I can hardly believe I’m saying farewell to Sydney at the end of our posting here. It has been our second home during our time in Australia. I’ve probably been in Sydney nearly once a week for the last four years, and often come up for the weekend. I feel I’ve got to know very inch of the Hume Highway from Canberra.
Inevitably my lasting memory will be of Sydney’s magnificent harbour. It never looked more beautiful than when I sailed in through the heads on board HMS Daring as part of the international fleet assembled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy in 2013. My favourite view is looking back towards the city from Watson Bay.
As Australia’s largest commercial centre, it is often business that has brought me to Sydney. Consul General Nick McInnes runs our Australia UK Trade & Investment network from our 16th floor Consulate on Circular Quay, with its stunning views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. We’ve worked closely with the Australian British Chamber of Commerce to stage many business events, including a packed lunch address by William Hague. Last November PM Cameron strolled through the Sydney streets with Tony Abbott, and both spoke at an infrastructure event, before heading to Canberra and Brisbane for the G20.
My final major event in Australia was this week’s annual AUKMIN meeting between Foreign and Defence Ministers from both countries and dinner with PM Abbott, which I’ve blogged about separately.
More of our ministerial visitors have travelled to Sydney than anywhere else in Australia. I remember taking Sports Minister Hugh Robertson to the Olympic Stadium at Homebush, where he asked to stand on the exact spot where Johnny Wilkinson kicked that goal in the 2003 World Cup final. We’ve been to numerous cultural events, from British exhibitions at the major galleries to the outdoor opera on a floating platform in the harbour. I even had my own play on a stage here last month. And we’ve never missed the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Last year I followed MPs on the campaign trail in the vibrant multi-cultural suburbs of Western Sydney, home to 10% of Australia’s population. I’ve been to Parramatta to discuss the question “how Anglo is Australia” with a group of young Australians from many different lands (answer: quite Anglo, but also quite unique, and with lots of Asian links). We’re leaving our eldest son here for another six months on a working holiday visa. Already Sydney is working its magic on him.
I’ve given speeches and hosted events all over this town, including a memorable GREAT public diplomacy campaign event where we took a London double-decker bus to the Opera House. But finally it was the last one, as we said our farewells to contacts at a reception at the Consulate last Friday.
Sydney Harbour will be our last sight as we fly out of Australia next week at the end of our posting. Clive James talked about the “crushed diamond water under a sky the texture of powdered sapphires” sending out “its invisible waves of recollection” to summon people home. Sydney, we will be back.