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We pack up and get the bus (after struggling with our bags to the bus stop in the melting heat) to our last Airbnb for Australia. Sob! We're returning to Amelia's place, where we stayed over New Year. We've trusted each other and gone outside Airbnb this time, saving us both some fees, so it's a bargain from our point of view. Plus, Amelia has probably the cutest cat in Australia, Tess, with the second cutest cat, Tux, living just next door.
After settling in and saying hello to the cats, we grab a coffee and hop on a bus to Martin Place. Another coffee, and we decide on a whim to pop into the inspiringly named Museum of Australian Currency (it's free).
It's actually surprisingly interesting. Top facts we learned:
- Treasury invited designs from the public for Australia's first notes currency in 1910. All the note designs offered by the public were deemed unsuitable(!) so the Treasury instead sought assistance from England on note design. Well they were new at this... First notes produced in May 1913.
- In the early 1900s, 90% of the currency in circulation was coins. Now it is a mere 6%.
- A photographic "collage" of King George VI was used for 1939 issued notes - superimposing the head of George on the torso of Edward VIII - as they were designed before Edward abdicated.
- The museum had copies of notes designed during WWII by Japan for use in Australia (assuming they were going to invade it), and designed by Britain for use in Japan (likewise).
- From around the corner we hear our favourite catchy song... Which sticks in our heads for at least the next 3 days. Reminding Aussies that the change over to decimal currency would happen on 14th February 1966. Apparently there was public competition for the new decimal currency seeking name suggestions "with an Australian flavour". Suggestions included 'Boomer', 'Kwid', 'Roo' and 'Dinkum'. Government chose 'Royal'. Treasurer Harold Holt (later the infamous prime minister who disappeared in the waves) explained the name was chosen because it emphasised links with crown and because it's "a dignified word with a pleasing sound"! Those darned republicans were around even then however, and there was general public unhappiness at the suggestion. Just 3 months later the Government announced it would be a Dollar instead.
- Australia were the first in the world to use polymer (plastic) notes, which were issued in 1988 to celebrate their Bicentenary. (This was because the shiny new $10 notes in 1966 were forged almost immediately...!).
- New notes are coming in 2016/2017. Excitement.
The Currency Museum also deserves an honourable mention for letting us stay 20 minutes after closing time, unlikely virtually every other museum in Australia!
Just across the road is the State Library of New South Wales. Outside is a statue of Matthew Flinders, who was the fist to circumnavigate Australia. Behind Flinders, on the windowsill of the library, is a statue of Flinders' cat, Trim, who accompanied him around Australia!
The library had a gallery upstairs with odds and sods, including a copy of the "Real Australians Say Welcome" sign we've seen all over the place. In the library proper, I had great fun rifling through their books card catalogue, and found 2 Bailhaches; 1 Durell (no Vavasseurs); and plenty of entries on Jersey - mainly cattle related!
After a little read of our books, enjoying the quiet of the library, we walk through Botanic Gardens to Mrs Macquarie's Point and Chair. Having been cloudy all day, the sun comes out as we reach it and the view is beautiful! And although plenty of tourists have found their way to the Point, they hadn't found the "Chair" underneath, so we had it to ourselves.
Now ravenous and too far away from home for dinner, we decide to go to Grill'd for a burger. We walk back from Mrs Macquarie's Point, past Finger Wharf in Wooloomoolloo Bay (where we spot the Gillie and Marc statue). Between the wharf and Kings Cross we walk through an area of council housing - we've seen very little of this, despite all our wandering (not surprising for tourists perhaps). In fact the only other place was Miller's Point, also in Sydney.
Grill'd in Kings Cross is very tasty, again - this was a great recommendation from my friend Grace, a trainee at Fladgate. Satiated, we get the bus back to Coogee, have a catch up with Amelia, do a bit of reading, and bed.
AB
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