Friday, November 6, 2009

suburb No 10: Auburn



Welcome to the 'Turkish capital of Sydney', Auburn. Also home to Chinese, Vietnamese, Lebanese, 
Somalian, Indian, Pakistani, Afghan - and a large population of Peafowl (Peacocks being the male 
of the species).

The incredible cultural diversity is certainly interesting but what really struck me was:

• A little piece of Istanbul in the middle of Sydney suburbia, in the shape of the Auburn Gallipoli 

Mosque

• A large chunk of green in the form of the Auburn Botanic Gardens, including a Japanese Zen 

garden and a whole lot of freely wandering, feather shaking Peacocks...


Part 1: The mosque


Istanbul in Sydney





the Imam and the faithful





pencils and books





traditions





Turkey all over




Part 2: The gardens


green





the swan of Auburn





shake your tail feather





Arabic to Zen





open for business





bridging the gap





eyes are everywhere





crown feathers





black and white





S is for spectacular





B is for beautiful




Part 3: The roses


nice roses David





rose Turkish Delight, before and after




Part 4: Other delights


Department of Joy





No 9





Lebanese sweets and Chinese herbs





rust and lace





Mary Street





flowers in the window





true colours





sweet suburbia





circles





one and all



Beauty... Auburn has loads of it, in the gardens, the mosque, the people. And the little bits of faded 
suburbia that are just hanging in there. 


You might like to visit...

The Auburn Gallipoli Mosque, 15-19 North Parade (contact them prior to visiting)

The Auburn Botanic Gardens, corner of Chisholm & Chiswick Roads

8 Mary Street (heritage listed house)

Real Turkish Delight (and chocolates), 1/3-5 Station Road

Al Sofra (cheap and cheerful Turkish food), 35 Auburn Road

Mado Cafe (coffee and ice cream), 63 Auburn Road



Next week? After hanging around in the West these past three weeks, it's probably time we headed 
elsewhere. Maybe North. See you then.

32 comments:

  1. thanks, you made it look nice.

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  2. i've always wondered what the inside of the mosque looked like.

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  3. This one has to be my favourite post so far. I love Auburn and of course your photos are exquisite.

    The photo with the clouds and the 'pencil'is phenomenal.

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  4. This is the most beautiful blog, your photos are outstanding, you bring out Auburn's beauty I love it, this is one of my favourite blogs & as much as I grew up in Sydney & live in Melbourne, it makes me appreciate it so much! Thanks Lise x

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  5. Oh, such gorgeous images. You have 'the eye'.

    beautiful

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  6. Wow, there is so much inspiration in Sydney (and all around Australia). Who needs photos of Paris when there is so much culture, architecture, beauty and life all around us. I am Australian but living in Buenos Aires and check out your blog weekly for some much needed Australian love. This week was beautiful, I love the peacocks!

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  7. This is a spectacular post, truly beautiful!

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  8. your photos are gorgeous as always, but i really love your choices of which ones to pair together. you have an amazing eye & this is one of my all time favourite blogs :)

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  9. Thanks everyone! I love that you love it. And yes, Sydney is filled with undiscovered gems it seems. Wandering around the Auburn Botanic Gardens the other day, no one there but the birds and those awesome peacocks doing the whole shaking, rattling feather thing, with a light mist falling, was sublime. Five minutes from smoggy, thrashing Parramatta Road!
    Louise

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  10. Oh my, now I want to move to Auburn. There is a peacock inspired fence in the park next to us on the Gold Coast. It makes a fabulous shadow on the ground when the sun is behind it in the morning.

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  11. Fantastic! Auburn is so easily overlooked - and you have captured some of its hidden beauty!

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  12. Your blog is soooo beautiful. I do hope a smart publisher approaches you to publish the delights of this blog, it would make a great cofee table book, at least it would on my coffee table.

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  13. another fabulous, beautiful, lovely post and photographs. Thank you!

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  14. Wonderful images, and as well as the great photography in itself it's your combining of images that really makes it all so special and often thought-provoking. Well done again.

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  15. you have an amazing eye, but my favourite part of your blog is that it's really made me notice the little quirks in my own suburb and appreciate it a little bit more.

    Wonderful wonderful work.

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  16. Wow, absolutely stunning photos. This is my first time on your blog and I am in awe.

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  17. Beautiful, but you missed Auburn's incongruos modernist swimming pool!

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  18. With each suburb you cover I find myself astonished anew at both your photos and your eye. Just amazing. Thank you so much.

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  19. Louise, these are absolutely gorgeous. I share this site on Facebook whenever I visit - it's just beautiful. Heard you on 702 the other day and was thrilled. Keep it up.

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  20. Fabulous again.
    I want to know what you do for a living and where you find the time to do the 52 suburbs project, maybe when you do your suburb you can include a little about you?
    And what to get printed, i'll have to have another good look.

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  21. A great continuation of an excellent concept. You are truly an inspiration!!

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  22. mel bomba
    What do I do for a living? A mix of freelance copywriting, editorial writing and photography. But I am living as frugally as possible at the moment so I can focus on photography. Hence the Corner Shop idea - I need to make some moola! Finding the time for 52 Suburbs is challenging. I work during the day until late in the evening and on weekends. But I've spent years putting off what I really want to do before I leave this planet so it's worth the effort and sacrificing other things. Like TV! Hope this fills in the picture a little.
    Louise

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  23. This post is absolutely gorgeous! Obviously Auburn had plenty to inspire you! Can't wait for next week's surprise suburb!!

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  24. the posts just keep getting better and better!

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  25. Louise - just fabulous, every suburb every week. Look forward so much to seeing more. Like I said, there's a book and a TV show right here. I proudly share this blog with friends worldwide who now also admire your work. Bravo!

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  26. I would love to see these cross-posted to livejournal, as you would have the opportuity there to post larger size picture. Just a thought! Im loving these and have returned again and again to the Auburn pictures. Cant wait for the coffee table book at the end of all this!

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  27. Afghani is actually the currency of Afghanistan - Afghan is the correct name for a person from Afghanistan :-)

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  28. Anon
    Thanks for correcting me about Afghani vs Afghan. I will change it in the post.
    Louise

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  29. Nice! But I wonder if you'll find anything to photograph if you ever get to the my suburb, Lidcombe, aside from Rookwood cemetery.

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  30. Wow, I've never visited your site before - and what an amazing blog I've found!

    I went to school in Auburn, and I can't say the memories of Auburn were terrific.

    You have given me a whole new perspective on my childhood home-turf and the things I took for granted...

    I spent many a weekend hanging out (and smoking ciggies!) at the Botanic Gardens. Yes, how special that they are there in the most unlikely of places.

    A beautiful, beautiful post.

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  31. I just saw this blog, and the last photo at the very end of the page of the girl wearing the green Hijab is my cousin!!! I was so shocked to see her on this website. How did you get this photo of her?? I grew up in Auburn, and while I can overlook all the beauty that you have so wonderfully portrayed (especially my gorgeous cousin), i still love it!!

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  32. can u please remove the photo of me please of ur site and the interent its the photo of me in the green scarf, u have written under it one and all
    much appreciated

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