Tunnel Vision (2 of 2)

50,000 people walked down to 60m below the Brisbane River recently as part of the first public viewing of the Clem7 tunnel. Judging from that shirt, it was pretty hot down there!

Thanks to MaryAnne for being part of it and getting the photos.

Tunnel Vision (1 of 2)

Last week saw the opening of the Clem7 tunnel which runs for 4.8kms and gets down to 60m below the Brisbane River. It connects Bowen Hills in the north with Woolloongabba in the south. It was a gigantic project employing 11,000 people. For 2 years, Milton Road has borne the brunt of huge trucks shifting 3.5 million tonnes of rock along it, day and night, towards the quarry in Mount Coot-tha.

For one day only on Sunday Feb 28th, they opened up the tunnel to runners and walkers. It offered a relaxed, leisurely look at what is likely from now on to be viewed at 60kph. This is a photo of the rock walls and roof at the Bowen Hills entrance. Thanks to MaryAnne Bland, who kindly donated this and tomorrow's shot.

One Year On...

Today marks the one year anniversary of the storm that ripped apart The Gap in the western suburbs of Brisbane, tearing roofs from homes and ripping trees up from their roots. It was the worst storm to hit the area in 25 years. My daughter's teacher and a colleague at work were without electricity for a week. Other friends only moved back into their houses a month ago. MaryAnne, who took this photo as the storm approached, sent me her account:

I took this photo on that fateful Sunday afternoon, but believe me I was not outside, I was on a ladder in my garage, and I took this through, my garage window, have a look at it, one can clearly see there are two storm fronts approaching and what amazed me is the area in the middle of these two "rotating storm cells" looks like the map of Africa!

I live in such a lovely neighbourhood! When the storm had passed I wandered round with my camera and many of the residents in my street and in the neighbouring streets, were walking around with a glass of wine in one hand and also checking if everyone in the immediate vicinity was ok, and any help that was needed was offered!

To add to everyone's concerns, my daughter and I, flew out for Sydney the next morning, and we had no electricity, we ate cold meat and cold spaghetti for dinner that evening, and got up in the cold and dark, and were ready for our cab to the airport at 5am, having packed in the dark or by torch light the night before and without having had showers the previous night or that morning.

Mary Steps Out

It's 100 years since Mary MacKillop died and to celebrate, there was a re-enactment performance in City Hall on Sunday. She arrived in an old Cobb and Co. coach and stepped out into the King George Square sunshine.
Did you know she's on her way to being Australia's first saint? Read all about her saintly ways here.
Thanks to MaryAnne Bland for the photo.

350 frisbees

On Saturday people from 181 countries all came together for an International Day of Climate Action. The idea behind it is that we will have a lot healthier and more sustainable world if we reduce the amount of CO2 in the air to 350 parts per million (it's about 390 now). Which is where the "350" bit comes in. Read all about it and see pictures from actions all over the world here. In one Brisbane event at the West End Markets, people threw 350 frisbees into the air to the beat of 350 drums (approximately, perhaps). I was at work so I missed it but luckily today's photo is kindly donated by MaryAnne Bland. Thanks MaryAnne!