Five Dock is located in Sydney’s inner west, one of many suburbs that seem to blend from one to the next. It is within about 10 kilometres of the Sydney CBD and its name is thought to derive from the shape of the bay along the Parramatta River. Water-worn indentations were likened to docks, and there were five of them.

On the day I had a brief wander around Five Dock, I didn’t venture far from the main road. This is the Great North Road, which once linked the colonial settlements with the Hunter Valley.

The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Ltd building, Five Dock
The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Ltd building, Five Dock

The streetscape was a mixture of shopfronts with newer developments including a shopping centre incorporating the local library. There were some older buildings too, such as this Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Ltd building, which is still in use.

The Canadian Connection by Fintan Magee
Detail from The Canadian Connection by Fintan Magee

In an alley between the main road and a parking area, there was a large mural dedicated to the Canadian connection in Five Dock. The nearby suburb of Canada Bay was named for a group of 58 French-Canadian exiles from the Quebec region. They were arrested for organising an uprising against the British colony in Canada, and many were exported to Australia as prisoners. The mural tells part of their story, interweaving native flowers from Canada and Australia, as well as objects used by convicts in the colony.

Fit Five Dock by Eddie Botha
Fit Five Dock by Eddie Botha

There are various outdoor exercise options in Five Dock, and many of these are covered by another mural. This celebrates the health and fitness of the local community through a single drawing of 1656 people participating in sport, leisure and recreation activities. There are also 39 dogs. What a bright celebration of movement!

Electricity box depicting urban life, Five Dock
Electricity box depicting urban life, Five Dock

On my meanderings, I am seeing more artwork on electricity boxes. It seems such a simple idea to brighten up something so utilitarian, and it really makes a different to the urban landscape. This box reflects modern urban living with multi-storey apartments and various living arrangements.

Creativity - a weird little beast
Creativity – a weird little beast

This final photo captures much of what I feel as I go about my day. There are many moments when I am distracted by something I see passing by on my way to somewhere else. It may rarely be seen or noticed, but for a moment it is really interesting to me.

Have you come across any interesting moments lately?

{Photo: detail on electricity box in Five Dock}