May in Sydney this year has been warm, dry and sunny. As changing seasons go, autumn is looking a lot like summer!
Smoke gets in your eyes (and your hair, and your lungs, and your drying laundry … )
Sydney is flanked on three sides by national parks (and an ocean on the fourth), which means a LOT of trees — which all pose fire dangers during hot, dry summers. So in autumn and winter, “hazard reduction” is carried out. On the day I took these shots around the harbour, the pre-emptive fires were in the Blue Mountains, some 125 km (80 miles) to the west. A weather phenomenon called an ‘inversion’ helped to keep the smoke sitting over the city.
It did make for days of glorious sunsets and sunrises, and interesting skies.

Smoky skies over the harbour bridge, 3pm
Hunters Hill Arts Festival

Festival of Art
My goal on the smoky May Saturday was an arts festival in Hunters Hill, the smallest local government area in Metropolitan Sydney. Founded in 1861, it is one the oldest European-settled areas on the north side of the harbour and retains a number of large and impressive stone mansions. For the past 60 years, this Sydney suburb has held an annual arts festival.
Night comes early now
After the smoky ferry rides and the arts festival, and a friend’s birthday drinks, it was time to head home. It gets dark early now, and looking at this deserted train station you’d be forgiven for thinking I’d been out partying until the wee hours of the morning. However, it was only an extremely respectable 6:30pm when I took this photo.

Waiting for the train, Erskineville station, 6:30pm
Mother’s Day
An occasion firmly associated with May.

Mother’s Day
An afternoon of wine in the sun

Mudgee comes to Pyrmont
Mudgee is a renowned wine producing area 265km north west of Sydney. I don’t know what the connection is between Mudgee and the harbourside suburb of Pyrmont, but I heartily approve of this festival! What a marvellous way to spend a sunny autumn afternoon.
Red wine, and white! My two favourite kinds.
A good time was had by all. 🙂

Cheers! Raise a glass
Markets in May

Markets in May, Martin Place
I walk along Martin Place to get to/from my office and the trail station, so it’s easy to keep up with the ever-changing program of events on this pedestrianised street in the heart of the Central Business District. During May, a different Sydney market set up each Thursday. A great excuse to escape the office for a while.
Season Markers
It’s not even possible to pretend that sunlight is still hitting the west end of Martin Place at 5:30pm.
Over at Sandringham Garden in Hyde Park, the 1pm shadow gets longer and longer. The wisteria is still looking lush and green.
Whew, and that’s it for a busy May! Despite the sunny days, winter is definitely coming. Nights are chilly (dropping below 10C/50F) and I’ve swapped my light bedding for my snuggly down/feather duvet, and sweaters and jackets (and even scarves!) are the fashion statements now.
I’ll be away from Sydney for most of June, so next month I think I’ll opt for the version of the challenge that only needs one photo. 🙂
How lovely to do catch-up with you in Sydney, a city that seems to vibrate with life every month! And next month will be the VIVID Sydney light show won’t it? Your temperatures make me smile, 10C is practically our day time temps still! But it is all relative…
have fun wherever/whatever you are doing next month.
Jude xx
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Indeed, Vivid starts in a few days. Installations are going up in Martin Place now. 🙂 In June, I’ll be sailing around Fiji in a tall ship, Tenacious, which has featured quite a bit in this blog already. http://jst.org.uk/our-tall-ships/tenacious/
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I know how much you love your tall ships and sailing. Enjoy the time out and I hope the sails are full of wind, but not too much!
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Full of wind but not too much — yes, that’s it exactly! 🙂
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great photos. pity about the smoke (I didn’t know there are such thing as pre-emptive fires – I hope everything goes well).
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Thanks for stopping by, Klara. I believe those fires are routine, and done every autumn/winter.
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What a very detailed post, Karen. Lots of snippets 🙂 I do like your city. I didn’t know that about the fires as a preventive.
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Too detailed, I think, I’m vowing to cut back now. This is getting to be too much work. 😦
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Haha, that giraffe is funny.
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I laughed out loud when I spotted the giraffe. 🙂 I would have liked to have bought that one.
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