More photos and information on Sydney for Emily

Dear Emily,

Thank you for your comment. So I can share some more photos (I like sharing photos and graphics of mine when I can), I found it easier to put together another post.

Schools and students have permission to use the photos in this post for non-commercial purpose. This means you can, if you wish, copy any photos for use in school work.

You asked, "What is the building in the first picture?"

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Here is the photo again. The building is the Sydney Opera House and stands on Sydney Harbour not far from the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge. This photo had been taken by my brother.

The bay behind the yacht is known as Sydney Cove. It's where the first convicts sent from England in 1788 established a colony and was the beginning of European people in Australia. It wasn't until 1901 Australia became a nation, much later the the U.S.A.'s 1776. In fact, I believe the American Revolution was what made England look towards Australia as a colony so, in a way, U.S.A.'s independence from England helped establish Australia. Did you know our countries may be linked in this way?

This photo is the most recent I have but I'll share a few more I have taken over the years before we had digital photography, i.e. the photos aren't always as clear.

 

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

This is my earliest photo of Sydney Opera House. I took it back in 1967 when I was a teenager and they hadn't finished building it. It was taken from the top of what was then one of the tallest buildings in Sydney but today would only be thought of as average.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

In 1988 Australia remembered the founding of the first colony of convicts sent here by England in 1788. There was a large party on the harbour with many thousands of people although the local Aboriginal (Koorie) people remember it as a time when their way of life around Sydney began to be lost. This photo was taken on the day of the celebration.

My first known relative arrived on the second fleet of ships, arriving in 1789. He was a convict named John Tucker. My last known close relative to have come from overseas was my Great Great Grandfather who arrived with his family from Scotland in the 1840s. His name was Robert Spence.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Back in 1989, a pilot friend of mine took me on a flight up Sydney Harbour. In this photo, taken through the window of the small plane, you can see Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

This photo across the harbour to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge was taken from the north side of the harbour while I was in Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

Now a final close up view of Sydney Harbour Bridge care of another recent photo by my brother.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

You also asked, " How did you get the pictures under water? Scuba diving? Snorkeling?"

Here is the photo again...

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

While I have been snorkeling, I've never owned a camera capable of being used underwater. Checking my photo library, the only photos I had were really taken in Milford Sound, New Zealand. You will see under the photo in my first post for you I said I had to cheat a little and use a New Zealand photo. Milford Sound has an underwater observatory where visitors can see the marine creatures living in the Milford Sound waters without visitors needing to get wet. Below is a picture of Milford Sound I took in 1999. As you can see, it's a beautiful place.

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

Keep blogging, Emily. 🙂

6 thoughts on “More photos and information on Sydney for Emily

  1. Roadrunners- Mrs. Todd

    Mr. Mannell,
    Like usual your comments and post are so very useful in my global teaching of young America students about life in Australia and New Zealand. We have just done a project looking at some places in Australia to see and the Opera House and Bridge were two of those. We will present this information next week at our Sun Valley International Cluster Fair (where 4 elementary, a middle and high school share information about the 7 continents.

    Reply
    1. rossmannell

      Post author

      Thanks for the positive comment.

      I suppose I’ve become a little obsessed with blogging and blog commenting. It reminds me of being in class and sharing with students. It’s nice to read posts have been of use. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Emily

    Dear Mr. Mannell,

    Thank you so much for these pictures! Now I really want to go to Australia. I think that the Opera House looks really cool! I know that the Prix de Fonteyn is held there. The Prix de Fonteyn is a famous dance competition. I would really like to dance there someday because I am a dancer already. The style of dance I enjoy most is lyrical but the Prix de Fonteyn is a ballet competition. Is the stage really big? Have you ever been inside?

    Thank you so much for allowing my class and I to use these photos. We have been learning about copyright and how important it is to have.

    Sincerely,
    Emily
    Techie Kids

    Reply
    1. rossmannell

      Post author

      Dear Emily,

      I was surprised when you mentioned the Prix de Fonteyn competition in Australia. I had never heard of it. I do know of Margot Fonteyn who had been Prima Ballerina of England’s Royal Ballet. I assumed the Prix de Fonteyn was named for her. Here is a Wikipedia link about her…

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margot_Fonteyn

      When I checked, the Prix de Fonteyn is shown in a TV series called “Dance Academy” but it doesn’t appear to be a real competition. I’m sorry to have to tell you this. We do have many Eisteddfods for ballet. I know this because my niece used to perform in them. She qualified as a ballet teacher but now is studying costume design at Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA).

      While never being a dancer, I have liked ballet and dance for a long time. When I film a show for a 15 school performance in my region, some of my favourite sections are dance. In particular, one small school frequently includes ballet. Since the beginning of our Sapphire Coast Learning Community Festival of Performing Arts in 2009, that small school’s 2010 performance has been my favourite. With so many schools involved, the Festival is held over two nights (Tuesday and Wednesday shows) so I produce two DVDs for them. Here is a link to a local newspaper article on the Tuesday performance from last year. It shows one school’s dance group…

      http://www.merimbulanewsonline.com.au/story/188472/performing-arts-festival-rocks-the-sapphire-coast/

      Sydney Opera House is beautiful inside. I can remember seeing it built and then being opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973. Here is a link to Internet images of the Sydney Opera House both inside and out. You will see inside the main theatre.

      https://www.google.com.au/search?q=sydney+opera+house+images&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=n0k&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=nU86UbOiIOmWiQeL4YGoCg&ved=0CDAQsAQ&biw=1729&bih=1184

      For special occasions, the Sydney Opera House “sails” are sometimes lit up. Some of the photos show the Sydney Opera House in its floodlit colours. The main theatre has room for a large choir and orchestra. Performances include school students. Students from my area perform there each year.

      I am glad you have been learning about copyright. It can be upsetting for someone to see their work used without permission. In my case, I like to share with schools and students so I add permission for schools and students to use many of my graphics and photos. If you see this permission, it’s okay for you to use my graphics for school use without having to ask me.

      @RossMannell

      Reply
  3. Emily

    Dear Mr. Mannell,

    Thanks for the information on Margot Fonteyn. I read it and it was really interesting. While I don’t think I will become any sort of professional ballerina, I am still interested in the style of dance. My classmate and friend, Claire, just auditioned to be in the Joffery Ballet School. It is the most famous ballet school in the United States. She is really dedicated to dance whereas I only dance for the activity and exercise.

    I am sad to hear that the Prix de Fonteyn isn’t real because Claire and I really thought it was real. I do watch the TV show ‘Dance Academy” and knew that what they called the Opera House stage wasn’t really it, but I thought the competition was real.

    Have you ever heard of the Joffery Ballet School?

    Sincerely,
    Emily
    Techie Kids

    Reply
    1. rossmannell

      Post author

      Dear Emily,

      I have heard of the Joffery Ballet School. What an honour to have the chance to audition for them. My niece also enjoyed ballet and went through to qualify as a ballet teacher but chose another career. I have videos of her performing when young.

      Dance is a wonderful form of exercise so I can understand why you enjoy it. It is something you will find will stay with you throughout life no matter what career you choose.

      It’s a pity I can’t share online* a performance by a small school only around 20 miles from me. They only have four classes.

      In 2010, their school principal choreographed a ballet for a performance involving 15 schools. Almost all of the school’s students were in the their performance with ages from 5 to 12, with only older boys not wanting to be involved.

      @RossMannell

      *As I do official video work for schools in my area, I am not allowed to post videos of them on line due to privacy concerns. I have been producing DVDs for them since 2009 and DVDs and VHS videos for schools where I was a teacher all the way back to 1982. I still have copies of all those videos stored on my computer.

      Reply

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