Ship on the dry docks
Polly Woodside is one of Melbourne’s many tourist attractions. This three-masted iron-hulled barque was built in Belfast, Ireland, and has been preserved in the South Wharf precinct. It was originally launched in 1885, and operated as a cargo vessel carrying coal, nitrate and wheat between British ports, and ports in South America, while navigating around [...]
New Quay at sunset
Melbourne’s Docklands are something of a juxtaposition. People either love them, or hate them. No other suburb in Melbourne polarises opinion as much as this waterfront precinct. On the surface, this area had all the makings of Sydney’s Darling Harbour. The reality is a sterile glass and concrete precinct that is not everyone’s cup of [...]
The Temple of the Winds
Perched atop a hill that forms the edge of the garden, the Temple of the Winds is one of eight pavilions that lie within the confines of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne. They each have their own appeal, all built in the styles of Victorian Architecture from the era. This one has a bit [...]
The Lantern
Sometimes, the best view is directly above us. This was shot in St. Paul’s Catherdral in Melbourne. It wasn’t always known as a cathedral and was formerly known as St. Paul’s Parish Church. In spite of having been inside several times, I was completely unaware of this feature of the cathedral. Cathedrals are set apart from churches [...]
Cook’s Cottage
Built in 1755 and still standing, Cook’s Cottage lies in the south end of the Fitzroy Gardens. It wasn’t built here though… in 1933, the owner of the cottage sold it on condition that it remain in England (and was subsequently convinced to expand that region to “the Empire”). It was sold for a mere [...]
Dights Falls
Tucked away in the suburb of Abbotsford is this cascade on the Yarra known as Dights Falls. Its straight lines and precise geometrical structure are the result of a man-made weir blended with the local geology. At this point, the river narrows and is squeezed between to very different kinds of rocks – 800,000 year-old [...]
Tram-spotting at City Square
I did some pre-work today before a photo walk that I have organised for Friday the 19th of April 2013. This is City Square in Melbourne. Its tram stops have recently been redeveloped to be more pedestrian and cycle friendly, while eliminating vehicles from being able to access Swanston Street with impunity. It is also [...]
Sunset on the southbound pier
Moments earlier, I had been treated to a rainbow. Then, as the sun began to dip beneath the horizon, the colours of the evening took over. Kerferd Road pier is one of my regular hangouts. After a busy day, or an intense week, it is not uncommon to find me here clearing my head while [...]
A song of sun and rain
Hindus have a couple of different names for a rainbow. The word “Indradhanush” is used in Hindi, literally meaning the bow of Indra, the kings of the Devas (or Gods). According to Hindu legend, Indra is the Lord of Thunder (a bit like Zeus among the Greeks, or Jupiter among the ancient Romans), and his [...]
The Heartbeat of Melbourne
Ever city has a heart; Melbourne’s heart would lie very close to this spot, just outside Flinders Street station. This tram stop was put into operation around 2011, after doing away with the old ones that straddled the tracks. Operating in the form of an island between the tram tracks, it is a perfect spot [...]
The Bridge through the Dark Green Woods
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. These are the words of a poem written by Robert Frost in 1922. The title of the poem was “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening”. The [...]
The Foyer of 101
Melbourne has a range of different architectural styles that make up its many office buildings. While several of these buildings do not have any sightseeing facilities, they are friendly for visitors and amateur photographers. This image above is the foyer of 101 Collins Street. It happens to be a few doors down from the building [...]
The Digital Bunker
Have you ever wondered what Melbourne might have looked like over a hundred years ago? Wonder no further and head down to the basement of Melbourne’s Old Treasury Building, where one of the many bunkers in the cellars houses a digital display of a panoramic view of what the view down Collins Street looked like [...]
St. Kilda Marina
In Australia, Easter has got to be the best holiday…. even better than Christmas! Four days off in a row cannot be bad… and if you bookend these days with a couple of days off from work, it really gives you the opportunity to unwind, and go out and shoot. The Easter of April 2013 [...]
Alien Moon Rock
This is an older image which was shot in 2010. I had gone off on a photography trip with a friend from work. This was shot at Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary. I had been hunting for tide pools (which are so very rare around Melbourne) for quite some time. Marengo has plenty of them, and [...]
The Encrusted Anchor of the Marie Gabrielle
Wreck Beach at Moonlight Head along Great Ocean Road was (and still is) on of my favourite spots to visit along Australia’s Southern Coast. It is remarkably poorly sign-posted, and you would not be blamed if you completely missed it while driving along that way. On my first visit here, I had perfect weather in the middle [...]
The Path to Cape Otway Lightstation
In a nation where over 90% of its population lives along the coasts, Australia has its fair share of lighthouses. One of the most beautiful would have to be Cape Otway Lightstation, which lies atop the cliff at the tip of Cape Otway. The location is an intriguing one. It is that part of the coast where [...]
The loo with the best view
It has come down to this… posting images of public bathrooms… Yet, if you look closely, you’ll notice that this isn’t any old bathroom. The 35th floor of the Sofitel located on 35 Collins Street in Melbourne is publicly accessible. The men’s bathroom has a floor to ceiling window that looks over the Yarra, Olympic [...]
The Intercontinental
Easter comes around in Autumn in Australia. After a very hot summer in 2013, we finally had a bit of relief from the heat. The weather has encouraged me to leave home early with camera gear in tow, and get a photo walk in both in the morning before work, and in the afternoon after [...]
Cape Leeuwin-Naturaliste Park
I had spent the Easter of 2010 in Western Australia, in the Margaret River area. The Cape Leeuwin-Naturaliste Park makes a very large part of this area, and is famous for its caves, its lighthouses, and its forest walks. The highway curves through the forest, and at one point, comes to a clearing where several vehicles had [...]
The Pulpit at the edge of the world
I’d been here before – on a very grey sunrise. I wanted to go back at sunset. In early March 2013, I led a group of photography enthusiasts to the edge of the world… or at least the edge of Victoria and Cape Schanck. There lies Pulpit Rock, a volcanic monolith that stands out like [...]
The Ferris Wheel
I have had a fascination with ferris wheels for a long time. There are not an extreme ride, but give one enough of a thrill to get an adrenaline fix. This was shot at the 2013 Moomba festival in Melbourne. With the 3-day weekend over Labour Day here in Victoria, I chose to spend a [...]
Carnival!
Every year in March, over the Labour Day long weekend, Melburnians are drawn to the banks of the Yarra. There are rides, music, and a general air of festivity. Water sports run on the river, and fireworks light up the sky at night. It is our city’s version of a carnival. We call this festival [...]
The Beacon to the Heavens
On the evening of March 10th 2013, I led a group of like-minded photography enthusiasts to Cape Schanck at the edge of the Mornington Peninsula where the Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve lies. We had the tide going out as we arrived. We also had a generally clear sky and no moon. Our key objective was [...]
