Like many of the world’s warmer metropolises, Taipei comes alive at night. It’s when the often-oppressive temperatures recede that appetites emerge, and streets throughout the Taiwanese capital transform into humming markets ready to feed them. Locals and tourists compete for space as they wander through the tight corridors, scanning the seemingly endless line of light-strung food stalls for their next snack. Sausages pop over the grill while oyster omelets crackle on the griddle. The aromas of deep-fried mushrooms yield to those of sweet glutinous rice and pungent wafts of Taiwan’s renowned love-it-or-hate-it delicacy - stinky tofu. After an hour or two inside one of Taipei’s more popular night markets (and there are many), it’s not unusual to emerge exhausted, overstimulated, and achingly full.
The question for any traveler undoubtedly becomes which to hit, as — now more than ever — not all are created equal. For a first-timer looking for the all-round Taiwanese street food experience, Raohe is it. One of the city’s oldest night markets, it’s easily accessible by Taipei’s convenient and spotless mass rail system, and hosts what’s arguably the city’s most staggering variety of grilled, fried, steamed, torched, skewered, and candied dishes — including plenty with the much-venerated chewy, squidgy texture known here as "Q" (you’ll often spot the letter floating in a sea of Chinese characters on signs). Raohe has the added bonus of being located next to another Taipei institution — the stunning Ciyou Temple
With their roots in dynastic China, Taiwan’s night markets began sprouting up in the big cities near temples or other major intersections in the 1950s. The first markets to arrive in Taipei allowed Taiwanese migrants from the countryside to make a living by selling dishes and snacks from their hometowns. At their peak 10 or 20 years ago, dozens of individual night markets dotted the city, each its own amplified, neon-lit street fest swarmed with a mix of locals hunting for their favorite snacks and camera-toting tourists eager to explore Taiwanese culture through their stomachs.
But there’s been a slow decline in the city’s night market scene since its heyday. Shilin, considered Taipei’s largest and most famous market — and a standby in travel guides — was relocated from the street to a permanent, hawker-style complex in 2011, after years of displacement. With many of the stalls now located in a building basement, there’s a prevailing sense among locals that what had once been a thriving outdoor night market has succumbed to the sterility of a food court.
The Shida Night Market, too, has seen better days. Located for more than 50 years near National Taiwan Normal University — which in Chinese is known by its shortened name, Shida — the market was home to around 700 vendors at its peak in 2012, many of whom were allowed to operate without licenses. But around that time, neighborhood residents organized a campaign to clean up the area, and the government stopped turning a blind eye to the zoning violations. Today Shida market is a shadow of what it once was, to the chagrin of both vendors and many regular marketgoers who feel that the government killed off a unique bit of Taipei’s culture in the interest of a handful of city residents.
While both Shilin and Shida are not what they used to be, they’re still here, and tourists in particular don’t seem to be deterred. There remains a handful of truly excellent traditional night markets in Taipei catering to the city’s nocturnal snackers, including the boisterous Nanjichang with its old-school feel and the smaller but densely packed Ningxia. Both are in Taipei’s west, the oldest part of the city, and their impressive stalls make them local favorites.
The market that continues to tick all the boxes is Raohe. Like all night markets, honing in on what to eat here — and what to pass up — can feel impossible. So we’ve compiled a guide to some of the destination-worthy specialties and stalls in this, Taipei’s ultimate food and beverage bazaar. (Grazing as a group is highly recommended — there’s simply too much here for one person to consume alone, even if it’s fun to try.)
Black Pepper Bun
at Fuzhou Black Pepper Bun (福州胡椒餅)
A classic Fujianese night market snack found just inside the gate at Raohe’s east entrance, these Michelin recommended buns are stuck to the inside of small tandoor-style ovens, where they bake for 20 minutes before being removed with tongs. Crispy and golden brown on the outside, with a juicy spiced pork and green onion filling, these buns are the only item on the menu at one of the larger and more famous stalls at Raohe. Lines can get long during cooler weather, but they move quickly.
Deep-Fried Potato Spiral
at Potato Cyclone (馬鈴薯旋風)
It’s a beautifully simple concept: one potato, spiral cut at the perfect thickness and stuck on a skewer, then deep fried. The finished product is an eminently snackable experience that is crispy on the outside like a potato chip, but with an ever-so-thin, soft potato center that recalls a piping-hot french fry. Seasonings include sugar, black pepper, plum, seaweed, wasabi, or spicy paprika.
Stinky Tofu
at Hsia Kang Ming Peng Stinky Tofu (下港名彭臭豆腐)
Love it or hate it — and plenty of foreigners hate it — deep-fried stinky tofu may be the classic Taiwanese night market snack. If you’ve never tried it and are wary, it’s worth giving it a shot, as the pungency, which comes from fermentation, tends to register more in your nostrils than on your tongue. Taiwan puts a twist on this Chinese import by serving it with pickled cabbage, which acts as a palate cleanser and balances the oily and soft tofu experience with its crisp, sour juiciness.
Dorayaki
at Kasho Dorayaki (菓匠銅鑼燒)
These small fluffy Japanese pancake sandwiches come in regular or mini sizes. Expertly poured out and cooked on the griddle as you watch, you may find yourself switching from camera to video mode as you wait. Filling options include adzuki bean, cream, cheese, honey, tiramisu, matcha, chocolate, and vanilla milk.
Boba Milk Tea
at Morphine Tapioca Ball (嗎啡枌圓)
Not technically addictive, but alarmingly good nonetheless. Morphine offers very Q tapioca balls in a variety of milks: dairy, soy, sesame, coconut — even sweet and earthy Job’s tears milk. It also has a classic boba milk tea. Many of the people working at Raohe are focused and serious, but the boss here loves chatting and joking with customers.
Aiyu and Grass Jelly
at Aiyu Jelly and Grass Jelly (愛玉冰仙草冰)
Taiwan can get oppressively hot and humid, so people have long slurped down spoonfuls of natural plant-based jellies to beat the heat. Made from the seeds of the creeping fig plant, aiyu jelly is sweet and subtly fruity, and typically gets an added zing from a squeeze of green lemon juice. It’s also a rare treat — the trees are exclusive to Asia. Grass Jelly is flavored with a tea made from a plant known in Chinese as “immortal grass,” which has been oxidized, giving the jelly its black color and a sweet flavor that’s slightly smoky with hints of bitterness. If you can’t pick, go for the half-and-half cup.
Oyster Omelets
at Lee Chi Oyster Omelets (李記蚵仔煎)
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, filled with plump, briny oysters, and slathered in a gooey sweet-and-sour sauce, the iconic oyster omelet is a night market staple countrywide. Lee Chi, located at the west end of Raohe, is the most popular omelet-slinger here. Cooking everything to order, Lee Chi also offers shrimp or plain omelets, all of which come topped with their special tomato-plum sauce. This stall has been a mainstay of the constantly evolving Raohe scene since 1980.
Mochi and Tsaiyen
at Mochi Baby (麻糬寶寶)
This tiny Michelin-recommended stall may be Raohe Night Market’s smallest, but it’s impossible to miss. It sells just two items, which are both pretty special. The mochi from which the stall takes its name is a small round cake made from pounded Japanese glutinous rice that is dusted with sugar, sesame, and crushed peanuts. The other specialty is tsaiyen, a gelatinous (but vegan) old-school Taiwanese treat that combines wax gourd and sometimes Chinese medicinal herbs for a refreshing experience designed to counter Taipei’s infamous hot weather.
Mountain Boar Sausage (山豬肉香腸)
Sausages are central to Taiwanese cuisine, and one of the more popular varieties is made of mountain boar. These boar aren’t technically wild, as hunting for profit in Taiwan is illegal — rather, they are raised in the mountains south of Taipei near the famous Wulai hot springs. These sausages still pack a light gaminess that hits after snapping through the casing. This stall outside the west entrance cuts open its sausages in a flowerlike pattern and grills them to order. Crispy, salty, sweet, and juicy, these hit all the right notes. Two sauces are available: a salty brown sauce or garlic and chile.
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This is to continue the last post on Old Street NanZhuang Taiwan
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Nanzhuang Old Street is located on the main street and side alleys of Zhongzheng Road near Yongchang Temple and the Nanzhuang Visitor Center in Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County. The street is also known as "Osmanthus Alley" by merit of its most popular souvenir: osmanthus wine. Other must-taste specialties here are pig cage buns, rice dumplings wrapped in shell ginger leaves, iced osmanthus dumplings with fruit, osmanthus plums, lei-cha (ground tea), soy stewed firm tofu, and Hakka cuisine. Xishankeng at the end of the street was once a place where women would do laundry and chat. The old Nanzhuang Post Office, Yongchang Temple, old Kizaki food stand, and Nanzhuang Theater are other must-see attractions here.
Located on the Zhongzhen Road near Yongchang Temple and the alley nearby, Nanzhuang Old Street is full of stores selling special snacks and goods. There will be large crowds queuing on Old Street every weekend or on public holidays
Nanzhuang’s Osmanthus Alley is widely known. The name originated from a local old noodle shop when community infrastructure establishment was promoted in 2001. It has accidentally become the other name for Nanzhuang. The name brought many osmanthus-related business opportunities. Delicious and sweet osmanthus products have become the unforgettable taste of Nanzhuang and the osmanthus syrup is a popular local product.
Shuibiantou is located at the end of Osmanthus Alley on Nanzhuang Old Street and is also known as the “cloth-washing ditch”. It is a natural water channel filled with an atmosphere of nostalgic tranquility different from that of the bustling Old Street. Back when tap water was not yet available, this was the place for local residents to pound and wash clothes, where a dozen or so washboards were set up beside the clear ditch full of water. Hakka ladies chatted while washing clothes at “Shuibiantou,” symbolizing the traditional Hakka hard-working and frugal spirit and living in harmony with nature.
Walking down from the opposite side of the old post office, you will be taking a flagstone trail named “Nogizaka” to remember Governor-General Nogi’s goodwill. Based on the documents of Nanzhuang Township Office, the flagstone trail was built during the Japanese occupational period to provide the then residents with more convenient transportation. Count Nogi, the then Governor-General of Taiwan, was the first to donate money in an attempt to encourage more people to come forward with help and money.
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Lugang Mazu Temple is a national historic landmark with over four hundred years of rich history. It is one of the oldest Mazu temples in Taiwan and the first to enshrine one of the six inaugural Mazu statues (kāijīmā, the original Mazu statue of a temple, installed during its inaugural ceremony) of Meizhou Mazu Temple, the first Mazu temple in the world. Lugang Mazu Temple’s construction and ornamentation—including woodwork, stone sculptures, and paintings—were carried out by celebrated artists. The temple’s Sanchuan (Front) Hall contains some of the most extraordinary artwork found in the temple. All of the hall’s stone sculptures, floral carvings, and paintings were created by renowned masters. The hall also preserves some extremely rare antiques that can be found nowhere else, from plaques with inscriptions by Chinese Qing emperors, officials, and military officers, to Taoist talismans and a seal of Mazu from Meizhou Temple. Since Meizhou Mazu Temple was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, the Lugang temple’s Mazu statue and the thousands of antiques it preserves have become even more precious and historically significant.
Although now officially titled Lugang Mazu Temple, the temple actually goes by several names. It was formerly known as Lugang Tianfei (Heavenly Queen) Temple and also once called Luxi Shengmu (Holy Mother) Temple. It is often referred to by local residents as just the Mazu Temple or Jiuzu (Old Mazu) Temple. The temple was first constructed in the 1600s, at a location slightly north of its current site. For over four hundred years, this Mazu temple safeguarded local residents emigrating from southern China (the Minnan area). In 1683, Shi Lang (1621 – 1696), the commander-in-chief of the Chinese fleet during the Qing dynasty, brought one of the six inaugural Mazu (Patroness of the Sea) statues from Meizhou Mazu Temple with him for protection during his invasion of Taiwan. The statue was later given the title Heavenly Queen (tiānfēi) for her contribution to military victory. Shi Lang also donated a plaque with the inscription “My Benevolent Queen” in gratitude for Mazu’s blessings. The Mazu statue was then housed in Lukang, a prosperous commercial center at the time. In 1725, the temple was relocated by Shi Shi-bang (1671 – 1743), a cousin of Shi Lang, to its current location. The temple underwent several renovations during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The structure of the temple complex follows the Diantang style, an architectural design with steeper roof slope that is typically adopted by palace buildings or official residence. The Sanchuan Hall was renovated in 1933 by Wang Shu-fa, the nephew of famous master carpenter Ong Ek-sun (1861 – 1931) of Quanzhou, China. Lukang Mazu Temple was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985.
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The Lin Family Mansion and Garden in Wufeng is the best place on Taiwan island to witness classical Chinese architecture. The only other place that I can think of where you can see authentic old-Chinese, Hoklo, Fujianese buildings with such intricate brickwork and elegant swallowtail roofs is on Kinmen, one of Taiwan’s outlying islands.
There are still people from the Lin family living in houses on the ground at the mansion (the row at the southern end) so you should be very mindful when you visit. Remember that it’s not just a museum, you’re in someone’s house.
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Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Garden (Chinese: 霧峰林家宅園; pinyin: Wùfēng Lín Jiāzhái Yuán) is the former residence and grounds of the Wufeng Lin Family in Wufeng District, Taichung, Taiwan. Owing to the size of the Lin family clan, the vast site can be divided into two sections, the Upper (頂厝) and Lower (下厝) Mansions. The Lai Garden (萊園; Laiyuan) constructed by Lin Wenqin is commonly known as The Lin Family Garden (林家花園).
Lin family mansion
Upper Mansion (頂厝)
- The Hibiscus-Mirror Studio (蓉鏡齋): A sanheyuan (三合院) constructed of red kiln-baked bricks, it was rebuilt as the Hibiscus-Mirror Studio for use as a private school around 1887; the semicircular panchi (泮池) in the front courtyard was dug to resemble those in Confucian Temples.
- Tower of Prospective Fragrance Building Group (景薰樓組群): Work began sometime before 1864. The inner and outer wings of the first courtyard were completed in 1867, as well as the facade and the gatehouse to the Tower of Prospective Fragrance. The second courtyard was completed c.1883. The rear tower was completed in 1899.
- New House (新厝): In 1916, this addition was built along the southern facade of the third courtyard of the Tower of Prospective Fragrance Building Group.
- Nourishment Orchard (頤圃): Originally an earthen construction, it also served as a guest house and granary. In 1906, it was refitted as a pleasure ground.
Lower Mansion (下厝)
- Caocuo (草厝): The earliest building in Lin Family Residence, originally a thatched sanheyuan built in 1837.
- Gongbaodi (宮保第): The central courtyard built by Lin Wencha (林文察) during his enlarging of mansion in 1858, along with the facade, the left and right, inner and outer wings of the third courtyard following shortly afterward. His son, between 1870 and 1883, completed the mansion's addition with vestibules to the first and second courtyards. After Lin Wencha was killed in battle at Zhangzhou (漳州), the Qing court issued an edict, conferring upon him posthumously the title "Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince" (太子少保).
- Great Flower Hall (大花廳): This ceremonial hall, accompanied by an exquisite theatrical stage and outdoor seating, was used to host public banquets. Construction begun in 1890, completed c.1894.
- Erfangcuo (二房厝): Built between 1864 and 1870 as the residence for the second branch of the family.
Laiyuan
Commonly known as the Lin Family Garden, The Lai Garden, along with the Wu Garden in Tainan, the Beiguo Garden in Hsinchu (新竹北郭園), and the Lin Family Mansion and Garden in Banqiao, are collectively known as The Four Great Gardens of Taiwan (台灣四大名園). In 1863, Lin Wenqin, having passed the County Examination, constructed Laiyuan on the foothills of Wufeng, and offered performances for the diversion of his mother, Madame Luo (羅太夫人). The name of the gardens derives from the story of the filial Old Master Lai (老萊子), who even after reaching 70 years of age, would still dress in gaudy clothing and entertain his elderly parents (彩衣娛親). Liang Qichao, during his 1911 stay in Taiwan, composed 20 poems extolling the scenery at Laiyuan, which would late become known as "Twenty Quatrains on Historic Laiyuan" (萊園名勝十二絕句). Laiyuan now serves as the campus of Taichung Ming Tai High School (臺中市私立明台高級中學).
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The bridge was built in 1906 during Japanese rule and was named Gyotōhei kyō (魚藤坪橋). It was designed by the American civil engineers Theodore Cooper and C.C. Schneider for the colonial government. Both the bridge and nearby village (modern-day Longteng) were named Gyotōhei (魚藤坪) after a local plant Millettia pachycarpa (Chinese: 魚藤; pinyin: yúténg; Japanese pronunciation: gyotō) believed to be poisonous to fish; legends believed that a malevolent carp in a nearby lake was responsible for misfortune, and residents planted the shrub to counter the carp. The original design consists of a central steel truss flanked by multiple brick masonry arch approaches.
The April 1935 Shinchiku-Taichū earthquake and subsequent aftershocks in July damaged the bridge beyond repair. Several masonry arches were cracked and the north and south ends of the truss became misaligned. A new iron bridge was built in 1938, 80 meters to the west of Longteng Bridge, and the central truss was dismantled once the new bridge opened. Longteng of the bridge's common name is from the name of Longteng Village and gained use after the Japanese handover of Taiwan.
The 1999 921 earthquake caused one of the remaining piers to collapse and as a result, the county government decided to rededicate the bridge's remains as a monument to the two deadliest earthquakes in Taiwan's history. It was placed on the list of Taiwan's Cultural Heritage Assets on 25 November 2003
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A Japanese style village built in 2011, Xitou Monster Village (溪頭怪物村 or 松林町) attracts more than 200,000 tourists a month. A torii, a traditional Japanese gate most often found within a Shinto shrine, stands at the entrance of the village, symbolically marking the transition from the profane to the sacred. Cute Japanese monster statues are all over this small village and red lanterns hang on the eaves, making it a brilliant place for photography. Restaurants and souvenir shops are named after different kind of Japanese monsters.
The story of how this little village came about is a touching one. During Taiwan’s time under Japanese rule, Kubota (久保田) and Katsuichi Matsubayashi (松林勝一) were close friends and worked together in Xitou. Kubota was Japanese and Matsubayashi was Taiwanese. Even after Japan lost WWII and Kubota had to go back to Japan, their friendship stayed strong. Kubota ran a bakery which he called Matsubuyashi Kubota with his wife and tried to make their life better after WWII in Japan. However, years later, the bakery was destroyed by fire and his wife died. Later, when Matsubayashi heard of the story by mail, he sent some money to Kubota. In 1974, Matsubayashi received another mail from Kubota, telling him he had a wooden sculpture and wanted to give it to Matsubayashi as a present. In the end, they couldn’t meet each other in Japan for one last time. Before Matsubayashi died, he told his descendants to finish his last wish and in 2009, their descendants finally had the chance to make it happen. Now, the wooden sculpture is placed in Ming Shan Resort behind the Monster Village. In order to commemorate their friendship, Ming Shan Resort built this village and named it after Matsubayashi. Meanwhile, a bakery was named after Kubot. Between 10:30 and 14:30 every day, many tourists wait outside the front of the bakery for the fresh baked bread.
Suitable for families with children, or children at heart, a visit to the Monster Village is a fantastic opportunity to get acquainted with the local forest spirits. And when you’ve finished here, we recommend walking among, and even above, the trees at the nearby Xitou Nature Education Area for a truly refreshing “forest bath”.
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Early history
Yilan Plain farms and rice paddy Panorama in Taiwan
Since early ages, many people have travelled from far places to Yilan. Indigenous tribes that have settled in Yilan are Kavalan people and Atayal people.
The Kavalan people came by the sea and lived by the river at Yilan Plain since around 1,000 years ago. They mostly speak the Austronesian languages. Their settlements consisted of small villages along rivers with around 40–50 communities scattered around the area with a total population of approximately 10,000 people. The Atayal people came by crossing the Xiyuan Pass and settled in the mountain areas.
The Atayal people arrived in Yilan around 250 years ago and settled along the upper Dazhuoshui River. Later, the tribes crossed the Siyuan Pass to reach the valley upstream of the Zhuoshui River. These people are the current residents of Datong Township. Other parts of the Atayal people headed east to enter and settle along the Nan'ao North River and Heping North River. These groups are now settled in Nan-ao Township.
Around 200 years ago, at the end of the 18th century, the Han Chinese traversed the mountain range and settled in Yilan. Large populations began taming the wilderness, cultivating the fields and building irrigation channels. They used various means to seize lands from the Kavalans. Some Kavalans left their homes while some others migrated southwards to Hualien and Taitung coastlines and established settlements
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Suao Township (Chinese: 蘇澳鎭; pinyin: Sū'ào Zhèn; Wade–Giles: Su1-ao4 Chen4; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: So͘-ò), alternately romanized as Su-ao or Su'ao, is located in southern Yilan County, Taiwan, is an urban township that is famous for its seafood restaurants and cold springs. It is a terminus of National Highway No. 5, the Suao-Hualien Express Way, and the North-Link Line of the Taiwan Railway Administration. It also has two large harbors: Suao Port, a multi-function seaport that also houses a naval base; and Nanfang-ao Port, a major fishing port of Taiwan.
Post-war
After World War II, the town was converted to a township under Taipei County. In 1950, the township was put under the newly established Yilan County.
Demographics
As of September 2023, Suao had 14,533 households and a total population of 37,602, including 18,520 females and 19,082 males. The population of Suao Town has been decreasing on average since 1981.
The town is a place to enjoy seafood locally sourced from the sea. The whole place looks pretty much run down.
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Toucheng 頭城懶人包
Toucheng Township in Yilan is known for its amazing beaches, but there is much more to do here, such as visit Lanyang Museum, visit Turtle Island, enjoy seafood, traditional fishing harbors, recreational farms, hiking, cycling, surfing lessons, and much more. Here is a short guide to Toucheng, to let you know the variety of activities that you can enjoy here.
Before Chinese settlers came, the area around Toucheng was inhabited by the Ketagalan Aboriginal tribe, whose language is now extinct.
The name Toucheng literally means "first town" in Chinese, because it was the first settlement in Yilan, settled in the late 1700s. With the nearby Wushih and Touwei Harbors around the same time, it became the economic focal point of Yilan. However in the late 1800s and early 1900s Wushih Harbor and Touwei Harbor silted in, reducing their function.
With the advent of the Japanese built Yilan railway line in the mid-1900's, as well as constant floods and continually silting of the harbors, Toucheng quickly lost its importance economically and fell into decay.
After residents of Turtle Island were relocated to Daxi in Toucheng, Daxi Harbor was expanded and has become one of the largest fishing harbors in the area.
Due to its close proximity to Taipei, Toucheng has become a major tourist area and may be the most popular surfing location in Taiwan.
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Finally coming around to my trip to Taipei in May 2024. There will be many parts to this as my family are only into certain aspects of the country - food, culture and local scenery.
Most of the shots here will be street scenes based. Documenting my life like a journal.
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Balnarring is a rural township on the Mornington Peninsula 2 km from the coastline of Western Port Bay. Balnarring Beach is the small coastal resort on the bay, at the mouth of Merricks Creek, looking towards Phillip Island. Balnarring is approximately 65 km south-east of Melbourne. The origin of the name is uncertain, although phonetically it is most likely derived from an Aboriginal word or expression.
Balnarring was on the Ballanrong (an early rendering of Balnarring) or Coolort pastoral run, taken up in 1840 by the brothers Alfred and Henry Meyrick (the origin of Merricks). A pioneering settler, Paul Van Suylen, acquired a large pastoral holding and in about 1860 built the Warrawee homestead (now a restaurant and guesthouse), one kilometre west of Balnarring. In 1863 local landholders laid out the Emu Plains racecourse, north-east of Balnarring, which is now the home of the Balnarring Picnic Racing Club.
Village
The formation of the Balnarring village came with the opening of the post office in the Warrawee homestead (1866), the opening of a school (1871) and the opening of a Catholic church (1881). The Van Suylens also had a general store at Warrawee, and it was the Junction General Store, c1900, that confirmed the future position of Balnarring village. In 1921 a railway line through Balnarring to Red Hill placed the station near the junction. The public hall (1898) was some distance to the north-east. The junction general store continued until 1984, when it was demolished for a supermarket.
Beach
In about 1916 the Balnarring Beach became a popular picnic and bathing place. A kiosk was opened there during holiday seasons and a tea room was opened in 1923. There was foreshore camping, and a Harley motorcycle club ran races along the beach. During the 1940s a guest house, Tulum Lodge was opened. (Tulum was the place name which preceded the name Balnarring Beach.)
Balnarring has a substantial residential area with a shopping centre and public hall. There are two reserves, one with a wetland which adjoins the school (408 pupils, 2014) and the former railway reserve. There are tennis and bowling facilities and a sports oval. Balnarring Racing Club has races during November until Easter, and the racecourse is used for Sunday markets each month from November to May. The Catholic church closed in 1972, but Anglican and Uniting (originally Methodist) churches continue. Balnarring Beach has a general store, holiday and permanent resident houses, camping reserves, a yacht club and a foreshore reserve. The reserve also adjoins the Merricks Creek which enters Western Port Bay near the Coolart wetlands and the Somers children’s camp. Balnarring underwent bank closures in 2009.
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I am resting for the past week for the right thigh muscle tear. Miserable that I cannot go out
Tyabb Airport, also called Tyabb Airfield, is a small regional airport located just west of the town of Tyabb, Victoria on the Mornington Peninsula. Tyabb is the site of the Tyabb Air Show, which is held every two years.
The Tyabb Air Show of 2024 provided entertainment for all. It featured aircraft as old and slow as the DeHavilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, through to the ultra-modern Pilatus PC-21 used by the Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes.
The show is shrinking in size and the variety is now lacking. Not as good as I anticipated the event to be anymore.
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For many years in the late nineteenth century, Brighton was Melbourne's favourite seaside destination. Brighton is located in the City of Bayside, which has 17 km of foreshore to Port Phillip Bay. Nestled on Dendy Street Beach, the Brighton bathing boxes are a popular Bayside icon and cultural asset.
Bathing boxes and boatsheds are intrinsic to Port Phillip Bay and Western Port. Much has been written about Victorian morality and its impact on how people went about bathing and enjoying the seashore. As a result of this morality bathing boxes had their origins not only in Australia but concurrently on the beaches of England, France and Italy. European bathing boxes exist to this day.
The 82 Brighton bathing boxes are unique because of their uniform scale and proportion, building materials, sentry order alignment and a Planning Scheme Heritage Overlay on a beach owned by Bayside City Council. As simple structures, all retain classic Victorian architectural features with timber framing, weatherboards and corrugated iron roofs. They remain as they did over one hundred years ago, as licensed bathing boxes. No service amenities such as electricity or water are connected.
Although approximately 1,860 bathing boxes, boatsheds and similar structures are located around Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, the Brighton bathing boxes are the only remaining structures of their kind close to the Melbourne central business district. As a functional remnant of a bygone era, they provide a cultural and historical resource that is constantly being photographed, painted or drawn.
Licensees choose to differentiate their bathing boxes with minor structural, artistic and colour variations. When viewed together they turn the beachscape into a collective work of art that can change by the hour according to season, light and colours.
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This period is covered by the Geological Survey of Victoria publication The Tasman Fold Belt System in Victoria.
The sequence of events associated with the building of southeastern Australia reveals that mineralisation and magmatic processes are intimately linked with the tectonic development of the region. The history is dominated by east–west compression of predominantly oceanic sedimentary and volcanic rocks and their resultant folding, faulting and uplift. Recently, it has become increasingly apparent that major north–south movements have also been involved in constructing eastern Australia.
The Palaeozoic basement is traversed by thrust faults more or less parallel to the north–south structural grain. The largest faults separate rocks with different ages and structural histories, and subdivide Victoria into three main structural rankings consisting of:
Ten structural zones (Glenelg, Grampians–Stavely, Stawell, Bendigo, Melbourne, Tabberabbera, Omeo, Deddick, Kuark, Mallacoota).
The Moyston Fault is the most important fault as it forms the terrane boundary between the Delamerian and Lachlan fold belts. These two-fold belts show important differences. The Delamerian Fold Belt is mainly composed of Neoproterozoic–Cambrian rocks and was deformed in the Late Cambrian Delamerian Orogeny whereas the Lachlan Fold Belt contains mainly Cambrian–Devonian rocks with main deformations occurring in the Late Ordovician–Early Carboniferous interval.
The first regional deformation to affect the Lachlan Fold Belt was the Benambran Orogeny, about 50 million years after the Delamerian Orogeny. Granites comprise 20 per cent of the total exposed area of the Lachlan Fold Belt and fall within an age range of 440 to 350 million years.
Volcanics associated with the granites are also widespread and cover an additional 5 per cent. Blocks of older crust consisting of Neoproterozoic–Cambrian rocks, such as the Selwyn Block in central Victoria, were deformed during the Late Cambrian Tyennan Orogeny prior to being incorporated into the Lachlan Fold Belt.
The second major structural break in Victoria is the Baragwanath Transform, which occurs along the eastern side of the Selwyn Block. This transform fault divides the Lachlan Fold Belt into two terranes:
The main difference between these is that orogen-parallel (north–south) transport was more prevalent in the Benambra Terrane, whereas convergent east–west transport orthogonal to the orogen was dominant in the Whitelaw Terrane.
Pirates Bay is one of my favorite places to visit for creative photography ideas.
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Cape Woolamai is renown for its large and consistent surf breaks, making it a popular spot to visit on Phillip Island; However, most travellers make it no further than the car park. The Cape Woolamai Coastal Walk features breath-taking panoramic views and a series of compelling rock formations and yet, it continues to remain relatively unknown. The walk consists of three main points of interest. Cape Woolamai’s old granite quarry, Phillip Island’s Highest elevation point: The Beacon, and lastly, the unique granite rock structures that form The Pinnacles.
Nearing the end of Cleeland Bight sits the remains of a short-lived granite quarry. In the late 19th century, local granite was split and blasted to supply Melbourne builders. After just 2 years of operation, the enterprise was decommissioned, leaving evidence of previous activity. Remnants of an old jetty and drill holes in large granite pieces can be seen at low tide.
At 112 metres above sea-level, The Beacon is Phillip Island’s highest point. Located at the very tip of the cape, this structure projects light to assist boats in navigating the coastline. The 360 degree views on offer from this point is a sight to behold; Phillip Island, San Remo, Kilcunda and beyond.
A quick glance over any cliff face along this walk and there is bound to be granite formations to see, but none quite as impressive as The Pinnacles. The processes of volcanic activity and erosion take the credit for creating this grand seascape. One formation resembles a spiral staircase that ascends in to the sky and the other a set of consecutive columns; made even more scenic by the unique pinkish colouring that features in Woolamai granite.
From the Cape Woolamai car park, walk away from the beach and back up the access road. Look for a sandy trail labelled as “Cleeland Bight”, roughly 40m up on the right; the route towards the old quarry begins here. Take the track for 300m to reach the waters edge. Turn right and follow this coastline for 1.7km. Stroll past the scattered driftwood and appreciate the views back towards the mainland. In no time you will reach the Old Granite Quarry.
Commence the journey towards The Beacon by continuing up the flight of stairs and turning left at the first junction. Lying between the Quarry and The Beacon sits a breathtaking lookout point. The first section of rugged coastline is revealed here, 1.2km up from the Quarry.
The rest of the photos are kept in these two galleries Pinnacles Cape Woolamai gallery 1 Pinnacles Cape Woolamai Gallery 2
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Lake Charm is a small town situated on the Murray Valley Highway, just west of a lake of the same name. Located in the northwest of Victoria, Australia, within the Shire of Gannawarra. Lake Charm is 19 km from Kerang. At the 2011 census, Lake Charm and the surrounding area had a population of 311.
Since the late 1880s Lake Charm has been used as an irrigation carrier as an appendage to the system. In 1969 a regulator was placed across the inlet to control inflows. In later years a pump station and outlet channel were constructed to pump saline waters from Lake Charm.
The off-river storage project originally began as the Lake Boga Storage Project and it quickly became apparent that this was not going to provide enough storage. Further studies then included Kangaroo Lake and then Lake Charm and it became the Mid Murray Storage Project. It then enlarged to become the Victorian Mid Murray Storages (VMMS), which also included Kow Swamp.
Lake Charm has strong links to the indigenous community and the Lake takes its name from a former local indigenous tribal Chief, Chief Cham. It was thought that the “r” was left out and it became known as Lake Charm. There is some conjecture over the naming of Lake Charm and there are a number of theories. It went on to become a thriving community with a hotel called the Kangaroo Inn (Scantleton’s Hotel) built as a changing station for Cobb and Co. Lake Charm also boasted a railway station which in its heyday in 1942-43 dispatched more cases of citrus fruit than any other station in Victoria. Labour intensive salt harvesting began in 1880 and has been modernised and continued on by the fourth generation of the same family.
Further to the previously acknowledged books, “Between the Rivers” and “Tresco Estate”, two other publications which provide further history particularly of Lake Charm are “Lake Charm Reflections” and the “Lake Charm Mechanics’ Institute – the First One Hundred Years – 1891 – 1991”.
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Street photography, when boiled down to its essence, is simply candid photos of people in a public space. There is plenty of historical precedence for this definition, and anyone who is considered a famous street photographer will have all of their famous street photographs fit this description. Linking FACE OFF
Over the last few decades, the phrase ‘Street Photography’ has come to mean a great deal more than simply making exposures in a public place. Photographers like Robert Frank, Garry Winogrand, Lee Friedlander and Joel Meyerowitz have forced a redefinition of the phrase that has many new implications. Primarily Street Photography is not reportage, it is not a series of images displaying, together, the different facets of a subject or issue. For the Street Photographer there is no specific subject matter and only the issue of ‘life’ in general, he does not leave the house in the morning with an agenda, and he doesn’t visualise his photographs in advance of taking them. Street Photography is about seeing and reacting, almost by-passing thought altogether.
For many Street Photographers the process does not need ‘unpacking’, It is, for them, a simple ‘Zen’ like experience, they know what it feels like to take a great shot in the same way that the archer knows he has hit the bullseye before the arrow has fully left the bow. As an archer and Street Photographer myself, I can testify that, in either discipline, if I think about the shot too hard, it is gone.
If I were pushed to analyse further the characteristics of contemporary Street Photography it would have to include the following: Firstly, a massive emphasis on the careful selection of those elements to include and exclude from the composition and an overwhelming obsession with the moment selected to make the exposure. These two decisions may at first seem obvious and universal to all kinds of photography, but it is with these two tools alone that the Street Photographer finds or creates the meaning in his images. He has no props or lighting, no time for selecting and changing lenses or filters, he has a split second to recognise and react to a happening.
Secondly, a high degree of empathy with the subject matter, Street Photographers often report a loss of ‘self’ when carefully watching the behaviour of others, such is their emotional involvement.
Thirdly, many Street Photographers seem to be preoccupied with scenes that trigger an immediate emotional response, especially humour or a fascination with ambiguous or surreal happenings. A series of street photographs may show a ‘crazy’ world, perhaps ‘dreamlike’. This is, for me, the most fascinating aspect of Street Photography, the fact that these ‘crazy’, ‘unreal’ images were all made in the most ‘everyday’ and ‘real’ location, the street. It was this paradox that fascinated me and kept me shooting in the ‘everyday’ streets of London when many of my colleagues were traveling to the world's famines and war zones in search of exciting subject matter. Friends that I met for lunch would, just be back from the ‘war in Bosnia’ and I would declare proudly that I was just back from the ‘sales on Oxford Street’.
What Makes a Good Street Photograph?
The same things that make any photograph good. Light, composition, subject. What makes street so incredibly challenging is how little control of these things you have in the moment. And moment is the key word, whether you want to append ‘decisive’ or not (I personally think it is a nonsensical distinction, as if one moment is somehow better than others”). The moment you see something interesting you have two choices; take the photo from where you are as quickly as you can or start scanning to see if you can move to change the background, wait until the subject enters better lighting, or simply reposition yourself or wait for the composition to come together. The sheer number of almost good images you will get from not being able to control these elements is one of the two most difficult aspects of street photography.
Is Street Photography Art?
Street photography comes from the lineage of documentary photography and photojournalism. Street photos are not generally planned, concepted or executed in the same way a portrait or still life might be. However, there are many, many beautiful, arresting, incredible street photos. And if you can tear a urinal off a wall, tape a banana next to it and print off someone’s Instagram post and change the art world forever, I don’t see why a street photo wouldn’t be in the conversation. Personally, I have tried to move my street photography further and further into a style and aesthetic that I want to convey, but obviously much of the work remains serendipitous.
Therefore, I feel that street photography needs an element of spontaneity and uncertainty rather than the predictable/manipulative nature of studio photography.
Traditionally, street was antithesis to the early days of photography when photography was taking direction from the painting world and its principles. The idea was to create order out of chaos. Put a frame around a moment as it unfolded. That chaos only existed in that moment (the decisive moment) and could not be recreated.
The juxtaposition of people and their expressions, set against an unscripted backdrop of forms and signage, that sometimes balanced or counterbalanced the overall scene made each frame unique. Good street photography is quite hard to achieve and without a deep understanding of how to analyse an image the complexity of it is often lost on people. Those that say it's just a snapshot are missing what is really happening and need to look deeper.
Most of what is considered street today is not street in the traditional sense. Long lenses, set up shots, heavy postproduction, etc. Isn't what street being ever about. However, because street broke all the rules originally, I guess you could make an argument that what passes for street today is the evolution of that early revolt....
Altona Pier was built for the steam ferries in 1888, but these days is used mostly by fishermen and ‘promenaders’. Lovely old boardwalk stretching out over Altona Beach.
Altona Pier reaches a long way out over the water of Hobsons Bay. The information sign on the shore suggests that it needed to be this long because it had to cater for steam ferries that berthed here when the pier was first built in the late 1880s.
And sure enough, down at the far end, you can see the structure of the pier changes, with steps down to a lower level, from which passengers no doubt used to embark and disembark. There is also a solid metal mooring post on each side for those ferries to attach themselves to the pier.
History and stories about Altona Pier
The Bacchus Marsh Express of 15 September 1888 makes the first mention of the ‘almost complete’ Altona Pier, so I’d say this pier dates from 1888 rather than the year earlier mentioned on the information signs at the end of the pier now. Big crowds had gone to Altona on a free trip by steamer (to the pier) or train to watch the auctioning of the first land lots up for grabs in Altona.
And there were similar crowds in December 1888 when the Caledonia Society organised its annual picnic in Altona, two bagpipers marching the crowd off the ferries along the pier to the marquees set up nearby. The report in The Argus newspaper also mentioned the two miles of pines skirting the beach at Altona, and they are still there today.
Always popular with anglers, Altona Pier has the occasional big catch: in 1898 a man by the name of John Drydale hooked a shark, which was nearly 10ft long. No idea how he reeled it in, mind you…
The photo on the information board by the pier shows a shop standing by the start of the pier. This may well be Mr Davey’s store, mentioned in the Williamstown Chronicle in 1920. A ‘cosmopolitan’ place, said the Chronicle, Mr Davey caters ‘for all classes’, and has tea rooms and dressing rooms for bathers as well as his store. What a shame it isn’t there anymore!
By 1932 the pier had fallen into a state of disrepair (ferries had stopped by then and it was ‘used only by fisherman, swimmers and promenaders’, said one newspaper). It’s actually thanks to the public spending available for ‘unemployment relief’ in the 1930s that the pier was saved and repaired.
By 1939, though, there were more concerns about the pier’s dilapidated state, with the Werribee Shire Banner newspaper claiming that missing planks meant in places gaps as big as 2’6” (that’s about 80cm) had appeared, and ‘as the pier is unljghted at night, it is considered a menace to visitors’! (By the way, there are now lights all along Altona Pier)…
It still took years to have the pier properly restored, though. A Minister visited in 1946, funds were finally found in 1947, but then supply issues slowed things down and work only began in 1950. Funnily enough, press reports on Trove website then dry up and there seems to have been no major celebration of the newly re-built pier.
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Then the flea market theme shots
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"SEASONAL ATTRACTION - The Blue Lotus Water Garden is a seasonal tourist attraction and display garden which holds two spectacular floral events each year. Our next event is our famous Lotus Flower Season which starts on the 26th December 2024. The gardens are located in Melbourne beautiful Yarra Valley and famous for the magnificent display of thousands of flowers and exotic blooms. The "tropical themed" water gardens span over 50,000 square meters with dozens of ponds and two lakes, amazing fountains and wonderful walks. Visitors will also experience a number of spectacular garden exhibits such as the Giants of the Amazon, the biggest waterlily species in the world."
This is taken a while back. I have to take mum to take a walk otherwise she is turning into a couch potato.
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There are a lot more floral shots in the gallery of portfolio Blue Lotus Garden Portfolio
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There are quite a few cemeteries in Bendigo, Victoria. For an event on Instagram, the theme of the challenge was cemetery. So, I picked one of the local ones for a shoot instead.
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The granite outcrop of Mount Alexander rises 350 metres above the nearby township of Harcourt. Enjoy bushwalking, picnics, lookouts with stunning views and a chance to see some of Australia's iconic wildlife.
Within the 1,400ha of Mount Alexander Regional Park there are a number of magnificent lookouts including Lang's Lookout, Dog Rocks and Shepherd's Flat that offer spectacular views over the surrounding landscape. The 4km long West Ridge Walking Track provides a link between these lookouts, while Joseph Young Drive provides vehicle access to Dog's Rocks and Lang's Lookout, as well as the Leanganook Picnic Area.
While exploring the Park, visitors can regularly see Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Black Wallabies, along with numerous native bird species. Keen eyed and patient visitors might also be able to spot Koalas among the Manna Gum trees (identified by distinctive smooth bark with ribbons of handing bark), and the endangered Brush-tailed Phascogale, Echidnas and Sugar Gliders.
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I do enjoy travelling alone. Then I do miss the travelling with Joel that we both share the same hobby.
The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is a Buddhist monument near Bendigo in central Victoria, Australia. The basic idea for building the stupa came from Lama Yeshe and then, after Lama Yeshe's death, from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who decided to model the stupa on the Great Stupa of Gyantse which is 600 years old.
This is literally near where I live. I enjoy coming here absorbing the Zen of it all.
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This is short post. I am still recovering from my trip to New Zealand. There are tons of photos to process as well as photos from Taiwan trip too.
Outdoor Cafe scenes
While I am in New Zealand, it is rather hard to locate Wi-Fi from the wilderness. The quality of reception is rather poor as well. So I will post the light trail shots on a weekend few months ago.
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I tend to visit this place frequently hoping to get a better colour and less blur in long exposure. Heading to NZ for a week next week.
Pulpit Rock is a rock located in Cape Schanck, Victoria, Australia. It is in the Mornington Peninsula National Park, near the Bass Strait. Pulpit Rock is a geological formation created by volcanic activity over millions of years. Its base is called Devils Desk.
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I was never lucky enough to have a flaming sky for sunset at Dragon Head. This collection of shots was taken in company of Joel.
The spectacular rock formations make this pristine ocean beach a must visit destination for photographers. Number 16 Beach is best visited at low tide to explore the rock pools, catch a fish or to get the best shot of 'Dragon Head Rock'.
The rocks are covered in seaweed and extremely slippery, so it is best to wear practical footwear
and remain aware of tides and dangerous surf conditions during your visit.
The beach is accessed via a small car park opposite a general store, with a sandy track over the dunes leading to steep stairs. The sandy beach is a picturesque spot for a stroll or to sit and watch the sunset.
The beach is not patrolled and is recommended for experienced surfers only.
The car park marks the approximate halfway point of the 26 kilometre long coastal walk through the National Park from Cape Schanck to Sorrento Ocean Beach.
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Still in Taiwan. Back to Melbourne this weekend.
Uncover history in every corner of this charming fishing village at the end of the Great Ocean Road. The last destination on Victoria's famed Shipwreck Coast, Port Fairy boasts wide streets lined with 19-century cottages, great Norfolk pines and old stone churches. When you visit Port Fairy you are a visitor on the lands of the Eastern Maar People.
Join in the fun of the Port Fairy Folk Festival and buzzing local art scene, get active in the water, and see native animals in the wild, from southern right whales, seals and dolphins to wallabies, kangaroos and emus.
Along the coast
Take a walk down to the local port – one of the busiest fishing ports in Victoria – and watch as the fishers unload their catch of crayfish and abalone. From the wharf you can head out to sea on a guided fishing trip or take a cruise out to the seal colony on Lady Julia Percy Island. Keep an eye out for breaching southern right whales off Port Fairy's coast during the winter months, when the whales come in to mate and calve.
Try something new in the water during the summer months. Join a surfing class or get the lowdown on stand up paddle boarding, one of the fastest growing water sports in the country.
Slow it down with a round at Port Fairy's links golf course, ranked number 31 on Aus Golf magazine's top 100 Australian courses. Test your skills on the famous par 5 at hole 12 and revel in the stunning ocean views.
Sight, sound and flavour
Port Fairy is a town in love with the arts. Peruse the diverse array of boutiques, antique stores, and art and craft shops scattered throughout the town. Get swept up in the excitement of the Port Fairy Folk Festival, one of Australia's largest music festivals, held each year in March. Or you can relax and enjoy the fine food and wine on offer at one of the many great pubs, cafes and restaurants. For a sample of the best of the region's produce, pop in to the renowned Merrigig Kitchen Inn or nearby Basalt Vineyard cellar door.
Despite all the hype about this rural town, I find the place filled with sewage smell wherever I venture. It is like faeces in the air. People working with me in Warrnambool told me that it smells like that all year round. It is to do with something in the soil.
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I am travelling in Taiwan at the moment. So posts are not updated regularly.
Tenby Point is situated east of the township of Corinella, north-east of Coronet Bay and south-west of Grantville.
Tenby Point is a linear village consisting of four main streets: Guy Road running along the town's southern boundary, Bayview Avenue running up the town, Marine Parade running across the north of the town, and Park Lane running through the left side of the town. The town is built around Bayview Avenue, which is the longest street in the town and runs from the southern end of the town to the beach access point.
Beach access can be obtained from Marine Parade.
Tenby Point is surrounded by farmland.
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History of Gibson Steps
The Sandstone & Limestone of this entire coastline formed over 300 million years ago below a really deep ocean. Fish and plants that died sunk to the bottom of the ocean, along with sand from the rivers and other debris. The massive amount of pressure from the water above compacted what was at the bottom, turning it to sedimentary rock called Sandstone.
Limestone is Sandstone that’s made up of 50% fossils or and makes up the majority of the huge cliffs that the Gibson Steps are carved into.
These stairs have been used for hundreds of years, first by the local indigenous people, then by the early colonials in the 1800’s.
Where The Name Came From
In the late 1800’s, Mr. Gibson was the owner of the land that sat at the top of the staircase. He lived nearby the staircase at the well-known Glenample Homestead. Mr. Gibson and his homestead became famous when the Loch Ard ship wrecked close by. He helped rescue the only two survivors, Tome and Eva, Eva recovered at Glenample Homestead over three months. Read more about Loch Ard Gorge and the shipwreck here.
Mr. Gibson would use these steps regularly to access the beach. He commissioned workers from his farm to improve the staircase so that he could go fishing at the bottom and collect cargo.
Other people from the area would also use these stairs to bring in cargo by ship until nearby areas become more established and built facilities that made it much easier to access and unload vessels.
The name ‘Gibson Steps’ came from Mr. Gibson’s use and work done to the staircase, although him and his works were not the ones who built the famous steps down to the beach.
Kirrae Whurrong Tribe Are The Ones Who Carved Gibson Steps
The Kirrae Whurrong (Girai wurrung) people occupied this area for tens of thousands of years before European colonisation and carved the stairs now known as Gibson Steps.
Before Mr. Gibson improved the staircase, it was more of a jagged track that lead from the cliff top to the beach.
These steps were carved at least several hundreds of years ago, although some local Indigenous people claim that the staircase has been there for thousands of years.
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Mount Elephant is a perfect breached scoria cone that erupted maybe 180,000 years ago. It is part of a suite of volcanoes on the basalt plains of south west Victoria from 30,000 to several million years old. (When will the next one erupt?!)
Located 1 kilometre west of the township of Derrinallum, on the Hamilton Highway.
It is an easy one-hour drive from major regional centres of Geelong, Ballarat, Warrnambool and Hamilton, and a comfortable two-hour drive from Melbourne.
This is often the mountain used as a backdrop for astrolandscape on Instagram. The drive was a bit too long 2.5 hours from Warrnambool, Victoria.
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I am taking an overseas trip next week. I might catch up on posting afterwards.
Hopkins Falls are set in lush dairy country. They make an ideal picnic, fishing and walking spot, with gas BBQs and toilets provided. For a few days in early summer each year, the falls are the scene for one of nature’s most extraordinary migrations, as short-finned eels negotiate the falls on their migration to and from their spawning grounds in the Coral Sea (3000 km away).
The Hopkins River mouth (and Blue Hole) with its beautiful cliffs, rock formations and rock pools is a popular fishing spot. In late spring, short-finned eels can sometimes gather in huge numbers waiting for access to the sea on their journey to the Coral Sea. Just up from the river mouth, boating, water-skiing and swimming are possible. The National Trust-classified Proudfoots Boathouse is nearby.
Hopkins Falls are the largest falls on the Hopkins River and are accessed by a sealed road 15 minutes north-east of Warrnambool. They are simply spectacular during winter when water plunges 12 metres over the dark basalt rocks, leaving mist trailing in the wind.
Picnic facilities and amazing views make the Hopkins Falls Reserve an ideal spot to relax and unwind, with lookouts in the carpark ensuring you don’t miss a piece of the view. Keep a look out for juvenile eels (elvers), which can sometimes be seen jumping up the rocky ledges of the falls. The Hopkins River is an important waterway for eels during the winter migration period.
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Mount Napier is the youngest volcano in the state of Victoria and last erupted 10,000 years ago, creating the magnificent state park around its base, and an intricate connection of tubes (referred to today as caves) below the surface. The largest of the Byaduk Caves measures 18 metres wide, 20 metres deep and 10 metres high.
There are many walking trails that interconnect the caves and visitors will be able to view stalactites, stalagmites, columns and ropy lava in the one cave open to the public, Harmans 1. Batwing bats call this cave home, and so visitors are advised to remain quiet whilst inside the caves.
Harmans 1 is a lava tube which has a flat roof and arched ceiling. There are a number of rocks to climb over to enter the cave, so this activity is not suitable for those with mobility issues. If planning to visit the Byaduk Caves, visitors should wear runners or hiking shoes, as the ground can get slippery. Make sure to bring a torch to explore the cave but ensure you do not shine your torch on the bats inside the cave, as this can disturb their hibernation during the winter months.
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A pic when I was a resident in Mount Sinai Hospital New York
The Tarragal Caves are a network of large limestone caves and rock shelters which overlook the Bridgewater Lakes near the towns of Tarragal and Cape Bridgewater in the Charles La Trobe and are near Discovery Bay Park. The caves were identified as important Aboriginal camping places early in the historic period and were excavated in the late 1970s by Harry Lorrandos revealing stratified deposits in the floor of 11,300 years old, along with shell midden deposits and earth ovens over 11,000 years old.
Located just off the Bridgewater Lakes Road, and accessible in part by walking track, the cave openings form a series of galleries with clear views across the surrounding landscape and lakes.
One of the caves extends underground for over 400 m (1,300 ft) and has a sinkhole opening to the surface so that there is a constant stream of air through the cave and rising up the hole. It is said that whenever Aboriginals approached this, they would a piece of wood into the hole to "propitiate the demon supposed to reside within its profound and mysterious depths."
Colonial administrator Charles La Trobe visited the site in 1845 and 1846, and had some of his men lower a rope ladder over the cliff so he could explore the caves. He also provided a detailed description in 1846, noting that "...the ‘natives’ referred to it as ‘Lubras’ Cave’" and that they "...knew the caverns well and ...had a superstitious dread of them, stating that the caverns below were inhabited by headless lubras". La Trobe noted that when they came to the point under the sink hole there was a large pile of timber, assumed to be the items thrown down by Aboriginals over the ages. They then set fire to the pile lighting up the cave "... and displayed a magnificent, vaulted chamber, bedecked with long glistening stalactites, and tenanted by vast numbers of bats, whose whirring, whizzing noise was probably that which the natives attributed to some supernatural being."
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Not very pretty but a cultural experience.
Tower Hill is home to some of Australia's best loved wildlife. Emus, kangaroos, koalas, swans, ducks and blue wrens all live inside this magnificent dormant volcano near the Great Ocean Road. Walk across wetlands, craters and bushland and learn how the park was exploited by early settlers before being restored by volunteers.
Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve sits in a large volcanic crater. It is one of Victoria's most fascinating and significant geological formations. Volcanic cone-shaped hills rise from the lakes. It's a short detour from the Great Ocean Road and offers ample walking opportunities for people of all abilities – from easy boardwalks to scenic climbs.
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There are many conflicting theories on how the Petrified Forest was formed.
The most widely accepted theory was written by Dr. N.A. Boutakoff, (then Director of Geological Survey, Dept. of Minerals and Energy) in his book-“The Geology and Geomorphology of the Portland area”, published in 1963.
The theory is that there was once a forest of trees, probably Moonah (Melaleuca Lanceolata) which was eventually smothered by a large sand dune. Water seeping down through the sand formed a crust of sandstone on the outside of the tree trunks, gradually increasing in diameter. At the same time, the decaying organic matter of the trees produced an acid which dissolved the sandstone crust from the inside, thus pushing out the crust on a chemical front.
So from small trees grew large “petrified trunks”. They are not petrified wood, but sandstone and are of no value once removed from the site. Over the years they have suffered considerably at the hands of the so-called collectors, so please respect our fabulous natural attraction, and leave it there for others to appreciate.
Petrified Forest, the name itself, creates more questions than it actually answers. Cape Bridgewater is well off the beaten path too, it’s all a little bit of mystery; you just have to see this one for yourself. Hollow tubes of limestone protrude from the cliff top, some towering over 3 metres tall. “Forest”, is indeed a fitting description given that they’ve sprouted randomly but appear in clusters. The closest comparison is stalagmites in a cave but it feels as though these belong on the surface of Mars or even the Moon. For some, these rock structures might be a little underwhelming but for others, their unique formations and science behind how they came to be is really fascinating. Regardless, they make for a very interesting photo, a phenomenon that most people will have never seen. Looking out to sea and back onto land you’ll see fur seals and wallabies that call Cape Bridgewater home. Blue Whales, the largest animal known to have ever existed also visits this coastline November-May. Perched high up on the cliffs, the Petrified Forest is one of the best lookout points to spot one.
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Below is an article excerpt from The Age Newspaper:
Chris Saunders, a young Gunditjmara man, stood with his feet washed by Portland Bay and asked for a short silence.
It was in acknowledgment of those who had gone, he said, their spirits transported far out across the bay to an island known to Indigenous people as Deen Maar, or Dhinmar, and to Europeans as Lady Julia Percy Island.
Plenty of spirits had taken leave from this very beach in Victoria’s far south-west.
Mr Saunders was standing on the land of his ancestors at a place called the Convincing Ground: the site of the first massacre in Victoria of Aboriginal people by Europeans.
An unknown number of Indigenous people were killed by whalers in 1833 or 1834 in a dispute about ownership of a beached whale.
The story was documented by Victoria’s Protector of Aborigines, George Augustus Robinson, after hearing of it in 1841 from one of the earliest white settlers in Portland, Edward Henty.
The whalers, Mr Henty had told him, had used their guns to “convince” the Aboriginal people that the whale was not theirs. By the time Mr Robinson heard the story, he recorded that just two young men from the entire clan that occupied the whaling ground remained alive.
But the truth lay ignored and covered up for more than a century and a half until modern historians turned their attention to it.
Knowledge of the atrocity, however, was passed down by the Gunditjmara, who fought development plans for the Convincing Ground in the 1990s and eventually gained traditional rights to the site.
Several years ago Mr Saunders, of nearby Heywood, began organising smoking ceremonies on the beach each January 26, a date he and his people call Invasion Day.
At first, only a handful of Indigenous people turned up.
But on Tuesday, almost 300 people attended – many of them from the local white population.
“At first, it was just family and elders,” Mr Saunders said.
“But now, it’s shifted to include the wider community, which we wanted to see all along.
“With things like this, with community discussions and so on, it shows the community’s mind is opening up.
“I don’t lecture or shove the stories at people. I’m asking people to do their own research to learn the truth.”
Rawleigh Cox said he had come to the ceremony to learn. He and his wife Emma had brought their two sons, Clayton, 11, and Mason, three, because they believed it was important that the next generation learn, too.
Mr Cox, who has spent all his life in the Portland district, said he had never been taught the Indigenous history, even though he was of Wurundjeri ancestry, and had never heard the dreaming story of Deen Maar before the smoking ceremony.
Earlier, a “secret” dawn ceremony was held at the beach for traditional owners.
Later in the morning, the Gunditjmara moved to Portland, where they held another smoking ceremony for the wider community at an area known as “the Ploughed Ground”.
The area is claimed to be the spot where the Henty family first ploughed the land, introducing farming to Victoria, and includes a memorial stone “in commemoration of the discovery of Portland Bay by Lt James Grant” in 1800. Gunditjmarra Aboriginal site Budj Bim is considered one of the oldest aquaculture systems in the world.
But Mr Saunders said it should also be acknowledged that the Gunditjmara had lived in the area for many thousands of years before Lieutenant Grant’s “discovery”, and not far out of town was evidence that his people had been farming long before the Hentys.
The Budj Bim landscape, about 40 kilometres north-east of Portland, is Australia’s latest UNESCO World Heritage site, chosen for its evidence of fish and eel farming dating back at least 6800 years – the world’s oldest aquaculture operation.
Reflections in Windows series
It must be an awkward moment
No edit. Just pure luck getting this shot.
The pasta is great there
My entry for Reflections in Windows this month!
Sure, there are the blockbuster sights of the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard gorge, but this cove is just as worthy to be on the tourist hot spot. Only a 10-minute drive from Allansford near Warrnambool, this cove is easy to get to and has adequate parking. Really amazing views and as it is not as well known, the crowds are far less. We had the whole place to ourselves, and it was just perfect.
This place is not a well-known spot in the region of Port Campbell. Quite unspoilt and isolated.
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Thank you for the your kind visit
The wild Southern Ocean has carved a stunning collection of rock stacks and sheltered bays with clifftop walks, scenic lookouts and small beach coves near Peterborough along the Great Ocean Road. Peterborough is a secret summer destination for many Victorian visitors escaping the busier sections of the Great Ocean Road to the east.
Bay of Islands beach on Boat Bay Road is one the best spots along the coastline to easily launch a sea kayak and explore the park.
Dogs are welcome on lead at Sandy Cove near Murnanes Bay, but need to kept well away from the area between the high tide marks and edge of the dunes that are home to Hooded Plovers’s nests.
The park’s small beaches are not patrolled. Parks Victoria does not recommend them for swimming.
As beaches and coasts are natural environments, you may encounter hazards. Follow our water safety advice to make sure your day out at Bay of Islands Coastal Park is a safe and enjoyable one.
These shots were taken while I was in Warrnambool for locum work.
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Limestone is a sedimentary rock. It forms in layers with the youngest rock closest to the surface. When you look at a cliff in this National Park you are looking at a vertical geological record of millions of years.
Whilst the Port Campbell Limestone and the lower older calcareous clays (Gellibrand Marl) exposed in the lower layers range from 7 – 15 million years old, it is a common misconception that visitors are viewing an ancient seascape.
Current research and bathymetry indicate that at the end of the last ice age (18 000 years ago) the regional coastline would have been 70km south west of where it is today. With the ocean currently acting on the softer grey Port Campbell limestone there is a constant undermining of the younger, more brittle, yellow Port Campbell limestone that sits above it.
I really don't like this area as there are so many tourists stampeding on the board deck. However, I haven't visited this area for 20 years!
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Thank you for dropping by. Have a great weekend!
Loch Ard Gorge is the site of the most famous shipwreck on the aptly named Shipwreck Coast. The Loch Ard ran aground crashing into Mutton Bird Island in 1878. The only two survivors Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael managed to drag themselves to the safety of the beach inside Loch Ard Gorge. For a moment, these two tragic teenagers were the talk of the English-speaking world, which very much hoped they would marry (they did not). Walk along this sandy beach, dramatically closed in by towering sandstone cliffs. Explore several other short walks in this area including the cemetery where Tom and Eva’s less fortunate shipmates are buried.
A short walk from Loch Ard Gorge, Mutton Bird Island used to be called ‘The Sow’ back in the days when the Twelve Apostles were known as ‘The Sow and Piglets’. Every spring and summer the island is home to a noisy colony of Short-tailed Shearwaters (aka muttonbirds). Every day at dusk between October and April, these birds flock home to their burrows in their thousands, to feed hungry chicks. Experience this incredible natural event before heading to Port Campbell for dinner and an overnight stay.
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Thank you for the kind visits!
Stretching out across 32 kilometres along the coast of Victoria between Peterborough and Warrnambool, it offers astounding ocean views and a collection of fascinating geological features.
While the beaches are accessible at certain points along this stretch of coastline, the most popular thing to do is admire the stunning sea views. Keep your eyes peeled for the colony of rare, black-faced cormorants. The Bay of Islands is home to the only marine cormorant nest in Victoria. You also have the chance to spot a variety of rare plant life, which includes the spectacular sun orchid and the delightfully scented spider orchid.
The area is traditionally Aboriginal, and the parkland is still owned by the Aboriginal people who have lived here for centuries. They still practice age-old traditions and maintain their strong connection to the land and water that occupies this part of the country. Nowadays, they work in conjunction with the local councils and government to ensure that the Bay of Islands is protected for generations to come. Understand the importance of the land to the Indigenous Australian community and learning about the history of the area can be done by taking heritage walks or reading the displays along the Great Ocean Road.
There are a total of three Bay of Islands along Victoria Coast. One located in Sorrento, Mornington Peninsula and the other two are off the coast of Great Ocean Road. I truly experimented various sorts of photography here. There are just too few good weathers to shoot. (Rainy days are just good for some angry clouds and brooding melancholy which is not exclusive to the region without visibility of the islands)
Thank you for the kind visit.
The weather is becoming hot and humid. Very unlike Australia especially down in southern states. Not many chances to get out with the hostile climate.
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That is all. Thank you for visiting my blog
After Xmas gluttony sin, I manage to put on 5 kg. That is not a good sign. I will have to be strict with my Keto diet again. Joel is travelling in southern NSW. So I will revisit some old regular landscape locations for photography.
Continuing the last week of photographs from Merri Sanctuary in Western Victoria.
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This series is taken under overcast condition. Majority of my time there is like this - sadly.
From late November to late December, I had the pleasure to stay in West coast of Victoria. Throughout the 5 weeks, there were only a total of 4 days that were actually not raining. How impossible to get any decent sunset shots there.
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After the trip, it is so good to catch up with Joel again. Culturing good friendship is important in life.
This is the 2nd part of the photography using mirrorless camera. I made many attempts to take shots in this area.
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I had the last 3 days to wind down. It is nice.
This lot of shots were taken just prior to my work in Warrnambool. I started to miss the excursion I took with Joel for this photography fun.
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Just love the water splashing on the shores
The original intention was to visit Dragon Head again in a low tide for sunset. Then it turns out tide forecast is wrong again that the tide is already coming in by the time Joel and I arrive the coast.
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I got another 2 weeks to go in Warrnambool. I can't wait to leave the west coast!
These photos were taken before my Warrnambool work. The original mission was to find that jetty for long exposure of incoming waves. Instead, the tide was too low for it. So Joel and I just took the shots on the nearby sunset.
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Not many good weather at Great Ocean Road. So I am often in prep mode ready to strike whenever the weather improves
This is a lovely exercise to take skyline photos with Joel. It is easier to spot a less windy day to take these shots.
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This is the local shrine restored recently for a piece of local history for Bendigo. During Gold mining period, this is the local refuge for the Chinese Han population both to worship and hide.
My first week in Warrnambool is filled with storms and gales. No luck for any type of photography. What a luck.
Pyramid Hill is a town on the way back from my usual visitation to Barham NSW. I always like the barren look from the sky.
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A short post as I am trying to navigate in Warrnambool workplace in the first week.
The past 3 weeks have been windy mostly around sunset hours. So no good opportunities to explore the coast again.
Mum hasn't been well. So I stopped work to stay with her attending various appointments. Now I need to top up my bank account by working the next 6 weeks in Warrnambool.
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Have a great week and thank you for dropping by
This is in continuation to last week's post. Throughout the series, I use Sony FE 50mm f1.2 GM playing with depth of field. Summer is here already in Spring. I am busy packing to another agency work in rural Victoria.
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This is all. Sorry that there are no water images to show in the past two weeks. Just feeling something different lately.
Mum's health is not so good lately. Busy running errands and attending to various medical appointments with her. I wish her good HealthSpan.
When Joel is busy with his family life, I am back to the mode of solo photography hobby which is probably about time for self-enrichment.
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There are way too many shots to share. These shots above were all taken by Sony FE 14mm f1.8 GM
I took up a job offer in Warrnambool for the entire December. It will be a stint that allows me to photograph the west coast a lot more. However, there won't be much Asian food I can get in this part of Victoria. There is always pros and cons to every decision I took.
Lake Tyrrell terrain is beautiful to look at. I really love the colours and the perspective from up there.
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Thank you for the visit. Joel won't see me for few weeks. We will probably catch up during Xmas.
Australia weather is going bipolar. Heat wave for a week above 30 degrees. Then cold front hits us 4 degrees in the following week. This is impossible to know what to wear any day.
Joel does not like Bay of Islands. However, we enjoy the view when it is a high tide and sunny weather.
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Then Portsea Jetty
Really busy week again. Kind of rush through this post. Gonna do a lot of catch up on work.
Sierra Navada Shipwreck is caused by the very rock with the same name. This is an area that requires extremely low tide less than 0.2 metres to walk into. After leaving the London Bridge carpark walking down the stairs, walking passing beyond the broken London Bridge, there is a small tunnel with iron gate. Going through the unlocked gate, one would exit a tunnel and a cave revealing a different beach where Sierra Navada rock lays.
Recently I spotted the article from the age about the shipwreck itself. I put a section of the story here. The story is written on my blogspot 1900: The Sierra Nevada sinks near Portsea; 23 lost
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Joel and I immediately headed off different directions snapping photos we preferred. Eventually we met at Sierra Navada rock ourselves. He had done a big poo in one of the water hole and peed at another that some visitors took a skinny dip in them as well. Well, truly organic experience for them.
That is the lot for this great day trip down the coast.
The past week was fun, yet exhausting. 3 full days of commuting to various remote country towns along the border. Many detours due to unfinished roadwork. My Cruise control also repeatedly went down. The driving experience, shall I say the least, is not the best. At least the weekend photography time is great with low tide and clear sky. Well, the sky was too clear without clouds. Not great for landscape photographers.
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I have tons more to show from this place. But it would be too much of a photobomb. Thank you for the visit!
It is only spring. The weather is already turning way too warm for me. El Nino and Indian Ocean Dipole gonna wreck Australia this summer. I shall do enough landscape shots before the actual summer arrives.
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Now the transportation
Thank you for looking. Have a great week!
Another week passed very quickly. Travelling around Mallee Region Victoria is no fun. Well, everyone has got to eat and pay the bills. This series is taken last weekend where Joel and I finally managed to get a shot this year. The dark cloud quickly came over just to ruin our night. There were two groups of photographers at the bottom of the hill. They were a bit brave to be down there which was rather hazardous to walk on with many rogue waves. These people intermittently lit the rocks with their torches ruining our long exposure at the top.
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Purchase this photo Here
Purchase this photo Here
Purchase this pic at Here
That is the lot for the night long exposure.
It has been another busy week. Apart from the long-distance drive to various workplaces in the state, there are more discovery on some two-faced people through some corridor conversations. Getting out taking nature photos are just much safer and simpler. Joel is working hard during weekdays. So I get to have my solo adventures when opportunity arises.
Lake Tyrrell was quite busy with any astrophotographers. Their torches ruin my shots frequently. Sigh... There happens to be aurora for the night too. Some luck for me!
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Purchase above photo at Here
Purchase this photo at Here
A short post as I had a huge collection of sunset shots at a different location. But it would take a few posts to share.
Last weekend, the weather would have been perfect for astrophotography. But it was the period for supermoon which ruins the night for me. Then this lunar month is of ghost hell gate opening for the duration. Bad luck runs in a row. Sony FE 20-70mm f4 giving me bad diffractions during long exposure at the coast. The tide came back up quickly 2 hours earlier than the tide prediction on website as well. Quite a series of spooky events really.
There are no clouds whatsoever. So colour is lacking. Similar to my previous experience.
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Hope everyone has a good week! This coming weekend will be raining again. Probably for nice fine dining.
It has been another busy week. That makes the weekend get away with Joel even more cathartic. Warburton creek is not that special but it is easy to get to with a lot less tourists in the area. The walk is quite a good workout. Good for cardiovascular function
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Then here are the collections of some bottle photography over the years for the bottle event
Have a good week, folks!
Sherbrooke falls trail takes about 45 minutes for the whole circuit. Total distance is 2.4 km long. The forest is very refreshing to stroll through. The air is so fresh. Water in the creek is also very clear.
In an overcast day, it is the best condition to photograph falls and creek. Especially the water flow. The day turned out more rainy than previously thought, both Joel and I tripped along the creek in the mud. It was still a good day though.
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We went for Singapore chili crab pie after the trip. It was tasting damn good! Country Cob Pie Country Cob Bakery
August is the month I had started fine dining with former colleagues and old mates in the last life. Not much of decent photography to note but plenty of street candid photography which I have uploaded to the gallery here. The abnormal weather pattern is slowly becoming episodic rain and storm here and there from persistent monsoon like havoc.
I did a routine visit to Nyah West and spotted a clear sky on the evening. So I took a few shots when the temperature was -2 Celsius. Freezing.
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Thank you for the visit. This is a short one given that I have been living my life.
There are three Pinnacles in Australia, one in Western Australia and two pinnacles in Victoria. The pinnacles in Phillip Island is where I often visit with Joel on Therapy Saturday for which it is a regular occasion for our common photography hobby.
This is a sea cliff, so the tides are often strong and scary. Grassy areas atop the cliffs are rookeries for mutton birds which are protected species here. The footpads and the stairs are suffering from severe erosion issues that it may not be accessible in the future. There are many snake holes along the cliff face we climb down. I wonder if these snakes pose a danger in summer.
From the car park, it is about 45 minute to walk to Cape Woolamai viewing platform. The first beach section is where one can photograph the surfers in the sea. In high tide, magic land is a section of rock platforms and sea shelves that render mini waterfalls by the tides. Durin the lockdown in Melbourne in 2020, I often come here for fresh air and relaxation.
We visited this place again for the sake of getting different light.
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Thank you for your kind visit. Enjoy a new week!
Toorongo waterfall has been a popular photographer's location for many years. I used to come here frequently since high school period. Even in the film era, I get good results in this location which is about 100km from east side of Melbourne, Victoria.
In summer, there are plenty of mosquitoes and leeches that render the trips rather unpleasant. In winter, it is more friendly for us photographers since no one would be dipping in the creek or waterfall for cooling down blocking our views.
There are amphitheatre falls and Toorongo waterfall. I prefer amphitheatre falls better than Toorongo fall because the aforementioned one is not all over the internet. There are many mini waterfall coming off the rocks in the creek along the track. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk.
Among the woods, there is no need to use ND filter. It is dark enough to do any long exposure shots. As usual, we have to pick on an overcast day so there are no shadows of trees falling into the creek we photograph becoming rather distracting.
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Hope the series is as therapeutic to me as it would have been for you all.
Dai Gum San Garden was under renovation since 2020. It was in a bad shape back then. The main entrance stated, "permanently closed". I thought it was going to be developed into an apartment complex of some sort.
It is actually completed when I saw Joel Bramley's posts on his website. I took one afternoon to give it a good click with the new sigma 17mm f4 lens. The lens vignettes badly. It is of a metallic build which is so good to hold in my hands. It does not show good colours though. Struggling in shadows too.
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Thank you for the visit to my blog.
Lightscape event has been popular in the past few years. I was not keen to visit due to concern of covid outbreaks. This year, I think it was good to visit since the weather has been so cold and rainy.
As usual, there is no carparks in the location. The entrance is via the Remembrance shrine. Joel and I followed the pink trail which was certainly longer than the blue trail. The whole walk was about 2.3 km long. It was nice to explore the area and we tried to stay longer than we should given it took us a good 40 minutes to get a parking spot.
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I took the whole scene by Sony A7RV + FE 20-70mm f4
Bridgewater Bay carpark only allows 2 cars maximum in the end of a no through road. Somehow Joel and I loved visiting this area a lot. Probably because of the rock arch in a distance provides a good backdrop for photography.
However, I do not like the looks of the sand cliffs constantly dripping strings of sands downwards. It looks as if sandslide can happen any time. Yet, the path down to the beach is via the underside of the sand cliff.
It is just so easy to come down here on the weekend from Melbourne. We are using this location as a therapy clinic.
This is a short post. Running mastodon, instagram, twitter, blogspot and facebook blogs at the same time is rather becoming a full time job lol
I know most of the readers do not believe in the hype of light up events around the world. They are not run on green power and the power consumption is not justifiable in the current climate debate.
For a small rural town like Bendigo, any events to spice up the winter is a bless. I often got bored living in Bendigo as a migrant. Hence visiting Melbourne a lot regularly.
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I have been under the weather lately. Doing a lot of street candids for fun. Might post more of them in the coming weeks.
Thanks for the visit!
The weather has been more or less a hit and miss. Though stormy weather brings dramatic image, I still prefer a nice weather to venture out in the wilderness. It is not a job after all.
Rabbit rock is a tricky spot to photograph. It can only be viewed from one angle in high tide. However, one must be standing in the sea to do so. There is yet a lot of sea caves unexplored by Joel and myself. Some great efforts from the recent trips.
Thank you for visiting my gallery and blog.
This is time for Theme Day at City Daily Photo Theme Gallery
I would include two photos for this event.
This was a shot after the flood in Loddon Mallee Region of Victoria in 2022. The riverine flood has destroyed the livelihood in the remote communities.
"They are leaving because there is not enough oxygen for them to breathe in the river."
This is referring the crayfish escaping the Murray River in Swan Hill.
This was the turbulent sea spotted recently. It is eroding the coastline so much that the beach is receding.
Coastal erosion is the loss of coastal land due to the net removal of sediments or bedrocks from the shoreline. Slow onset type is happening along Victoria southern Coast.
Another week went by quickly, yesterday was winter's solstice. Time to write a post for the coming week on a cold rainy night.
I have been to GoldCoast for a total of 5 times. This recent trip is probably the least disappointing one because I did not have to go to the theme parks. Most of the people I used to go with were only after these entertainment rides there.
I mainly took sunsets and night light trails.
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That is the summary from GoldCoast!
Travelling with buddies is always fun. Big nights out drinking and hanging out sipping spicy Korean Soups was what we did. I had been to Brisbane many times but never had so much fun ever.
The past few weeks of work is definitely brain numbing.
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That is all for the week. There is a 100 million dollar lotto this week. I pray I will win.
Now I have managed to lose 11kg since 6 months ago. I felt so much better too. The daily walking on top of non-stop working really leave me little time to process the photos from the trip last month.
Originally my plan with Joel was to explore the entire Noosa National Park. Then the fickle weather brought rain on the first day we were to embark into this paradise. So the plan was improvised to visit the region around Noosa River instead.
The town is too built up for my liking. The shops are quite pretentious just like Byron Day. However, Noosa Heads is a good place to wait for sunset.
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I will post more when motivation rejuvenates :)
I recalled the rain was coming in quickly. The sky was already overcast by the time Joel and I went up north for the capture of Serenity Falls.
The walking trail was fairly easy. The light was perfect for waterfalls. Linking to Sunday Best and My Corner of the World
This is the lot for Buderim Forest Park, Sunshine Coast
This was a portrait when I used to work in a retail studio.
I love her smile.
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Moreton Island is not far away from Brisbane. Just a day trip getting me to take so many fun photos. A good breakaway from the never ending work making ends meet.
Zenfolio website cost is becoming a bit high for me. But I do not want to change hosting platform again. Kind of getting stuck with this place.
These are a few I have managed to pull out of the camrea. What a paradise to visit
Since the return of Taiwan trip, dust has yet to settle for me. I picked up a last-minute locum work for a friend in Swan Hill. I got back to intermittent fasting and keto diet only to get interrupted by mum's nagging. Health issues popped up again that my iron study is still on the decline. It is yet clear if this is a normal restoration of iron value by coming down from iron infusion 6 months ago.
Tomorrow, I have signed up a trip for medical conference. I decided to go early so I can explore the very city Brisbane better. This is a city I have visited quite a few times over the years. I did not actually explore it at all. What a bunch of wasted opportunities.
While I did zero photography in Swan Hill for 8 days, I was alerted my regular jogging spot was taken up for this light up events. I have to say the event is a success. The ticket is cheap too. Just the organisation of entrance could be better. Linking Corner of my world
This is the effort from 2 weeks ago. I have yet completed the rest of my photos from Taiwan trip either.
Thank you for your continued support of my blog here.
Kind Regards
Roentare
This is a short post showcasing the views on the mountain hike. Not much here because the weather was rather severe. In middle Taiwan.
Thank you for your kind visits!
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3 week break in March was great. At least, I get to unwind. The wonderful treats and gorgeous food in Taiwan did not help with my waistline. Since return to OZ, I am trying hard to lose the weight again. Tons of work yet to follow up. Tons of unfinished house work and unpaid bills. Sigh ...
I notice a lot of people are switching to Nikon Gear for some reasons. I remembered in the older days that Canon and Nikon gears get thumb down the most. Now it seems to go backwards to canikon culture again. Funny about capitalism.
Thank you for visiting. I will eventually process the rest of the trip photos lol
Back from 3-week overseas leave, I feel jetlagged but also refreshed.
My favorite toy should be camera. However, I sold them all during the pandemic. Someone got to eat.
This is the giant model in Nakata, Japan
Thank you for visiting!
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I haven't been to a major show or event for a long time. Joel prompted me to join him for a weekend of aero plane photography.
Well, it was an early Saturday morning wakeup call at 5 am. Taking 2-hour drive to joint a 6km queue to the airshow carpark. Then a human queue for 2km or so. Then the ticket inspector asked me to turn my phone screen down so he can scan the bar code with his crappy scanner. I then cannot bring the phone screen back to light again. Drama continued that both of us could not find the general admission area. By the time we found our area, the show already started in the sky.
That is all, folks.
I will be travelling abroad for a 3 week break. Back soon.
Now I am switched to Keto Diet. So a lot of comfort food is actually carbohydrates. So, they are no longer my go to for binge eating lol.
I love a good steak anytime.
A short post for the monthly event City Theme Gallery
It has been a busy month. 2 weeks of a job dig in the remote Victoria. A ton of unfinished work to do. A series of land tax bills, power bills and so on really get to me.
The trip to Geelong was from December period. The drive through Westgate bridge was a success given the holiday period. Otherwise it would be always a nightmare due to the congested traffic.
This is the lot for that Geelong trip.
Thank you for the visit!
While working my keto diet and intermittent fasting, Joel and I have a nice Greek meal in Swan St, Richmond. The food is gorgeous. Then we head to St Kilda Pier for a lovely sunset. Then there is a construction going on at the kiosk which is our original destination. So we end up photographing the windsurfers.
Thank you for looking!
For this theme, I will just post one shot. That is the activity for the community event.
This was an image in Louvre Museum France
Love the famous sculptures
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It has been a while since I have visited Princes Pier for another shot. The past 2 weeks have been hard limping on my right foot. Left foot is really out of action. Work is giving me a structured routine, so my idle mind stays still.
Rabbit lunar new year is not a good year for me in Chinese astrology. So I will have to be extra mindful of unnecessary impulsivity in life.
Thank you for your visits and comments
This location is a popular instagram spot for photographers. I used to visit this location every weekend. However, the drizzling sand along the overhanging cliffs by the beach was becoming a concern for me. The cliffs could collapse any time. I did not want to be buried alive underneath it.
Over the years, Joel and I suffer many sorts of musculoskeletal injuries at this location. This time, I had an avulsion tendon tear in my left ankle. It was bloody painful. The trip was nice though - I had my cardio workout here. I also ended up doing long exposure photos all day.
P.S. I got Sony A7RV for a good workout. No regret with the purchase.
That is the lot.
Nursing my left ankle for a week so far.
Time to binge watching Netflix
After working through Xmas and New Year, it was so good to be in holiday mode. I spoke to my friend Joel for ages. It was great to venture the regular photography location, so we were just relaxing in the gorgeous pre storm weather.
There was also an entertainment park in Sorrento. We stopped for some souvlaki and a long exposure stint
I am heading back to work again. These past few days have been fun
There are many photos that I win competitions in Australia. It is really hard to pick one that stands out. However, this shot is something I have never done before, and it works out well despite lack of lustre in natural scenery or nature elements. But it was a creative thing that ticked for me.
I am still working on call throughout New Year Eve weekend. It has been so busy.
I wish everyone happy new year!
There have been so many unexpected series of events affecting my health and family over the last few weeks. Fortunately, most scares turn out to be benign. However, mum is coming down with another covid infection. What a bummer.
Near where I live for the last 10 years in Bendigo, Victoria. I am surprised to find so many wonderful Christmas lights minus the crowd. Some decorations are better than the famous Boulevard Avenue in Ivanhoe!
Well, this is a short post as I am currently preparing for the long haul of Christmas and New Year work shift in Swan Hill
I wish everyone a merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
This is a very iconic location for special rocks and rip waves in Phillip Island.
Most people took the trail on the cliff to reach the destination climbing down the steep slope illegally for the shot.
My pals decide to do the hard way doing the coastal hike along the rocky shore. The hike proved to be challenging. I busted my feet and several camera gear. Even my tripod was smashed.
Some photos from the day
December is the silly season. So busy struggling with work and life balance
Stay tuned
"Luxury" in my definition refers to good food. Food from different cultures. Food cooked in different ways. Dad was a chef that my life was filled with quests to try and taste food no matter where we travelled around the world.
I realise that I have over 20,000 photos on food porns lol. This is really a bad news for me because I never thought to organise them in this website.
I will post a few here.
Eating well is a luxurious life
I took some time to process my previous travel shots in Toledo, Spain. It is such a wonderful city to visit. The history and the streets. Love the place.
That is all folks!
Apology for infrequent posting here. Work got the best of me plus the unknown fatigue and insomnia destroyed me really.
Joel my friend got me to join Mastodon a new social media that is not owned by a corporate. It is seemingly a nicer environment actually. If you are keen, this is my link Mastodon
There are few attempts to do photography around the town. However, not much good is to be shared.
The trials in State Library on patterns and perspective work out nicely.
That is all for now.
Thank you for your kind follows and support!
To interpret this theme "Soft", it does take a bit of thinking. I am a little Asperger so I will read it as it is literally. Anything blurs like bokeh or misty foggy look.
Youthful skin may be smooth and soft. Pictures of cotton wools perhaps.
I think I will keep it as bokeh or narrow depth of field for now.
Happy November!
I hope it does not rain so much that I can barely visit any regional locations for work.
This is linking to City Daily Photo Theme Gallery
This month has been an eventful one this year. Floods and more floods. Suddenly I let for the next 4 months of work because of this too. People lost homes. People lost steady income as well.
Well, I get to spend a bit more time with mum in Melbourne. Yes, I am freer, but I struggle to live with the extra time. It feels like Covid lockdown is all over again except there is no government mandate for it.
Alowyn garden wisteria bloom is quite late. Yet, fewer flowers too. I doubt there isn't enough fertilisers. It is just the weather I think.
I hope you enjoy the floral flavour of this post.
Thank you for the visit!
This is linking Friday Floral Meme
It is the full moon. That would be the perfect explanation for an eventual week. First, water bomb floods many roads that render my regional work difficult. Then many of my photography trips get cancelled due to the weather and all.
These tulip photos are something I do every year when Bendigo has this recurring festival. The good thing about it is that it is free! Unlike the Tessellar festival, I could go in any time I want. The number of Tulips is also decent too. The best thing about photographing tulips here is that there are way more interesting heritage buildings and sculptures for props or contexts.
The bloom is already finished but I will showcase some shots from this year.
Then there are many light up projections in the area too.
Thanks for visiting!
This is in participation of link Floral Friday
This is the fun event I participate in City Daily Photo feature blog -> City Daily Photo Theme Day
For me, what relaxes me would have to be leisure travel whenever I am ever free from work. However, pandemic changes all that for many people including me. In the last three years, social distancing and the crazy lockdown allows me to learn Milkyway capture in the rural part of Victoria.
Doing this type of photography relaxes me. Solo out in the desert or at the coast. Plenty of Zen time.
Enjoy some of the astro-landscape photos I have in the series. They are works I have done over the past 2 years.
Happy October - I think I am switching my comfort activity to more long exposure of ocean this year!
Lately, I am revisiting my previous travel photos. One cannot believe how they can sit in the hard disc copies until they get lost eventually.
Few years ago, prior to Pandemic, I used to travel three times a year internationally!
Luoyang is an old ancient capital in China. In mandarin literature, it is where the water dragon rests deep in the ground. The best and the most luxurious are only available in this capital city. I went through all the photos I took from the days where digital cameras are not that well developed. But still, I love the memories from the shots.
The first two emperors in China - sure they do not look such corn head in real life.
One of the most well-known fairy tale in China - I like the wood sculpture showing the story on it.
This is about a story revealing Mother's love for her child
The oriental Pisa Tower as it is called
That is enough for one post.
Quite a few weekends in a row in this prime location for Melbourne Photographers. Got a few shots of the pier underside. Some standard long exposure shots near the iconic location in broad day light. Sorry no magic hour shot. Just zero patience to wait at the dock lol.
Thanks for visiting!
In continuation of the urban pursuit of the rustic and abandoned, my pal and I explored some western suburbs of Melbourne. It is easier to explore regional and rural areas for urbex, but I love a bit of cheap eats around the metropolitan areas too.
Lately I regret picking up extra work which literally put me on call 24 7 for a total of 2 months. Again, it proves that I have a genuine allergy towards working!
I am realising this photo blog has turned into a little personal space. Initially I want to have a side hustle generating income from here. Now it is really a place to showcase what I have done in the past. Yet, I don't have to worry about if other social media decide to shut my pages down since Zen folio requires a decent premium fee to host. A fee for the service, I guess.
Enough rust I guess lol
Stop more El Nina in Australia! 3rd one in less than 8 months!
Some of the skeletons are on display in Melbourne Museum since I was in the teens. Walking through this general section of the museum triggers nostalgia. This always brings me back to the film era while photography is considered as an expensive hobby.
Photographing these skeletons is a different sort of fun compared to landscape. In natural scenery, there are way too many limitations to how an image can be constructed. In comparison to street or urban environment, every step is an opportunity to be different.
Ends with a Triceratops !
It is funny that sometimes I don't feel like doing anything. No gaming. No photographing. No reading. Then there are times that I get the vibe to do everything at once.
There has been zero motivation to visit nature at all. I am all into cheap eats and wandering about urban concrete jungles. Then I realise that I have yet finished posting the Part II of Tyama Light Show Magic!
Thanks for your visit!
It came to my attention that there was a light show at Melbourne Museum. The place has the light set up for photographers already. It is just a matter of turning the camera on and click! What a fun event for me who just wants a relaxing weekend.
I spotted my gang who found themselves uncomfortable to have humans in the photograph. They all tried to avoid any persons within the frame. I realise it might have something to do with Asperger traits or a personal style.
Interestingly, silhouette can work like a treat sometimes. One thing about being an amateur is that I can do what I like without conforming to the mainstream perception.
It takes a lot of time to process these shots. So this is just part I for the occasion.
I like to talk a walk instead of sitting at home processing these shots lol
My enthusiasm shooting landscape has died down significantly since 2 months ago. Not sure why.
The desire to shoot streets is starting to rekindle itself. Interesting that I developed a taste of eating in new places during the stroll too. Everything has its own phases.
NGV window shoots always bring something unique. I cannot help myself doing it. Plenty of snaps!
That is plenty of snaps for a post LOL
Life is busy as usual. More work is coming in ironically in winter. A friend of mine is now busy searching for a dream investment property. The other is visiting me from US. Another is busy sooking post Covid infection...
Over the last few weeks, I have been trying to organise my photos from Japan. There has been over 30 trips that I made to Japan over the years. I actually did not know where to start. I picked different albums at random. Yet, this one I discovered was from Kawaguchiko, West of Tokyo.
This place requires a lot of planning in advance. The traditional Japanese hotel took a advanced reservation one year in advance. I was lucky in the trip too. There is no overcast weather to obscure the lovely Fuji!
Other photos are shown in the gallery Kawafuchiko Gallery
Many faces of Fuji in deed!
Thank you for visiting my blog
It has been a busy few weeks. Joel came down with a severe Covid infection. Thus my motivation to navigate the busy Melbourne traffic in the name of photography is very very low.
Before Joel's respiratory saga, we had the plan to visit old abandoned Bradmill paper factory featured in Abandoned Bradmill Factory This place is now completely demolished with high fence barriers. So we went to Spencer Street for a stroll. How unfortunate!
The west end of Melbourne CBD is pretty much dead to me. Not much is happening. Plus the rain in day light is hard to get photos moody. We took a walk regardless. Not so long later, we ended up in a ramen shop having a very long lunch instead. Ha
Other Melbourne photos at this gallery Melbourne Photos
Keep safe and have fun!
Once a month, I drive through Corop to Shepparton for work. Corop is a small town with a population of 37. I am not even sure if this can be called a town at all.
For the last 10 years, I often wonder if the zombies would come out of these buildings. Petrol price is often quite expensive and that is how I know the existence of men.
Every winter drive through here reveals the dense fogs that I have to drive through in early mornings. Thrilling but also beautiful.
This is a short piece since life is becoming busy again. For my mortgage!
I am beginning to wonder if I can keep 7 social media platforms. Some doing well and some not doing so well. If this blog is running well, I would not have ventured out social media at all. The issue is Zenfolio platform does not market itself out there. Anyway, rant is over.
Work is becoming busy since the beginning of the winter. As if we were meant to be slaved away in the cold snap of the winter even more. Three weeks of continuous rain managed to keep me exploring the urban environment. Honestly, it is a fun to drive short distance to and from a location while getting cheap eats along the way.
This site was always closed until recently the buildings might be classified as heritage. Most of the time, we can only take photos from the outside of the compound. Then a new discovery of the running track outside of it leads us to an underside of an old heritage bridge as well. It was one wonder after another.
Laowa 9mm f5.6 in my conclusion is a lens designed for abandoned stuff or urban photography. Not easy to use but it really gets something unique for us the never satisfied photographers.
Other abandoned Sites:
Abandoned Old Bradmill Factory
Gonna get some nice congee for my breakie now!
Honestly, Grantville was not meant to be the destination. After a disappointing shoot at Tenby Point, this view was not possible to miss on the way driving home. Yet, Joel and I discovered a good Souvlaki shop nearby. Their chips had mozzarella cheese sprinkling all over it. Really kill two birds with one stone (Sorry for the bird lovers)
Sometimes I do wonder if I move to the wrong place to live. Grantville would be just as good!
You can browse other sunset images in this link -> Broken Hill Gallery Seaford Pier Sunset Ballina Sunsets Lake Tyrrell Sunsets
Just epic colour
Recently I have seen friends and colleagues taking the international trip either for conferences or personal holidays. I am still weary to do that. Simply there is too much potential troubles abroad. Better to keep it simple.
Some self help articles on line talks about routine is not great for us. In fact, routine keep most of us sane and steady. Occasionally, taking time to do things differently would be sufficient.
Travancore has been an area of interest for some time. I am more scared of the traffic in the area where many highways intersect. Parking in the area is also impossible as well. However, I finally take the leap to walk around the whole underside of freeways. The place stank like hell. People could be locked out anytime since the entrance is through a secret lock gate tacked away in a corner in a park.
I mainly use Laowa 9mm f5.6 purely for the perspective and patterns.
That is the lot :)
Thanks to my buddy's extreme enthusiasm on the weekend, we were supposed to head to redwood forest but detoured to do the steep hiking trek for La La falls.
Last week, Lal Lal falls is in the west of Victoria. La La falls is in the East of Victoria instead. Funny the names do not sound so serious at all.
I have to say this location is the dream haven for photographers. The creeks are wide and turbulent. The falls is high single span type. The foliage in the nearby forest are varied and unique.
Ballarat is usually colder than Bendigo. For some reasons, it is even colder on the day Joel and I visited this waterfall 15 minutes drive from the town.
The walking to the bottom of the falls is now banned. This was because of some students falling down the cliffs on the walking trails. It seems to be the case for every single waterfall in Victoria: Trentham Falls, Hopkins Falls, Little Rivers falls etc.
Due to the stormy weather, we cannot stay in the place for long. The nearby creeks were fun to photograph but I believe they are not as good as the ones near Metcalfe in Greater Bendigo.
Some snaps from the day and keep warm - Damn El Nina
Cool post box huh?
Weather certainly cooled down a lot. Since Premier Dan has this big build project going on, it is literally impossible to travel anywhere. It actually got me to explore the city again. CBD is not a place to visit after 7 pm. So I do my morning visit. The French Bistro for breakfast "Snails in Garlic" and "Omelette with shallots". Just so Yum. Then the same usual route for anyone that wants to shoot candid or street facades.
Flinders Lane, Causeway, Collins arcade, Bourke St Mall and so on. The usual.
However, St Paul's cathedral hosts this earth globe inside it. I have to snap a photo of it before the globe will be taken down. Otherwise, I have not stepped inside this place for over 20 years lol. In my days using various vintage camera systems, I test bokeh quality of different esoteric lenses inside this church. It has interesting light inside there.
St Paul's cathedral is of a neo-gothic design. Built by Mr William Butterfield. Apparently this is his masterpiece throughout his career. I am surprised about this actually. I never thought of this building that classic.
Here are some snaps!
This feels like a shot I saw on instagram!
This shot reminds me of some spirits bending the lights!
This is for now. Glad that I am still enjoying taking some snaps from time to time
It is something that I do not realise until the pandemic hit out at us. This piece of art installation arrived Bendigo in 2017. The skull weighs 5 tons and is a artwork by Sydney artist Alex Seton. "Keeping on Keeping on" is the scripture written at the base of the stone piece.
I did quite a number of snaps around this skull over the years. It is my preference to use Sony FE 50mm f1.2 that gives a great narrow depth of field. Different sentiment is depicted through this beautiful lens.
At one stage, I find 50mm optic design not great for sharpness at any aperture brighter than f2.0; however, it is not the case with Sony FE 50mm f1.2. I am finding myself more in love with this focal length again should I give the credit to this lens.
I am starting to shoot my surroundings with 50mm focal length again. It is never easy but it gives that challenge to do creative photography
This freezing winter is keeping me home for 3 consecutive weeks!
This is in participation for face meme DVArtist Meme
The recent re-organising the previous travel allows me to discover Arles France again.
Saint Trophime Priomatial Catholic Church uses no nails or screws in the entire building. It looks more middle eastern style too. I recalled I had a few hours in Arles Square as well. The strolling in the area was just fabulous.
The camera I used at the time was Fujifilm. The sensor does not have a great dynamic range. The photos really need a decent rescuing given that I could not adjust the camera to high ISO setting nor I could use a tripod inside that old building.
I will need to go back there again :)
Mount Macedon requires an early morning visit to escape the crowd. It really takes an incentive to wake up that early to venture into a town for a few snaps in Honour Avenue. No cafes or shops are open until midday or so. All the garden or parks are not open until 11 am. So the latest trip was to go to a private garden of a local wealthy residents. Quite a nice tour around the massive garden with few Autumn leaves.
That is all I can come up with Sony FE 14mm f1.8 GM. Using wide angle lens is fun to create the context for each shot.
I did something different last weekend. It was a unique opportunity to practice panning technique at this motorcycle complex. Short track. Cosy in a way.
The whole day at the race was somewhat cathartic. Listening to the noise of the bike. The smell of gasoline is kind of stimulating too. So prepare to get sick of machine in motion blur!
Cheers
That is all for this week!
This is linking to City Daily Photo Theme Gallery
The year that I could finally afford a luxurious trip to France taking mum and brother there was a memorable one. It was a time I took a long break from photography. Funny though most of the snap shots turned out to be quite memorable.
It was nice to go through the same journey for which I barely recall years later.
This was the third time I was in this palace :)
Among all the contract works in various states of Australia, Broken Hill work is the most challenging. Not only the employer makes up the rules and conditions on the go, every "outsider" is considered as a subject to explore. This was why I had to shorten the contract to just 3 weeks so I could get out of the place as soon as possible.
Local pizza shops produce good pizza. However, I mainly visit the Indian for the extremely spicy curry called AK 7 special. It keeps my spirit up by excessive serotonin release from lethal chili ingestion. Silly Goat Cafe in the area is known for the best coffee. That is where I source my Caffeine supply.
I have to admit. Living here is like a retreat of some kind. The intense sun during the day makes outdoor activity inappropriate unless one wants melanoma so badly. Living desert photography is the only place I have ventured on the day before my departure back to Victoria.
The Palace Hotel is nice to visit but I did not realise its historical significance when I drove by. Maybe for a visit in the distant future when I ever picked up another opportunity to work there.
This is kind of nostalgic to go through the photos over the years.
Once upon a time I worked various contractual projects in various regional centres in Australia. As soon as I get an opportunity, I would visit the photogenic spots in these various towns.
I had been to Ballina twice. The places to come back to were always the little estuary below the bridge. The light at the magic hour was almost always so beautiful. The feature of east coast is the daily stunning sunset.
These photos were taken when I took a sabbatical from my photography hobby. Pity that I did not take more. At the time, I felt that there was no so called skill in modern photography anymore. It was my belief that it was more about being at the right place at the right time...
I guess we all grow up in various stages.
Reverie of memories
For 9 years, I call Bendigo home. Frankly speaking, there is not much going on in town most of the time. Apart from usual festivity like Easter Dragon Dance or music festival Grovin the Moo, there is hardly anything that sounds exciting.
Art gallery in Bendigo does create some events that are really not original but attracting tourists from Melbourne. Merilon Munro exhibition was rather a success as the statue in Rosalind Park was a landmark to be recognised. However, the statue was taken down as a disappointment. Now it is Elvis exhibition event without a nice funky statue in the park. Just some cheap neon lights.
At least, these signs and lights at night gave me something to do with my photography equipment. So here they are!
50mm focal length is closest to human vision perspective. What we see through this lens is easiest on the eyes as some bloggers say. My fascination with various 50mm lenses such as Leica Summicron, Voigtlander Nokton or anything else that are hard to pronounce gave me an unique insight on their "popping" looks. Something no other online analysists are managing to pinpoint with all the modern lens lingos available to date.
It is really not a bad idea to invest in lenses. At least, when you no longer like what the lens does, it does not cost you a house and 80% of your assets. Sometimes there is still a re-sale value on the 2nd hand market! No bitterness at the end of whole romance with the equipment.
Sony FE 50mm f1.2 L really did the job. I went to Moomba on an evening. The lens really captured some of the mood I experienced. Funny I used to bitch about Sony that only Canon or Nikon brands are the real pro. Well, my days being a fanboy is over.
Almost everyone in my circle is having therapies like flushing the toilets! The total amount of fees could afford them a few Leica vintage lenses!
I prefer to detox doing my photography at sunset hours
That is all folks
See you next time!
Last year, Joel and I visited this location with no lights at all. Probably the cost was too high on electricity.
This time, the light was on but there were no parking left. Most people that attended MCG and Arena took up all the spots.
Cheers
Til next time!
In these days, it is just not safe to walk into Melbourne CBD. The protestors and the new gangs that harass people in streets are doing it everyday.
Studley park has this area with a particular gap among the trees that the whole city view was revealed through it. Easy to park and straight forward to shoot a picture next to the park bench.
This is a shot I have dreamed of doing for quite some time. Finally one into my "pocket".
It takes a good planning, plenty of good luck and cooperative weather for this to happen. Yes, it is so dark and scary in the coastal region.
One of the good things living in Bendigo is easy access to a country town with heritage status - Castlemaine.
The gold diggings national park includes most of central Victoria. Castlemaine is a town that is only 25 min drive from Bendigo. It has great food and many classical buildings.
Beck's Imperial Hotel
This hotel is located on 56 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine. In 1851, most of the gold digging population scattered around Mount Alexander. Some sort of consolidation measure took place by the government at the time. Castlemaine ended up as one of the towns that people settled in.
Imperial hotel was also known as Townhall hotel at the time. It was built in 1861. The two storey attic hotel was erected for Faulder Watson to the design of Pauchas and Swyer. Then it changed hands to William Young's Imperial Hotel in 1866. In 1887, the hotel is passed onto Pearson. It is said to have over 50 names over the period of time.
I tried the Instagram style angle shooting up with Laowa 9mm f5.6
The Mill
The classic township
Coffee Basics Das Kaffeehaus
I had the best cakes and coffee in this place!
This was a location that I tried out Laowa 12mm f2.8
The glare is controlled very well by the lens. The whole area was so wet that the tide would come back in any minute.
This part of Melbourne is really wild
Melbournians are so keen to get out door. Holiday this year at home state!
Therefore I find it so hard to photograph in any part of Victoria. Freeways are all like giant carparks. Commuting to CBD is taking forever as well.
This was taken closer to where mum lives! What a shot.
Lake Tyrrell is located in North West Victoria. A well known place for photographers. I travel to this region regularly for 7 years in a row. Initially I would only stay in my motel and enjoy local noodle box meal on Campbell Street between work. Thanks to my curiosity of the Mallee region, I always take a monthly trip to Lake Tyrrell. It is a place I am becoming so fond of it.
Tyrrell is an aboriginal word for "sky" derived from Wergaia. Boorong people were the original inhabitants in this region that were the star gazers observing astronomy. I learnt this from Google. Funny there were so little of this kind of information prior to one year ago.
The lake is 20860 hectares big (I only have explored south and southwest of the lake).
Some of the images over the past few years. Linking The corner of my world
It is almost a year since I last visited Hoiser Lane. 2020 is now gone. This lane seems so be so covered by chilly sentiment. Candid street photography is hard. It is even harder to adopt the traditional way of confronting strangers on the road.
This frame shows the stubbornness of "Melbourneness". Oops, is that a word?
People in this town are tough. Most are farmers from my own impression. The nature of farming include everything from cattles to sheep to wheat etc.
This is a special morning with the light like that. Sunrise that lifts your mood.
This area is used to be thought of a result of advancing sand engulfing an ancient forest of coastal trees that once covered the sea cliff. Actually the formation is a collection of hollow tubes of limestone called "solution pipes" eroded by million years of rainfall. Most pipes around Bridgewater cape are around 3 metres high. Some can be 20 metres though.
London Bridge does not look like a bridge at all. It looks like a large rock sitting by the beach - the "Back Beach" of Portsea so to speak.
The area is a haven for photographers during the low tide. The amount of sea weeds exposed during the low tide is just incredible.
Lake Eppalock is contructed between 1960 and 1964 to supply water to Bendigo and Heathcote, Victoria. Life line of central Victoria in Australia.
Murtoa is a wheat town located near Lake Marma on Wimmera Highway. I travel through this town monthly. The fog really casts an unusual light in the distance. The word "Murtoa" in Aborigine means "home of the lizards". I did not see any though.
Apparently Murtoa Stick-shed is the World's largest rustically-built structure for emergency grain store.
Nyah is a town in country Victoria. It is 375 km northwest from Melbourne. The town was established when the railway was extended from Swan Hill to Piangill in 1915.
In this town, I see the genuine life of rural Australia.
This is the nearby sandy beach area next to Forrest Cave. I particularly enjoy seeing that stark contrast of red rock vs the blue water. Very refreshing.
Reed's look out is just a great location to view sunset. The light can vary so much giving a different vibe each time I visit this region. Weather is very fickle as well that I often experience rain or storm in this area.
Portsea is a seaside town of metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. 95km soutwest of central business district.
Portsea is named after Portsea island which is an island incorporated by Portsmouth, England. Portsmouth is where the first settlers to Australia set sail from.
The area is a pleasure to photograph especially during the low tide. This is one of the many caves in the area.
I read it from the official website of local government description that Cape Woolamai is part of a tombolo system that includes the predominantly granite mass of the cape and the complex of volcanic rocks. Then I go "what is tombolo system"?
It is an Italian word "tombolo" meaning "mound". It is a deposition landform in which an island is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land called spit or bar. A Tombolo is a sandy isthmus.
I often felt the landscape in Cape Woolamai looking so similar to Wilson Promontory landscape. Just the scenery is so beautiful. I love it.
Cape Woolamai is a photographer's haven. It has a beautiful beach with amazing rocks that make up "magic lands". There are always many surfers in the ocean too.
From what I read, Woolamai means snapper fish in the language of Eora Aboriginal people from Port Jackson. Woolamai was named by George Bass when he passed it on whaleboat voyage in early 1798.
The location was rather a popular photographer's spot for landscape photography. Marie Gabrielle was the French Shipwreck that happened in 1869. The shipwreck coast is believed to have 700 ships submerged in its water. Only 240 ships were discovered. The walk from the damaged stairs is about 2 km. Timing of the visit is necessary as the location is totally submerged in ocean at full tide.
This is such a mystical location
As I learnt Boort in Victoria has a strong Aboriginal history, many photographs I took started to imbue a different sort of feeling to another level.
Yung Balug clan habitated in this area for a long time. The region is labelled as the region with the most "scarred trees" in the world (I read it from ABC news column). There are three lakes on the google map but only Little Lake Boort survived as the major reservoir adjacent to the town.
Beautiful scenery in this area
After living and working in central Victoria for 8 years, it becomes clear to me that a place like Lake Boort is such a little gem to explore.
In various photography fora, Lake Boort pops up like a haven for sunset photography. I manage to have a shot at the sunset after a whole day of waiting in the area.
The Aboriginal word "Boort" means "smoke from the hill". Apparently there were many "middens" - cooking mounds in the area.
I hope you like the magical hour view of the lake.
Dragon head is a famous spot when the tide is low at No 16 beach of Mornington Peninsula.
The seaweed smell is very strong when this image was taken. The whole place would be under the sea in less than an hour. The long exposure shot in this location is very enjoyable. Apart from the crowd, this is a perfect place to get close to nature