[Leica] Camera shops in Sydney

["Garbutt, Robert" <RGarbutt@ncrpexec.telstra.com.au>]

Howard,

There are the usual range of shops in Sydney to be found in the Yellow
Pages.  None I'd rave about - I'm with Alistair and prefer Melbournes-
though Camera House at 364A Kent St in the city (ph 9299-6745) has a better
range of second hand Leica than most.

Of the beaten track (well, in reality, on the ugliest of main roads), a
favourite of mine is Photantiques, 76 Parramatta Rd, Stanmore:  phone
9516-5191.  This is a little out of the city (15 minutes by bus - get a 438
bus in George St and head away from the harbour - or 10 minutes by taxi).
They are only open Thursday, Friday, Saturday but have a good array of
second hand gear - most fairly old to moderately aged.   This is one of
those shops you can go fossicking in, have a relaxed chat and even off-load
something you don't want in exchange for something you think you might  -
one day.  Stanmore is not scenic in the least but a stone's throw way is
Norton Street which is full of good Italian restaurants.

For a little adventure you can head up to Kings Cross (Sydney's grungy but
safe red light district - 5 minutes by train from Town Hall or Martin Place
or take a cab: 5 - 20 minutes depending on the time of day) and check out
the William Loan Office, 191 Victoria St, Potts Point, ph 9358-1461.  Its a
hock shop/pawnbrokers but they only do cameras.  In the 3 windows will be a
wide range of old folders, Contax, Leica R4 -6, Leica M & LTM, a large
format or two and a stereocamera if the day is right.  Unfortunately its one
of those shops where you can't browse but have to gesture from outside, "no
the one on the third shelf down 5th from the end" in sign language.  Despite
that, it is worth a look if you are on the hunt.  If you continue down
Victoria Street you will pass some of Sydney's older terrace housing and
some excellent restaurants and bars that look across at the city - beautiful
for a meal in the evening.  At the end of the street there is a flight of
steps that go down to the harbour at Woolloomooloo.  You can follow the road
back into the city, fuel up with a meat pie and sauce (or a pie floater if
you are game) at the Sydney institution - Harry's Cafe de Wheels.  If you
are still in a walking frame of mind you can hoof it up the hill and around
the harbour foreshores past Mrs Macquarie's chair (a good spot to test out
your new camera), the Botanic Gardens (ditto) and the Opera House (worth a
glance) before collapsing with a beer and a dozen Sydney rock oysters at the
Oyster Bar on east Circular Quay.   This is a good half day's worth.
Alternatively from the camera shop ask for directions to Darlinghurst Rd and
spend 10 minutes cruising the Sydney sleaze joints.  When you get to the
fountain that is styled after the seed head of the dandelion you have got
pretty much to the end.  The sleaze looks remarkably like sleaze anywhere
else.

Regards,
Rob.