A MAJOR STRUGGLE
Griffiths Island, Victoria, Australia
Friday 30 November 2018
This small pond on the western side of Griffiths Island looks man-made, and possibly is, as I suspect the blue stone used to construct the lighthouse on the other side of the island might have come from here. The reflections of the rising sun immediately caught my eye, but the cormorant with its wings outstretched on the tallest rock quickly took the focus. Trying to get a closeup of the bird meant missing the reflections, and capturing the reflections made the cormorant very small. One of life's major struggles! (2612)
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READY TO FALL
Murray River, Victoria, Australia
Thursday 29 November 2018
One of the features of our Murray River is the massive gum trees that surround it. These trees, some hundreds of years old have been used for building and even railway sleepers over the years, although much of the area is now protected from loggers. The river is littered with branches and fallen trees, which is one of its features, and looking at this tree, you can see why they fall into the water. Future floods will further erode the roots and eventually cause it to topple too. (2611)
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MOVEMENT
Southside Beach, Victoria, Australia
Wednesday 28 November 2018
Not much of a sunrise, but the flow of water from the waves crashing and flowing around the rocks on the Southside Beach was amazing. I managed to get a little wet, but not enough to stop me from trying to capture the movement I was watching. Movement is often hard to capture in a still image, but you can definitely see the lines of white foam that were racing up the beach, trying to catch me in this shot. (2610)
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A GREAT PHOTOSHOOT
Kennett River, Victoria, Australia
Tuesday 27 November 2018
I had a lovely time on the beach at Kennett River. It was my first visit there and the wonderful sunrise provided for a great photoshoot. The tide was low and lots of rock pools were left behind, and seagrass covered many of the exposed rocks. The sun had an unusual ring around it caused by sunlight passing through ice crystals in cirrus clouds (I had to Google that!). I hope you like the resulting image. (2609)
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NO LONGER USED
Quantong, Victoria, Australia
Monday 26 November 2018
The small district of Quantong sits next to the Wimmera River, just west of Horsham. As a child, Quantong was covered in orchards and I would accompany my parents on their annual pilgrimage to buy peaches and apricots from one of the local growers. Mum would then spend several weeks preserving the fruit in syrup and vacuum sealing the bottles so that we had sufficient desserts for the coming year. On a recent trip through this area, I was surprised to see that all of the orchids have gone. This old railway bridge is still there though, although it is also no longer used. (2608)
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POSTAL LANE
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Sunday 25 November 2018
I found this laneway, just behind the old GPO in Melbourne. What was once the laneway for delivery vans bringing mail to the former post office, is now occupied by a collection of eateries, including this Vietnamese restaurant called Mama’s Buoi. I often wonder what my three times grandfather who was one of the original owners of a nearby CBD block of land would think of how Melbourne has changed and prospered since 1837. (2607)
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LOTS OF ROCKS
Rocky Cape, Tasmania, Australia
Saturday 24 November 2018
No guesses for how Rocky Cape got its name. This picturesque but rugged point in Tasmania's northwest is now a National Park, with only gravel roads for visitors to drive on. There is a walking track, a lighthouse, and of course, lots of rocks. It is well worth taking the time to visit this lovely park. (2606)
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AMAZINGLY ATTRACTIVE
Stanley, Tasmania, Australia
Friday 23 November 2018
The northwest corner of Tasmania is incredibly rugged but amazingly attractive and photogenic. The rocks on the beach, just outside of Stanley are a point in case. They are multicoloured and full of cracks, and this one rises above the others in a volcano shape. And there is even some grass on top, just to complete the unbelievable scene. The clouds provide an indication of what was going to come later in the day, as I ended up wet when I photographed another beach further around the coast. (2605)
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NOT GOING BLIND
Aireys Inlet, Victoria, Australia
Thursday 22 November 2018
I find it interesting how one's eye can be tricked by an image, like this one today. Looking at it I feel the need to turn away from the bright sun so that I don't go blind. Since early childhood, we have all been taught not to look at the sun, so much so, that I now do it automatically, even though I'm looking at a photo! Dangerous or not, I still love taking photos into the sun and seeing the warm morning sun bath the landscape with a colourful hue. (2604)
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SOMETHING SPECIAL
Triplet Falls, Victoria, Australia
Wednesday 21 November 2018
Late afternoon, and I'm walking through the Triplet Falls National Park. The scenery is very similar as I take each step, but every now and then the sun pokes through the dense bush and lights up the ferns on the forest floor. I really love the way late afternoon or early morning sun can warm an image and turn it into something special. (2603)
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JUST RIGHT
Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia
Tuesday 20 November 2018
I love it when the clouds catch the morning light and provide a beautiful warmth to my images. They have to be at just the right height, not too dense that they appear black, and fluffy enough to be interesting. Perhaps you could call these clouds, the Goldilocks Clouds. (2602)
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THIS WONDERFUL RESULT
Rocky Cape, Tasmania, Australia
Monday 19 November 2018
The sun really struggled to break through. It was thick and not at all conducive to taking photographs. But I was only just passing through this rugged corner of Tasmania and I badly wanted to photograph these amazing rocks. They are layered, possibly over millions of years and now are tilted up at forty-five degrees and the weather is eroding each of the various layers at different, creating this wonderful result. (2601)
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THE NUT
Stanley, Tasmania, Australia
Sunday 18 November 2018
'The historic village of Stanley, in far north-west Tasmania, is nestled at the base of the Nut, a sheer-sided bluff - all that remains of an ancient volcanic plug. A walking track climbs to the summit of the Nut, or you can take the chairlift, with its spectacular views across Bass Strait beaches and over the town.' [discovertasmania.com.au] (2600)
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LOVELY PATTERNS
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Saturday 17 November 2018
This area of Melbourne has changed dramatically in recent years. A new shopping centre called Emporium Melbourne has been built and linked by skywalks from both Myer and David Jones department stores, across Little Burke Street. When I captured this image I was particularly taken by the reflected light from all of the glass surfaces that made lovely patterns on the roadway. (2599)
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LAST RAYS OF LIGHT
Murray River, Victoria, Australia
Friday 16 November 2018
As the last rays of light skimmed over the tops of the river redgums that adjoined the Murray River, the tops of the trees glowed brightly orange. This was in stark contrast to the very drab colours of the drought-affected bush that I was walking through. The little gravel track wound it's way through the trees, back to civilisation, but I was fortunate to not be going that way today, instead, being able to enjoy the tranquillity of the bush for yet another night! (2598)
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EVERY MORNING SHOULD BE LIKE THIS
Kennett River, Victoria, Australia
Thursday 15 November 2018
Today's photo is a little striking, with the sunrise turning various colours, from orange, yellow and also pink. It is being reflected in Kennett River, which is barely flowing as it carves a channel through the sandbank on the beach. There wasn't a single soul to be seen as I strolled along enjoying the light show and solitude. Every morning should be like this! (2597)
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SIGNIFICANT HISTORY
Mt Arapiles, Victoria, Australia
Wednesday 14 November 2018
Mt Arapiles is significant in the history of exploration of the Wimmera Region by Major Mitchell. On 22 July 1836, Mitchell camped on the gentle slopes west of the Mount and the following day he climbed to the summit. Subsequently he made several sketches of the area and named several features. Several plaques in the Park commemorate the exploration. [parkweb.vic.gov.au] (2596)
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THE SWEEPING BEND
Murray River, Victoria, Australia
Tuesday 13 November 2018
I've just arrived back from a trip to the Murray River near Echuca. This trip involved hiring a houseboat and travelling along the river as far as possible downstream, making sure not to go too far because the trip back against the strong current would take twice as long to make. Every now and then there was a spot in the winding river that looked wonderful and today's image is of one such location. The river flowed from the right-hand side, around the sweeping bend and down the left-hand side. Just before sunset, the water became very still and I was able to take a few images of the trees in the mirror surface. (2595)
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STILL VERY HAPPY
Red Rocks Beach, Victoria, Australia
Monday 12 November 2018
You have to wonder why they called this place Red Rocks Beach? It was a bit difficult to get to, requiring this unfit photographer to have to walk a long way along a soft sandy beach to determine the answer to the naming question. At this point in the journey, I had to climb up a steep bluff because the beach disappeared but was rewarded with a magnificently rugged section of coastline that I'm guessing most people never see. The sun failed to appear due to the heavy cloud cover, but I was still very happy with my morning's haul of images. (2594)
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I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THE EXPERIENCE
Quantong, Victoria, Australia
Sunday 11 November 2018
When I was a young child I remember an old black steam train travelling across this bridge, on it's way to Natimuk and then Mitre. I'm guessing that most kids love to see a train, and a steam train even more so, with smoke billowing out the stack, steam gushing from the pistons and the loud noise giving it a sense of excitement. I certainly haven't forgotten the experience, even though this particular line and the bridge have long since been abandoned. (2593)
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DRAMATIC CONTRAST
Liffey Falls, Tasmania, Australia
Saturday 10 November 2018
Walking back along the track to the Liffey Falls I came across many fallen trees, some of which had blocked the track. Park rangers had chopped the portion that fell on the track but left the remainder on the forest floor to be used by the local flora and fauna. Moss has quickly claimed these trees as their new home and their vibrant green contrasts dramatically against the drab olive of the Australian landscape. Some rays of early sunlight have also enhanced the scene on this occasion. (2592)
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THE LITTLE LIGHTHOUSE
Griffiths Island, Victoria, Australia
Friday 9 November 2018
A lot of lighthouses are remote from civilisation, often on cliff tops and often very tall. Not so the little lighthouse on Griffiths Island which is almost a stones-throw from the lovely fishing village of Port Fairy. It guards the area near the entrance to the river where all of the boats are moored. It has a long history, as do most of the other lighthouses along the shipwreck coast of south-eastern Australia. (2591)
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THREE PEOPLE
Bancoora Beach, Victoria, Australia
Thursday 8 November 2018
I don't often have people in my images, mostly because they tend to spoil the natural beauty of the scene I want to capture. But today's photo shows three people, two surfers and one fisherman. I nearly removed them but thought that they provided a little scale to the photo and perhaps a bit of interest to an otherwise lacklustre shot. (2590)
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AMAZING STREET ART
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Wednesday 7 November 2018
There is some amazing street art in Melbourne, particularly in the laneways and back alleys of the city. I walked around the CBD searching as many of the narrow thoroughfares as I could find, but I'm sure I missed lots. As a result, you might find that I post several images of the better ones over the next few weeks. (2589)
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JUST AS REWARDING
Triplet Falls, Victoria, Australia
Tuesday 6 November 2018
Sometimes the walk to a photographic destination can be as rewarding as the end goal. I find that walking through national parks can be very interesting, and generally easy to do because of the excellent walking tracks that have been constructed. These tracks give one time to look around and experience the beauty provided by nature and allow time to capture the images for sharing with others. Such is the case today. (2588)
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THE RIGHT TIME
Rocky Point, Victoria, Australia
Monday 5 November 2018
Between the blue hour and sunrise all sorts of colours light the sky. This image is an example of what can be found at the beach if you are there at the right time. The rugged rocks at Rocky Point are in dramatic contrast to the smooth sand that has been washed but the previous high tide, with one of the rocks glowing as it catches the first rays of sunlight. (2587)
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PEACEFUL NONETHELESS
Rothwell, Victoria, Australia
Sunday 4 November 2018
Not an epic photograph today, but a peaceful one nonetheless. The banks of Little River are not easy to access, due to the long grass and trees, but the reflections in the water were spectacular during my photo shoot. A few seconds of pink in the sky just topped off the morning, and the image. (2586)
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AFTER THE STORM
Mt Arapiles, Victoria, Australia
Saturday 3 November 2018
'Mount Arapiles is a rock formation that rises about 140 metres (460 ft) above the Wimmera plains. It is located west of the town of Natimuk and is part of the Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park. Arapiles is a very popular destination for rock climbers due to the quantity and quality of climbs. It is one of the premier climbing sites in Australia along with the nearby Grampians. Although there are many hiking routes to the top, most ascentionists choose to free climb one of the thousands of vertical routes on the mountain. Since the advent of modern rock climbing, thousands of routes have been recorded.' [Wikipedia] (2585)
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SAILORS WARNING
Point Lonsdale, Victoria, Australia
Friday 2 November 2018
I have visited the Point Lonsdale lighthouse and pier many times, and the experience is different every time. Mostly it is the lighting that is different, sometimes bright and colourful, other times dull and flat. Thankfully today's photo is the former, as the sun begins to rise, although the very dark cloud to the right of the image might very well prove the old saying that 'red in the morning, sailors warning'. (2584)
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THE ARDUOUS TREK
Gibson Steps, Victoria, Australia
Thursday 1 November 2018
The iconic Twelve Apostles near the end of the Great Ocean Road have been photographed 'to death' by the millions of tourists and photographers that visit the site. But a lesser photographed site is called Gibson Steps which is less than a kilometre before the popular destination. As the name suggests, there are a huge number of steps that lead a fit person down (and back up!) the cliff face to the beach below where one of the rock stacks are visible. My photo today doesn't show the scale of this rock stack, but it is huge, and making the arduous trek down to this beach was very rewarding. (2583)
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