/500 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f8, 1/250 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/125 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f22, 1/10 sec

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Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ ISO 200, 11mm f2.8, 1/1000 sec

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