(via Simon Job) Google Maps now has maximum resolution images for Sydney.  Not just Sydney actually, here’s the Penrith Regatta Centre.  How about the Three Sisters at Katoomba.  Newcastle’s covered too, and it looks like everywhere in between is covered too!  This is a huge update.  Doesn’t goes so far south though, the high res layers seem to stop at Waterfall.

Cool things we can now see:

• The Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor
• Looks like there’s a test match on at Telstra Stadium (Sydney Olympic Park)
• Boats at the marina at Nelson Bay

Oh and sorry, but Melbourne doesn’t have this yet.

The Glue Society, the creative agency that came up with the great molten ice-cream van for last years’ Sculpture By the Sea, has produced a series of 4 photographs depicting biblical scenes from the perspective of a Satellite photo called God’s Eye View.  The photos depict the garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark as the waters begin to recede, the parting of the Red Sea & the crucifixion of Jesus.  This is the same creative agency that did the ‘no-one thinks big of you‘ campaign for the RTA and the Chaser’s international billboard campaign.

Glue Society’s creative director Jonathan Kneebone, not one to shy away from controversy, has said that 

God’s Eye View was not intended to be a theological statement. "Art has always depicted religious events and this is simply a new way to do it," he said. "We’re playing with the whole idea that if you can capture something from a satellite it must exist."

The images are really quite impressive, constructed from multiple images as they are.  For example the sides of the pulled-back red sea are actually shots of Niagara Falls & some of the Garden of Eden is constructed from shots in Belgium (does that make Belgium Heaven on earth?)

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Google has announced nine more cities that have street view enabled in Google Maps:

Now you can check out 360-degree views of Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland and Tucson. As an added bonus, the images in Phoenix, Tucson and parts of Chicago are all in high resolution.
But wait! There’s more. Ever wish you could pan up to the very top of a 50-story skyscraper using Street View? Well, prepare yourself for some serious sightseeing; we’ve introduced the ability to pan up in most new cities.

That’s pretty awesome, so start being nosy again!

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