Row, Row, Row your boat...

Standing and watching these intrepid rowers one wintry morning, a comment by a BBC sports commentator came to mind,
"Ah! isn't that nice, the wife of the Cambridge president is kissing the cox of the Oxford crew" - Harry Carpenter, BBC TV Boat Race (1977)

St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral

St. Pauls Cathedral was opened in 1852 and concecrated in 1891, but work didn't begin on the spires until 1926. One of Melbourne's icons, it stands at the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street in the heart of the city.

Going Around In Circles

When you see a Ferris Wheel, what do you think? Does it bring back childhood memories and remind you of summer holidays spent happily outdoors? Remember your first ride on one and how you felt when you were seated up at the very top - and looked around you for as far as the eye could see?

Well, you can relive those memories - at Birrarung Marr along the banks of the Yarra is the largest travelling Ferris wheel in the southern hemisphere. Each of its 36 Gondola carriages has a 6 person seating capacity. It has a 50 meter peak clearance and each ride is 10-12 minutes in duration.

Ferris wheel,
go round and round!
memories last
one day for you
a lifetime for me

---Kyoko Kuriki

The Hallowed Turf

The MCG

The hallowed ground of the MCG, the Melbourne Cricket Ground is the largest stadium in Australia and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is here that the Melbourne Olympic Games of 1956 were held, it is here that the Boxing Day Test Match commences each year, and during winter is the home of Australian Rules Football - colloquially referred to as Aussie Rules - and where, on the last Saturday in September, the Grand Final is held.

It is where legends are made and history is created.
And it is where Sir Donald Bradman, aka "The Don", scored his maiden Test hundred(112) against England on January 3rd, 1929.

Dennis Lillee became the 10th sporting legend to be honoured with a statue outside the ground. In an era when men sported long hair and bristling moustaches, Lillee was no exception - his flowing mane of hair, a ferocious scowl on his face, his fast delivery of the ball had his opponents quaking in their shoes. His statue was sculpted by Louis Laumen.





This statue, also created by Louis Laumen, is to mark the centenery of Federation 2001.
















It depicts the first recorded game of Australian Football held on 7th August 1858.

All The Rivers Run

The Gordon River, Strahan

Two wild rivers - the Collingwood and the Franklin - hurtle through mountainous rainforest wilderness and merge as the Gordon River, which flows into the vast Macquarie Harbour on the west coast.

In the late 1970's/early 80's the Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC) wanted to dam the Gordon River which would have destroyed 35% of the remaining South West wilderness and led to one of the biggest environmental controversies waged in Australia. A campaign by the Tasmanian Wilderness Society (TWS) and other conservation groups brought it to world wide attention.

You can read about it here.

Wild Waters

South Esk River, Launceston

Due to recent heavy rainfall, the South Esk River had flooded and walking along the Cataract walk to the First Basin, the river was pounding and crashing its way as it flowed. The Cataract Gorge Reserve, or "the Gorge" as it's known is a wilderness with natural formation just a short 10 minute walk from the city centre of Launceston aka "Lonnie", Tasmania.

There is a chairlft spanning the huge natural basin - the longest single span chairlift in the world with a length of 457 metres, plus a suspension bridge.

I'll be doing a series of shots from around Tasmania and the West Coast where I was travelling recently.

Blossoms In The Breeze

The Herald of Spring

Standing on the balcony in my backyard last Saturday afternoon, I noticed one of the trees covered with blossoms, and I asked myself when did that happen? I hadn't noticed them the week before. And they made me realise Spring is just around the corner and the dark, cold days of Winter are almost over.

Can you guess which trees they are?

I am going on holidays today, and shall try and post on my travels. Ciào.

Big Birds of the Sky

We live in a direct flight path and when the big birds are coming in to land, they come in groups of either seven or eight or twelve or thirteen, depending on time of day. These babies were flying over my place yesterday morning around 6.30AM - I just stand in the backyard and watch them. They really are a thing of beauty and it is amazing watching these graceful "birds". Leonardo da Vinci knew what he was talking about when he drew up his plans for the first aeroplane back in 1490AD

Jetstar

QANTAS Note the propellers at the front.

Virgin Blue

Air New Zealand

Singapore Airlines

Where Did You Get That Hat?

As I strolled around the Vic market, I was fascinated with the all the different headgear that people were sporting. From the humble baseball cap to the colourful to the stylish - hats, hats everywhere.

Ready Please Mister Music

These two musos (Australian slang for someone who plays a musical instrument)
entertained the crowds at the Queen Vic.
The traditional Bolivian music they played was lively and toe-tapping.

The muso on the left is playing the Quena - the traditional flute of the Andes.

Under his arm is a Charango, a small South American stringed instrument of the lute family.

The chap on the right as well as strumming a guitar, is playing a Zampoña - an Andean panflute. Named for its connection with the rustic Greek god Pan, the pan flute is usually made from bamboo or giant reed (Arundo donax).

The young lady was selling CD's.
I liked the bright colours of the
traditional Bolivian blanket -
known as "Saddle" blankets.

Perfumed Garden

The kiss of the sun for pardon
Song of the birds for mirth
You're nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth

There's something about a garden - whether your own, someone elses, or a public one. It never ceases to amaze me the beauty and wonder of God's handiwork when I inhale the fragrance and see all the beautiful colours and myriad of petal design. It gives me a heady delight and makes me realise that amid all the troubles and trials and tribulations and strife - it is still a beautiful world.

Colourful Cactus - Queen Victoria Market

Sunday afternoon spent at the Queen Victoria Market, aka the "Queen Vic", is a delightful way to while away the hours on a cold, wintry day. It's a great atmosphere and the aromas from the different food shops waft through the air and tantalise one's senses. These bright colourful cacti were like a shining beacon with their happy reds and golds.

In the arid desert sands
Where no flower can bloom
The cactus grows in glory
And dispels the traveler’s gloom.

A braver creation of Mother Nature
One can hardly ever find
The cactus teaches us a lesson
We should forever keep in mind.

When life is easy and smooth
Almost anyone can succeed
But surviving when the going is bumpy
Is a great feat indeed!

Let us try to be like the cactus
Battling every adversity
And with courage turn every calamity
Into a glorious opportunity.

From "The Cactus" by Ramendra Kumar.

Cows in Trees

Hey diddle diddle
The cat and the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon...

Except this cow didn't quite make it and landed in a tree.

"Cow Up a Tree" was designed by John Kelly and is one of the sculptures at Melbourne Docklands public art walk. The artist was inspired by the floods in Gippsland Victoria, which swept cattle into trees and left them stranded when the floods subsided.

Facing Heaven Archway

The two dragons standing guard each side of the Arch

Rear view of the Facing Heaven Archway

Facing Heaven Archway
This magnificent archway was hand made in China according to traditional techniques and materials. It was shipped to Melbourne in many pieces and assembled in Cohen Place under the supervision of highly skilled Chinese craftworkers. It’s the perfect backdrop for photographs and the main entrance to Cohen Place, Chinatown Square and the Chinese Museum.

Melbourne's Chinatown is a fascinating place and I will be doing more posts about Chinatown.

Flinders Street Station

Federation Bells

C'mon, ring dem bells

These beautiful Federation Bells are in the grounds of Birrarung Marr along the Yarra River a short stroll from Federation Square.
There are 80 sets of Federation Handbells totalling 1920 individual bells. Each set covers two octaves and consists of 24 bells contained in four travelling crates. There are 320 crates in total. The total weight of all the bells is 5 tonnes. The total storage area the handbells cover laid flat is 640m2, or a volume of 18m3.

The bells are played from 8-9am, 12.30-1.30pm and 5-6pm daily. Cast in silicon bronze, their design and pitch is unique, and range in size from 120mm high to 180mmhigh and have an average weight of 1kg. The Federation Bells installation was opened by Sir Gustav Nostle on the 26th January 2002. Seven Australian composers wrote 5 minute pieces for the opening.

Listen to the Bells

Shoal Fly By

The Spatial Information Architecture Laboratory (SIAL)
and artists Michael Bellemo and Cat Macleod
have worked together to create Shoal Fly By -
a series of public art for the Melbourne Docklands precinct.
The artwork consists of four separate sculptures
which depict the form and movement of surfaces in water
and are constructed from stainless steel metal tubing.

A closer look at this artwork can be found here at Bellemo & Cat

Angel

Titled "Angel" this mosaic sculpture created by Deborah Halpern in 1988. Made of ceramic, steel, concrete, it measures 924.5 x 992.5 x 351.5 cm. Originally on display at the
Arts Centre, it was moved to Birrarung Marr on the banks of the Yarra.

Deborah Halpern is one of Melbourne's celebrated artists and her work has been on show at Melbourne Meat Market Craft Centre and the Potters Gallery in Sydney.

Princes Bridge

When the first European settlers arrived in Melbourne in 1835 there was no permanent crossing point of the Yarra River. Over time various punt and ferry operators set up business but there was still no bridge. In those times there was no point in waiting for the government in Sydney to provide a bridge and most of Melbourne’s early infrastructure was provided by private enterprise. On 22nd April 1840 a private company was set up with the intention of constructing a bridge across the Yarra and they opened a wooden toll bridge.

By 1850, the government had caught up and built a fine single span structure of brick and stone, opened it on 15 November, called it Princes Bridge, and made it available to the public for free. Within a year, gold was discovered in country Victoria, population numbers swelled and Melbourne became recognised as ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ and the narrow carriageway on the bridge was then inadequate for such a bustling city.

By 1888 and our second International Exhibition, Melbourne had designed and built the third bridge on the site and the one that we know today.

Swimming My Way?

Good advertising isn't it? This is painted on the side of a fish'n'chip shop.

Rooftop Garden

How many kinds of sweet flowers grow...

















Not only is this song about flowers,
it is a song from my childhood
and is happy and cheerful.
and in today's world,
it is good
to take time out
and remember to
smell the roses

Thou Shalt Not Speed

"Pull Over Driver"

When you hear the words, "Pull over driver", you can be sure the nice constable is not referring to knitted winter woollies! It was 40 past schools and I barely had time to whip out my camera when the first speeding motorist was caught!

"The River of Life"

Inspired by a Danish legend, this beautiful artwork was sculpted by Ray Ewers. The statue symbolises "The River of Life" with the spirit of the babe emerging from the water to be carried by the stork to its waiting parents.

Stained Glass Windows

These are some of the east facing windows of St. Monica's RC Church. They were made by Hardman of Birmingham and date from the 1940s and 1950s.

A snippet from the National Trust says "and vaulted eastern apse with elongated windows. The main facade incorporates a large traceried window framed by an arch and octagonal turrets placed above a deeply-recessed porch. The building is notable for its elaborate window tracery and soaring hall-church lit by spectacular stained glass."

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