ANZAC Day Parade and Manly Lookout

Date: 25 April 2013
Location: George Streeet, Sydney and North Head Lookout, Manly

ANZAC Day is being held on the 25th of April every year, one of the most important national occasions in Australia to mark the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War which also served as a remembrance day. 

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Parade taken place along George Street in Sydney from 10am till 12pm.

LEST WE FORGET...

After being a photo maniac for 3 hours shooting over 4++ photos, made my way to my foster family place for an outing to Manly. Scenic viewing at North Head Lookout in Manly.

Snippets of some of the shots taken during the parade...

Shots around North Head Lookout at Manly... 

Cityfest at Merrylands

Date: 13 April 2013
Location: Merrylands

A day outing at Merrylands wandering around watching the festival held there.

A one-day festival in circus theme with street parade, acrobatic and dance performances throughout the day.

Some of the shots taken during the festival...

Sydney Royal Coastwalk - The Marley Walk

Date: 25 March 2013
Location: Royal National Park

One day trip down south to the Royal National Park for a 16km guided walk (free trip won in a competition by a friend of mine). Took ferry at Cronulla Wharf across Port Hacking to Bundeena. 

Walked from Bundeena across Jibbon Beach and went through the rock carvings of the Aboriginals. Seeing sandstone formations of Wave Rock and Prawn Rock among the highlights. Stopped by at Hermit Cave and continued walking towards the White Cliff of Marley and lastly stood at the vantage point overlooking Marley Beach.

From Cronulla Wharf to Bundeena with our guide and cameraman of the day...

Shots around Jibbon Beach and along the way to rock carvings area of the Aboriginals...

The rock carvings...

Along the journey to Wave Rock formation area...

Along the way to the Prawn Rock formation area & Hermit Cave...

The journey to the White Cliff of Marley & finally the view of Marley Beach from a vantage point...

Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

Date: 23 March 2013
Location: Bondi to Coogee Beach

It was a free and easy self-guided walk (about 6km) for a nice beaches view and a photo maniac like me took a few hours to finish it (snapping photos all along my walk).

The walk started from Bondi beach passing through Tamarama beach, Brontes beach, Clovelly beach and Gordons Bay before reaching the final destination at Coogee beach.

Really worth a walk especially on a nice sunny day for photo shooting. Let the snippets of some of the shots taken by me to tell you the beauty of the Sydney Eastern Beaches.

Shots around Bondi beach...

Shots along the way from Bondi to Tamarama beach...

Shots around Tamarama beach...

Shots around Brontes beach...

Shots along the way from Brontes to Clovelly beach...

Shots around Clovelly beach...

Shots along the way from Clovelly beach to Gordons Bay (nice underwater area)...

Shots around Gordons Bay...

Shots along the way from Gordons Bay to Coogee beach...

And finally shots around Coogee beach...

Jom Balik Undi Forum in Sydney

Date: 9 March 2013
Location: University of Technology Sydney

Jom Balik Undi forum had been held in Sydney at one of the lecture theatres in UTS as a campaign urging Malaysians living abroad to fly back home and vote in the 13th General Election.

The panels for the forum consisted of (i) Nick Xenophon - an Independent Senator of South Australia who had been denied entry, detained and deported by the Malaysia immigration authorities in one of his trips there, (ii) Jamie Parker - the Greens MP and is also a "Stop Lynas campaign" advocate, (iii) Wendy Bacon - an Australian journalist who has written and spoken about the Lynas campaign, and (iv) William de Cruz - a Malaysian journalist and musician who helped to lead the Bersih movement in Sydney.

Also a video conference with Dato' Ambiga throughout the forum for questions and answers session with the audiences and panels of the day.

Snippets of the forum...

2013 Chinese New Year Festival

Date: 16 February 2013
Location: Sydney CBD

An outing with some friends to the city for the Chinese New Year Festival celebration. Visited the art exhibition on display at Town Hall and headed to Darling Harbour for the Shaolin Kung Fu martial art performance at Chinese Garden of Friendship.

Some of the shots at the art exhibition area...

Around Chinese Garden of Friendship at Darling Harbour...

On our way heading back and spotted Tony Abbott (current prime minister of Australia) with the lion dance performers of the festival...

Chinese New Year Eve 2013

Date: 9 February 2013
Location: Bankstown & Friend's House

A celebration abroad for the first time without family members around. Went out to the Saigon area in Bankstown for the Chinese New Year festival organised by the council here at noon.

Shots around the festival at Bankstown...

Then at night for the dinner, went to a friend's house (Uncle John) for Chinese New Year Eve "makan besar" with foster family here. Tossed "yee sang" as well as a kick off for the dinner.

Thank you to the foster family who brought me along to join their friend and also the host who invited us to join them for the celebration.

Few of the shots during the dinner...

A Trip to Gosford

Date: 10 February 2013
Location: Gosford

A visit to the foster family place in Gosford of my foster family here during Chinese New Year (celebration abroad without my family for the first time here in Sydney).

Stopped by at Mooney Mooney overlooking Hawkesbury River before heading to Gosford...

After the visitation, went to The Entrance and took some photos around...

A Trip to Symbio Wildlife Park and Kiama

Date: 27 January 2013
Location: Symbio Wildlife Park & Kiama

An outing with friends after Australia Day down to the south visiting Symbio Wildlife Park and picnic at Kiama before heading back home.

It was a rainy day when we reached the wildlife park but the weather got better after that. Snapping photos around with the kangaroos and some shots of the talks given (koala, reptile and Sumatran tiger session).

Snippets of the talk session and the red panda in action...

Posing around with kangaroo and the kookaburra with shots of Tasmanian devil in action and an owl...

Stopped at Stanwell Top Lookout & photo shooting...

View of the Seacliff Bridge (Grand Pacific Drive) & shots around Kiama...