Coco Eco Magazine

Is it the beautiful sun, surf and sand or the cosmopolitan lifestyle that attracts so many people to Sydney? Everyone is captivated by Australia’s largest city and all it has to offer. You can revel in Sydney’s playground of beaches and national parks and then chill out in the most stylish boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Once you have walked over the Sydney Harbor Bridge, caught a show at the Opera House and spotted a koala in the Blue Mountains, you can then check out the many eco gems awaiting you in the stunning city of Sydney.

SHOP BOUTIQUE

Bird Textile Emporium

This emporium of eco loveliness is the name on everyone’s lips. Every purveyor of style, from magazines to museums, is rushing to showcase the eye-catching designs of Bird Textile. Rachel Bending’s award-winning label and store offers unique fashion, homewares and stationery which are handmade outside of Sydney, in Byron Bay using 100% renewable solar power. The gorgeous fabrics are certified organic and water-based dyes are used to create quirky and covetable prints. With such commitment to the environment, it is perhaps no surprise that Bird Textile became Australia’s first climate neutral business in 2004 and that owner, Rachel is often called upon to guest speak around the country at events focused on design and sustainability. To see the charming range of eco products from Bird Textile for yourself, be sure to step into their Emporium in Surry Hills. This is the prettiest place to find products to furnish your ethical lifestyle in the most striking, stylish and sustainable way.  

380 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, Sydney. Ph: +61 (0)2 6680 8633
www.birdtextile.com

I Ran The Wrong Way
Love the name, love the shop, love the stock! This enchanting store may be on the teeny side but their commitment to filling every nook and cranny with the best ethical and sustainable products is inspiring. There is an emphasis on showcasing Australian designers and products such as organic beeswax candles from Northern Light and Jangling Jack rings made from recycled vintage silver cutlery, as well as stocking products from co-operatives in countries like Nepal, Peru and the Philippines. The area of Surry Hills is fast becoming the place to visit when in Sydney but it is stores such as ‘I Ran The Wrong Way’ that should be at the top of your shopping itinerary. The store is designed in the style of a local, quirky general store and it’s the perfect spot to pick up a unique eco treasure for you or someone you cherish.

378 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, 2010 (Cnr Marlborough Street). Ph: +61 (0)2 9698 0698
www.iranthewrongway.com

Todae
If you want to become fully sussed about sustainable living then Todae is the destination for you. Todae offers conscientious customers the opportunity to shop online or at their store in Glebe for the best eco gadgets and gizmos. This is the perfect place to unleash the green geek within. Every manner of solar powered, energy and water saving products and devices can be found here along with other popular and useful household items. You can shop for pampering products too such as fluffy organic cotton towels, bed linen and natural organic skin care products. Todae stocks all of life’s eco essentials and the store will also fill you with inspiration on how you can start living an even cleaner and greener life.

83 Glebe Point Road, Glebe 2037. Ph: 1300 138 483
www.todae.com.au

SHOP VINTAGE

Pelle
Green girls will find that a shoe utopia does indeed exist for them in Sydney and it can be found at the ultra stylish store, Pelle. Situated in the classy environs of Paddington, this chic boutique offers women the chance to purchase second-hand designer footwear but at a fraction of the cost. Expect to find all of your shoe BFFs such as Gucci, Prada, Marni and Stella along with accessories such as decadent bags, gloves and scarves. Many people are shocked to learn the products sold at Pelle are second-hand and that the store is of the consignment persuasion because everything is in excellent condition. From cute ballet flats to skyscraper heels, this is the only place to find drool-worthy designer footwear at purse-worthy prices.

90 William Street, Paddington 2021. Ph: 02 9331 8100
www.pelleshoes.com.au 

Grandma Takes a Trip
This pretty boudoir of fun fashion finds from the 50s through to the 80s will keep all vintage loving girls happy for hours. The fashion is glam and quirky and the accessories such as hats and shoes are beyond sweet. Many of the pieces have been collected from the UK, which gives Antipodeans the chance to inject their closets with a little European style. Everything is neatly organised and presented in a sleek boutique way which makes treasure hunting all the more easier and enjoyable. Remember to take several of your best reusable shopping bags to Grandma Takes a Trip because you are bound to exit with copious amounts of vintage booty!

263 Crown St, Darlinghurst/Surry Hills. Ph: +61 2 9356 3322
79 Gould St, Bondi Beach
www.grandmatakesatrip.com
 
EAT

Billy Kwong
If you want a restaurant that is both virtuous towards the planet and the palate, then head immediately to Billy Kwong. Winner of the Good Food Guide’s Sustainability Award 2009, Billy Kwong is a Chinese restaurant that is showing every other restaurant how eco-eating should be done. Only ‘organic and biodynamic fruit and vegetables, poultry, meat and noodles’ are served at the restaurant, as well as organic soy sauce, sugar and oils. All tea, coffee and chocolate are Fair Trade and bottled water has even been shunned in favour of filtered Sydney tap water. These stellar initiatives are down to owner, Kylie Kwong’s extraordinary passion for the environment.

Not only is chef Kylie Kwong a popular television presenter and author of four cookbooks, including ‘My China’ (winner of Best Chinese Cuisine Book in the World – 2008 Gourmand Cookbook Awards) but she is also patron and spokesperson for Oxfam Australia, ambassador to the Fair Trade Association and supports other organisations such as the Australian Marine Conservation Society. Kylie believes that ‘our food choices should be ethical, sustainable and supportive of both the natural and human environment.’

Billy Kwong certainly knows how to make all things green delicious (and I’m not just talking about their steamed Chinese greens with organic tamari). Billy Kwong proves that restaurants can indeed make it work when it comes to caring for the planet. Now, hopefully other restaurants will follow suit and make it wok!

Shop 3, 355 Crown Street, Surry Hills 2010. Ph: +61 2 9332 3300
www.kyliekwong.org/BillyKwongs.aspx

Funky Pies
Australians love a good pie but where do you go when you want a healthy, vegan pie in Sydney? After a swim at Bondi you can make your way over to Funky Pies for an ethical refuelling. You will find tasty pies made with 100% plant-based ingredients available in a variety of innovative flavours such as Spicy Thai Pie or No Wurry Curry made with lentil, coconut and chickpea curry. There is no need to worry about ordering a pie on the fly because Funky Pies uses biodegradable packaging such as starch based plastics and recycled fibre card for their take away products. With the packaging guilt taken care of, you may as well go ahead and order a side of mushy peas, mash and gravy with your pie. Funky Pies also offer scrumptious sweet treats and organic juices and organic, fair trade coffee. Even the staff uniforms have been made sweat-shop free. Funky Pies really is saving the planet one pie at a time.

Shop 2/144-148 Glenayr Av. Bondi. Ph: 0420 415 164
www.funkypies.com.au

Iku Wholefood
You won’t have any trouble tracking down healthy, nutritious and delicious food in Sydney thanks to the many Iku Wholefood stores scattered throughout the city. From breakfast to dinner, this vegetarian chain will always have a delectable dish to offer you that is free from numerous food foes such as dairy, additives, preservatives and genetic modification. Each day, gourmet goodies such as vegan cocoa cardamom muffins, fennel and olive miso soups, macroburgers and chai spiced semolina puddings are whipped together in Iku Wholefood’s Sydney kitchen for its hungry and health conscious customers. I’d suggest grabbing your meal of choice ‘to go’ and then heading to one of Sydney’s iconic sights for some sublime, al fresco dining. What could be better than biting on a piece of Adzuki Pumpkin and Ginger Pie with the Sydney Opera House as your backdrop?

62 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Ph: +61 2 9360 5351 (see website for more store locations).
www.ikuwholefood.com

Le Pain Quotidien
At Le Pain Quotidien, you don’t have to worry about the origins of the food or how to pronounce the name (PQ will do), all you have to do is enjoy the menu which is positively overflowing with organic ingredients.  The tempting array of pastries and artisan breads will encourage you to sit down at one of the rustic, communal tables for either a light bite or more substantial plate of scrumptiousness.

 

For breakfast you can enjoy organic granola and omelettes and for lunch and dinner you can try quiches or one of the gorgeous tartines (open sandwiches) such as ricotta and dried fig with tomato, honey and black pepper.  Just remember that Le Pain Quotidien originated in Brussels, so it would only be polite to try either a Belgian sugar waffle or brownie for a mid morning snack. Whichever dish you select, your taste buds will relish the fact that all the bread, coffee, tea, milk and juice served at Le Pain Quotidien are organic. This sort of organic triumph deserves a toast and may I suggest the perfect non-alcoholic drink? Homemade lemonade, made with organic lemons and sweetened with organic Agave syrup. Délicieux!

Bondi Junction (Westfield Bondi Junction). Ph: 02 9386 0840
Also located at Leichhardt (54 Norton St) and Surry Hills (Cnr Fitzroy & Bourke Sts).
www.lepainquotidien.com.au

Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore
For anyone who loves a good book and an equally good cup of organic tea, then Gertrude & Alice is the place for you. This charming second-hand bookstore and café has been imbued with the literary and culinary spirits of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas respectively and is a real favourite amongst locals, artists, intellectuals, coffee-lovers and perhaps even the odd surfer or two from nearby Bondi Beach. Gertrude & Alice have a selection of over 25,000 books so you may need to pace yourself. That won’t be hard thanks to the comfy velvet lounges and café menu featuring something for breakfast through to dinner. Try delectable morsels such as the toasted raspberry and pear bread or the hearty Moroccan Lentil Stew. As you scan pages and sip from a dainty china cup filled with ‘Alice’s Famous Chai’ you may feel as though you are tucked away in a bohemian, hidden hot spot in Paris. Only, this is Sydney, but it is a lovely little taste of Europe in the sun drenched locale of Bondi.

46 Hall St, Bondi Beach, Sydney Ph: (02) 9130 5155
www.gertrudeandalice.com.au

INDULGE
 
Jurlique
Australian beauty brand, Jurlique is one of the world’s leading biodynamic skincare lines. Sydney couldn’t be a better place for you to stock up on your favourite Jurlique products or to introduce yourself to the range. Jurlique have retail stores and day spas located around Sydney which makes it incredibly easy to call a tourist timeout and indulge in a little holistic beauty goodness. You can opt for a heavenly aromatherapy facial or if you have been walking all over Sydney, you may want to try the Essential Foot and Leg Care treatment which Jurlique describes as a ‘facial for the feet’. If you can’t manage a spa treatment, you can always buy some essential skincare products for the long flight home. Try the best-selling Rosewater Balancing Mist to keep you hydrated and then treat your hands to a lovely cream in either a citrus, lavender or rose scent. You may not be able to visit Jurlique’s ‘self-sustaining biodynamic farm in South Australia’ but at least you can take a little bit of Jurlique home with you.  

Retail and Day Spa – The Strand Arcade, 193 Pitt Street Mall 2000. Ph: 02 9231 0626 (further locations at Westfield Bondi Junction and Chatswood (excludes body treatments and spa packages).

Retail Stores are also at Bondi Beach (36 Campbell Parade), Paddington (352A Oxford St).
www.jurlique.com.au

Dr. Hauschka Discovery Centre
Many green girls are familiar with the name Dr. Hauschka. This German beauty brand has been impressing everyone since 1967 with its line of high quality natural skincare products. If you would like to learn more about the popular range of products you can visit the Dr. Hauschka Discovery Centre in Rozelle. For $30 (AUS)  you can enjoy an introductory session that will cater to the current needs of your skin with an array of lovely treatments including a warm lavender compress, facial steam bath, clay mask and more (this price is redeemable with purchases). The centre not only offers the complete range of Dr. Hauschka beauty treatments, but you can also purchase cult products such as the Rose Day Cream from the retail store. This a wonderful way to spend a few hours and once you step out of the centre all dewy and glowy of skin, you can go onto to discover the many cute cafes of Rozelle and nearby Balmain. 

641 Darling Street, Rozelle. Ph: (02) 9818 6119
www.drhauschka.com.au/dr_discovery.html

Stevie English Hair
Treat your tresses to a stylish hair cut or treatment at Australia’s first climate-neutral hair salon, Stevie English Hair. Steve Corthine and his team of savvy stylists will have your hair looking just as spectacular as the celebs and models they are used to working with and they can make it all happen the most eco-friendly way. The hair colorants used are ammonia-free and ‘based on minerals, botanicals and essential oils’ while all the treatments offered are organic. Try ‘The Power Lift’ for damaged hair which uses sweet almond oil to restore your locks to their former glory. This Glebe salon has even been decorated with recycled furniture and building materials and has installed the best energy saving devices for water and lighting. Don’t forget to try one of their barista standard cups of coffee or tea when you are there because the drinks are organic and fair trade, along with the milk, sugar and honey. This is the life for the organic diva!

153 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 2037. Ph: 02 9423 7033
www.stevieenglish.com.au

STAY

Diamant Hotel Sydney
Spend your Sydney nights at this hotel and you will be close to all the major sights as well as fabulous restaurants. You will find the Opera House, Darling Harbour and the chic shops of Oxford Street all within walking distance. Many of the contemporary and stylishly appointed rooms come with private balconies, courtyards and enviable, city skyline views, so book early to secure one of these.

The hotel management monitors and reviews the environmental issues of the hotel each month and ensures that staff are environmentally aware. The Diamant’s power is run on a renewable energy source and the hotel has also strived to use water based paints and furniture and soft furnishings constructed from natural products wherever possible. In the bathrooms, all showerheads have been installed with water saving devices.

To cater to the fitness needs of guests, the hotel also offers ‘free use of all of the facilities at Fitness First Kings Cross’ gym, so there is no excuse not fit in your daily dose of yoga or pilates. You can also find the largest bathhouse and spa in Australia near the hotel, Body Inc Bathhouse and Spa.

14 Kings Cross Road, Potts Point 2011. Ph: +61 2 9295 8888
www.diamant.com.au

Lane Cove River Tourist Park
Stay close to nature and the city by booking into the award-winning Lane Cove Tourist Park. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House are only 10kms away but you can enjoy a more serene, peaceful pace of life by staying within Lane Cove National Park. If you are not the tent pitching type then why not stay in one of the fully serviced family or en-suite cabins? During the day you can bush walk or hire boats and bikes to explore the park before enjoying a picnic lunch or classic Australian BBQ and in the evenings you can take a wildlife tour to see the native animals.

Lane Cove River Tourist Park is well recognised for its environmental commitment, receiving certification from environmental organisations such as Green Globe. The park has installed solar stations and a Nano Particulate Bio Reactor to recycle grey water as well as an Ark Energy Saving Unit to ‘cover the Park’s entire electrical usage.’ Recycling stations are also located around the park along with worm farms for composting. Lane Cove River Tourist Park explains, ‘every dollar spent in the Park goes directly towards maintaining our precious environment and perpetuating our carbon neutral footprint.’

 
Plassey Road, North Ryde/Macquarie Park, NSW 2113. Ph: +61 2 9888 9133
www.lcrtp.com.au

Blue Mountains Private Safaris
Hidden amongst the Australian bush, a little over 100km from Sydney, lays a secret bush camp that will give you a real slice of Australia’s green life. You can sleep by the banks of a river, beneath the open sky surrounded only by trees and wildlife. Yes, you’ll be camping but you will be camping in style. You can either drive or be picked up from Sydney and whisked away to this secluded location at the southern end of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area. Once you hear the sounds of the city replaced by the sounds of kookaburras, you will know its safari time. Your private guide can take you on bushwalks past waterfalls and canoe rides down the Wollondilly river as well as give you a tour of the pioneering town of Yerranderie. Remember to keep a lookout for any kangaroos, platypus and wombats. 

After a day of intrepid exploring, you can return to camp to enjoy a lovely cooked dinner served with a glass of excellent Australian wine (sourced locally from the Southern Highlands vineyards). Sleep will be equally blissful because your ‘swag’ is actually a comfy mattress with a soft duvet and pillows. There is also an eco-friendly en suite with a hot water ‘bucket camp shower’ with towels and organic soaps provided. If this is what life is like in the bush, then hand me a billy can, put a damper in the fire and call my next door neighbour a kangaroo because I could definitely get used to this!

Ph: 1300 790 561 (international: +61 2 9 571 6399)
www.bluemountainprivatesafaris.com

GETTING AROUND

Public Transport
Sydney can be explored easily by public transport. Trains, buses, ferries and even the light rail and monorail can all take you from point A to B quickly without you having to rely on the more polluting modes of transport such as taxis or car rental. If you are taking the bus, look out for the green CBD Shuttle bus stops where you can pick up a free bus that travels around the city, stopping by many popular attractions. 

Sites like Transport Info 131500 offer Trip Planning services that allow you to enter your starting and finishing destinations online along with your preferred mode of transport before receiving directions (in you choice of language) with the estimated travelling time.
www.131500.com.au

There is a variety of transport tickets available for visitors but the SydneyPass is certainly worth considering. This ticket can be purchased for three, five or seven day periods and offers unlimited travel on most forms of transport and can include return Airport Link train transfers. 
www.sydneybuses.info/tourist-services/sydneypass.htm
 
Green Tomato Cars
For moments when only a taxi will do you can always turn to Green Tomato Cars and their fleet of hybrid vehicles. Green Tomato Cars have been operating in London since 2006 and recently began offering the same eco-friendly transport options to Sydney-siders in 2008. As you get whisked from Darling Harbour to the Opera House in a Toyota Prius, you’ll be relieved to know that the ‘electric engine uses 40% of the fuel used by comparable car services and produces 60% less greenhouse gases.’ To book a car, simply call and you will be given a quote along with the chauffeur’s name and number plate beforehand. This is the way to travel in style around Sydney but with a minimal impact on your wallet and the environment.

Ph: 1300 72 9998
www.greentomatocars.com.au

EXPLORE

Lets Go Surfing
When you mention Sydney, most people immediately picture the golden sands and sparkling waters of Bondi Beach complete with requisite surfer dudes and girls. Most people also secretly imagine themselves surfing spectacular 6 ft waves (with equally spectacular beach physiques). Fortunately the first part of this dream can come true if you decide to book a surfing lesson with Lets Go Surfing. This is ‘Bondi Beach’s only licensed surfing school’ and lessons are available 365 days of the year with fully qualified staff. There is a broad range of lessons on offer from the ‘which way do I stand on this surfboard’ beginner courses to more skilled courses that cater to those types that always feel at one with the water. First timers to Sydney and surfing will enjoy the Bondi Surf Experience Taste Test, a beginner course that lasts for two hours or beach babes may like to try the Bondi Surfer Girl lesson that takes place on Sundays. You can also book private lessons with a personal coach who can instruct you or a larger group of people (surfboards and wetsuits are included in all lessons). Lets Go Surfing say that ‘seventy percent of all students stand up in their first lesson’ so a splash-tastic time will be had by all, whether you’re surfing upright or surfing in a way no one has ever seen before!

128 Ramsgate Ave, North Bondi, NSW, 2026. Ph: (02) 9365 1800
www.letsgosurfing.com.au

Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
There could be few things better for the soul than taking a ramble or run along the popular Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk. You can start at Bondi Beach, near the amazing pool at Iceberg’s club and then pass by the Aboriginal carving at Mackenzies Point and continue on to the stunning beaches of Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly, Gordens Bay (ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving) and finally Coogee. The entire walk is 6kms long but you can do as much or as little as you please. There is a bus that can take you back to Bondi Junction or Circular Quay along the way.

Blue Mountains
A day or weekend trip to the Blue Mountains is a wonderful way to see another side of Australia’s beguiling beauty. Located approximately 90 minutes west of Sydney, the Blue Mountains attract many tourists and locals wanting to see the popular towns of Katoomba and Leura. Why not take the train from Sydney to either one of these towns and enjoy the breathtaking scenery as you wind your way up the mountains. Disembark at Leura and wander around the charming stores, cafes, tea rooms and gardens and then travel onto the mountain’s largest town, Katoomba. Here you can see the famous Three Sisters, Echo Point and the Scenic Railway and the Skyway that travels across the Jamison Valley. 
www.visitbluemountains.com.au

GETTING THERE
Sydney may be some distance away so environmentally conscious travellers may consider flying with an airline such as the award-winning, Virgin Atlantic. Not only was it the ‘first airline in the world to operate a commercial aircraft on a biofuel blend’ (demonstrating its desire to move towards more environmentally responsible transport options) but Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, Sir Richard Branson has also pledged to ‘invest all of his future profits from the Virgin transport companies into bio-fuels R&D and projects to tackle climate change.’

Branson’s airline also aims to improve its ‘fuel efficiency by 30%, by 2020′ and an instrumental key part of achieving this goal involves using the most efficient aircraft. Virgin Atlantic has ordered the 787-9 Dreamliner which burns ‘around 27% less fuel per passenger’ than the aircraft it will replace in the fleet and the noise footprint is 60% lower also. This is a big step towards decreasing its carbon emissions. Virgin Atlantic also aims to ‘recycle or reuse 50%’ of its ‘waste lovingly by 2012’.

Fair trade teas and coffees are available on board (with organic varieties becoming available) and passengers can also choose to offset the carbon emissions from their flight through the Swiss based charity, MyClimate.
www.virgin-atlantic.com

For flights within Australia and to nearby destinations such as New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, you can fly with Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue.
www.virginblue.com.au

Airport Transfers
Sydney’s International and Domestic Airports offer a rail service connecting you to the city within 15 minutes. Tickets for the Airport Link can be purchased at the terminals with one way tickets starting at approximately $15.60. If you have too much luggage and require a vehicle for transport, you can call Green Tomato Cars for a hybrid taxi.

Airport Link
www.airportlink.com.au

Green Tomato Cars
Ph: 1300 72 9998
www.greentomatocars.com.au

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