Saturday 1 September 2012

Ashfield Park

I've known that there was a statue of Mary Poppins in Ashfield Park (in Sydney) for quite a while. I'd walked through the park several times in a half hearted effort to find it. A friend lives nearby so I was there reasonably often. Now my friend is moving, it's unlikely I'll visit all that often, so one day recently I went on a quest to finally find her.


Seems not only Paris has a pigeon problem

I'd walked most of the park (it's quite big), then realised where she had to be. Near the children's playground. And, there she was!






On duty for ever, watching over the children





I also found some of the local family of kookaburras. One of my favourite birds, they are always a delight to see, whether they're laughing or not. 

They typically perch up in trees on the lookout for  lunch


Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)

Saturday Snapshot, is a wonderful weekly meme from at home with books

21 comments:

Brona said...

I never knew we had a statue of Mary Poppins in Sydney! Next time I'm in Ashfield I'll check her out. Well done for finding her :-)

BooksPlease said...

That is a good place for Mary Poppins!

And it's nice to see a photo of a kookaburra - it makes me think of the campfire song we used to sing when I was in the Girl Guides - 'Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, laugh kookaburra, laugh, gay your life must be.'

My Snapshot is here.

Paulita said...

I love the photo where the sun is glimmering on her umbrella. I've only seen a kookaburra in the zoo. I'd love to see one in real life. Here's Mine

Trish said...

How fun! Thank you for that lovely tour.

Barbara said...

Love the photos of Mary! And thanks for sharing the kookaburra. I've never seen one. I must put Australia on my travel list!

Eugenia O'Neal said...

I have to confess I never knew P. L. Travers was from Australia. I'd just assumed she was English so thanks for this.

Christine Harding said...

Oh, I do like tat statue, and I'm another who had no idea PL Travers came from Australia. I guess the whole nanny thing glish. My Snapshot is at http://goo.gl/UR1qOmade me think she was an En

Melissa O. said...

Great pictures! Glad you were able to find the statue of Mary Poppins -- kind of like a scavenger hunt of sorts :-) Very cool!

srivalli said...

I love the sunshine on Mary Poppins she looks angelic!

Susan Lindquist said...

Ahhh, Mary Poppins! Practically perfect in every way! Good job tracking her down! And who knew PJ Travers lived in Sydney ?!?

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I'm glad you found her! I like that bird, too...lol

MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST

bermudaonion said...

I love the statue and love seeing the kookaburras - I remember seeing a song about them as a child.

Book Savvy Babe said...

looks like you had a successful trip to the park :) I think pigeons are a problem in quite a few places... Congrats on finding the statue and the Kookaburra Book Savvy Babe

Sim Carter said...

Of course Mary Poppins is by the childrens playground, watching over the little ones. I think many of us assumed PJ Travers was english rather than Australian so thanks for the education. By the way, did you know they are making a film called Saving Mr. Banks about the making of the Mary Poppins movie? Emma Thompson plays PJ Travers with Tom Hanks as Disney. Apparently she was FURIOUS with what he did with her book!

Alyce said...

That is so neat about the Mary Poppins statue, and that you found it near the playground! I bet I'm remembering the same kookaburra song as Kathy. :)

Book Dragon said...

add another to the "I thought she English" column.

playground does seem like the practically perfect place for her


here's mine

Thanks Sim, I'll be looking for Saving Mr. Banks. Now I'm wondering if I ever read the book...off to find my copy

Bev Hankins said...

It's kind of ironic that you're not allowed to feed the pigeons and you've got pictures of Mary Poppins. I immediately thought of Julie Andrews singing "Feed the Birds" in the Disney version....

Love the pictures of the Kookaburra!


Here's my Snapshot.

Anonymous said...

So is the movie Mary Poppins after a real person? Love the statue and its location.


And does a kookaburra really laugh? I only know what the song says.

Vicki said...

What a neat statue!! I love kookaburra's too! And I sang the kookaburra song many times as a child.

Leslie (Under My Apple Tree) said...

I too thought the author of Mary Poppins was British. Guess we shouldn't assume!

The Kookaburra looks a little like our Belted Kingfisher... only the kingfisher doesn't sing.

MedicatedMoo said...

Lovely - I had no idea that she'd lived in Australia!