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.

Support The Arts

Queensland Rail has commissioned several artists over the past year to paint murals on the concrete supports that hold up the elevated railway line in South Brisbane. Today I came across the latest one which was in the process of being painted - deffo a photo opportuinity! Pity I only had my phone camera but you get the general idea. The artist is Brisbane-based graffiti artist Drapl.

The photo he was working from is of a local musician called James 'Laneous' Lane who is in a band called Laneous and The Family Yah. Triple J describes it as "Mutant Soul and Croon Punk" - what a description! When it's finished, the words will read "Raise The Vibration".

Here it is in context near the south side of the Go Between Bridge. Drapl said he's just painted the outside of the old skate arena in Red Hill. I posted a couple of pics from there a few years ago - it was attracting artists back then too -  so I'll have to re-visit and give you an update.

Corroboree Preparations

Continuing on with the Sovereign Embassy story... it's still there, just in a different part of Musgrave Park. They have 3 tents: one for men, one for women and a kitchen tent. The controversy seems to have died down and on Sunday there was a Corroboree to help celebrate National Sorry Day. It was a beautiful autumn day - warm in the sun but chilly in the shade. I hung out for about an hour or so but things were taking their time getting off the ground. I was especially looking forward to seeing some dancing but I had to leave before it all started. The BBQ food was all donated by the local church and elders ate first.

Stand-off at Musgrave Park

I couldn't really see much as the police had cordoned off the area with fences and blocked off the footpaths but the Sovereign Embassy in Musgrave Park this morning was not the happy peaceful place it was a couple of weeks ago when I visited. Scroll down to my May 1 post for shots of what it looks like.

Over the weekend, the residents were asked by the Mayor to vacate the site. The council has offered them another piece of land but the residents say that this is in fact their land with their sacred fire and they have no intention of leaving.

Today, over 200 police have surrounded the camp site in the north-western corner of the park. This is to make way for Panyiri this weekend which is the annual Greek festival held on the site (and the rest of Musgrave Park). Organisers of the festival have reportedly said they have no problem with the campers being there but Brisbane City Council haven't been swayed.

Mirjam's exhibition

There were lots of red dots dotted around the Arts Factory a couple of weeks ago for the opening of the Connectivity exhibition. Well done, Mirjam!

Brisbane's Sovereign Embassy

Brisbane's Soveriegn Embassy is an indigenous protest site set up in Musgrave Park in South Brisbane and has been open for just over a month. Read about the politics here.

Some of the coals from Canberra's sacred fire in the original Tent Embassy were carried to Brisbane to start a fire here. The residents of the camp have kept the fire burning despite prolonged rain over the past few days. 

Sovereignty of sacred land (like Musgrave Park where the camp is), an end to the disproportionally high number of black deaths in custody and a change to the intervention laws currently in place in the Northern Territory are all mentioned on the various signs around the site.

The signs are hard-hitting but the mood around seems pretty light. I've heard there is a playgroup being held there and of course there is some great art going on...

Signs around the place strictly forbid drugs and alcohol but it looks like the cups of tea are going down a treat.

Montague Arches

I'm off camping over Easter but I'll keep rolling the photos out. Have a safe, happy weekend!

Bon Fromage @ The Joynt

If you like your mid-week grooves with a generous helping of cheese then Bon Fromage is the band for you. They pushed out a bit of Concrete and Clay, some Four Tops and even a bit of Englebert Humperdinck. Songs people of my age shouldn't really know... but do. Things got a bit livelier after this shot was taken. The singer took off his jacket and several people were up strutting their stuff including yours truly.

All strictly tongue-in-cheek, you understand.

Can't Eat Coal, Can't Drink Gas

It's estimated that 1100 or 1200 people attended the Food Security Forum yesterday in Brisbane. It was a strange mix of people to say the least. There were Greenies and ultra-conservatives, farmers and conservationists, country folk and city folk.... all on the same side. (As one politician put it, if Bob Katter, Bob Brown and Bob Irwin are all singing from the same prayer book there must be something wrong!) There was a big meeting at the Convention Centre and then we marched to the city for a rally.

Unfortunately, Coal Seam Gas isn't an issue in the upcoming Queensland State election because neither of the two main parties in the race can see anything wrong with it.

Sunlit Cottonwool Skywatch

 It's storm season in Brisbane right now which makes gazing upwards very interesting. In one afternoon you might go from crystal clear blue skies to an angry dark purple to a soft billowy sunset.

Gaze upwards with other photo bloggers at Skywatch Friday.

Lazy Sunday at Musgrave Park

Chilling out by the pool at Musgrave Park which always seems to be too empty.

This one's especially for my family in the freezing snow in London.

Yule-kulele jam

On Thursday night we trotted down to The Joynt on Montague Road for a festive final BUMS meeting of the year (that's Brisbane Ukulele Musicians Society). We played Santa Baby which turned out really well - and a stonking rendition of Blister In The Sun by the Violent Femmes (not very Christmassy but still lots of fun). It helps that we have a double bass and some very good ukulele players amongst us who carry the others. You can't hear the wrong chords at all. At one point I had been confidently strumming away and concentrating on the words projected overhead - then I looked down to see my hand curled into the right shape but in the wrong position... which would have been resulting in a deliciously awful dischord. I am getting better, though!

Fairground Attraction

During NAIDOC week last week, Musgrave Park in South Brisbane hosted a family fun day which, among countless other attractions, included fairground rides. This one (called "The Dementer") was a favourite with all the kids. The guy on queue control had his work cut out for him that day.

NAIDOC day at Musgrave Park

The winter sun shone on Musgrave Park yesterday for NAIDOC family fun day. As a whitey living in Brisbane, it was amazing for me seeing so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander faces in one place. Going through the motions of Brisbane daily life, it's easy to forget that Australia has a black history.

Rooftop Soirée at Chill Backpackers

You get a nice view from the Palace Cinema foyer...

Early Morning Melbourne Street

It was a beautiful warm autumn day in Brisbane yesterday.

Merivale Street From Melbourne Street

The hexagonal mesh on the windows of the CityGlider bus is great for taking pictures through.

Bus Reflections

 South Brisbane on the City Glider.

Today I've decided to post as part of Weekend Reflections which is hosted by Newtown Area Photo.

Tim Minchin and the Queensland Pops Orchestra

Here's a shot from last night's fabulous concert at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

 If you like ginger pacifist athiest comedians who express themselves through song , this is the man for you. And the orchestra were amazing too.  

Here's one of the numbers he played last night.

Traffic Stopping Art (number 51)

Here we are, back again with my painted traffic box series after a lengthy haitus. It's been a while but here's one I go past a lot (usually when I am in a hurry) and I always make a mental note to get a snap of it before it gets painted over. It's some sort of amoebic mystery! Whatever it is, I'm very fond of it and if you want to go and see this signal box for your cell-f (groan), you need to head on over to the corner of Cordelia Street and Peel Street in South Brisbane.