Well, it’s officially spring in Australia. Although you wouldn’t really know it. Anyway, today we went for a stroll around Randwick town centre (if it is even a “town”). Randwick is one of Sydney’s Eastern suburbs. Although we have driven through this area many times we have never really had a close look. Today that all changed…

Despite having a modern shopping centre at it’s heart there are plenty of examples of old architecture in this area. One of my favourites is the art deco Ritz cinema. A fabulous old cinema that is sure to bring back memories to older readers (if there are any).

Captain Cook.

I wanted a close up of the statue of Captain James Cook I had seen many times from the car while driving past. It’s also worth reading the inscription on one side of the base as it mentions where he died – see photo below.

Pretty soon this statue may be torn down. Really. I actually get the feeling that will happen – either officially or unofficially. They have already removed one in Cairns, Queensland this year and there have been calls to have the statue of Cook in Sydney city centre relocated to a museum. I think I need to get photos of anything to do with ye olde Cap’n before he gets resigned to the rubbish bin of ‘politically correct’ motivated history. There are streets, parks, schools and other buildings named after the famous sailor. I will make it a quest. By my reckoning I think I have just over a month to capture them all… Better get my skates on. More on that one to come I think…

This is probably the first statue of James Cook to be erected in Australia and only one of two (that I know of) in Sydney. It was made by sculptor Walter McGill in 1874

Out of the other buildings in the area these (see below) caught my eye. One is an old Presbyterian church building, now boys’ preparatory school. Also, thankfully there are still a few of the old pubs left in Randwick. Always great to see these classically designed refreshment establishments.

Back in the early 1980s, during the Falklands War, I remember hearing reports about the South Sandwich Islands which are in that same part of the South Atlantic.I remember checking the map to see exactly where they were.

I always wondered where the northern sandwich Islands were. Well, it’s where Captain James Cook was killed – and eaten I believe! Although they were just known as the Sandwich Islands back then. Now of course we call them the Hawaiian Islands.