Saturday, June 13, 2009
today in Harris Park
Today I went to the coffee shop to do some writing and had a great cappucino and maamoul mad for under $5. I picked up a copy of the Harris Park Journo, the local paper and this evening I've been reading some of the back issues online. I've found out there's an art gallery in HP, a community centre and even a radio station - Harman Radio, the only Punjabi radio station in Australia (?) according to the second edition published in August 2007. I tried to find them on the internet but all the links seem broken now so perhaps it doesn't exist any more or has relocated?
The current (24th - June 2009) edition mentions there's a few more restaurants and another store opening soon, once their building is ready. I wonder if this will be the old hardware store building, as it seems to be undergoing renovations, and the hardware store has moved around the corner into Marion Street. It'll be interesting to see what styles of food the restaurants will be - there's already a number of local stores. I think there needs to be an Italian restaurant selling pasta and pizzas. There were two when I lived here prior to going overseas, but they've both closed now and been replaced by Indian food places.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Protests in the News
This week there have been protests by Indian students in the streets of Harris Park. I've collected some urls for news clippings I've come across. All the articles, to me at least, make it sound worse than things really are. Personally I don't think the attacks were racially based, just opportunistic, as is found in many suburbs and in fact, every country. I think it's easy to play the 'racial' card especially when the media takes hold of the catchphrase - sensational 'journalism' as some of the headlines below suggest. But I'm sure there are people living here who think they are being targeted. That's not a nice way to feel. The past couple of nights there have been many police cars patrolling the streets as I've walked home - I wonder how long this will last. On Thursday the police handed out informational leaflets at the train station.
the stories didn't seem very popular in Australian media - and only lasted a few days, but even the Prime Minister had something to say about it. there is already an "2009 attacks on Indian students in Australia" page on wikipedia, although it is marked for deletion and there is currently a debate about whether the page should be deleted or renamed or some of the wording changed.
in no particular order - Australian & Indian & International media articles:
Indian student suffers 30 degree burns in petrol bomb attack
Harris Park violence going on for years
Harris Park youtube videos
Have the attacks on Indian students hurt Australia's image?
Racism with indian student at harris park sydney
PM calls for calm over Indian attacks
INDIA: Students told not to hit back
Fresh attack on students in harris park - two assailants nabbed
Police arrest Indian protestors
Police reject claim Indian man abducted
Do you think the recent violent attacks on students were racially motivated?
Australia safe for students - P.M.
Indians say car burn out was a hate-crime
Indian student recounts Sydney attack
Soft target Indian students display strength of unity
Australian PM urges calm - warns off student vigilantes
Some attacks on Indians are racial - Australian cop admits
We're even more racist
Tensions erupt in racial melting pot
AM: Di Bain talks to an Indian restaurateur who doesn't think recent attacks on students are racially motivated.
Retaliation fears grow as students watch their backs
SBS World View program : Hot Seat forum on tackling violence against Indian students - Wed, Jun 03 2009
the stories didn't seem very popular in Australian media - and only lasted a few days, but even the Prime Minister had something to say about it. there is already an "2009 attacks on Indian students in Australia" page on wikipedia, although it is marked for deletion and there is currently a debate about whether the page should be deleted or renamed or some of the wording changed.
in no particular order - Australian & Indian & International media articles:
Indian student suffers 30 degree burns in petrol bomb attack
Harris Park violence going on for years
Harris Park youtube videos
Have the attacks on Indian students hurt Australia's image?
Racism with indian student at harris park sydney
PM calls for calm over Indian attacks
INDIA: Students told not to hit back
Fresh attack on students in harris park - two assailants nabbed
Police arrest Indian protestors
Police reject claim Indian man abducted
Do you think the recent violent attacks on students were racially motivated?
Australia safe for students - P.M.
Indians say car burn out was a hate-crime
Indian student recounts Sydney attack
Soft target Indian students display strength of unity
Australian PM urges calm - warns off student vigilantes
Some attacks on Indians are racial - Australian cop admits
We're even more racist
Tensions erupt in racial melting pot
AM: Di Bain talks to an Indian restaurateur who doesn't think recent attacks on students are racially motivated.
Retaliation fears grow as students watch their backs
SBS World View program : Hot Seat forum on tackling violence against Indian students - Wed, Jun 03 2009
Wikipedia page
Harris Park has a wikipedia page which gives some of the historical background to the suburb. I think it'd be cool to hear some stories from the locals about their thoughts on the suburb and how it's changed, and how it might change in the future.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_Park,_New_South_Wales
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_Park,_New_South_Wales
Streets of Harris Park
Some photos of a few of the streets in Harris Park - there's a lot of cute heritage worker's cottages / houses in HP - some have been renovated & others are run-down, about to be pulled down and probably turned into blocks of flats. Many are now business offices or restaurants - there are many Indian and Lebanese stores here, and Indian, Lebanese, Greek, Chinese, Thai and Japanese restuarants so there's plenty of great food. The Australian International Conservatorium of Music is in HP - though recently it's sign has changed to the Australian International Performing Arts High School (AIPAH). Parramatta is a short walk - there's more and more highrises going up there. There are three train stations that can be used to reach Harris Park - Granville, Harris Park and Parramatta. There is also a bus service.
some reasons to live in Harris Park :
1. it's cheaper than city suburbs
2. it's close to Parramatta city, a smaller city central compared to Sydney centre. there's plenty of great places for coffee and food. and libraries, great public transport, a public swimming pool, parks.
3. also, it's fairly central to the main motorways/highways so it's easy to go on driving trips if you want to go and see other parts of sydney and NSW
photo slideshow
some reasons to live in Harris Park :
1. it's cheaper than city suburbs
2. it's close to Parramatta city, a smaller city central compared to Sydney centre. there's plenty of great places for coffee and food. and libraries, great public transport, a public swimming pool, parks.
3. also, it's fairly central to the main motorways/highways so it's easy to go on driving trips if you want to go and see other parts of sydney and NSW
photo slideshow
Harris Park - Sydney
Harris Park is a suburb adjacent to Parramatta, the geographical centre of Sydney. The suburb has been in the news recently so I thought I'd start a blog to record news and perhaps even get to know some of the locals here. I live in Harris Park but I don't really feel part of the community - perhaps that is because I don't know much about the people or places here, it's just the place where I live. I think this is a bit sad, but probably common in this day & age. Perhaps it's time to return to community living though.
Harris Park on google maps
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Harris Park on google maps
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