Rocks Market 2

Rocks Market 1

Day

The daytime version of yesterday's theme shot.

Theme Day - Night

The Quay at night in its festival finery. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Sky Watch Friday - Parliament House

Continuing this week's theme - the NSW State Flag flies above Parliament House. The New South Wales State flag has been in use since 1876. It includes the Union Jack and the NSW badge. The badge consists of the Cross of St George in red on a white disc with an eight-pointed gold star on each arm and a golden lion in the centre.

For more Sky Watch from around the world, drop in to the home of Sky Watch Friday.

Parliament House - Jubilee Room

Stained glass ceiling of the Jubilee Room.

The beautiful Jubilee Room is my favourite part of the old Parliament House building. It was originally built in 1903 to accommodate the Parliamentary Libary. Architecturally, the Library is a small version of the classic Edwardian reading room, with collections shelved from floor to ceiling, reached by two tiers of galleries running around all sides. On the floor stand the terrestrial and celestial globes which were acquired for the Libary in 1868 and 1871 respectiely; and the display cases hold various pieces from the Parliament House collection. It remained the Parliamentary Libary's main reading room and was the focus of its operations and services until 1980 when the Libary relocated to the new building erected behind the old Rum Hospital. The room was restored and is now used for committee meetings and other functions.

Parliament House - Legislative Assembly

The NSW Legislative Assembly is often referred to as the Lower House or the Seat of Government due to the fact that the Government is formed by the political party which has the majority of Members in the Legislative Assembly. The term of the Legislative Assembly is fixed at four years unless the House loses confidence in the Government or fails to pass an appropriation bill for the ordinary annual services of Government, or the Governor decides to dissolve the Assembly in accordance with constitutional conventions.

The New South Wales Legislative Assembly follows the traditions of the House of Commons at Westminster and is furnished in green. There are a number of theories as to why green was chosen by the House of Commons. First, that the colour adopted by the House of Commons stems from the use of the colour within the palace of Westminster rather than due to any specific symbolism. Second, that the use of green stems from the cost of dyeing cloth for hangings. Dull green cloth was one of the cheapest colours to produce and it is argued that the House of Commons as the House of the commoner, had to be content with a more sober plumage than that of the House of Lords, which was decorated in red. Third, that the green is symbolic of the oak fields of Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed in 1215 by King John, and fourth that it symbolises the village green and oak trees under which the commoners who later became Members of the House of Commons gathered.

The New South Wales Coat of Arms sits above the Speaker’s Chair in the Chamber as a symbol of the sovereignty of New South Wales. Prior to 2007 the Royal Coat of Arms was hung in the Chamber but was replaced with the New South Wales Coat of Arms in accordance with the State Arms, Symbols and Emblems Act 2004.