Keeping quiet in Canberra

February 2020 to January 2021, Canberra, ACT

My last local post in January 2020 was Australia Burning, which included images taken in Canberra on one of two days when bushfire smoke meant Canberra had the worst air quality of any city in the world. Then COVID struck.

There was lockdown in Canberra for a month or two but there have been no local cases since last April, just a handful of incoming people in quarantine hotels. There are currently no locally-sourced cases in Australia, just a few incoming travellers. Though many criticisms can be made, State and Federal Governments did fairly well, supporting many people (though with glaring holes) and following medical advice. State Governments have been prepared to engage lockdowns where necessary and from time to time closing off State borders and isolating localities. People arriving from overseas have to stay for a fortnight in a quarantine hotel.

Unfortunately, while the Federal Government has been prepared to follow medical advice, it shows no signs of being willing to follow scientific advice on climate change. Huge areas burned in January and a significant majority of the population want effective action on climate change. If nothing continues to be done, temperatures will continue to rise, fires will become larger and more prevalent, the ecology and wildlife of the country will be devastated and the capacity for agricultural production will greatly decline.

In the meantime though, I have made no overseas trips since 2019 due to COVID and have been keeping fairly quiet.

Buoys in a small canal at Kingston Foreshore.

In March I joined a Fuji event that allowed you to use various new cameras and lenses. I tried some of these but this image and the next were taken with my X-T2 and 100-400mm lens.

Reflections in the same canal.

Roots of a bonsai tree at the National Arboretum.

In June I visited the Bonsai Garden at the Arboretum and took this photo with my Fuji 80mm macro lens. It is focus-stacked, which means I have taken many images at different points of focus and later combined them with software.

Succulent in the front garden.

In August I had purchased a Fuji 8-16mm zoom and took some test shots in the front garden, this one and the next one. The succulents are quite small so it’s almost macro because the lens can focus quite close. These are also focus-stacked but because I was using a very wide angle lens, that required only a few exposures.

Small flowers in the front garden.

Grevillea Macleayana.

I also visited the Australian National Botanic Gardens from time to time, this image and the next four. The first three were taken in September and the last two in October.

Telopea Speciosissima.

Banksia Spinulosa.

Pimilea Physodes and panorama near the Visitor’s Centrte.

I took this with a circular fisheye lens and it is also focus-stacked, with just two exposures. The depth of field is amazing, but not quite enough to go from the stamens of the flower (0.1 metres) to infinity in one exposure.

Grevillea Macleayana.

Another focus-stacked exposure with the Fuji 80mm macro lens. This one took 70 exposures and I had to wait for it to be still and retake it several times when a breeze came up during the exposure.

Archie Webb in the Top 12 Challenge.

I have also gone back to table tennis, both socially and competition and this is an image I took in October at the Top 12 Challenge, with the top 12 Canberra players competing for prizes. Archie is the leading competition player but he did not win this challenge. Here he is gearing up for a forehand loop.

ACT Table Tennis Open.

I also took photographs at the ACT Open in November. Table Tennis is remarkable in that players of very different ages can compete equally. The far player is Faisal Pirwani and he is returning the ball with his backhand, He is one of Canberra’s leading players; I do not know the name of the youngster but from his shirt he probably comes from Melbourne. Some young players can be very good. We had a couple of players as old as 93 in the Social Seniors Group prior to COVID though they have not returned since.

(The two table tennis shots were taken with a Nikon D850 and 85mm f1.4 and 50mm f1.4 lenses respectively).

Malua Bay rock pool.

In early January we went for a trip “down the coast” (which means to the south coast of New South Wales, near Canberra). This image and the next two were taken on that trip.

Glasshouse Rocks, Narooma.

At Glasshouse Rocks looking through to Montague Island Lighthouse.

Kangaroos at an Ainslie pond.

I live backing on to a reserve and a week or so later, we had a long walk to a couple of ponds in that reserve.

Pond reflections.

Since I am mentioning equipment in this post, the Malua Bay rock pool was taken with the Fuji 80mm macro and the last four with the Fuji 100-400mm.

Albury: Landscape, Wildlife and Dolls

Feb5

Albury and region, Australia, 1 to 5 February 2017

I’m interrupting the Falklands posts for a couple of more local ones, as they happen.

This is about landscapes, avian wildlife and dolls. I accompanied my partner the 340km from Canberra to Albury where she was setting up an exhibition of fashion dolls at the Albury LibraryMuseum.

While she and LibraryMuseum staff were setting up the exhibition, I drove out and tested some new cameras and lenses in the countryside.

Lake Hume

The first few images are from the northern end of Lake Hume, a large man-made lake formed by damming the River Murray.

This is more Murray River than Lake Hume but where that starts and ends depends on water level which can vary considerably.

A water plant such as water hyacinth on the surface of the river.

Not algae but perhaps an aquarium plant dumped in the river.

Baled hay with Lake Hume in the background.

Wonga Wetlands

The next day, I visited Wonga Wetlands which is on the Murray River only six kilometres from Albury.

Reflections.

Ducks. Perhaps Pacific Black Ducks.

Sacred Kingfisher.

The Wonga Wetlands is a series of large interconnected lagoons.

Little black cormorants on a branch of the tree in the middle of the lagoon. There is contention for the topmost place on the branch.

Great Egret.

Ducks in the algal bloom.

Abstract art in Nature.

White-faced heron.

Australian White Ibis.

Lake Mulwala, replete with drowned trees.

I drove on to Lake Mulwala, hoping to photograph convoluted sections of the River Murray along the way but the GPS kept redirecting me to Victoria without me realising, so that trip was largely wasted.

Fashion and Fantasy

This is Julie Manley‘s exhibition of fashion dolls at Albury LibraryMuseum. The exhibition was previously held at Canberra Museum and Gallery in 2015. Most of the costumes were sewn and most of the dolls were painted by Julie.

Blacksmith shop by Lou Matheron.

Julie’s address at the opening.

Wonga Wetlands again

After the exhibition was up and running, I visited the wetlands again, this time with Julie.

Aboriginal bark hut in simulated Wiradjuri campsite.

Reflections on the river.

Black swan.

Five black swans.

Female Australasian Shoveller?

Great Egrets.

Great Egret and perhaps a blue-billed duck in the background.

Lighthouse Monochromes – New South Wales #2

Apr24

1987, New South Wales, Australia, From Dusk Till Dawn

Monochrome versions of lighthouse images from From Dusk Till Dawn ..

Most of these images were taken with large format 5×4 cameras using Fujichrome 50 slide film (Velvia did not exist then). A few were taken with medium format cameras Mamiya 645 and 1937 Rolleiflex TLR. Some (which should be easy to identify were taken with a Nikon FE and a 16mm fisheye lens.

Click links for posts on lighthouses with more information and colour images.

Norah Head Wind Indicator.

Norah Head Lighthouse by night.

Pt Perpendicular lens.

Pt Perpendicular lighthouse.

Smoky Cape.

Smoky Cape Lighthouse.

Sugarloaf Point Lens.

Sugarloaf Point – Seal Rock.

Sugarloaf Point at Night.

Sugarloaf Point Cottage and (Sunset) View.

Sugarloaf Point Cottage and view.

Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse.

Sugarloaf Point Overnight – 8 hrs.

Sugarloaf Prism.

Sugarloaf View through Prism.

Sugarloaf View through prism.

Sugarloaf Warning Light.

Lighthouse Monochromes – New South Wales #1

Apr22

1987, New South Wales, Australia, From Dusk Till Dawn

Monochrome versions of lighthouse images from From Dusk Till Dawn.

Most of these images were taken with large format 5×4 cameras using Fujichrome 50 slide film (Velvia did not exist then). A few were taken with medium format cameras Mamiya 645 and 1937 Rolleiflex TLR. Some (which should be easy to identify) were taken with a Nikon FE and a 16mm fisheye lens.

Click links for posts on lighthouses with more information and colour images.

Barranjoey Lighthouse and Cottages.

Ben Boyd’s Tower.

Cape Byron tower and rocks from road.

Byron Bay Light at Sunset.

Cape Byron House through Lens.

Cape Byron Lens.

Cape Byron prism.

Cape St George Lighthouse at Dusk.

Cape St George Tower and Wall.

Cape St George Lighthouse looking south.

Green Cape Lighthouse.

Macquarie Lighthouse Doorhandle.

Macquarie Floor.

Macquarie Light at Night.

Macquarie Lighthouse and cliffs by day.

Macquarie Lighthouse and cliffs at Dawn.

Macquarie Lighthouse at Night with Clouds.

Macquarie Lighthouse and Cliffs during night.

Macquarie Lighthouse and Cliffs at Dawn.

Silverton

Jun14

Silverton, NSW, Australia, 30th March 2015

Before driving back to Canberra, I stayed the night at Silverton, not far from Broken Hill and once a prosperous mining town. I stayed at the hotel. The grey beetle at the front is a Mad Max reference, because Mad Max 2 was filmed around here.

Three donkeys wandered up for a drink at the hotel. Their ancestors probably worked in the mines.

This was behind the hotel, beside a stage that was at the time unused. Multiple owners over the years. At least three, I think.

Opposite my unit was the remains of the original hotel, from 1884. It allegedly sold nineteen tons of beer in the first four weeks of operation and was abandoned after a fire.

It was late afternoon and I went for a walk, though everything apart from the pub was closed. John Dynon’s gallery …

… and his car, which he did not appear to be using. Perhaps he lives in the back of the gallery so doesn’t usually need the car.

There are many relics of the nineteenth century mining town

and even a Mad Max Museum.

The cafe was closed (as with everything else).

Here we have the remains of half a house

You can see what I mean from the historic photograph taken from a notice board at the site. Apparently, in the Depression, people could register a plan for a full house but if they were short of money they might only build half of it, in the hope that they could afford more later on.

Another gallery was accompanied by some colourful accoutrements.

This outhouse and the previous ute are illustrated with what appears to be a rural legend (well, it can’t be an urban legend can it?) of a flying dunny.

Old beetles are ubiquitous, it seems.

This old house with a kind of a rail scooter beside it had an open door at the back.

This is the view looking through one of the windows.

The wall paper seems recent (as in last hundred years or so).

You may be able to read the frame of the bicycle if you click on the image. This is a Silverton bicycle, as something of an art exhibit.

Nearby, another old car.

Silver was discovered near here in 1875 by two men drilling for a well. The town was founded in 1885 and reached a peak population of 3,000 in the 1890s. After that, the town was eclipsed by Broken Hill and also the silver lode ran out. Now there are about 40 inhabitants.

Somone put a lot of work into that stonework once.

This is the Silverton Jail, built in 1889 and now a museum..

Mines of Broken Hill

Jun12

Broken Hill, NSW, Australia, 30th March 2015

Back in Broken Hill, I had an hour or two available so I decided to check out some of the artifacts of the mining past.

… which is not this image. This is the big chair, overlooking Broken Hill, about six to eight feet high. The chain around it is because someone fell off it and sued the Council.

As a mining centre, rail was very important to Broken Hill. There must be something of a repair facility below because there are lots of wheels and axles staked by the tracks.

This is the mining deaths memorial, recording the names of over 700 workers. Broken Hill was a great centre of the labour movement and there were severe disputes in 1892, 1909 and 1919.

Slag heap and the town beyond.

Coming back down from the hill above Broken Hill, this is an old mine no longer in operation.

Taken over the fence of a museum, which was not open at the time.

This is a working mine but I didn’t record its name.

Nearby, this is Browne Shaft, an old mine no longer in operation. It operated from 1886 to 1928 and 1946 to 1972. There was a very severe fire 550 feet down in 1906.

I went up to the Browne Shaft Mine and from there saw the North Shaft Mine, which operated from 1905 to 1993.

Turning around, these great steel vats are at the Browne Shaft Mine and they are visibly sitting on top of the lead lode. The lead, zinc and silver lodes rose almost vertically through the ground and appeared above it.

I then became fascinated by the textures and pattern on the surface of the vats….

Corrugated Iron Houses of Broken Hill

May28

Broken Hill, NSW, Australia, 26th to 27th March 2015

On the long drive to Broken Hill, here I am waiting at a road works. I’m waiting for the trucks and cars coming across the horizon from the right, along the stretch where the road is being rebuilt.

Broken Hill is a mining town, founded on massive deposits of silver, lead and zinc that originally came to the surface. Although it is in New South Wales, it is closer to Adelaide than Sydney and keeps South Australian time. In 1885 it gave birth to the massive Australian mining company BHP (Broken Hill Proprietary), now BHP-Billiton.

One of the intriguing aspects of Broken Hill is the old houses with walls of corrugated iron, dating back as early as the 1890s. Corrugated iron is a common roofing material in Australia and New Zealand, but not for external walls.

There is no wood growing in appreciable quantities anywhere near Broken Hill though stone and brick may have been possible locally. The original inhabitants of the cottages would have been BHP workers and I presume BHP corrugated iron, produced in Broken Hill, was available to BHP workers at discount rates.

Broken Hill is pretty much a desert environment and it gets pretty hot in summer. Average temperature in January is 33.5ºC (92.3ºF) and maximum January temperature is 45.3ºC (114ºF). So corrugated iron seems a strange choice, especially in the old days in the absence of air conditioning or evaporative cooling. One hopes the houses were built with effective insulation but my guess would be that this was not originally the case.

This is a corrugated iron house with fetching blue Doric columns. It is obviously corrugated iron construction from the side but not so obvious from the front, which is plastered.

There is a woman behind the fly screen door who asked “Can I help you?” to which I answered “I’m just taking photographs of the old houses”. What she was really asking was “What are you doing hanging round in front of my house? You’d better have a good explanation or I’ll call the cops”.

By and large they are humble worker’s cottage that just happen, somewhat curiously, to be built of corrugated iron.

Some aspire to be grander than that, which is fine, but somehow faintly comical and incongruous given the building materials.

Others have no pretensions and are all the grander for it.

Backyards also feature many corrugated iron structures.

Most are neat and well kept.

This one seems to have something of a problem with the roof.

This one has elegant plantings of palm trees, one of which unfortunately seems to have died.

Clearly, someone of an artistic and creative temperament lives in this one.

This one appears very neat with a mainly paved front yard, faintly reminiscent in that to the house in Mon Oncle but probably not in anything else.

This is a brick shop on a corner with a plaster facade. However, the sheds behind it are corrugated iron and so is the awning. The sides of the awning and the posts are metal and so is the fascia at the top. The sign at the top says “Microwave TV Video Repairs” but there is a much older sign under that including the word “Repairs”. Evidentally it used to be a different kind of repair shop. There were probably older signs under the traces we can see.

This store is clearly of corrugated iron construction although the fascia is probably wood.

An old house with a new picket fence, as yet unpainted.

A pedestrian passes by an old corrugated iron house.

Here is a front view of that house, including a wooden fascia.

Finally, another faded reference to classical Greek architecture and Corinthian columns.

Boolcomatta Workshop

May26

Canberra, Broken Hill, Boolcomatta, Silverton, Australia, 26th to 31st March 2015 (Boolcoomatta is a former sheep station in South Australian saltbush country).

. On the 26th March I went for a wee drive, as a Scottish person might say, from Canberra to Broken Hill, a distance of 1,100 kilometres. This is about the same distance as from Milan to Berlin, Teheran to Tblisi, Managua to Panama City, Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, Auckland to Christchurch, Nairobi to Mogadishu, Tokyo to Sapporo, or Glasgow to Paris. I drove it in one hit, taking around twelve hours. There was usually a small town every hundred kilometres or so, though sometimes it was every couple of hundred kilometres. It does not do to take petrol too much for granted in such a drive.

. The next day I drove another couple of hundred kilometres over the South Australian border to Boolcoomatta Station for a four-day workshop with Boris Hlavica, a photographer based now in Broken Hill and originally from (what is now) the Czech Republic. Boolcoomatta Station is a former sheep station owned by Heritage Australia. Heritage Australia is a non-profit organisation that buys properties around Australia in environmentally sensitive areas in order to conserve them. It started with a donation from Bob Brown, campaigner for wild rivers in Tasmania and former leader of the Australian Greens. On my way back from Boolcoomatta Station, I stayed overnight at the largely abandoned former mining town of Silverton, then returned to Canberra by the northern route.

Index of Posts

Green Cape

May5

I visited Green Cape, the southernmost lighthouse in New South Wales, on the 6th and 7th of April 1987.

Green Cape Lighthouse 6 April 1987 Arca Swiss Monorail 5x4" 150mm Linhof Schneider Technika Symmar f11 30 seconds, Fujichrome 50

Green Cape Lighthouse
6 April 1987
Arca Swiss Monorail 5×4″
150mm Linhof Schneider Technika Symmar
f11 30 seconds, Fujichrome 50

Green Cape lighthouse was constructed in 1883 and is made of concrete. It has an octagonal structure on a square base which made it easier to pour the concrete. It stands thirty metres high.

The bay to the south of the lighthouse is called Disaster Bay and there were many wrecks here before the lighthouse was built, perhaps because the point stands out a bit from the sweeping line of the coast. There was also a famous wreck in 1886 when the steamer Ly-ee-moon foundered on the rocks just below the lighthouse. The bosun and three seamen made it to shore as the ship broke in two. A keeper and some seamen managed to get a line to the fore section and rescued the fifteen people there but heavy seas prevented them reaching the aft section and it sunk overnight so that all seventy-one people on it drowned.

Ben Boyd’s Lighthouse

May4

I passed by Ben Boyd’s lighthouse on the morning of the 7th of April, on my way back from Green Cape (which we shall see next).

Ben Boyd lighthouse. 10.30am 7th April 1987. Arca-Swiss monorail 5x4", f32 1/20 second + polariser, 65mm Schneider Super Angulon, Fujichrome 50.

Ben Boyd lighthouse.
10.30am 7th April 1987.
Arca-Swiss monorail 5×4″,
65mm Schneider Super Angulon,
f32 1/2 second + polariser,
Fujichrome 50.

It’s a tall square tower twenty metres high, quite unlike any other Australian lighthouse. If you click on it to enlarge it, you should be able to see the name “BOYD” engraved at the top. It was built by Ben Boyd during the 1840s and either never lit or only lit a few times. Its use was never approved by the New South Wales Government. Originally there were wooden floors and stairs inside the lighthouse but these were gone by 1987 and I would think it most unlikely that they were subsequently replaced.

Ben Boyd was a Scottish entrepreneur (originally based in London) and a founder of the Royal Bank of Australia in the late 1830s. He came to Australia with £200,000 of debentures and proceeded to purchase extensive agricultural land, set up a steamship service between Melbourne and Sydney, and build a port (Boydtown) at Twofold Bay in Southern NSW to transport his farming produce. The lighthouse was built on the southern point of Twofold Bay for the benefit of his nacscent township.

Ben Boyd came to financial grief through labour shortages, unwillingness to pay “fair” wages, attempted exploitation of Pacific labour, a failed insurance claim for a ship and general overambition. The bank failed in 1847 and Boyd headed off to California to try his hand at the gold rush. He also failed at that and headed back off across the Pacific to New Guinea to try another scheme but appears to have been killed in the Solomon Islands en route.

Murray Foote

Tag Archives: New South Wales