Tag Archives: Australia

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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The smallest Laneway

Posted on March 25, 2016 | 2 comments

There is a tiny shoulder-width laneway between Little Bourke St in China Town and Lonsdale St. It actually has a doorway within the wall that leads into a small courtyard at the back of the shops on Lonsdale St. The lane opens onto Corrs Lane that has several Japanese and Chinese restaurants including the very good Shanghai Street Dumplings Restaurant where you can watch the ladies making the fresh dumplings through the street window. The shops on the Lonsdale St side all used to be Greek cafes, cake shops and restaurants.  Several good ones remain. This narrow portal can take you from China to Greece….

Laneway off Lonsdale St, Melbourne CBD

Laneway between Lonsdale St and Corrs Lane, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Black & White, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

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Chess in the CBD…

Posted on March 23, 2016 | Leave a comment

Sometimes, on a walk around town at lunchtime, I stop at the State Library steps and watch the chess players. Usually I just watch and figure out the strategies and what the next move might be. But in carrying my camera it becomes about angles, lighting and composition…

Chess at the State Library, Melbourne CBD

Chess at the State Library, Melbourne CBD

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Posted in Black & White, Melbourne, Melbourne CBD

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Where do they hide?

Posted on March 19, 2016 | 2 comments

Camping at Halls Gap, in the Grampians, I got up early one morning to check out the locals birds. Walking across the road to some paddocks near a few houses I watched several deer resting after a nights feeding. Apparently there are 6 species of deer in the forests and associated farmland in Victoria and they number in the tens of thousands.  It seems incredible that I have only seen them a few times over the years. I spend so much time in the forests and yet I never see them. There is still so much to be aware of when walking around. As soon as the general campground started to wake up these two quietly wandered back up the slopes and into the forest.

Deer, Halls Gap, Grampians, Victoria

Deer, Halls Gap, Grampians, Victoria

Deer, Halls Gap, Grampians, Victoria

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Posted in Animal, Victoria

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Silo Art in Brim

Posted on March 16, 2016 | Leave a comment

While driving back to Halls Gap, from one of my excursions to the North Eastern districts of Victoria, I saw a group of people stopped on the road and taking photos of one of the giant wheat silos that are dotted around the wheat belt. It is very flat, dry and hot country. I slowed the car down and had a look at what was going on. People were looking at a giant 30 meter high mural, partially completed on the silo. The artist is Guido van Helten from Brisbane. In researching the artwork I found a number of articles that are worth reading. The articles also show the completed work.

I met a local while I was photographing the art, she said it was fantastic that such a small town like Brim (100 people) could have such a beautiful drawcard to attract people to stop. The people in the mural are actually known to the locals and are copping a bit of a ribbing by neighbours. Their identity is being kept secret to allow the focus to be on the art and not the people.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-07/brim-grain-silos-guido-van-helten-art-wimmera-victoria/7072768

Wheat country Brim, Victoria

Wheat country, Brim, Victoria

Wheat Silo Murals, Brim, Victoria

Wheat Silo Murals, Brim, Victoria

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Posted in Murals, Victoria

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