King George Square, looking up...

This is looking up at the Petrie Tableau sculpture in King George Square. The man with the horse is John Petrie as a young man, who went on to become Brisbane's first mayor, and in the background the clock tower of the recently evacuated Brisbane City Hall. Recently evacuated? yes. Crumbling structure in dire need of restoration. It's going to cost millions but I think worth it to bring such a prominent landmark back in everyday use. You can read all about King George Square right here courtesy of the brilliant blog Your Brisbane Past and Present.

Traffic Stopping Art (number 37)

Here we are at Montague Road for another look at Brisbane's hundreds of painted traffic signal boxes. These ones by Pen Donovan are brand new, put in for the lights to the new "Go-Between Bridge" or Hale Street Link. Pretty quiet right now but once the bridge opens, gazillions of cars will pass these ones every day.

How about some rain, then?

Water restrictions relaxed in Brisbane on December 1st - our reward for being so frugal with it for the past year or so. It's brilliant. Now all we need is some rain...

Soak up other skies across the globe over at Skywatch Friday.

Trolley With A View

Absolutely nowhere near a supermarket... or a house.... it must have come for the view.

Giant Skulls Painting

I didn't manage to find the name of the artist or the work but this imposing painting was a striking backdrop for people wandering into and out of the Gallery of Modern Art.

For me? Oh, you shouldn't have!

Zhu Weibing, Ji Wenyu | People holding flowers

Many mini men at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art...aren't they lovely? You can just make out the real-sized people in the background.

Asia-Pacific Exhibition at the GoMA

There's a brilliant exhibition of Asia-Pacific artists going on at the moment in Brisbane's GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art). If you're in the area, I recommend a visit. This photo is of part of a stuffed elk that has been covered in glass and resin balls. Here's the blurb on this exhibit from the GoMA website if you are interested...

Kohei Nawa’s sculpture PixCell-Elk#2 transforms the body of a taxidermied elk, purchased through an internet auction site, by covering it with transparent glass and resin beads. In the process, Nawa dramatically changes our perception of the original creature; the surface of the animal is fractured, magnified and distorted through the images captured inside the spheres. Viewed through this shell, the elk’s textures and colours are filtered through, and dissipated into, myriad individual surfaces, like the pixels on a computer screen. In using these media, Nawa aims to destabilise our sense of what is real and what is virtual.

Doorways of Brisbane

Raise Your Glasses!

Brisbane Daily Photo is 1 year old today! I thought I'd celebrate with one of Brisbane's most recognizable celebrities, the FourEx Beer bloke on the side of the brewery in Milton. His perpetual neon wink is enough to put any Brisbanite in a good mood.

As for me, I'd like to thank everyone who has visited over the past year... your comments and encouragement are what keeps me going - Cheers, you lot!

Ripening Mango Skywatch

Brisbane's western sky, dominated by Mount Coot-tha and the transmission towers perched on top... It's been a hot week. The temperatures have been hovering around 33/34 degrees during the day and 22/23 at night. Perfect mango eating weather.

To enjoy other juicy skies from around the world, sink your teeth into Skywatch Friday .

Boost Your Spirits!

I really like the site-specific ones. Someone has gone away and thought about it a bit. It caught my eye as I was driving home from work along Montague Road on Monday evening so I came back early on Tuesday when the light was better.

A Box At The Arena

I found this piece stuck on the door of the abandoned Skate Arena in Red Hill. This kind of cut-out and stuck-on street art seems to be springing up quite a lot in Brisbane... or maybe it's been around for years I am just more aware of it because I'm looking for things to photograph.

Another one tomorrow!

How much is that trolley in the window?

...about $150 new... or $107 if you're a supermarket buying back your trolley that has just been impounded by Brisbane City Council. The big supermarket giants are not happy bunnies; here they are trying to scratch out an honest living and the council are cruising around town, collecting trolleys (and probably paying their collectors a much better wage than the poor kid at the supermarket) and holding them to ransom. They've got 4000 so far and the supermarkets are refusing to pay the release fee.

I was tempted to wheel this one down to the local Woolies and suggest they give me $50 for it.

This could be the start of a series...

Pick Me!

This is the enclosure at Doomben racecourse - where they parade the horses around so you can check out how they are looking before the race. While I was standing there, I overheard that the jockeys aren't allowed catch your eye incase someone suspects them (or you) of foul play. The horses, I think, are allowed to catch your eye as much as they like. I gave this one a knowing wink and tapped my form guide to my nose in a suitably coded manner.

Racing At Doomben

Yesterday's 4.20pm race at Brisbane's Doomben racecourse.

His and Hers Queenslanders

Queenslander houses, made mostly from wood, are about as fire-prone and termite-prone as houses can get, they're hot in the summer, chilly in the winter with no soundproofing... but it doesn't stop Queenslander people being fiercely loyal to them. You don't really see them being built any more but there are thousands around town in various states of repair from lovingly restored to falling apart. No matter where they are on the scale, they really have an unmistakeable character and charm.

Poinciana Skywatch

Poinciana trees all over Brisbane are studded with bright red flowers right now - best viewed in the sunlight under a clear blue sky. Gorgeous!

Check out other skies posted in blogs across the world today at Skywatch Friday.

Dolphins at Seaworld

OK so it's not strictly Brisbane.. we're about 60km south of it's southern-most suburbs in the northern part of the Gold Coast. To my knowledge there's not a Gold Coast Daily Photo so hopefully I'm not treading on any toes here! Seaworld is one of the many theme parks that are on this section of the coast. Earlier this year, it was in the news for taking in Nari, a dolphin who had been bitten by a shark in Moreton Bay. Vets at Seaworld sorted him out, releasing him back into the wild in the glare of the media. The dolphins I saw at Seaworld looked very much at home there. This group who did the show were amazing, leaping high into the air, swimming on their backs, waving their fins at the audience. The crowd loved it.

Traffic Stopping Art (number 36)

Here we are in Ashgrove on the corner of Waterworks Road and Stewart Road. It looks like we have a traffic signal box and a matching... something else box. Anyway they are called "My Ashgrove" by Anna Claudette Ferguson and reflect the architecture of Brisbane's Queenslander houses. Painted in 2007 and still looking good.

December Theme Day: Waiting

Queue for German sausage at Brisbane Square Market. The stall holders were rushed off their feet!

Today's "waiting" post is part of a world-wide theme for City Daily Photo sites.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Australia 1 West Indies 0

This is the Gabba cricket ground, where the West Indies lost to Australia in the cricket over the weekend. The game finished way ahead of schedule and as a result there were some rubbish movies on the telly. Many Australians were forced to emerge blinking into the sunlight and heat and find something constructive to do with their Sunday.

The Gabba's also home to the Brisbane Lions (Aussie Rules football team) who play here in the winter months.

I took this shot back in February from a hot air balloon. For some othe balloony type shots, click on the balloons label below.

Brisbane Art

Georg Whelan is a prominent Brisbane artist. He does street art as well but this one I saw hanging in a gallery a while back. It's called "Whiteley's avocada for Anthony Lister" and had a big red dot next to it so is probably adorning a private wall now.

Stanley Street, The Gabba

This little parade of shops seems to be enjoying a renaissance at the moment. It must be hard for a business to survive on a really busy road - and in the shadow of the Gold Coast motorway - but these little places are winning the battle. Both C'est Bon and Desmond and Molly Jones are on my to do list.
(I don't think it's the butcher that's for sale - hopefully it's the flat on top!)

Fiery Wiry Skywatch

You can't look up in Brisbane without seeing wires. They're everywhere. Behind these ones, the embers of the sunset from Wednesday as seen from Red Hill (looking in the opposite direction to yesterday's post).

For a multitude of skies posted today from around the world, visit Skywatch Friday.

Pink Cloud over Red Hill

Brisbane is made up of hills. You might just be able to make out the gradient of this road I was standing at the top of last night around 6.15 - it's really steep! This area is known as Red Hill. the house to the right of the picture is a typical Queenslander - wooden with stilts, gables and a tin roof.

A Dark Corner That Refuses To Remain Hidden

Back hallway, Joshua Levi Galleries, Woolloongabba.

Facade

When someone in Brisbane wants to knock an old house and build a new one in it's place, there are strict laws concerning how much of the old house you can get rid of... this is to preserve the character of Queensland's older architecture. A lot of the time the outer shell is kept and the inside renovated. In this case, they've only left the front facade and will probably build some sort of flats behind it. Which is going to look a bit bizarre...

Traffic Stopping Art (number 35)

Here we are at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson (dya reckon they built it there on purpose??). This box is called "Tennis aint easy" by John Ledingham. Incase you were wondering whether he could fit another tennis-related pun round the other side, yes he could! It's a miserable broken raquet with a think bubble saying
">sigh< no strings attached".
For others in this painted traffic signal box series, click on the TSBs label below...

Hello Possums!

Brisbane has a wide variety of wild night creatures and not all of them are human. Possums are all over the place, eating their way through gardens across the city. Despite their quest to eat my veggies... and fighting with bats and chasing eachother across the roof... I think they are gorgeous!

Juicy Mangoes at Rocklea Markets

The mangoes are perfecto in Brisbane right now! This shot was taken this morning in Rocklea where they were being sold by the truck load.

All Mouth and No Trousers!

Tuesday in Brisbane was pretty dramatic with a hot and sticky high of 35 degrees - way above average for this time of year. All day long the forecasters promised us a storm and this was the sky as I was leaving work at 6pm in Mount Coot-tha. Shortly after, the clouds closed out the last of the sun and Brisbane braced itself for a thorough soaking. The thunder claps were deafening and over 3,000 bolts of forked lightning spattered across the city... but only a few puny mills of rain. Boo!

Check out other skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

Back to Yoga Aid

I've revisited this marathon sun salutation on Sunday partly due to just not having a photo that I like... but also: that's a very nice back!

Cooling Off

The mercury hit 35 degrees celcius yesterday in Brisbane - 7 above average for the time of year. For those in the city, Aquativity in South Bank was the only place to be. It's a fantastic free water playground that's run, dought permitting, by Brisbane City Council.

Saluting The Sun

Loads of people turned up on Sunday morning in Orleigh Park for a marathon 108 sun salutations as part of Yoga Aid. They'd been at it for about 2 hours when I got there and they were still going strong. Not sure of the significance of 108 but pretty sure that these lot were troopers to do it all in 30 degree heat.
Later, I saluted the sun in my back garden with my feet up and an ice cold beer.

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.

Driving past the 'Gabba

Woolloongabba is home to The Gabba - Queensland's main cricket and Aussie rules ground (cricket in summer, football in winter). The West Indian cricket team arrived in Brisbane on Friday to kick off their series against Australia starting at the end of this month.

Traffic Stopping Art (number 34)

Welcome back to our series of Brisbane's painted traffic signal boxes. This one sits on the corner of North Quay and Adelaide Street. It shows the view (painted in 2005) from South Bank looking across Victoria Bridge. It's by artist Daniel Worth who has dozens of boxes to his name all around Brisbane.

So Much Sky!

The highest hill in Brisbane is Mount Coot-tha. I'm not sure it's technically a mountain but I think people aren't really bothered with the technicalities. On a clear day you can see for miles. It's only 7kms from the centre of town but it feels in places like you are out in the wilderness, surrounded by the sounds of Laughing Kookaburras and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos... and the invigorating smell of tea tree oil from the Paperbark trees.

For other skies to brighten your day, visit Skywatch Friday.

Crystallized Ginger

We've had some much needed rain over the past few days and the garden has suddenly started to perk up.

This is one of the few gardening successes that I have enjoyed recently. It's a Costus Barbatus or Spiral Ginger and presumably thrives with limited attention... my speciality.

299 And Counting

A different type of remembrance for today...

At the start of this year, the Queensland government and police service set the target of the state's annual road death-toll to below 299 in 2009. Unfortunately, according to the police, the number is set to pass 299 in the next few days.

In recognition of this and to try and raise awareness, yesterday 299 people converged in 6 different locations across the state and stood in silence for a minute at 1pm. This photo was taken just after that in King George Square.

Cheers to my colleague Mark Johnstone who went out and took this picture for me while I was at work.

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.

Kurilpa Bridge at night

Here's Brisbane's newest bridge in all it's glory. Some say it's like ships' masts bobbing in the breeze, others say it's ugly and far too busy. Personally, I'm a fan. Not just from an architectural point of view but also because it provides a car-less link between West End and the city.... with plenty of pit-stops along the way to admire the view.

Caro Mio

If you like a high tea or a clairvoyant reading...or perhaps a combination of both.. then this is the cafe for you. Caro Mio in Stanley Street Woolloongabba. It's got some really nice art deco fixtures including a grandfather clock and little fanned wall lights... but this lamp by the cash register was my favourite. Fantastic.

William Jolly Projections (2)

There are a range of different patterns set up to project onto the William Jolly Bridge. This one is some sort of crest but I can't make it out... any ideas?
Here's another...

We Were Robbed! Skywatch

One of the things that is most exciting about Brisbane weather is the storms. Last night, at home, we had the Bureau of Meteorology website up with the radar showing 2 approaching storms, one from the north and one from the west. They merged into one front at around 5.30pm and headed towards Brisbane. I grabbed my tripod and headed to Kurilpa bridge hoping to bag one of those really impressive lightning fork shots but the storm just sort of fizzled out.
What an anticlimax! We did eventually get some very bright lightning and loud thunder but it wasn't the biblical maelstrom I was hoping for.
I suppose I should be careful what I wish for... Out west, they had 7cm hail. Ouch!

This was taken from Kurilpa Bridge looking east at Victoria Bridge.
Check out more skies worldwide at Skywatch Friday.

Parklife

Orleigh Park sizzles at the end of another hot day... yes, that is onions you can smell drifting over from barbeque on the right hand side... and that hiss is an ice cold beer...

Traffic Stopping Art (number 33)

Did you pick a winner? I think mine's still running.
Yesterday was Melbourne Cup day when people all over Australia go a bit hose-racing mad and drink their weight in champagne. In Melbourne it's even a public holiday. We don't have that luxury here in Brisbane but there's still some of that holiday atmosphere going on. Eagle Farm racecourse has a big meeting and thousands take the day off to attend. Those of us who have to work still manage to watch the race, with many workplaces dishing out food, drinks and the ubiquitous sweep-stake.
This is the traffic signal box outside Doomben racecourse in Ascot - painted by Justin Mcleod.

For other painted signal boxes, click on the TSBs label below.

Ultimate Troopers

It was about 26 degrees on Saturday - an average mid-spring day by Brisbane's sub-tropical standards - but for some reason, It was absolutely baking hot down at The Gap where a charity Ultimate Frisbee tournament was under way. For those not in the know it's a 2-team, 7-a-side game where the aim of the game is to pass the frisbee from one end of the field to the other, with a team member catching it in the end zone. These teams played game after game all day from 9am until 6pm. I was sweating just watching a little part of it.

Come up to the lab and see what's on the slab...

Halloween night in Caro Mio cafe in Woolloongabba attracted an assorted bag of Rocky Horror fans for a night of tapas and tranny-appreciation. Despite it being a good few years since I'd seen the movie, I still knew most of the words and had a brilliant night. This group were among the best dressed with Mark (I hope I've got his name right), second from left, getting a bottle of champagne on the house for his Frank'n'furter efforts.

November Theme: Doorways

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants