Sydney Harbor Photo Art
Australia is known for many things, but some of the most common are kangaroos and Koalas, Crocodile Dundee, the Sydney Opera House, and the Great Barrier Reef. I knew a bit more about the country than that, thanks to my bosses at the Waltzing Kangaroo, but I had no idea how much more there was. In the two months I was there, living and working in Sydney with weekend trips along the eastern coast, I documented* the food, the land, and the animals.
*The photos were captured with a Nikon D5500 and an IPhone 6 camera. My high school journalism teacher, Kristi Rathbun, once said that, “the best camera in the world is the one you have in your hand,” and I took it to heart. I shot to the best of my ability with whatever tool I had when the moment arose.
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Food
Australia does not have an obvious national cuisine style, but its history as a convict colony and connections with Asia have influenced popular dishes. Japanese, Korean, Thai, Indian, Italian, America, German, Turkish, and English meals are all common. The other noteworthy aspect of Australian diets is that they place considerable value in clean and unprocessed goods. Compared to America there is less added sugar, and more free-range, grass-fed, antibiotic-free animal products. These standards are more attainable because of the sprawling ranch land and lower product demand.
The menchi burger and hot chips at Ume Burger in Bangaroo, July 12, 2019. Sydney is a multi-cultural hub where places like Ume Burger, a Japanese fusion restaurant, pop up often.
Fresh shredded coconut with coconut water, Greek yogurt, honey, passion fruit, papaya, mango, pineapple, and cinnamon, from a farmer’s market in Cairns, June 29, 2019. Cairns is in northern Australia, near the equator, and they have access to many kinds of tropical fruit.
Fresh ceviche and tiger prawns from The Prawn Star, a sailboat restaurant in Cairns, June 28, 2019.
A chocolate and blackberry éclair from Choux Patisserie in the East Circular Quay Village during the Bastille Festival, July 12, 2019. The Bastille Festival is a celebration of French culture, food, and wine, this was the 7th year the celebration took place.
A flat white from The Lion and the Buffalo in Coogee, June 15, 2019. A flat white is an Australian style coffee that is similar to a latte but the milk is less foamy and more velvet-y.
A traditional Australian burger with red beet root and pineapple, and fries from Bare Grill near Frenchman’s Bay in La Perouse, June 14, 2019. Beet root, pineapple, and the occasional fried egg, along with French fries with chicken salt are essential to the Aussie burger.
An acai bowl called the Hippie Bowl from Bare Naked Bowls in Manly, May 25, 2019. There is a massive emphasis placed on natural ingredients and superfoods in Australia, so Acai bowls are a popular snack choice for locals.
A chicken kebab from Manly Seaside Kebabs in Manly, June 9, 2019. A kebab is a Middle-Eastern wrap that is like a burrito-panini hybrid and is considered a kind of fast food, similar to pizza.
Land
Australia has landscapes ranging from rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, rolling hills and mountains, tropical rainforests, and isolated deserts. Australia and America are similar in size, but there is about 13 times more people living in America than in Australia. The first Australians were actually Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes who inhabited the country for thousands of years before Europeans came in 1788.
The view of the Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House from a ferry boat, May 25, 2019.
The view of Gordon’s Bay along the Maroubra-Bondi Costal Walk, May 26, 2019. Costal walks are developed walking paths that hug the coast lines, and the Maroubra-Bondi walk is popular for locals and tourists alike.
The rocky shoreline and tide pools of Clovelly beach, May 26, 2019.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, June 29, 2019.
The view of low hanging clouds and a cliff through the trees in the Blue Mountains valley, June 7, 2019.
Worn stone stairs in the Blue Mountains valley, June 7, 2019.
A fallen eucalyptus tree in the Blue Mountains, June 7, 2019.
The retreating tide at Maroubra Beach, June 15, 2019.
A fallen eucalyptus tree in the Blue Mountains, June 7, 2019.
Animals
Since it is a big island that went untouched for centuries, there are a number of very unique native species that inhabit Australia. Kangaroos are the most well-known example, but wombats, wallabies, lorikeets, magpies, and kookaburras are just a few other examples of interesting species. The Featherdale Wildlife Park is a preservation space that is dedicated to Australia’s creatures.
A bird is being crated due to a wing injury at Featherdale Wildlife Park, June 1, 2019.
A Silvergull is perched on a beach wall at the South Coogee Pavilion, May 31, 2019.
A wallaby and a pigeon share feed at the Featherdale Wildlife Park, June 1, 2019. Wallabies are kangaroos that stand less than hip-height.
Two kangaroos share a bowl of water while being rehabilitated at Featherdale Wildlife Park, June 1, 2019.
A Kangaroo being rehabilitated at Featherdale Wildlife Park, June 1, 2019.
A koala in his enclosure at Featherdale Wildlife Park, June 1, 2019.
Fairy penguins wait for feeding time at Featherdale Wildlife Park, June 1, 2019.
A wombat trots around his enclosure before falling back asleep, at Featherdale Wildlife Park, June 1, 2019.
A Special Note about People:
I met some of the most incredible people while I was there: my host family, Lynnette Turner and Abby Bella May; my boss, Louise Taylor and her family; Vicki and Zoe Leanne; and nearly every other person I encountered there welcomed me into their lives and now I have the privilege of calling them my family. They are not featured in this photo story, but they greatly influenced experience there.