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Dancer at India Australia Friendship Fair 2009
August 15th is India’s Independence Day and nowhere is it more royally celebrated in Australia than at the India Australia Friendship Fair in Sydney. This riot of colourful, music, dance and entertainment has got to be one of the best days out whether your background is from India or not and should be on your “what to do in Sydney” list if you are visiting Sydney in August.
Dancers India Australia Friendship Fair 2009
India and Australia’s friendship has never been more poignant as in 2009 Australia unfortunately witnessed a significant number of cowardly attacks against Indian students studying there. Currently there are approximately 97,000 Indian students studying at universities and specialist colleges throughout Australia. Having travelled extensively in India myself, I attended the India Australia Friendship Fair to show my personal support for the Indian community and to experience the fair for myself.
India Australia Friendship Fair 2009
Whilst at the India Australia Friendship Fair I took the opportunity to speak with Graeme Innes, Disability and Race Discrimination Commissioner for the Australian Human Rights Commission and also Mrs Aruna Chandrala, President of the United India Association and India Australia Friendship Fair Director for 2009 about these recent Indian student attacks and the fair. You can hear the full interviews in the podcast – India Australia Friendship Fair.
Colourful Stalls
My personal opinion is that these attacks on the Indian students, whilst having a racial element to them, are perhaps more a reflection of the Indian students being vulnerable to attack by anti social elements of Australian society. The Indian students travel late at night to and from the jobs they work in to support themselves during their studies and also their having to live in lower socio economic communities due to the cost of accommodation. They therefore presented opportunistic and soft targets to their attackers.
A riot of colour at the fair
Australia is a diverse multicultural country, over a quarter of its population being born overseas, with that diversity being readily reflected in the faces you see on the streets, the food that is available in the supermarkets and restaurants and the range of cultural events on the Australian entertainment calendar.
Lots to see and do
The India Australia Friendship Fair is a shining example of that diversity. I can think of no better way to encourage understanding between cultures than at a great party. And a great party it is! If you like food, dance, music, shopping for clothes and jewellery and are in Sydney during the month of August, then check the date of the next fair at the United India Australia association website and get along for a great day out. You won’t be disappointed.
Listen to the India Australia Friendship Fair podcast and I am sure you will add the fair to your “What To Do In Sydney” list along with other great days out like taking an audio tour of The Rocks.
Tags:Aruna Chandrala·audio·audio guide·australia·Australian Human Rights Commission·cheap·free audio guide·Graeme Innes·India Australia Friendship Fair·Indian Student·Indian Student Attacks·nsw·shopping·Sydney·United India Association·what to do in Sydney
King St, Newtown, Sydney
What the heck do you have to do to get a coffee in the sun here at 9:00am? A few shops are opening up and a few coffee shops have diners inside but given the blessing of a warm winter’s morning it’s hard to find somewhere to sit and read the paper in the sun. Coffee is easyenough to find but most of the places are grab and go and the better ones I remember from previous visits still have stools on tables behind closed doors. Ah a Greek Church, there must be coffee near here! And there is, at Anise right across the road, not Greek but let’s go. The coffee is good and there is a free Wi-Fi Hotspot so that’s great!
St Stephens Church Newtown
So welcome to the non podcast walk around Newtown. During the day, a Sunday, not much happens before 11:00am. The shops aren’t open, or hardly any, and there is just no variety. I’m dissapointed! Last time I was in Newtown there were funky shops selling retro goods; homewares, music, clothing, North, South and East Asian handicrafts as well as many restaurants and cafes.
All gone, gone, gone! Well the restaurants and cafes are still here and lots of them, bars, some good I am told but overall not much to entice a visitor a little off the beaten track during the day time.
Mural Newtown Sydney
Newtown has become a restaurant strip. Signs point to markets on the 1st or last saturday of the month or something but I’m not here then and unlikely to be. I am not interested. i am a visitor, not a local.
So… well if you like going out in the evening to restaurants and bars Newtown looks like a good place to investigate, there are over 100 restaurants, cafes and bars listed on the Newtown Precinct site. The same site lists venues and entertainment. Everything from clubs to venues for major shows and theatres so check it out if you are looking for a night out in the inner Sydney village of Newtown.
Terrace Houses Newtown
So no podcast from me and no real attraction during the day for a visitors. It’s a nice place for a lazy walk around looking at some early architecture but that’s about it. It’s a shame how Sydney’s villages are either morphing into some world androgenous “shopping experience”, their individuality getting yuppied out of them, or becoming dominated by one thing as is the case in Newtown.
If you know where all the funky shopping experiences in Sydney have gone then let us know.
Tags:australia·boutique·cafe·cheap·guide·history·Newtown·Sydney
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Avoca Beach Growers Market
Meliora Farms - Avoca Beach Growers Market
Once a month, on the first Sunday, southend park on the corner of Avoca Drive & Vale Ave at Avoca Beach on the New South Wales Central Coast comes alive with a vibrant Growers Market. Operated by Blackcastle Events.
I recently visited the markets and recorded an audio guide to Avoca Beach Growers Market. To confirm the dates for the market click here Avoca Beach Growers Market.
Avoca Beach NSW Central Coast
Originally part of a land grant to John Moore in 1830, the land on the southern side of Bulbararing Lagoon (now called Avoca Lagoon), he named his farm Avoca and planted vines and fruit trees. The area subsequently remained a farm until the mid 20th century when housing development began. Now Avoca Beach is one of the most popular beaches on the New South Wales (NSW) Central Coast with its 1km long sweep of golden sand providing plenty of beach space for all and excellent surfing too. Families are also well caterred for with a large rock pool nearby the Avoca Beach Surf Club which allows families with small children to safely enjoy a swim.
Jubilee Wines
Operating from 08:00am - 12:00pm the Avoca Beach Growers Market covers a wide range produce, everything from hand made sweets and jams through to farm produced cheeses, meats, wine and fruits.
Willowbrae Chevre Cheese
During my visit I met up and had a chance to talk with a few growers and producers. David Borg of Willowbrae Chevre Cheese, a producer of very fine fresh goats curd and goats cheeses who only sell their produce through growers markets around the Sydney Basin. Lyn from Ding products a Peranakan Producer of great gourmet cooking pastes, Tim from Meliora Farm at Peats Ridge who continues his family’s tradition and continues to farm citrus and avocado on a property that has been in his family for 90+ years and Jubilee Wines, who in a family operation produce some very fine wines from Chambourcin grapes in the Haweksbury River Valley.
Plenty of Gourmet Pastes & Curries
All are passionate about their produce that they either grow or produce themselves. That’s the greast thing about grower’s markets, you can get closer to the source of the produce than you can in almost any store and this passion comes across in the podcast. So if you’re heading to the NSW Central Coast and co-incide with the 1st Sunday of the month try to get along to Avoca Beach Growers market, you won’t be dissappointed.
Tags:audio·audio guide·australia·australian beach·Avoca Beach·central coast·cheap·free audio guide·Growers Market·market·shopping
