Lost Gardens of Sydney

Sydney’s vast sea of roofs belies its rich legacy of gardens and gardening. In every direction from the city, large estates and gardens have been subdivided and lost to our ever-increasing need for real estate.

Lost gardens explores Sydney’s rich and diverse gardening heritage. It traces the rise and fall of a number of Sydney gardens and garden styles, from the native bush and significant early colonial gardens, to nurseries and the gardens of the rising middle class, to the small domestic gardens of the inter-war years, to corporate roof-top gardens and threatened gardens of today.

The exhibition is rich with paintings, drawings, photographs, plans, statuary, floral albums and botanical images, and will charm anyone with an interest in gardens and the environment.

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10 May - 14 Sept

Sydney's golden age of aviation

1938 saw the dawn of a golden age of aviation when Rose Bay became home to Sydney’s first international airport, servicing the mighty flying boats – large, luxurious, four-engine aircraft that alighted on water.

This was the beginning of an era when air travel was new, exciting and glamorous and a ticket cost more than the average annual wage. Passengers on the journey from Sydney to England enjoyed a leisurely ten day trip in first class comfort with over 30 exotic stopovers.

Flying boats played a vital role in World War II, and after the war they opened up the South Pacific and Lord Howe Island as popular holiday playgrounds for Australians. As a result Sydney operated the last major flying boat base in the world until 1974.

Featuring photographs, posters, film, models, flight crew uniforms, a recreated cabin, a flying boat engine and the fascinating personal stories of travellers, crew and the workers at the Rose Bay base, Flying boats celebrates the early days of transoceanic air travel and presents a definitive account of this extraordinary chapter in Sydney’s history.

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1 - 30 September

Mudgee Wine Celebration, Mudgee

September is Wine Celebration month in Mudgee and there is no better time to visit. The whole town gets in to swing with live bands, art, helicopter rides, food events and a whole stack more. Anyone who truly loves varietal wines, sensational food and local experiences comes to Mudgee in September. Whether you participate in the entire month or attend a week, a weekend or a day, you will enjoy the highest quality offerings and the opportunity to learn about wine and food hands-on, in a most beautiful country setting.

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Millers Point Festival, Sydney

The inaugural Millers Point Festival 2008 is guaranteed to be an enjoyable day filled with activities for everyone.
Come and join the wonderful community at Millers Point and help celebrate one of Sydney's most important historic centres.

Festival program includes:
Roving entertainment; art competition; photography competition; picnic on the hill (picnic baskets available); main stage with music, dance and stage performance; social history exhibition; guided history walks, heritage talks; open house at: Sydney Observatory, Genealogical Society, St. Brigid's Church, The Garrison Church, St. Patrick's Church (including floral displays, exhibitions and choirs); stalls featuring local produce, services and products; children's activities; dog festival with dog whisperer; pupacinos; pre-loved designer clothes and fashion shows; backstage tours of Sydney Theatre Company; tennis tournament and exhibition matches at Kent Street Courts; Lord Nelson Hotel boutique brewery tours; Hero of Waterloo Hotel cellar tours including tunnel and ghosts.

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6 September

History Week 2008 - The Water's Edge Open Day at Customs House, Sydney

The open day will feature talks, film screenings, workshops and exhibitions.

Discover the history of the harbour and the waterfront in this free full day program at Customs House Library and celebrate the start of History Week 2008. Books and maps for sale.

11am Shane Phillips - CEO, Tribal Warrior Association
The Tribal Warrior Association: Aboriginal cultural tours of Sydney Harbour

12noon Ian Hoskins - Historian, North Sydney Council
'Fish they always accept most eagerly': First contacts in Sydney Harbour

1pm Christine Yeats - Manager, Public Access, State Records, & Lisa Murray - Historian, City of Sydney
The 1908 Great White Fleet: stories from the sources

2pm Margo Beasley - Historian, City of Sydney
Home life on the waterfront

3pm Shirley Fitzgerald - City Historian, City of Sydney
Ebbtide: the harbour in Sydney's history

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13 September - 12 October

Floriade, Canberra

In 2008 Floriade will turn 21 in style! See Australia's favourite films showcased in a dazzling display of over a million blooms, highlighting the theme of Floriade 21 — films that shaped our nation.

You'll see a lavish wedding dress from Muriel’s Wedding, Australia’s favourite foot-slapping penguin from Happy Feet; the spectacular Priscilla, Queen of the Desert bus, Babe's lovable sheep-herding pig and more, all emerging from the beautiful garden beds.

Floriade is the biggest flower festival in Australia, a spectacular celebration of spring, set in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park The breathtaking garden beds, made up of more than a million blooms, create giant pictures which reflect the current year’s theme.

The garden beds set the backdrop for a 30 day festival filled with vibrant entertainment, many different learning experiences, unique markets, live concerts and delicious food and drink.

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For the very first time, the sound of the Seventy Voices of the Sydney Male Choir, under the influential conducting skills of Alan Thrift, will be heard harmonising in the superior acoustic atmosphere of the Angel Place City Recital Hall, an experience not to be missed. As always, the wide selection of songs, from romantic melodies, soaring spirituals to syncopated tunes, will seek to entertain and appeal to the audience as it has done over the Choir’s long history of performing since 1913.

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It didn’t take the Festival of Speed on Tweed long to make its mark in the historic car racing movement throughout Australia. Never before has a race been embraced so generously by aficionados of the sport. Since 2002, every September, 20,000 racing enthusiasts converged on the northern NSW town of Murwillumbah for the annual historic speed trials, turning the town into a black and white spectacle of flags adorning the streets and local people decking themselves out in crazy clothing.

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24 - 28 September

Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom, Cowra

Exhibitions, shows, festivals, celebrations and performances.

Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) is a Japanese celebration heralding the arrival of spring every year when the cherry blossoms are at their best. The festival is held at the Japanese Garden in Cowra and is based on the traditional Japanese festival of the same name. During this time the Garden celebrates the coming of spring, focusing on Japanese culture and the beauty of the delicate cherry blossom. During the four day festival a number of Japanese cultural events and workshops are held including Ikebana, Origami, Calligraphy, Shibori, Karate, kite flying, tea ceremonies, music recitals, sake tasting, local food and wine, pottery, bonsai demonstrations, Sumo Wrestling and kimono dressing. A wreath laying ceremony is also held at the Australian and Japanese War Cemetery on Sunday 28th September, and Cherry Trees are planted along Sakura Avenue

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