May 20th

A view inside the Sydney Produce Market!

 We started our morning bright and early, arriving at the Sydney Markets at 6am. There are numerous sectors of Sydney Markets: Sydney Growers Market, Sydney Produce Market, and Sydney Flower Market. Through the Grower Market growers (farmers) have their own spaces dedicated to their produce that they grow. You must get a “buyers pass” to be able to purchase anything at the Sydney Markets. You have to buy a “box” of whatever goods you would like. All the markets are open Monday through Friday. The markets open at 1am, when sellers start to set up, buyers start purchasing at 3am and by 8am everyone is ready to go home! In the Produce Market, the “middle men” are the sellers, they do not grow the produce and fruit, just specifically sell. Buyers typically are businesses, including restaurants, cafes and floral shops. The Floral Market was jam packed of flowers and greenery with amazing smells! Wednesday and Fridays are the busiest days for the flowers, because shops are buying for weddings and events that take place on the weekends.

Grape pickers can make $28/hour (AU) minimum, good pickers can even make $50/hour. A husband and wife can make around $1,000 a day if the weather is hot and they pick a lot of grapes. 

 

Bananas at the market are kept separate. They are sent into a cooler where the temperature is changed, allowing them to ripen in around 3 days. 

Sydney Flower Market was full of fresh cut flowers and greenery, many buyers were picking the perfect looking flowers!

After a quick stop at a cafe for breakfast we headed back into Sydney to meet with Meat and Livestock Australia. During our time with them we discussed different aspects of the Australian red meat industry, mainly focusing on production numbers and comparing their operations to our own. Australia only sends 42% of their cattle to a feedlot since the majority is grass fed whereas the USA sends 95% to a feedlot. Australia farms also are much larger in scale compared to farms in the USA. In Australia the average farm size is 7,435 to 37,263 acres depending on farm type. In the USA the average farm size is 463 acres. Another major difference is that Australia raises and exports more sheep than the USA. Overall, Australia and the USA have markets that are compatible with each other, and we compete very little.

Views of downtown Sydney, Sydney Opera House, and the Sydney Harbor Bridge from our harbor cruise! 

 Cruising on the Sydney Harbor was truly a magical way to explore and enjoy the stunning views of the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge. As we glided along the sparkling waters over our lunch, we were amazed by the historical significance and natural beauty of this harbor. Sydney Harbor is a natural harbor and one of the largest in the world. It covers an area of approximately 55 square kilometers and has over 240 kilometers of shoreline. The harbor is also home to several islands, including the famous UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, Cockatoo Island. Additionally, with more than 11,000 vessels visiting the harbor each year, it's a bustling maritime hub offering endless opportunities for sightseeing, dining, and relaxation.

The entire SDSU tour group outside of the Sydney Opera House.

A view from inside the Joan Sutherland Theatre. 

 We toured the Sydney Opera House learning about the construction and history of the building. It took 16 years to build, costing 108 million dollars (AU) and eventually opening in 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II. The building was constructed in three stages with free standing sails and over 22,000 pounds of concrete. Two materials were imported for the building which were glass and 1,056,006 tiles. The structure of the building is also designed to expand during the heat of summer and contract during cooler temperatures. There are 5 theaters total and we were able to view the playhouse and the Joan Sutherland Theatre.  The playhouse is the smallest theatre, seating 400 people and because it is so small, has some of the most engaging performances. The Joan Sutherland theatre is the second largest in the building, named after someone who is thought to be the best opera singer of the 20th century. This theatre contains a large elevator for stage equipment and is used for opera and ballet.  

 

We rounded out our night with our farewell dinner at a harborside restaurant a few blocks away from our hotel. After a phenomenal dinner, we said our goodbyes to Ron, our tour guide for the entire trip.