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 ...to celebrate thae most magnificent of Sydney seasonal events - November's display of jacaranda blooms. They are everywhere. If you stand at a high point, whichever direction you look there is this glorious display of mauve. This tree is on my walk to the station. Here it was in 2006, and this is what the jacarandas looked like elsewhere in 2007: click here. And here's the jacaranda in the main quad at Sydney Uni. 
 A lovely front garden with neatly trimmed buffalo grass, and flowering borders. So many places nowadays have hard surfaces - paving and concrete - that the traditional front garden is rapidly disappearing. That is happening at the same time as housing densities are increasing, so townhouses, multiple occupancy developments are replacing single suburban lots. There's more demand for off-street parking (see the house next door in the background) as the volume of cars increases that soft surfaces are replaced by concrete aprons to park cars, even in single dwellings. Anyway, here's an exuberant celebration of the freestanding house with a well-kept front yard.
 Part of a playground, Firmstone Gardens, Arncliffe
 Springtime display in morning shadows.
 Children's climbing equipment in a local park City Daily Photo Bloggers are participating in this Theme Day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participantsor, click on individual cities below: Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Auckland, New Zealand by Baruch, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bandung, Indonesia by Eki Akhwan, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Ilse, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by JSB, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Ram N, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Edwardsville (IL), USA by Mdflores, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Franschhoek, South Africa by JSB, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Honningsvag, Norway by J., Hyde, UK by Gerald, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Islip (NY), USA by Bettye, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, La Antigua, Guatemala by Rudy, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Hilda, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Manila, Philippines by Anthony, Melbourne, Australia by John, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Middletown (MD), USA by Bernie, Milton, New Zealand by Milton Daily Photo, Milwaukee (WI), USA by karl, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Scott, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Molfetta, Italy by saretta, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Muizenberg, South Africa by Pentaxjunkie, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Elsa, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pensacola (FL), USA by P J, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Andrew Foderaro, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Prague, Czech Republic by kakna, Quezon City, Philippines by ann pablo, Quincy (MA), USA by slim, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea by Jules, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Roanoke (VA), USA by Tanya, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by Burd Zel Krai, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Schenectady (NY), USA by Buck, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, South Pasadena (CA), USA by Laurie, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Telluride (CO), USA by mtsrool, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,
  I love this fading sign from a former era, and the patchwork of bricks forming the wall. This is in the Wolli Creek / Tempe House development area. The contrast is stark. Geographers call this kind of development "brownfields" (as opposed to "greenfields", where there has been nothing previously.) I have mixed feelings about it. High rise development brings more traffic, and light industrial areas are forced to move further afield, meaning working class jobs are kept "out of sight" and further and further from the centre of the city. Affordable housing in the immediate area is replaced by apartments for white-collar workers (average prices for these boxes are $400 000 and upwards for 2 bedrooms). Still, more homes are needed for an expanding population, and there must be limits to the sprawl of big cities, surely? This area is close to established public transport as well. Maybe I'm just fuelled by a misplaced sense of nostalgia?
 On 7 August this year I showed you this leucospermum shrub (left) in a nearby street, and decided to go and visit regularly to record its progress. I've been making posts on Sydney Daily Photo Extra showing changes each time I visit. It's developed much more colour now, and thought it was time to bring it back here. Still haven't seen anyone outside the house to talk to about it.
  Container truck stuck under the railway bridge on Wollongong Rd, Arncliffe. 5pm Sunday 21 September.
 One of the positives of the development at Wolli Creek is the rehabilitation of the parkland sweeping down to the Cook's River. Alexander Brodie Spark once had a bathing pavilion on the river. Unfortunately we have heard nothing about this space being publicly available, as was promised to the communtiy. The suburb across the river is Tempe, named after the house. Tomorrow: looking across the river from the other side.
 Wolli Dancing relates to the Wolli tradition; a place that represents openness, which expresses joy, such as dancing. It captures the sensation and enthusiasm of the performers. Artist Blaze Krstanoski-Blazeski. Unveiled 18 June 2008. I'm also dancing to celebrate my loving mum's 80th birthday today!
 The apartment pool is now obscured from view by opaque glass, but I took this pic in 2006 soon after completion. 
  Spark died in October 1856. There were no obituaries, and he is buried in an unmarked grave in St Peter’s Church cemetery, Tempe. he had already lost the house to trustees. In December 1856 there was a partial subdivision of Tempe Estate into 123 suburban lots of between ½ and 2 acres. There was little interest and it was withdrawn in April 1859 and re-sub-divided. The house and 11 surrounding acres were one lot, and the remainder were 1 to 20 acres. Tempe was bought by two bachelor brothers, Patrick and Thomas Maguire of George St, Sydney. They paid £ 2000. Neither brother ever lived at Tempe, and it was occupied by a series of wealthy tenants. It was known as Greenbank at this time. The large block of flats immediately behind Tempe House is named Greenbank. The other is named Verge. Probably the most notable tenant was Caroline Chisholm, dubbed “the immigrants’ friend”. She leased it to run “an educational establishment for young ladies”, until ill-health forced her to abandon it. Chisholm was once on the Australian $5 note, but lost that position when the $1 and $2 notes were replaced by coins. It is tradition to have the monarch's head on the lowest denomination note, so Queen Liz got the gig.  In 1885 the house passed into the hands of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of St Benedict who operated it as St Magdalen’s Retreat for destitute women from 1884 to 1983. Gradually the function changed from accommodation for destitute women to one primarily for women unable to find employment and in danger of prostitution. Former prostitutes, ex-prisoners and alcoholics were accommodated for two years to work in the laundry, dairy or poultry yard. Younger women were taught cooking, sewing and other domestic duties. Originally the women accommodated were all volunteers, free to leave at any time, and then the courts increasingly referred young women judged to be in “moral danger”. I believe that the house was sold to Qantas which had some plans to use it as a training base, but that never came to fruition. The house and grounds quietly disintegrated until it was eventually sold to developers, the results of which we see today.
 The original owner of Tempe House, Alexander Spark Brodie had travelled extensively in Europe, having undertaken the classical gentleman’s Grand Tour of classical sites. As well as naming the estate “Tempe” after the Vale of Tempe in Greece, he named the rocky hill behind Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus has had a piece sliced off it to accommodate the development. 
 Yesterday we were at the back of Tempe House, looking between the church and house. Today we look back in the other direction. The house was built for a wealthy and successful Scottish émigré, Alexander Brodie Spark. After achieving business success in London, Spark applied to emigrate to Australia, and arrived in Tasmania on 21 January 1823. Finding that not to his liking, he moved on to Sydney where he arrived on 17 February 1823. He opened a general store in George St, and eventually moved into wool exportation, and owned a ship. He was a major shareholder in the Bank of Australia. On 10 August 1826, Spark purchased 110 acres of land on the south bank of the Cook’s River. The only way to cross the river was by boat. Spark had a private boatman, “Old Willy”. Brodie was a great entertainer, and it soon became apparent that the cottage on the site was inadequate, so in 1834 he commissioned John Verge to design an arcadian villa with resemblance to a Greek temple. Verge was a major colonial architect, responsible also for Elizabeth Bay House and Camden Park at Menangle. Verge also designed Spark’s previous home, Tusculum, at Potts Point. Tempe was completed in 1836, and Brodie made it his permanent home, leasing Tusculum, to the Anglican Bishop of Sydney. Behind Tempe House (where we were yesterday)there was an orchard, greenhouse, shrubbery and gardener’s cottage. On the river he constructed a rococo bathing house. I'll feature the river in a later post, though, sadly, the bathing house is no more!
Come with me over the next few days as we have a look around a "brownfields" housing development: the re-use of inner-urban land for modern housing development. The Wolli (pronounced Woll-eye) Creek apartment development is in an area previously called North Arncliffe. It will house 7000 people, and is an example of creating a new suburb in an inner urban area. It was the site of light industry and a magnificent historic house, Tempe House which had fallen in to disrepair. Come with me over the next week or so while we take a stroll through the Tempe House area of Wolli Creek. From 1884 to 1983, the house was occupied by Catholic nuns, the Magdalen Sisters, and the church dates from that time. It is now de-commissioned as a church. It is meant to function as some kind of community facility, but as yet, nothing seems to have happened there - it is always locked and off-limits.  Below: The church and Tempe House. Over the next week I will tell you more about Tempe House. View Larger Map
 Captured in late afternoon shadow.
 This bougainvillea blooms throughout a sunny winter, though the blossoms will become more abundant as we move towards spring and summer.
 All that remains of this local house is the front steps and the fireplace. I wonder what will arise in its place?
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