ed9119 said:
hi y'all, I'm leaving for Sydney for a conference next week and have this Sunday to myself. Looking through the guidebooks and tourist websites, I know pretty much where to go for pretty pics.
I was wondering where should I go to meet 'fringe' type of people and where the REAL non-tourist Sydney areas are.
I just got myself an Olympus 5060 this morning and plan to put it through its paces there.
Thanks for any help.
ed
Rather depends on what you are 'in to'. And how many languages you speak
For the bush walking/scenary type, Sydney ferrys has a 'harbour walks' brochure that has forshore walking paths marked.
The ferry run out to Paramatta is good for seeing the changing face of the city - not much working harbour left, but if you do that run you see some working ships, large former industrial 'waste lands' being turned into residential areas and near Paramatta some actual industry.
Sydney does have some cultural 'enclaves', but I wouldn't wander into some of them with a camera looking like a tourist. The infamous Redfern area which I walk past every day to/from work would have you relived of your camera and money if you went to far off the main road. They certainly won't like any one snooping around with a camera. Redfern doesn't actually represent any particular group anyway - it's sort of become a dumping ground for young people who can't fit into their own communities properly, so it's got the worst of every body.
Sydney does have a upmarket Italian area , Norton St, Leichhardt, which is a short bus ride from the city. The Greeks are in Melbourne.
Auburn is has sort of become a Middle Eastern Musim area, but due to bad press, I wouldn't go wandering with a camera. Besides it's not a photogenic area on the whole, it was orginally a boring working class suburb. The only thing of note is the huge mosque built there, and wandering around treating their main religious centre as a tourist attraction mightn't win you any friends.
The Eastern suburb beaches, Like Bondi and Bronte are full of English backpackers
. Want beaches with out English backbackers outnumbering the locals, go to one of the northern beaches (Ferry to Manly, catch a bus a suburb or two up the coast). Manly beach (South Styne) is a little too accessable due to the ferry service from the city, so is a bit of a tourist trap, but once you get further north into areas accessable only by catching a bus or driving, the tourists thin out.
Or head south to Cronulla.
Cronulla is very accessable by the suburban train system, so does tend to attact tourists like Manly, however the tourists tend to stay near the retail centre, a short walk up or down the coast gets you to beaches used by Sydney siders.
Sydney is really the harbour, beaches and the surrounding bushland.
