Only Three, Brisbane

Wednesday 20 November

Our meeting time today was 7am at Southbank. Although we were only three, the glow of the boganvillea brightened our spirits, as we set off along the shoreline of the Brisbane River to the Story Bridge. It was another hot, smokey day. 

Our destination was Victoria Park Golf Course for a game of mini golf. The direct route was only 4 km from our meeting point so I had enjoyed planning an indirect route the evening before. We covered 14 km, revisiting favourite haunts and discovering some lovely old buildings. You see so much more when you have the time to explore our lovely city on foot. Such a happy day!

Even in these dry conditions, these grasses are still determined to enhance this wall.         (Jocelyn]

Half way to the bridge, where we took a cross river ferry to continue towards our destination.

Along this section of the river shoreline, an eye catching tree was in full bloom.

No, it's not autumn.

One of our favourite views from the General Post Office entrance, through to Anzac Square and Central Station.                                                                                                                 [Jocelyn]

Last week we had stumbled on the office tower, named '100 Creek'. Its foyer had this stunning digital mural, with a coffee shop next door. I vowed to return, not realising it would only be a week later. A relaxing half hour was spent here watching the dramatic scenery of various areas of Queensland whilst enjoying our coffee.                                                                                             [Jocelyn]

An art deco building as we walked along Wickham Terrace.

The Old Windmill, built in 1820 by convict labour and once an observatory and windmill tower.

Our jacarandas continue to keep us gasping at their mauve beauty.

Our walk took us through the Roma Street Parkland and gardens. It was a real joy to see the multitude of colours and GREEN lawns.

Granny with a kangaroo - for Ben.

As the delicate mauve of the jacarandas fade, the brilliant red blooms of the poincianas captivate.

We are always in awe of the variety of colours of the peeling bark of our eucalyptus [gum trees].

The Bush Stone-curlew is a native Australian bird. It is a mainly nocturnal, ground loving bird that has an eerie, high pitched call. Blending so well with the dry conditions of the golf course, someone has tried to give it some protection.

The view back to the city over a brown fairway.

Eventhough a tropical plant, the bougainvilleas are quite spectacular at present, given our dry conditions.

And now for a round of mini golf with this lovely Christmas theme. 

Jenny was our scorer. Hmm!

Lunch was taken at the Club Bistro.

Walking to Herston Road Bus Station, we passed the Queensland Medical School. A very impressive building built in 1939.

Almost opposite was this clever mural covering a traffic signal box. Artforce is a wonderful Brisbane City Council initiative to transform these eyesores by allowing artists, novice and pro, to paint them. The Hungry Hikers had entered the quarterly bid earlier this year but sadly, we were not successful. It is very popular and once the boxes are released on-line, you have to be very quick.

Our bus dropped us at Roma Street Station, so I had these lovely views as the train crossed the Brisbane River, on my journey home.

Now that we can't walk in the bush, we wonder how many new walks we can find locally. This walk, although familiar, made new discoveries. Brisbane is just a wonderful, friendly, livable city, that the possibilties are endless. Our absent hikers missed out on a top day.

Re the fires. Locally there are no issues, but with our high temperatures and wind, it only needs one senseless person to drop a cigarette butt, a piece of glass or lightening strike to change that, as everything is tinder dry. Elsewhere, the fire dramas continue with severe and castastrophic fire level warnings. 

I would love to read your comment.

Highs and Lows

14 November

I'm sure most of my followers are well aware of the havoc and devastation the bushfires are causing over too much of Australia.

Everywhere is tinder dry and the weather conditions are such that just a spark from mowing the lawn could set off a racing inferno within seconds, aided by dry air and persistant strong winds. Fires can appear contained but the wind is carrying embers over 20 kms away and a new fire is lit.

The situation for too many is horrific but thankfully, we are not in an area of concern. Having said that, a parkland area of downtown Beenleigh was on alert yesterday. 

We just have smokey skies, heat and winds. A change in the weather occurred late yesterday so there should be some relief for the fire fighters for the present, but it is going to be a long summer with no good rainfalls predicted.

I thought I would share just a few images that show the extent of the dramas unfolding.

Meanwhile in western NSW, in the town of Bourke, they are rejoicing as rainfall has finally found them. And in Tasmania and the highlands of Victoria, snow has fallen quite heavily - most unusual for this time of year.

The sun had been up about and hour on Monday morning, when I set off at 5.45am for my morning walk with good friend Mary. These are the smokey scenes that greeted us. The smoke had been blown north from fires several hundred kilometres away.

Wednesday the temperature was expected to rise to 35C with an extreme fire danger rating. My Hungry Hiker group opted to follow city laneway trails, before meeting at the State Library for a guided tour of their latest exhibit, "Meet Me at the Paragon", the history of Greek Cafes in Queensland from the early 1900's.

'Women's Work' was the theme for the laneways. The artists were a team of independent, innovative,

resilient women, representing and promoting excellence and equality in art throughout the city. It has been written that "the artworks capture the heart of Brisbane and respond to its landscape from modern and historial perspective" - Exhibition Curator.

The blue pieces are by artist BluArt Xinja, who installs them under the cover of dark, in out of the way spots - under bridges, in trees, on top of security cameras and parapets of buildings. He is trying to bridge the gap between graffiti and authorised public sculpture / art.

To beat the heat, we met in the city at 8am. It was strange to be a part of the rushing commuter traffic.

These two unusual company names made me laugh.

Koalas in the city, but only concrete.

This is the foyer of a Government building we passed. Its amazing slide show, feature wall, drew us in. I intend to return and sit and enjoy the Australian bush scenery shown.

A very typical Aussie bush scene, as we left to find another laneway.

We passed through the weekly Wednesday markets of Brisbane Square.

Nearing the state libary - a wonderful city view. An hour later, after our guided tour, this skyline was again in a haze of smoke.

To quote Hungry Hiker Laurel, "Meet me at the Paragon uncovers the stories of Greek migrants who established cafes and milk bars in the early 20th century, carving out a new life for their families in Queensland. These establishments, like Dalby’s famous Paragon Café, became the social hubs of their communities. We joined the Curator's tour, which was very informative. The free exhibition is on until Sun 15 Mar 2020 in the Philip Bacon Heritage Gallery, level 4 of the State Library and well worth a visit, especially if you can remember having a milkshake in one of these cafes."

There was just time for a quick visit to Goma, our modern Art Gallery. They are at present constructing a new exhibition, titled "Water". This glimpse of what is to come, made sure that we will return in December, when it opens. 

Lunch partaken, there was just enough time to visit the QUT Art Museum hosting the Anne Wallace exhibition, "Strange Ways", before catching our train home. We needed more time to fully enjoy her canvases. 

"Her painting style is figurative, the subjects usually are everyday incidents, somehow rendered strange, unheimlich, the familiar made foreign at the same time, uncanny. Is there something sinister about the painting? or are we seeing something that is not really there? Is it something we can define? The work hints at human experience and the lights and darks and the unknown in between." - Marianne Tudor.

The Little Big House is wedged between two modern tower blocks beside Southbank Station.

All new buildings in Brisbane have to include some piece of art work. This one, beside the Little Big House, has loose metal squares that gently wave in the breeze. Today's wind created an angry sound.

Finally, a 5am viewing of the pelicans, who have returned to the golf ponds, in front of our home.

My thanks to Laurel and Jocelyn for many of the art photographs.

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