In search of the rushing, gushing Yarra River - Part 1

I had a lovely day out yesterday.

It was full of the unexpected and pleasant surprises.

Large tracts of Victoria are under water at the moment.

A vast contrast from the worst drought since white settlement

and the deathly bushfires of last year.

The radio said that the Yarra River was expected to flood

at Yarra Glen.

I didn't want to wait till the Yarra actually flooded.

I wanted to see the Yarra gushing and rushing

with the water of the yet-to-be flood.

And I did.

This is the story of my day in search of the pre-flood Yarra.

The map at this site will give you a bit of an idea of where I went.

As I left the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne behind

and hit the Melba Highway,

everything was green

and there was water, water everywhere.

Dams were full to the brim.

A few drops more and they would overflow.

Water was lying at the edge of the road

and the Yarra billabongs were spreading.

The photos above and below were taken
from Skyline Drive looking back to Yarra Glen.

Looking for Sugarloaf Reservoir Park was quite an exercise.
I think there is a job going begging in the Victorian public sector -
Commissar of Signage.
I find the signage poor in and around Melbourne -
sometimes beyond belief.
It doesn't compare with the signage in Sydney -
where the traffic moves so quickly
and the layout of the city is so convoluted
one would never survive without clear signage.

I turned off the Melba Highway at the appropriate sign.
Not to see another sign on a major road for the rest of the day.
I later was told I did not go far enough along
the Yarra Glen to Eltham road before turning off.

I had two sets of "clear" instructions
neither of which delivered the desired result.

After wandering hither and yon -
yes, I didn't have a clue where I was -
I found Sugarloaf in the distance.
The photo below is the result.

My camera is fairly humble -
a Kodak EasyShare DX7590
(5.0 mega pixels and 10X optical zoom) -
and I am an even humbler photographer
(for this read ignorant and unskilled).

If I were clever,
I could probably customise settings
but I am not clever enough to figure all that.
Given these limitations,
I was rather pleased with this photograph.
I was a great distance from the water,
and I couldn't tell how well the zoom
was handling what I was asking of it.
I consider myself fortunate to have
recorded not only the water
but the dam wall and, somehow, the CBD in the distance.

Once I discovered this back part (well I think it was the back part of the reservoir), I followed a road which ran alongside the high Melbourne Water perimeter fence. So you don't lay awake at night wondering, I have to tell you that there is a fair degree of security around our water storages.  I went past all sorts of signs and many, many locked gates.  And after this journey, I eventually came to a half-open gate.

In spite of warnings to trespassers, I - lost in search of a pre-flood experience - entered.  I went down a bitumen driveway and came to a large concrete area.  At one end of this was a multi-story building.  But I couldn't resist walking across to the fenced off section at the other side of the concrete apron.  And there I was - high above the Yering Gorge.  And the water was rushing and gushing.

Camera was quickly put into action and, just as I had taken these, a man came to see what I was doing.  I explained to him about looking for Sugarloaf, the poor signage, seeing the Yarra in flood, etc.  And he gave me directions....

....and I did make it to the Sugarloaf Reservoir Park....

and here is some explanatory signage

Click the above photos (3) to enlarge and make legible.

The picture below is of a section of a narrow peninsula jutting into the reservoir

which is covered in low blooming wattle.

and then there was the getting out -

and, if the getting in was a mystery, so was the getting out.

And it had its adventures too...

.... I found a castle in the hills.

A modern version - but, I think, a castle nonetheless.

One finds all sorts of things on roadsides in the bush.

The quaintest are usually letter boxes.

This is the most curious.

One can imagine baskets left there

to receive the bread, the parcels.

But...what is the story with the picture frame?

Hopefully this is a successful partnership.

Bush flora.

Driving down the bush road,

I spotted the beautifully rusty wheelbarrow.

I could not resist.

Pulled up the car right in the middle of the road,

because - with the Kodak zoom lens - I thought 

I could get a picture from the road.

Next thing, a woman came into view.

I walked over and explained how I had found the wheelbarrow -

or it had found me.

Introductions done -  she is Deirdre.

Her cottage garden is small.

She would like to plant her favourite daphnes

but there is no room.

Nillumbik Shire Council has some tight controls.

The amount of land given to non-indigenous plants is limited.

Deirdre has planted out a number of wattles -

but these are wattles indigenous to the area.

As well, the shire dictates the height of houses.

Deirdre's house fits well into the landscape -

almost hugging the ground in comparison

with the bush around.

I told Deirdre about my Yering Gorge adventure,

and she told me how her Bend of Islands home

overlooked the gorge and took me to the verandah

so I could photograph her view.

Yering Gorge in the Bend of Islands -

photographed from Deirdre's verandah.

And, across the old white bridge above,
I exited the Bend of Islands
through some beautiful green Victorian bush.

The story continues to-morrow

with the rushing, gushing Yarra River

at Warrandyte.

The Wheeler Centre: literary and functional

On Thursday and Friday, I was at the Public Interest Journalism and New Media Conference held as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival. It is otherwise known as New News 2010 and is sponsored by the Public Interest Journalism Foundation at Swinburne University.

The Conference was held at The Wheeler Centre which is in the precinct of the State Library of Victoria.  The establishment of The Wheeler Centre is in response to Melbourne's status as a UNESCO City of Literature.  Melbourne was the second city in the world - and the first in the southern hemisphere - to be honoured by UNESCO.  The first was Edinburgh. 

So for those of you who may not have visited Wheeler, I took some pictures... just to give you a feel of the place.

External signage above Little Lonsdale Street

The Foyer

 

 Copper door with copper architrave

 

 The Auditorium

The Green Room was used by the conference for informal conversations with guest speakers and "Unconferences" - you could put your unprogrammed offering on a white-board.

Green Room - Southern end

Green Room - Northern end

Green Room - Kitchen doors

and, finally, I thought this banquette was designer cute and smart

You sit carefully in/on this banquette - because it has no back support.  When you sit on the one or two upper curves (depending on size) the curves either side become arm rests.  So as well as eye-catching, it is quite functional.  I was able to sit quite comfortably (and I am a larger size) and have a conversation with the person sitting next to me. 

All in all, the Wheeler Centre provides

functional spaces for the City of Melbourne.

Arabella Forge and Frugavore: eating well and understanding where your food comes from

Trad Padders, I want to draw attention to a new book which will hit the bookshops next month.  You might like to put in your request to your local Public Library to purchase the book hot from the press.  Publication details are:

Pub date: September 2010

RRP: $29.95

ISBN: 9781863954891

Imprint: Black Inc.

Format: PB

Size: 180 x 180mm

Extent: 240pp

In this book Arabella Forge covers all the territory of good, sensible, affordable and ethical food and eating.  She is well qualified.  Arabella  is a Melbourne-based nutritionist. She teaches regular cooking classes at CERES Environmental Park and Organic Wholefoods, focusing on traditional techniques. She has featured as a speaker at Slow Food forums and speaks frequently on radio about issues relating to food and health.

Mark your diaries, Trad Padders, because Arabella will be in conversation with Catherine Deveny at Readings Hawthorne bookshop on Thursday 16 September at 6.30pm.  The event is free but Readings do like you to book so please RSVP by email: events@readings.com.au or phone: (03) 9819 1917.

There is a Frugavore website here and a Facebook page here.

I won't be there on Sunday...too up market for moi...but perhaps you can go and report back? Wotcha think?....
 

Want to go UP market? SUN 5 SEPT @ Melb’s GPO

 

Picture this. 

You're at a LUXURY SHOPPING EVENT and while you're grabbing a designer bargain from Melbourne's QUEENS OF DESIGNER FASHION CHIC-O-NOMICS, you're sipping on a glass of bubbles, nibbling on canapés and being treated to a make-up consultation AND a personal styling session! Oh, and all the while, you're juggling a gift bag BRIMMING WITH GOODIES!

Sound awesome? That's cause it is and it's THIS SUNDAY, 5 SEPT from 2.30pm - 5.30pm @ Alto Event Space at Melbourne's GPO. But numbers are limited!

As part of Melbourne Spring Fashion week, Miss Money Penny is offering you the chance to shop from 40 glam stalls for items that are Brand New with Tags, Just Slipped On, or Vintage Designer fashion - for a fraction of the retail price!!!

Tickets are just $50 and 10% less if you enter 'SB01' when you book. To secure your ticket to this exclusive event, book online TODAY!

Edgar's Mission needs help and voluteers. Please help.

Mahatma Gandhi got it right when he stated "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." And if you’ve ever visited Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary, you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to. As many of you will know, Edgar’s Mission is run solely by Pam Ahern.  Surviving on the smell of an oily rag, Pam and all the animals at the Sanctuary, rely heavily on the support and much appreciated assistance from their volunteer network in order to continue to spread the message of compassion and kindness. We’re calling on you to lend us a much needed hand. In a little under 6 weeks, on Sunday October 3, 2010, Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary will celebrateWorld Animal Day.  Recognised all over the world, World Animal Day is the day when the world celebrates humankind’s relationship with the animal kingdom.  And at Edgar’s Mission, we love to do it in style! World Animal Day is our biggest open day of the year.  But to get the Sanctuary looking spick and spam in readiness for the big day, we need your help!  Aside from our regular monthly volunteer days - thesecond Sunday and third Saturday of every month – we’re putting on a few extra volunteer days if you can possibly spare the time to assist us. And really, what better way is there to get up close and personal with such wonderful creatures like Hamish – the handshaking porcine, Ryan - the cheeky comical goat, Timmy - the friendliest sheep in the world and of course, Tippi – the most gentle cow you will ever meet! As someone, who two years ago was touched by the compassion and spirit that transcends that of Edgar’s Mission, I can assure you that Volunteer days give you such wondrous opportunities to really get to know these animals. But they also give so much more. They give you an opportunity to learn new skills, meet like minded people and give back to the community. As such, we are looking for volunteers to assist on: Saturday 28th August (extra) Sunday 12th September Saturday 18th September Saturday 26th September (extra) Friday 1st October (extra) Saturday 2nd October (extra) And of course, if you can spare any time on any second Sunday or third Saturday of any month of the year, we certainly won’t turn you away! (Check out our website www.edgarsmission.org.au for more details). If you can assist on any of the above listed dates, or on any other volunteer day throughout the year, please contact me via e-mail - tash@edgarsmission.org.au or phone 0419 729 902. And of course, if you are free on Sunday October 3rd, we’d love to see you at the Sanctuary.  Come support our day! And, thanks for all you do for the animals. Cheers, Tash Natasha Reus Volunteer Coordinator If we could live happy and health lives without harming others ...why wouldn't we? www.edgarsmission.org.au

Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza ! - How a suburban scout hall was transformed by white fluffy paper balls and creative stalls

Trad Padders will recall that this time last week was the first day of the Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza.

The energetic Tamara with her resourceful dearly beloved, Mr SVJ did some video-ing of, more or less, the whole shebang. What I like is that we see the Ashburton Scout Hall in all its pristine glory - before puffy white balls and all those stalls. What a transformation. And listen to that rain on the good old Aussie tin roof.

Herself (my daughter, Shelley) can be seen in Video #1 helping Tamarah make big white fluffy balls.

SJV #1

SJV #2


SJV #3


SJV #4

RECOVERY AND RE-CREATION IN CROYDON

Yesterday was dentist day in Croydon. 

So I thought I would cover some of the things I like about Croydon.

 After coming out of the dentist I did recover with some

hot chocolate and some soup which I have written about here.

A browsing essential is The Red Parasol, 163 Main Street, Croydon.

At the moment, it is a purchasing essential.

Red Parasol is in Sale mode.

But let's take a look inside.

Beautiful dressing rooms.

Vintage clothes are the specialty here

and to have somewhere lovely to try them on
is a great bonus.

Myers and Target don't give you this.

But it is not only clothing.

The Red Parasol has all sorts of interesting...

things, bits and pieces, treasures.

At Mister Picture, 89 Main Street,Croydon

they are displaying in their window

these marvellous drawings by an artist 

called Phoenix.

Needless to say, these pictures are much better

when seen in person without the reflections.

Julia Gillard.  Current Prime Minister. After to-morrow?

Tony Abbott.  Current Opposition Leader. After to-morrow?

And finally, I paid a visit to Vinnie's.

Vinnie's at Croydon is one of my favourites.

And I purchased these cork-backed floral mats for $2 (for the three).

There is a whole shelf full there of cookery books

which includes the original Margaret Fulton Cook Book

and

Toward Self-Sufficiency: country skills for city dwellers

by Bill Connor

I think both these are worthy of consideration by Trad Padders

so please hie ye hither.

And there is much more to Croydon.

A side street filled with boutiques for you to discover,

for a start.

For pretty much the whole story,

please go here.

Friendship - good ones hold across time and geography

Dear Trad Padders, you will note the picture in the post below of Gray. His son is Josh who has just become my Facebook friend and sent me a beautiful newsy letter to bring me up to date with the doings of his own family.  Browsing through an old post I found this poem and I thought how apt - so here it is for Graham and Pauline; for Josh and Helaina and family and for Gemma.

The Best of Friends

© Jill Wolf

When friendships undergo a test

It's often found old friends are best;

The sampler on the parlour wall

Has these few lines which say it all;

The best of friends can change a frown

Into a smile when you feel down.

The best of friends will understand

Your little trials and lend a hand.

The best of friends will always share

Your secret dreams because they care.

The best of friends, worth more than gold,

Give all the love a heart can hold.

A bikie/biker friend - well, just call him a speed hog!

I had to record this on the blog.  This is my old mate from Tennant Creek days, Graham Buxton.  The story that goes with it is here.  Please note that Gray is no teenager himself!

Remembering Burke and Wills

To-day a memorial plaque will be officially launched to commemorate the departure, 150 years ago, of Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills on a journey of exploration.  The Burke and Wills saga is well embedded in the Australian consciousness - not least because it was an unmitigated disaster and an example of how not to conduct exploration in Australia.

I live in Melbourne and Burke and Wills are big here.  I sort of knew that before I came to live here.  However, I am frequently confronted by the mass adulation of the B&W pre-expedition and their memorialisation post-disaster.  There are statues here and there but I was really gobsmacked by a very, very large artwork at the State Library of Victoria which portrayed the adulation of the crowds of Melbourne as they farewelled these yet to be heroic men.

I hate to be a party-pooper but I am a North Australian living in exile in Melbourne and where I come from Burke and Wills are regarded as prize dills.  We don't think they knew very much.  We don't think they needed to perish.  We think they were amazingly arrogant and ignorant.  While they were doing a perish not too far away Aboriginal groups were thriving.

If any memorials are being built to Burke and Wills to-day they should be done in the context of the ignorance and arrogance of the post-1788 white settlers.

The State Library of Victoria is entering into the commemorations with an ongoing exhibition which began in  May and will run through to October this year under the title of Burke and Wills: Terra Incognita.  To-morrow and Friday there are workshops related to the exhibition from the Curator's viewpoint. Gerard Hayes will discuss items on display including contemporary portraits of Burke and Wills, their last notes and firearms used on the expedition.  Bookings for the workshops are essential.

And for everything you ever wanted to know on the B&W 150th, please go here.

GIRLS' DAY OUT AT MORNINGTON : BAY HOTEL : POMME: MORNINGTON ANTIQUES CENTRE

Herself and I had a girls day out to-day. We drove to Mornington. First of all, we stopped for lunch at the Bay Hotel.  You can see the bistro section - which was beautifully warm and toasty - on the right of the collage above.

We checked out the menu:

We had certainly picked our day because we were able to avail ourselves of the Monday/Tuesday Special which meant that if we picked a "starred" item we got it for $15 with a complimentary glass of wine.  I know I don't dine out often these days, Trad Padders, but I hadn't come across a cleverly marked menu such as this.  Along with the stars, the menu sported tiny 'v's for vegetarian and 'gf's for gluten free.  I am vegetarian and I appreciated this thoughtful touch and I am sure the gluten free brigade would too.

I ordered Mediterranean Pappardelle which, ordinarily according to the menu, has chicken.  I asked for the dish without the chicken and they were happy to oblige.  So my pappardelle came with roasted vegetables, pan seared with olive oil, tossed through the pappardelle and sprinkled with feta and toasted pine nuts.  Herself - who is a carnivore - ordered the Hopkins River Beef Burger.  I didn't have the wine.  Herself had mine and I had a coke.  She seemed well pleased with her vino.  I noted that The Bay promotes local Mornington Peninsula wines with other Australian wines bringing up the rear.  So, as you can see, we had good provender.

Our real purpose for the day was to visit the Mornington Antiques Centre.  But before we set off for there, Herself wanted to make a visit to the local Bed Bath and Table.  We couldn't find close parking in the main street and had to turn out of the main street only to find ample parking and more shops, including major chains like Target, behind the main street shops.  We got out of the car and Pomme caught my eye.  I figured in could do BBT back home any time.  And off I went to Pomme...

The chairs at the front of Pomme are bright and cheery

and the store will cover these chairs to the fabric of your choice.

 Display of art and design, jewellery and homewares

is beautifully done at Pomme.  Go see for yourselves.

 These delicate hanging pendants are filled with tiny treasures.

Behind them, are enchanting artworks of Belted Galloway cattle.

I purchased something for my sister's forthcoming birthday -

but I won't let out the secret here.

Then we were off to browse the Morninton Antiques Centre...

And we did walk away with some goodies.

Herself bought a beautiful print of pink roses.

I brought home a chest of drawers which I hope to transform

and two wooden cutlery holders for pens & scissors & etceteras.

Perhaps that will be the subject of the next post.