What a difference a week makes. Last Friday, images of a packed Bondi Beach, heaving with people recklessly ignoring physical distancing rules, sparked outraged both at home and abroad. Since then, as confirmed cases of Covid-19 have skyrocketed and pressure has mounted for people to take isolation and distancing seriously, it seems Sydneysiders are beginning to take heed.
Friday lunchtime is ordinarily a busy moment in the heart of any city, and Sydney is no different, under normal circumstances. Today however, the usual rolling boil of the CBD has reduced to a gentle simmer, with many of the main streets, retail hubs and tourist hotspots all but abandoned.
It’s been estimated that the number of people coming into the city every day has now shrunk by 80 per cent, as non-essential workers have increasingly opted to work from home. Some areas remain reasonably populated, such as Pitt Street Mall and Hyde Park. But by and large, Sydney’s usually bustling city streets are pretty much empty – take a look below.
Haymarket
Sydney's China Town has been quiet since the emergence of Covid-19 in Wuhan, as members of Sydney's Chinese community began isolating. Today, at the peak of the usual lunchtime rush, only a handful of people remain.
Photograph: Maxim Boon
George Street
One of Sydney's busiest arteries is almost traffic free. The light rail continues to run, but is largely empty. A few people are on the streets, many with face masks, but nowhere near the usual footfall you'd expect at lunchtime.
Photograph: Maxim Boon
The Queen Victoria Building
Sydney's most popular shopping destination is largely dormant. A few shops remain open – for the most part, luxury brands that don't rely on a high number of sales. However, the majority of shops and all of the QVB's cafes and eateries are now shuttered.
Photograph: Maxim Boon
The Sydney Opera House and Opera Bar
It's not only Sydney's most famous landmark, but one of the true architectural icons of the world. Tourists flock here to see these famous sails in person, but with all international arrivals now barred, the Sydney Opera House is eerily quiet. Likewise the Opera Bar. With its views of the Harbour Bridge and proximity to the city, it would normally be chock-full of visitors and white-collar workers on a Friday lunchtime. Instead, its tables are empty.
Photograph: Maxim Boon
International Cruiseship Terminal
The bungled admission of coronavirus-infected passengers from the Ruby Princess, which happened right here last week, may eventually be seen as one of the greatest mismanagements of Australian border security during the Covid-19 crisis. Today, no ships are docked here and the terminal shows no signs of life. It's uncertain when passengers will next disembark at the International Terminal, but certainly not for many months.
Photograph: Maxim Boon
The Rocks
Another major tourist hotspot, these usually thriving streets, popular for their Colonial-era charm and proximity to Sydney's famed landmarks, are in full hibernation-mode until visitors are allowed to return. Even businesses that are technically still permitted to trade have opted to close.
Photograph: Maxim Boon
Martin Place
At the very epicentre of the city, this public space is usually crisscrossed by workers, shoppers, visitors and tourists, hurriedly going about their business. However, only a few of the people who still remain at their workplaces in the city can be found here now, and that number is sure to dwindle further as more and more choose to remain at home.
Photograph: Maxim Boon