August Theme Day - My City's Skyline

Here's the ever changing view of the city from Gladstone Road in Highgate Hill. Plenty of cranes around the monolithic "Tower of Power", 1 William Street, which is soon going to hold all of Brisbane's civil servants and is dominating the skyline at the moment.

But not for too long...the powers that be have approved this giant casino complex called Queens Wharf see the computer fly-through here. Due to start construction next year and be finished around 2022. The view from here will certainly be very different by then.

You can see other theme day posts from around the world here.

Look Down

Whoops! I missed the theme day. Too busy galavanting on the other side of the world. I discovered that wifi alone doesn't cut the mustard (in UK, Ireland and Greece, anyway). The coverage was sketchy and the speed was slow. And blogging from a phone is a bit hard for me too. OK grumpy old bird rant over. I know I know first world problems and all that.

So July's theme day was 'Look Down' and here's my offering. The view from the City Hall clock tower on to the concreter's dream that is King George Square. The square underwent a renovation a few years ago. It used to be grass with fountains and big trees to sit under. Now in the middle of summer the searing heat bounces off the concrete and reaches face-melting temperatures. There's hardly any shade or anywhere to sit. On the plus side,  if you fancy protesting against poor urban planning, you can fit thousands in to this space and the clean up afterwards is relatively easy.

This is my stop!

I'm off back to Europe for a few weeks.... England, Ireland and Crete here I come, yahoo!! I've got a post ready for the City Daily Photo theme day on 1st of July but other than that you won't hear from me until July 21st or 22nd. 

Make the most of it

The rain is coming. A wet weekend beckons in Brisbane town!

View from City Hall

At 92m, City Hall in Brisbane used to be the tallest building in town until the 1960s. Now it's completely dwarfed by the huge towers that are going up in the CBD but it's still fun (and free) to go up to the clock tower in an ancient manual-operated lift. You get a different perspective on the city from up there. This is looking north-west with Albert Street on the right, Roma Street train station and Roma Street parklands.

Blanket with your coffee?

My favourite place to sit and have a coffee is on the Goodwill Bridge. Great staff, lovely coffee and a picture-postcard view. (No, I'm not being paid to write that.) This was taken a couple of weeks ago from a moving CityCat so apologies for the blurriness. As you can see, it was warm enough to take your shirt off while canoeing down the river. It's chilled down to about 20 degrees celcius (68f) which means winter woolies for many Brisbane folks. I know. I used to laugh... but you get acclimatised after a few years. And if you're having coffee on the bridge at this time of year they even provide blankets. Toasty!

Cranes Everywhere

Brisbane is in the middle of a building boom with cranes everywhere. This is the the junction of Adelaide and George streets on the site of the old law courts. They are building a high-rise luxury hotel - work has just finished on the 7-level basement. It looks like there was a recent break-in to the site and someone took the machinery for a bit of a joyride costing $100K worth of damage... but things appear to be back on track now. Enjoy the rare expanse of sky while you can!

Aussie

 

I've been trying to snap one of these posters for the past couple of weeks but Brisbane City Council have been very quick to remove them.

Click here for more info...

Hard Boiled Egg

 The wheel was yellow in the middle and white around the outside last night. I told my daughter it was just like an egg and to which she gave me a look like "that's stretching it a bit". Then we arrived at our destination visiting friends staying at Casino Towers with this amazing view and -hey presto- check out the reflection in the river!

Ibises

The sacred ibis isn't so sacred in Brisbane. They have adapted well to urban life here and hang out anywhere there might be a free meal such as park barbeques and bins. That long bill is perfect for dipping in and pulling out tasty discarded morsels.

Buy Local Eat Local

In an effort to buy more local produce I've joined a local food buying group. We've got quite a few popping up all over Brisbane. We try and order fruit, vegetables and eggs from local farmers. We've also got local dairies, bakeries and grocery suppliers on board and some of our members even sell their own stuff too... meaning our trips to the supermarket are less frequent and we spend a lot less of our money there.

Do You See The Light?

Stained glass in the sunshine, Bulimba.

Underwater Doorway Girl

Another offering tucked away in a quiet road by street artist Barek.

Writer's block at Urban Rowing

Breeze in

 This is one of many building sites along the river in West End. A few years ago this was an industrial area. Today, it is unrecognisable. There is a feeling of impending doom among the community as the market gets more and more saturated with luxury apartments with names like Breeze, Light and Co, Vida and Virtuoso. There have been petitions, protests and numerous submissions to council to reduce the amount of development so that it is sustainable but it largely has fallen on deaf ears.

Thirst Quencher

We haven't had much rain to speak of for months. Our summer this year was very dry and that's when we normally get the bulk of our year's rain. But now, 4 days into our official winter, it isn't just raining - it's an "event" according to the media. It's been pouring steadily in Brisbane since last night and is forecast to continue throughout the day delivering totals of between 100 and 200 mls. My plants will be happy!

What's happening in Bulimba right now?

Art classes, choir, senior citizens group, baby massage, father and baby group, baby goods for sale (lots of babies round here!) dance classes, cleaning services, weight loss group, pilates, ultimate frisbee, furniture for sale, a theatre production and a penthouse apartment with big balcony and courtyard pool to enjoy it all from for $415pw. And possibly a cat.

View from the MOB

Taken from inside the Museum of Brisbane looking across the dome of City Hall.

June Theme Day: Shadows and HIghlights

Here's my take on the City Daily Photo theme Shadows and Highlights. Morning breaking through the kitchen windows at work. Plenty of shadows and the prospect of food which, for me, is always a highlight.

To check out what other City Daily Photo bloggers have posted for this theme, click here.

Roots Down

The big fig trees which line Oxford Street by the Memorial Park in Bulimba have these funky sleeves to protect them. Prop roots spring from the branches like scaffolding and grow downwards to support the huge weight of the tree and as a consequence they can grow over a vast area. Here's a closer view:

It reminds me of a poem by Brisbane's newly elected Greens councillor who recited it as part of an unprecedented maiden speech in council last month. A poem in council!? The rest of the councillors probably thought he was mad; a bit out-there for Brisbane! But you don't get more Brisbane than this:

Roots down
roots down
roots down
roots down
my heart's buried deep under Brisbane town
creekbeds, hilltops, riding around
cracking macadamias and putting roots down
I am of this city
its history is my history
my scraped knee and my favourite tree
and swimming lessons in the pool at Craigslea Primary
and Oxley's expedition back in 1823
and our Year 4 excursion to Saint Helena Island
and those weather-worn tennis balls that we were always finding
and the floods of 1974
and the invasion of 1788
and the park on the north side where I rode without training wheels for the first time
and the frog pond of drowning Christmas beetles
and Joh Bjelke-Pietersen
and hunting Easter eggs in the backyard
and hunting kangaroos by Breakfast Creek
and the roller coaster at the top of the Myer Centre that looked like a dragon and screamed at the madness beneath
Roots down
roots down
this town
roots down
My roots are tendrils, tentacles
reaching down below
splitting concrete and bitumen digging in
The soil is soft after summer storms
and the roots grow quickly, thickly
but Brisbane's burbs're built on clay
so once they're down they're down to stay
Roots down roots down brushtail growl hear that sound
But now and then in this circus I encounter a clown
who thinks that because he's got his roots in the ground
he somehow gains the right to define this town
and decide who else gets to put roots down
See the surface seems sufficiently serene
but if you peel back the bandaid you'll see the gangrene
And now I see you've forgotten
I see your roots are rotten
but this garden has no gardener
that's how we got to where we've gotten
The question on my mind is where we going?
This city is growing
sauropod construction cranes on every horizon
jackhammer clattering drowns out the cicadas
the relentless march of apartment towers makes suburbanites nervous
so they build higher fences
and mow their lawns weekly
Roots down, stolen ground
dead trees, river brown
I know something's awry in this city
but I can't quite put my finger on it
It's like we've outgrown the garden bed
roots in a twist
slumbering suburbs
silence those who resist
Vision blurring
but now I hear them stirring
climb Mt Cootha at midnight
see them lighting candles and switching off TVs
Flying foxes in the trees
stench of rotten mangoes
gives way to a cool south-easterly
Pumpkin vines wither and die but the passionfruit keeps growing
skyscrapers sprouting up from the bedrock
Wivenhoe overflowing
activists invade city hall and the clocktower falls silent in anticipation
Change is coming to Brisbane town
we feel it in the soil
while we cracking macadamias and putting roots down

(by Jonathan Sri)

Gelato in Albert Street

Happily for the ice cream shops in this part of the world, it's never too cold for gelato or ice cream.

Tower of Power

This is the new government building that is starting to loom over William Street and the river. It takes up an entire city block and can be seen from all over Brisbane. It's due to be completed in the middle of 2017. That tower block next to it is the Parliamentary Annexe building and used to be the tallest thing along that stretch of skyline. Not any more!

What a load of rubbish!

The Judith Wright Centre in Fortitude Valley is hosting an art exhibition with each piece made from second hand shop and reused everyday materials. There are 10 artworks on display.  Here's a taste.

Cate Collopy - Plastic Fantastic - Land, Sea, Airship

Created from a microphone stand, kitchen items, a foot pump, a beer keg, computer parts, toys and a wine glass holder.

Guiseppo Filardo - Trophy in Waiting

 Created from serving spoons, Christmas decorations, bar stools and a chair, wine rack, music book stand, jugs, trolleys and more.

Holly Pepper - Thorn in the Reef

 Created from woollen rugs, coffee bags, knitting needles, second-hand nails, a Webber BBQ, metal lights and more.

Robert Hains - Pegasus

Created from a bookcase, school desk, chair and lectern.

You are invited to vote for your favourite and the winning artist gets $4000. Which will support them handsomely while they are rummaging around in the tip looking for their next inspiration! So if you're in the area, pop in and check it out. It will make you see junk in a different light.

Kangaroo Point from Mowbray Park

Momentary

Checking out this delicate and intricate installation inspired by light and reflection in Brisbane. The artist is Kenji Uranishi and it's at the Museum of Brisbane. Read more here.

Riding beneath the Gateway Bridge

Kate Tempest at Avid Reader last night.

Australia is being treated to a book tour by London rapper, poet and novelist Kate Tempest. Last night she was being interviewed at my local bookshop, Avid Reader. She's promoting her novel, some of which she performed from memory with the same rhythm and intensity that she gives her poetry. It gets you deep down.

Meanwhile at the Vet in Moorooka...

Juice Bar Art

Watermelon carvings outside the juice bar in the Brisbane Square markets.

Alighting at North Quay

The downside of Brisbane's public transport system is that it costs a fortune to go anywhere. There isn't a maximum fare per day so if you were intent on a long day traveling all over the place, you rack up some serious dollars. You can lower the cost of each trip by getting a Go Card or if you pay cash, get all your travel done within 2 hours and your initial ticket is the only one you need to buy.

The upside of Brisbane's public transport system is the CityCat. It's a network of catamarans that run from the University in St. Lucia in the south to Northshore, north east of the city towards the Gateway Bridge. You just can't beat cruising along the river with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair.

Thank Truck It's Thursday!

There's a catering mob in South Brisbane called Wandering Cooks. On a Thursday evening their office carpark plays host to 3 or 4 food trucks and they change each week - the night is called Thank Truck It's Thursday. There's an outdoor fireplace, some fake grass, tables and chairs and also a bar if you want to make things civilised.

Early Morning Constitutional

This is looking east from the Gateway Bridge. The horizon is a thick haze due to all the smoke from industrial chimneys.

Flat White at Cafe 63 in Yeronga

Owl in shining armour

This plastic owl is supposed to keep the rest of the birds - especially kookaburras - from swooping on to the balcony at work and stealing the lunch from our forks (it has happened!). Mostly it seems to be working but there are a few magpies who have cottoned on and are happy to peck at the crumbs.

Great Brisbane Bike Ride 2016

Yesterday was the primary event in Bicycle Queensland's Bike Week - the Grest Brisbane Bike Ride a giant bike ride with over 2,000 participants. Riders can choose between 40, 75 and 110km routes. They close off or partially close dozens of roads that are normally choked with traffic. Traffic light signals switch to flashing amber in the city and an army of volunteers and police give cyclists as much help as they can. There was a bit of a bottle neck at the Moggill Ferry as hundreds of riders arrived and the ferry man said he could only take 60 people at a time.

It was about an hour and a quarter between the two photos. That's the ferry with the cars on it. Luckily for us, the 40km ride on the other side of the river had a lot less hills than the preceding 70kms!

No Parking On The Grassed Areas

Paddle's Up!

Despite the fact that I have lived in this part of the world for 11 years, I still don't know a paddle board from a surf board. I took this photo thinking "Wow - not much in the way of surf today. What's he doing??". Aaaanyway... this is a paddle board - it's bulkier than a surf board and has a non-slippy surface that you can kneel on while paddling around with a paddle.

Tinpan Orange play on my mate Kirsty's deck.

Bands that would normally play festivals and big venues are playing mini gigs in people's houses all around Australia thanks to this mob called Parlour. It's such a great idea. You pay for your ticket (much cheaper than an official venue) and you get the relaxed setting with friends and neighbours, up close and personal with the band.  Last night about 50 of us relaxed on to my friend Kirsty's deck for a gig by the fabulous Tinpan Orange. With BYO drinks -and for a gold coin donation curry and a cake- it really doesn't get better than that!

 

Practice practice practice

This Sunday is the start of Bike Week in Queensland. The flagship event is the Great Brisbane Bike Ride which includes cycling up Mount Coot-tha. OK, it's less of a mountain and more of a 2.5km hill so we're not talking Tour De France or anything but it's challenge enough for your average everyday cyclist. This week there have been lots of cyclists squeezing in some last minute practice each morning. The light here at this time of year is beautiful and all you can smell is eucalyptus forest and all you can hear are birds and the sound of your own gasping and wheezing. Sublime.

Barek

I love the little characters this artist paints. This is stuck on the side of one of those little telephone exchange boxes. It's just a few centimetres wide.

See more here.

Reward

Yesterday morning's fog draped over the city as seen from the lookout at Mt. Coot-tha. It would have been a better shot if I had been bothered to lug my SLR up the hill but it was hard enough on the bike without it. This was taken with my phone camera. Pretty lovely anyway and a nice reward for getting out of bed at the crack of dawn and hoisting myself up the hill.

Paste up, The Valley

Happy Mother's Day!

Breakfast was made for me this morning by my 13 year old daughter. It's 2 pancakes with jam in the middle and icing sugar on top!

(Luckily for her there were plenty of off-cuts to eat. Unluckily for her dad there's a pile of washing up)