Summer in Sydney ... romance, the beach and first concerts

What does a Sydney summer mean to you?

When I was a teenager it meant ... freedom! I grew up in a small place about 30 kilometres south of Newcastle, so I rarely went out because the public transport was non-existent to not good, and it was so far out. Visiting my eldest brother who lived in North Sydney at the time was a different matter.

Thanks to the much better public transport I could go out anytime. When I started dating it was in Sydney, my first concerts were in Sydney – David Bowie at the Showground, Devo at the Hordern (not so proud of that), I wish I knew about the Oils at the Antler at the time, that would have been a very cool first concert to brag about.

First memory of summer in Sydney?

The first time I remember being at a surf beach was Manly – my grandparents lived there at the time. I was very young but a strong swimmer and absolutely loved playing in the surf. Swimming where I lived in Lake Macquarie is very nice, going to swimming training to do laps of the pool at the Les Lazarus Swim Centre is well ... doing laps at swimming training, but the surf was so much fun. Even better, we only had to cross the road to get an ice-cream or an ice block.

An early memory of being at Manly Beach was an alarm going off, and people telling me to quickly get out of the water. I was then told that a shark had been spotted nearby, I thought that was interesting but was back in the water as soon as the all-clear was given.

“Plucked from the pages of a 1940s children’s book”: Bill Bryson on Sydney’s ferries.Credit: Steven Siewert

First place you take visitors?

Any day in Sydney that involves a ferry trip is an excellent day indeed. My favourite author Bill Bryson once described Sydney’s ferries as “plucked from the pages of a 1940s children’s book with a title like Thomas the Tugboat”. Most people would recommend a trip to Manly, but the one to Watsons Bay is also a good one, especially as it goes closer to the shore than the Manly trip.

A walk across the bridge is also excellent, and if you’re feeling really energetic, you can pay up to $19 for the privilege of climbing the 200 or so steps up to the top of the south-east bridge pylon to enjoy the very best views of Sydney Harbour.

Favourite cafe?

The closest one, as long as it’s locally owned and operated.

Secret spot you escape to?

Sydney has a very nice harbour, but Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens are nicer.

The best summer food is …

In summer, I particularly like to have fresh seafood, red prawns, oysters, seafood salads.

I know it’s summer when I smell …

The salty sea breeze and the smell of barbecues on neighbours’ balconies.

My favourite summer song is…

Most of the Beach Boys playlist and the little-known Midnight Oil song Surf’s up Tonight.

The worst thing about summer is …

I really don’t like hot or very warm weather, so I’m always looking for a sea breeze, or air-conditioning.

My closest bolthole is …

My balcony, which is only 400 metres from the western shore of Botany Bay and gets sea breezes.

Guilty pleasure?

Drinking a cold chardonnay or a whisky with lots of ice on the aforementioned balcony when the sea breeze kicks in, perhaps a little earlier than I normally would.

What aspect of summer life would you change, and what do you want to always stay the same?

Sydney really needs better public transport to the beaches – my first parking ticket was at a beach. And I don’t want the ferries to look too modern.

Summer in Sydney is a series where Herald staff reveal the best – and worst – of our city in the hotter months.

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