Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FLYING FOXINESS
If you cast an eye to the Sydney sky at sunset, you'll see a cloud of bats. You'll find them throughout the city,
particularly in Centennial Park, where they arrive in a great black cloud. The silent, spectral swoop of fruitbats
on the wing might make you want to cower behind a crucifix, but there's really nothing to fear - they'd rather
suck on a Moreton Bay fig than your jugular. The only damage they're likely to inflict is on the paintwork of
your car (their droppings are incredibly corrosive).
These bats are grey-headed flying foxes
(Pteropus ploiocephalus),
and they're an important part of Sydney's
ecology, spreading seeds and pollinating flowers as they feed. Unlike other bats, flying foxes don't live in caves,
don't use echolocation and can't see particularly well in the dark. Neither do they fly in a jerky manner like
their smaller cousins, but rather use their metre-wide wingspan to glide around gracefully, much like birds do.
Centennial Park & Moore Park
CENTENNIAL PARK
Scratched out of the sand in 1888 in grand Victorian style, Sydney's biggest park is a ram-
bling 189-hectare expanse full of horse riders, joggers, cyclists and in-line skaters. During
PARK
Among the wide formal avenues, ponds and statues is the domed
Federation Pavilion
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
- the spot where Australia was officially proclaimed a nation (on 1
January 1901) - surrounded by the various state flags. If you're feeling peckish,
Centen-
lunch $18-29, kiosk snacks $6-10; breakfast & lunch)
near the centre of the park encompasses a
cafe, wine bar and kiosk. At the southern edge of the park is Royal Randwick Racecourse
hectares.
MOORE PARK
PARK
