Sunday 28 February 2010

Crimson Rosella Feather

Alan here. Vicki may be MIA for a while due to a writing deadline, so I'm going to try to fill in periodically.

These shots are of a body feather from a Crimson Rosella.

Saturday 27 February 2010

We interrupt this schedule...

Just wanted to share the latest review for my novel, Thin Blood: http://ebookalchemy.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/thin-blood/

I am, of course, thrilled. :)

Arwakurra School, near Booleroo SA

One from my personal archives. (Photographed in 2008 on a pocket camera.)

The school opened as "White Cliffs" in 1880 and became "Arwakurra" in 1907, closing in 1951.

Friday 26 February 2010

Ironbark Regrowth, Whroo VIC

This shows how resilient the Australian bush really is. Cut it down, burn it, do whatever to it, and nine times out of ten it will regrow. (Mountain Ash is an exception to this.)

P.S. This is another of Alan's shots.

Thursday 25 February 2010

Pumpkin Flower

Green and gold – Australia’s national colours.

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Amaryllis Belladonna

Tuesday 23 February 2010

Monday 22 February 2010

Killingworth Station Homestead Ruins

All that remains of the homestead destroyed in the 1969 bushfires.

Photo courtesy of Jan Beer.

Sunday 21 February 2010

Heifer with “Pinkeye” Patch

Pinkeye (infectious bovine kerato-conjunctivitis, or IBK) is a bacterial infection of the eye that causes inflammation and, in severe cases, temporary or permanent blindness. The infection is treated with penicillin cream, then a patch (in this case from a pair of old denim jeans) is stuck on with a special ultra sticky glue. This patch keeps the sun and flies out, stops the pain and allows the eye to heal.

Photo courtesy of Jan Beer.

Saturday 20 February 2010

Merino Rams, Cornella VIC

Friday 19 February 2010

Criterion Hotel (Est. 1856), Rushworth VIC

I didn’t have much luck finding information on this hotel. It’s mentioned in Rushworth - Places to See, but that’s about it.

UPDATE: Thanks to Julie for this link to the National Trust.

Thursday 18 February 2010

Mum's Nightmare

Taken near Rushworth, Victoria... through a less-than-clean windscreen.

Wednesday 17 February 2010

Spot the Sheep

Near Cornella, Victoria.

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Native Mistletoe

Friend or foe: Misunderstood mistletoe

Monday 15 February 2010

Whroo Cemetery

Located near Rushworth, Victoria.

From sign at entrance:

“There are approximately 400 graves recorded at the Cemetery but not all graves are marked. Tombstones tell of the people’s mining accidents, illness, infant mortality and the harsh living conditions.

Just inside the gate, to the right, was the Chinese section. The 1863 Census indicates that out of the 702 residents at Whroo, about fifteen percent were Chinese. Some like Ah Chow, Ah Wee and Lo Dong were storekeepers while others were market gardeners or miners.

Chinese market gardens existed at Moora, Rushworth and Long Gully, Whroo. They battled on unfavourable soil, native animals, a water shortage and a harsh climate for their market gardens to survive.

The Chinese left their mark in the area with graves in the Whroo cemetery, the Cheong Dam and house sire found down Cheong Road as well as round mine shafts at the Phoenix Reef, Chinamans Hill and Cockatoo mines.

Amongst the peoples surnames at Whroo, the countries represented during the gold rush era were England (Lewis), France (Bartholomi), Spain (Manuel), New Zealand (Murray, Clunry, Rush and Bregan), Ireland (Ryan, Sullivan, Scurry and O’Brian), Scotland, China (Cheong), Prussia (Schleswig), Austria (Holstein), Denmark, just to name a few. Many of these nationalities can be found within this cemetery.”


Sunday 14 February 2010

Sheep at the Feeder

Taken yesterday near Colbinabbin, Victoria.

Saturday 13 February 2010

Cicada

Alan took this a photo a while back in Bright, Victoria, with an old Ricoh pocket camera (hence the resolution). He had to lie on his stomach in the long grass to get it. Never mind what else might’ve been in the grass!

The recently pupated cicada is drying its wings.

Friday 12 February 2010

Emus

Australia is a country of contrasts. Same subject, different locations.

1. Tower Hill near Warrnambool, Victoria
2. Near Quorn, outback South Australia
3. Iron Knob, South Australia (Okay, I know it’s a road sign, but how many places have to worry about emus on the main street?)

(Disclaimer: Photos taken with a pocket camera.)

Thursday 11 February 2010

Wednesday 10 February 2010

Juvenile Grey Fantail

Tuesday 9 February 2010

Escaping the Midday Sun

Monday 8 February 2010

Black Wattle Resin Nodule

Sunday 7 February 2010

Crimson Rosella

Saturday 6 February 2010

Knock, Knock, Who's There?

Holes in trees are used by all manner of birds and possums. I last saw a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo emerge from this hole.

Friday 5 February 2010

Spreading Fertiliser

Thursday 4 February 2010

Juvenile Crimson Rosella

Wednesday 3 February 2010

Hereford Heifers

Tuesday 2 February 2010

Mirror, Mirror on the Water...

WHITE-BROWED SCRUBWREN