Sinkholes of Mt Gambier

Posted on April 18, 2016 | 1 comment

On a trip over the border into South Australia, we made sure that we revisited the beautiful garden sinkholes of Mount Gambier. The Mount Gambier township is located on the side of an extinct volcano about 5 hours drive west from Melbourne – a few hours longer if you drive via the Great Ocean Road. The area has many large limestone caves and a number have collapsed roofs. Some became part of the famous cave diving region and several were remade into gardens.  The best is the Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens. The gardens are lush, green, cool and very inviting on a hot summers day. We enjoyed our stay in Mt Gambier and the surrounding areas, it had great food and coffee and plenty to see. It made a great base to explore the Lower Glenelg National Park.

Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, Mount Gambier, South Australia

Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, Mount Gambier, South Australia

Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, Mount Gambier, South Australia

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Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, Mount Gambier, South Australia

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Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, Mount Gambier, South Australia

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Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, Mount Gambier, South Australia

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Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, Mount Gambier, South Australia

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Posted in gardens, South Australia

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Street Art with a soundtrack

Posted on April 16, 2016 | Leave a comment

While exploring the backstreets and laneways looking for new street art, I have been finding some very good buskers. I had great background music while photographing a stunning new piece in Degraves Place off Degraves Street. The guitarist was very good. Further along I listened to a trio of musicians – The Collingwood Casanovas…

Degraves Place Street Art, Melbourne CBD

Very colourful Degraves Place street art, Melbourne CBD

Degraves Street Busker, Melbourne CBD

Degraves Street Guitarist

Buskers in Centre Place, Melbourne CBD

Buskers in Centre Place off Flinders Lane

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Posted in Busker, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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Kayaks and Cuckoos

Posted on April 14, 2016 | 1 comment

While walking part of the 252km Great South West Walk, in the Lower Glenelg National Park near the South Australian border, I found a Fan-tailed Cuckoo perched on a branch just off the track. I had stopped to watch a few kayakers work their way up the river and the cuckoo made it distinctive call right beside me.

Glenelg River, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria

Glenelg River, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria

Great South West Walk, Glenelg River, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria,

Great South West Walk, Glenelg River, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria,

Kayakers, Glenelg River, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria

Kayakers, Glenelg River, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria

Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria

Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria

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Posted in landscape, Victoria

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New Banksias and Old….

Posted on April 12, 2016 | 2 comments

While camping at Balnarring Beach Foreshore, a friend (Antoniette) and I photographed the local Banksia flowers stems and seed pods. When left undisturbed the Banksias can grow to large tree-size specimens and attract many birds, mammals and insects.

Banksia Flower Spike, Balnarring Beach, Victoria

Banksia Flower Spike, Balnarring Beach, Victoria

Banksia Seed Pods, Balnarring Beach, Victoria

Last year’s Banksia Seed Pods, Balnarring Beach, Victoria

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Posted in Black & White, Nature, Victoria

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View from the Balconies

Posted on April 11, 2016 | 5 comments

One of the best views of the Grampians National park, can be found from the top of the Balconies lookout. The Balconies are located about 12 kms outside of Halls Gap. From the carpark it is an easy walk to the cliffs. The forest walk to the cliffs has many birds and we even spotted several rock wallabies. The lookouts are fenced off and sign posted but quite a few tourists climbed over anyway and  sat on the rocks, while dangerous it does make for a better photo…

The Balconies, Grampians National Park, Victoria

The Balconies, Grampians National Park, Victoria

View from the Balconies, Grampians National Park, Victoria

View from the Balconies, Grampians National Park, Victoria

Tourists on the Balconies, Grampians National Park, Victoria

Tourists on the Balconies, Grampians National Park, Victoria

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Posted in landscape, Victoria

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Colours and Art of Mt Zero

Posted on April 10, 2016 | Leave a comment

Over summer I camped in the Grampians (Northern Eastern Victoria – 4 hrs from Melbourne) for a week and explored the local area. On a particularly hot day (44 degrees), I drove up to the northern section of the Grampians and climbed up to a small cave shelter and photographed the aboriginal cave art. The cave is known as the Gulgurn Manja Shelter (Hands of young people). A very hot  walk and climb but well worth the effort.

Mt Zero, Northen Grampians, Victoria

Mt Zero, Northen Grampians, Victoria

Mt Zero Rock Colours, Northen Grampians, Victoria

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Mt Zero Rock Colours, Northen Grampians, Victoria

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Gulgurn Manja Shelter (Hands of young people), Mt Zero, Northen Grampians

Gulgurn Manja Shelter (Hands of young people), Mt Zero, Northen Grampians

Gulgurn Manja Shelter (Hands of young people), Mt Zero, Northen Grampians

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Mt Zero landscape, Northen Grampians, Victoria

Mt Zero landscape, Northen Grampians, Victoria

Twin Grass trees, Mt Zero landscape, Northen Grampians, Victoria

Twin Grass trees – regrowth after a major bushfire several years earlier.

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Posted in landscape, Victoria

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New life in the mangroves…

Posted on April 7, 2016 | Leave a comment

While on a birding trip, exploring Reef Island in Western Port Bay, I found a germinating seed pod of a mangrove plant…

Reef Island Mangrove Seed germination, Reef Island, Western Port Bay, Victoria

Germinating Mangrove Seed Pod, Reef Island, Western Port Bay, Victoria

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Posted in Plants, Victoria

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A happy bride…

Posted on April 6, 2016 | Leave a comment

Walking along Elwood beach on the weekend, I noticed a wedding taking place on the balcony of the Elwood Sailing Club. Having only taken a few photos of a starling I was itching to photograph something a bit different…it was an interesting viewpoint to shoot the ceremony…

Elwood Beach wedding, Elwood, Victoria

Elwood Beach wedding, Elwood, Victoria

Elwood Beach wedding, Elwood, Victoria

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Elwood Beach wedding, Elwood, Victoria

the vows…

Elwood Beach wedding, Elwood, Victoria

oops spotted…

Elwood Beach wedding, Elwood, Victoria

done and dusted, and an embarrassed flower girl….

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Posted in Black & White, Elwood, Victoria

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The beautiful Royal Arcade

Posted on April 4, 2016 | Leave a comment

A favourite walk-thru from Bourke St Mall to Little Collins St – one of the most popular shopping arcades of the Melbourne CBD…for boutique shops, lollies and photography…

Royal Arcade, off Bourke St Mall, Melbourne CBD

Royal Arcade, off Bourke St Mall, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Architecture, Black & White, Melbourne CBD

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Maybe this one….

Posted on April 3, 2016 | Leave a comment

A fisherman hoping for the big one…off Elwood Beach breakwater this afternoon…

Fisherman, Elwood Beach, Victoria,

The Fisherman, Elwood Beach Breakwater

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Posted in Black & White, Elwood

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Classical Busking in Block Place

Posted on April 2, 2016 | Leave a comment

There is a pretty wide selection of buskers around Melbourne. From electrified bands to jugglers to statues. I often stop,  have a listen and occasionally buy one of their CDs. While walking through some of the laneways along Little Collins Street this week, I found this Cello busker in Block Place.

Classical Busker, Block Place, Melbourne CBD

Classical Busker, Block Place, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Black & White, Busker, Melbourne CBD

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Preening along the creek…

Posted on March 29, 2016 | 2 comments

While walking along Elster Creek, I photographed a flock of Australian Wood Ducks that have been in the area over the summer. Wood Ducks breed in large numbers with parents and the occasional aunt raising up to 16 chicks. The one photographed below was grooming its finer down feathers. I thought the wind was blowing the feathers forward but as I photographed the duck it raised and lowered the feathers at will as it preened.

Australian Wood Duck, Elster Creek, Victoria

Australian Wood Duck, Elster Creek, Victoria

 

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Posted in Bird Behaviour, Birds, Black & White, Victoria

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Motorised Coffee Table?

Posted on March 28, 2016 | 1 comment

Walking today with Ron, a fellow photographer, along one of the main roads near my place, I saw a low object speeding down the bike lane on the road. Something about it did not look right but at the time we were talking about the local chimney designs (as you do)…the object sped past and noticed that we were watching and laughing, so he did a big u-turn, waved us on to take photos and sped off again down the road…

Groovy Scooter, Elwood, Victoria

Groovy Scooter, Elwood, Victoria

Groovy Scooter, Elwood, Victoria

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Groovy Scooter, Elwood, Victoria

Rock On…

Groovy Scooter, Elwood, Victoria

Off into the sunset…

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Posted in Black & White, Elwood, Street Photography, Victoria

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Cockatoos and Barbed Wire Emus

Posted on March 27, 2016 | Leave a comment

On a day trip with a few birder friends, we explored Eynesbury Forest in the western plains about half an hour from Melbourne. Eynesbury is a growing commuter suburb established in a rural setting with a 288 hectare Grey Box Forest. It has a good variety of birds and animals and has an open under-story with good foliage for the smaller birds. I have always enjoyed walking in the area. On this particular trip we found large groups of cockatoos and parrots. I found the group below feeding on salt bush seeds. Later we explored the old colonial homestead grounds and found the barbed wire Emu.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Eynesbury Forest, Victoria

Sulphur Crested Cockatoos feeding on seeds, Eynesbury Forest

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Eynesbury Forest, Victoria

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Eynesbury Forest, Victoria

Barbed Wire Emu, Eynesbury Forest, Victoria, 20 Feb 2016

Barbed Wire Emu, Eynesbury Homestead, Victoria, 20 Feb 2016

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Posted in Birds, Black & White, Victoria

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Tree Man of AC/DC Lane

Posted on March 26, 2016 | Leave a comment

Over a few days I watched a new mural being created in AC DC Lane. Multi-story high man with a large tree branch. There has been a lot of construction work within the area of ACDC Lane and Duckboard Place. It makes a nice change to have something new and interesting to look at rather than construction vehicles and piles of excavation mess.

BW 2 ACDC Lane Man with Tree Mural, Melbourne CBD, 29 Feb 2016

A new mural in ACDC Lane, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Black & White, Melbourne CBD, Street Art, Victoria

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