Australia 9/2/2019 - 9/22/2019

Thursday, 9/12/2019 - The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour, Sunset Sydney Harbour Cruise

We had breakfast at the hotel, and ended up sitting with Eric and Allison from Jamaica Plain. We learned that we have a lot of experiences in common travel-wise and volunteer-wise. It was nice to get to know them and we could tell right away that we would enjoy traveling with them.

We met the rest of the group in the lobby shortly before 9 a.m. Britney helped everyone to book optional excursions they might want for the remainder of the trip. We opted for the Kuranda rainforest tram/train in Cairns and the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island near Melbourne.

Next, we set off as a group to Circular Quay. The route that we took was different than the one we had been traversing for the past two days, so there were lots of new things for us to see.

We started by walking through nearby Hyde Park. When we had first seen the location of the Vibe Hotel Sydney on a map, we had assumed that we would be spending some time in Hyde Park, due to its proximity. But we had been so busy with other activities over the past two days that we had not even stepped foot into the park until today!

At the southern end of the park was the art deco style ANZAC memorial, built between 1930 and 1934 to honor Australian New Zealand Army Corps in World War I. On one side is the Frazer Memorial fountain, and on the other the Pool of Remembrance. The memorial looked rather otherworldly, surrounded by a sun halo.

Hyde Park is gorgeous, with many mature majestic fig trees. There are signs warning you not to visit the park during heavy rain and strong winds "because of the risk of tree failure." We've never heard it phrased quite like that before! The signs showed ominous graphics of large branches falling.

The Archibald Fountain contains Classical Greek and Roman statuary, the passion of its namesake. There are statues of Theseus and the Minotaur, as well as Pan, Diana, Apollo, horses, dolphins, and tortoises.

Behind the fountain is the Gothic revival St. Mary's Cathedral (a.k.a. the Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians), whose construction lasted from 1821 to 2000. We would have liked to have toured its ornate interior, but we did not have time.

We walked down Macquarie Street, and stopped in front of the Sydney Rum Hospital. This was New South Wales Governor Lachlan Macquarie's first public works project. When the British refused to finance a hospital, he made a deal with businessmen offering a monopoly on rum imports in exchange for construction of the hospital.Between 1816 and 1848 it provided medical care for Sydney's convict workforce, and became known as the Rum Hospital.

In front of the hospital is a bronze statue of a pig. The shininess of its snout indicates that people rub it for luck. This is a replica of Il Porcellino, a 500-year-old sculpture in Florence, Italy. It was donated by Marchesa Torrigiani in 1968 in memory of her Italian brother and father, who were both doctors at the hospital.

Governor Macquarie was largely responsible for transforming Sydney from a penal colony to a functioning colonial settlement. In 1812, he purchased 40,000 Spanish dollar coins, and had convicts punch holes in the center of them. This became the first colonial Australian currency, nicknamed the "holey dollar."

Macquarie gave government jobs to "emancipists" (former convicts who had completed their sentences and/or had been pardoned). Emancipists outnumbered the so-called "free settlers" by 1810.

We saw a couple of barristers in white powdered wigs and long black robes heading to court near the hospital. It seemed like a throwback.

Further down Macquarie Street, we passed the State Library of New South Wales, which has a statue of Matthew Flinders in front of its Mitchell Wing. Flinders was the first to circumnavigate Australia. Flinders actually suggested the name "Australia" for the continent, and Macquarie adopted it officially.

During Flinders' voyage on the HMS Reliance from the Cape of Good Hope to Botany Bay in 1799, a ship's cat gave birth to kittens. One black kitten with white paws, chin, and chest fell overboard. The plucky kitten managed to swim back to the boat and climbed aboard via a rope. Flinders and the crew were impressed by the kitten's survival instinct and intelligence, and this kittem immediately became their favorite. Flinders named him "Trim", after the faithful butler in Laurence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy."

While Flinders and Trim were returning to Europe in 1803, Flinders was accused of spying when he stopped in Isle de France (Mauritius) to repair his vessel. Ever loyal Trim stayed by his master's side during his imprisonment. But in 1804, Trim disappeared, never to be found. Flinders was despondent, suspecting that a starving slave might have seen Trim as a meal. He wrote an 8 page memorial essay about Trim.

From The Flinders Papers:

Thus perished my faithful intelligent Trim! The, sporting, affectionate, and useful companion of my voyages during four years. Never, my Trim, "to take thee all in all, shall I see thy like again"; but never wilt thou cease to be regretted by all who had the pleasure of knowing thee. And for thy affectionate master and friend, - he promises thee, if ever he shall have the happiness to enjoy repose in his native country, under a thatched cottage surrounded by half an acre of land, to erect in the most retired corner, a monument to perpetuate the memory and record thy uncommon merits. And this shall be thy epitaph.

To the memory of Trim,
the best and most illustrious of his Race,
the most affectionate of friends,
faithful of servants,
and best of creatures.
He made the Tour of the Globe, and a voyage to Australia,
which he circumnavigated; and was ever the
delight and pleasure of his fellow voyagers.
Returning to Europe in 1803, he was shipwrecked
in the Great Equinoxial Ocean;
This danger escaped, he sought refuge and assistance
at the Isle of France, where
he was made prisoner, contrary to the laws of Justice, of Humanity, and of French National Faith;
and where, alas! he terminated his useful career,
by an untimely death, being devoured by the Catophagi of that island.
Many a time have I beheld his little merriments with delight,
and his superior intelligence with surprise:
Never will his like be seen again!
Trim was born in the Southern Indian Ocean, in the year 1799,
and perished as above at the Isle of France
in 1804.

Peace be to his shade, and
Honour to his memory

Although Flinders died before he was able to fulfill his promise of erecting a statue in Trim's honor, others took up the cause. Pretty much all statues of Flinders also include his faithful sidekick Trim. Sydneysiders were upset that this particular statue of Flinders (erected in 1925) did not include Trim, so Trim's admirers funded a bronze sculpture of the cat, unveiled in 1996. The statue of Trim sits on an exterior of the windowsill, behind Flinders, with a plaque which reads:

Trim
Matthew Flinders' Intrepid Cat
Who circumnavigated Australia with his master 1801-1803
And thereafter shared his exile on the island of Mauritius
Where he met his untimely death.
Erected by public subscription by Trim's admirers
and unveiled by Rear-Admiral David Campbell AM. RAN
On 28 March 1996
Sculptor: John Cornwell

The statues looked fantastic, as they had just undergone reconstruction at the beginning of September.

We continued down Macquarie Street to Circular Quay. It was another sunny, blue sky day. We met Margret Campbell in front of the Cadman's Cottage for our Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour. The tour started at this historic building, within sight of the Opera House. We proceeded to various locations in The Rocks, ending up in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Margret ("Muughi" in her native tongue) is an elder of the Dunghutti people. She runs tours to teach people about her peoples' heritage, history, and worldview. She started things off with a smoking ceremony, a traditional cleansing which is a part of some "Welcome to Country" ceremonies. Elders have the authority to grant outsiders access to "Country", the native environment with which they are inseparable.

She had us stand in a semicircle and came around and made a gray ochre mark on our wrists: the left for women and the right for men. She burned some plant matter and wafted the smoke over us to cleanse us before entering their environment.

She then took a boomerang and drew a map of her Country, with a focus on the location of bodies of water. She explains that in her culture, one's birth date defines their totems (what plants are flowering at that time, position of the sun, animals/fish around at that season). A person is a guardian of their totems, and can't ever harvest them. Animals and plants are considered to be family members.

This inability to view oneself as separate from the environment was misunderstood by the colonizers, who categorized Aboriginal peoples as "flora and fauna" instead of citizens.

A person has multiple parents who look after their education... their mother's sisters are also considered to be their mothers, and likewise with their father's brothers. The clans would teach morality and punish offenders who break their taboos.

Margret explained the concepts of "men's business" vs "women's business." There are strict gender roles, and it is taboo for women to see men's business and vice versa. Women's business includes such things as birthing and child-rearing, while men's business includes hunting and protecting the clan.

Margret's people recognize 72 primary colors, and all are sacred. Europeans were actually welcomed by the Aboriginal people, since their skin colors were considered sacred. (It was only after the settlers started to exploit nature that there were conflicts).

The idea of "shedding" is key to their worldview. Death is just the shedding of your body, the way their creators did during the Dreamtime. Seeing images or hearing audio of people who may have passed away can be distressing, so media outlets in Australia tend to show warnings when a report may contain such content.

Margret explained how her people can find natural resources even today in the heart of the Rocks area. She pointed out natural fibers from palm trees which can be woven into bags, as well as shellfish which can be collected near the boardwalk at Circular Quay. She spoke a lot of "copyright," by which she seemed to mean forms found in nature which are utilized by the Aboriginal peoples (e.g. the shape of a tree branch that can be made into a boomerang, etc.)

Obviously, Aboriginal peoples have been misunderstood and persecuted by colonial policies. Some policies have been incredibly detrimental, such as those which resulted in the Stolen Generations. Between 1910 and 1970, Aboriginal children were often forcibly removed from their families and put into foster homes with white families or into institutional group homes.

Since the 1990's, there have been some sincere efforts to make amends with those who have been harmed by theser policies. Progress has been made, but there is still a long way to go before Aboriginal peoples have the same rights and priveleges as non-indigenous citizens.

Margret told us that she participated in the Walk for Reconciliation on May 28, 2000, when a quarter of a million people (Indigenous and non-Indigenous people) walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge to show their support for reconciliation as part of Corrobboree 2000, an Aboriginal festival.

She spoke of a pilgrimage she had to make by herself, walking alone from the Blue Mountains, during which she encountered a spirit that resembled a kangaroo.

Margret was a dynamic and entertaining guide, and it was a great introduction to Aboriginal culture. We thank her for sharing her ancestral wisdom with us. One thing that really humbled us is that she is no longer angry and bitter about the exploitation that her people have endured. She said that when she was younger, she was very angry and wanted retribution. But now that she is older, she has taken on an attitude of empathy. She understands that the oppressors did what they did out of ignorance. They did not understand a culture so different from their own. She now views education as the best way to combat ignorance. She enjoys teaching tourists, locals, and her own people about their history and culture. As an elder "Auntie", she teaches young Aboriginal girls to value their identities. She sees positive change happening little by little.

Margret asked me to take a group photograph, and I was happy to oblige. She encouraged photography on the tour, but did not allow video, as she didn't want to compromise her (and her peoples') intellectual property. Aboriginal peoples have limited ways to make a living, even in today's society. Tourism is one of the few industries where they are allowed to own their own businesses, and we certainly want to abide by their wishes.

Another industry through which Indigenous Australians can make a living is art. We wanted to buy some authentic Aboriginal art, but we wanted to buy it from someplace which fairly compensates the artisans. Margert told us that the best place in the Central Business District to buy Aboriginal art is in the Spirit Gallery.

After the tour, we all had a few hours of free time before we would reconvene for our evening activity (a sunset cruise in Sydney Harbour). Craig and I stopped in at the nearby Spirit Gallery to purchase a painting. The dot paintings were all lovely, but we chose a Travel Dreaming, as travel is so important in our lives. The Dreaming is an all-encompassing philosophy for Aboriginal peoples. It reaches back to the creation of the universe and the inter-relationships between nature and humanity.

We were hungry for some lunch, but didn't want anything too big, since we would be having a sunset diner cruise this evening. We went to a stall at Circular Quay called Aussie Goodies. We shared a sausage roll and a caramel slice. We found a semi-shady spot to sit and listen to the buskers as we ate. Everyone eating anything outside was accosted by ibis birds. To us they are more interesting than pigeons, though locals see them as similar pests. They are nicknamed "bin chickens," similar to how raccons are sometimes nicknamed "trash pandas."

Freshly fed, we decided to explore Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden. This garden is officially the oldest research facility in Australia, as it was where the first European settlers experimented with planting European crops. Most of these failed to grow due to the different soil and climatic conditions.

We entered the gardens from Circular Quay, just north of the Cahill Expressway. We encountered an art installation called "Memory is Creation Without End". Created by Japanese artist Kimio Tsuchiya, it consists of sandstone blocks from demolished buildings arranged in a spiral.

We really only had time to scratch the surface of the gardens. They cover 74 acres and date back to 1816.

We marveled at a majestic massive fig tree on the Fig Tree Lawn, watching families picnicing on the grass. We saw one mother playing with her toddler and then having to chase away an ibis who was trying to steal things from their "pusher" (stroller). She noticed that we observed the whole thing and we had a good laugh together.

There is a lot of public art in the gardens, and we saw a marble replica of the statue Venus Italica by Antonio Canova.

We enjoyed the Asiatic plants of the Oriental Garden, which includes a bamboo grove. We walked by the Main Pond and viewed the Venus Fountain (a 1990 replica of the late 19th century original). We enjoyed seeing many colorful varieties of orchids, as well as the Succulent Garden.

As we were admiring the "I Wish" statue (Arthur Fleishmann, 1946), when a small tram made to look like a train passed by, carrying tourists.

We had planned to go to see Mrs. Macquarie's Chair, a sandstone rock on the coast carved into a bench by convicts for Governor Macquarie's wife. However, the sun was quite strong and we were feeling tired. Our feet ached, and we didn't want to walk too far for fear of not getting back to our meetingpoint in time.

So instead, we exited the Royal Botanic Gardens via the Woolloomoolloo Gate and walked past the Art Gallery of New South Wales. We then cut across the sprawling lawns of the Phillip Precinct of The Domain, popping out at Hospital Road.

We climbed some stairs and emerged behind the State Library of New South Wales. We went around to the front of the building and noticed that they have a cafe named after Matthew Flinders' intrepid cat Trim! We couldn't resist going inside. We could really use a cold drink and to sit in the air conditioning for a while, giving our aching feet a rest.

The cafe was next to the library shop. Being a cat fan, I wanted some piece of Trim merchandise. I found a cute children's picture book (I have a collection of kids' books from my teaching days) and decided to buy it - even before I realized that the illustrator shares Craig's name! It was meant to be!

We went over to the cafe side and each got a Gatorade. We sat at a table, quenching our thirst, colling down, and resting our tired feet.

Once refreshed, we walked back to Circular Quay, arriving in plenty of time at our appointed meeting place outside the Museum of Contemporary Art at Circular Quay.

Other group members trickled in, and at 4:30, Britney gave us the rundown on tomorrow's agenda. She said that it was better to tell us now than at the end of the night, at which point we would all have had a few drinks!

We boarded our Sensational Sydney Cruise shortly before 5 p.m. Craig and I had been expecting a large boat cruise with many passengers, so we were delightfully surprised to learn that it was a small private yacht for just the 16 of us!

There was a 3 person crew: Jason, Beck, and Captain Charlie. We got settled in our seats and were offered complimentary beer and wine. Craig opted for Ted beer, and I ordered red wine. Jason gave us a rundown of what to expect, and provided commentary on the sites that we passed.

We had spectacular views of the Opera House as we pulled out of Circular Quay. We traveled east past the Botanical Gardens and Mrs. Macquarie's Chair. Even though we hadn't gotten to see it earlier, we had our chance now.

We had been a bit worried about the weather; rain had been forecast, and we hoped that it would not interfere with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to cruise the harbour at sunset on a private yacht!

The sky started to take on a golden glow at the horizon.

We passed the HMAS Adelaide (L01), a Canberra-class Amphibious Assault Ship of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Along with its sister ship the HMAS Canberra it is the largest ship in the Australian fleet, at over 750 feet in length, displacing 27,500 tonnes when fully loaded. Jason pointed out a red kangaroo painted on one of the turrets; something that is present on all of their naval vessels.

The skyline started to turn orange, and the clouds became dark purple. We had gorgeous views of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We could see people climbing the arch; exactly as we had done just yesterday.

We passed Fort Denison. This is a small island which was used as a prison starting in 1788. Prisoners would be sent there in irons with just bread and water, and the island became known as "Pinchgut." Francis Morgan, a British murderer, was executed in New South Wales. Following his hanging, his body was hang in chains on Pinchgut Island for over 3 years until people complained too much about the smell.

More recently, a restaurant opened on the island. However, it was too difficult for ferries to dock there in the busy harbour, and the restaurant's lease was not renewed.

We had a beautiful view back at the city skyline, and could see the Sydney Tower Eye and other skyscrapers. It started to lightly sprinkle rain, but there was plenty of covered indoor seating. At least the weather held out until after the gorgeous sunset!

Our entree (Aussie word for appetizer) was shrimp cocktail. Craig is so relieved to have learned that he is not allergic to shrimp after all. It was delicious. And the crew happily refilled our drinks.

We moored near a house which was used as a location in the recent Great Gatsby movie. Captain Charlie put some steak and salmon on the barbie at the stern. The sky grew fluorescent orange and pink, silhouetting the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

As darkness fell, the lights of the city twinkled. We really enjoyed getting to know our fellow travelers as we enjoyed our main course of grilled steak and salmon, potato salad, salad, potato chips, and bread, with refills on our beer and wine. The food was pretty much unlimited, and the crew encouraged us to have seconds and even thirds.

Dessert was a fruit and cheese plate. The local strawberries were like we remember them from childhood, fresh, juicy, and sweet. The cheese was amazing, especially the Tasmanian cheddar. We all couldn't stop talking about how delicious the cheese was!

The city took on a completely different appearance in the dark. As we approached the Sydney Harbour Bridge, we could see bats flocking above the structure, chasing insects drawn to the lights. A tall ship (a replica of Captain Cook's Endeavor) sailed toward the bridge. It was on its way to New Zealand to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Cook's arrival. (A couple of weeks later, the Maori of New Zealand would prevent this ship from docking in protest of Cook's barbaric treatment of indigenous peoples).

We passed the Opera House, and could soon see Luna Park, and amusement park which dates back to 1935. The area had previously been used as a staging and workshop area for the steel used to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Once construction of the bridge completed, the city was looking for proposals to develop the site. Australia's first Luna Park had opened in Melbourne in 1912, followed by another in Glenelg, South Australia in 1930. When the Glenelg location faced problems, the owners were looking for another location, preferably in Sydney. The owners won the tender for the site, and built Sydney's Luna Park at this location.

The most recognizable and iconic attraction of both of Australia's Luna Parks is a slightly grotesque 30 foot wide smiling face with sun rays emanating from the top of its head, flanked by two 118-foot tall towers. It was lit and fully visible from our boat, along with a Ferris wheel.

In 1979, two accidents resulted in 13 injuries and 7 deaths. In 1980, the park was demolished and rebuilt to current code, with the exception of the smiling face, the Crystal Palace, and Coney Island Funnyland. The latter is one of the very few remaining 1930's funhouses left in the world. (The amusement park that I used to work at, Whalom Park, had one of these historic funhouses as well, but when it shut down in 2000 after 107 years, the funhouse was lost).

We were told that Sydney's Luna Park is facing some backlash from residents today. The neighborhoods around this one-time industrial area are now gentrified, and residents are fighting against the installation of new amusement rides which might cause additional noise.

We entered Darling Harbour. Today is R U OK? day, organized by a suicide prevention charity. The idea is to take some time out today to ask people how they are doing, listen to their answers, and encourage positive action. We first learned of this in the in-flight magazine on our Virgin Australia flight, and we had seen a woman working at Cafe Trim wearing an R U OK? badge earlier today. We noticed that the Sofitel building was lit by scrolling letters spelling out "R U OK?"

We also got a good view of the Crown Casino (or "Crow Casino", since the "N" in the sign was not lit) under construction. Only one local casino is allowed per city in Australia, so this is designated as an "international-only" casino. Sydneysiders make fun of the extravagance that is the Crown Casino. Rent in Sydney is high enough that many younger people remain living with their parents, or else they have to rent their own places in the suburbs and commute into the city.

Beck said that she called on the phone for fun to inquire about the going rates for penthouses at the Crown. She was offended when she was told that her husband should call back (she is single). She called again later and fibbed that she and her husband were looking into a penthouse, and that he had asked her to call. They told her the price range, and it was absolutely ridiculous. We all had a good laugh at her subterfuge.

The boat docked and we disembarked, thanking Captain Charlie, Beck, and Jason for a wonderful time. We can't think of a more appropriate way to end our time in Sydney. Seeing the city from the harbour gave us new perspective, and the food and hospitality was amazing. It was a fantastic evening!

Britney organized several taxis to take us back to the Vibe hotel. The taxi driver took us via a different route, so we were able to see a bit more of the city, only recognizing where we were when we emerged at Harpoon Harry's.

We said our goodnights, went to our room, and packed our bags. Tomorrow morning we would be leaving for Cairns!