Australia

[MG1962]

Bugger

 

[Orphia Nay]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/angryboys/the-10-best-things-to-come-out-of-australia

The 10 best things to come out of Australia, according to BuzzFeed.

No. 1: Chris Lilley. Really? I've never got into his stuff.

I think we can come up with a better list than that.

 

[Akhenaten]

I think we can come up with a better list than that.

A most excellent idea.

Working in background . . .

 

[Damien Evans]

Yellowtail wine? *********** Yellowtail? At least they could have said Wolf Blass or Penfolds...

 

[philkensebben]

Koalas are lazy and vicious. And nobody takes vegetarians seriously, so should be excluded.

 

[philkensebben]

And could we have someone like Les Higgins, HArry Butler or Malcom Douglas in place of Heath Ledger?

 

[Damien Evans]

Koalas are lazy and vicious. And nobody takes vegetarians seriously, so should be excluded.

Koalas are forever disqualified from being cute because of those claws.

 

[bit_pattern]

Koalas are forever disqualified from being cute because of those claws.

And the urine. And the smell. And the grunting. Not cute at all.

 

[Akhenaten]

This is a repost from a year and a day ago. The original post and the thread it's in are here (SI&CE) but I've copied this one post back here because it seems to me that it's now a part of Australia's history.

I've just returned from spending Christmas in Toowoomba and I'm preparing a post with lots of pictures to show what it looks like when it's not pretending to be Atlantis.

Toowoomba - 11 January 2011

Corner of Herries and Dent Streets, more or less on the 'upstream' edge of the CBD.
This is West Creek which is normally about 5 cm deep at this point, but is about 3-4 metres in this picture.

A wider view of the same corner. Out of shot to the right is the Milne Bay Aquatic Centre.
I imagine the pool is pretty full just at the moment.

Schofield Street, directly behind the National Hotel in Russel Street.
In the background is part of the Railway Station.

Chalk Lane. This car park is right next to East Creek, except for yesterday when it was under it.

Dent Street (opposite Myer) - right in the middle of the CBD.
This guy was just walkin' down the street and a wave hit him. 2000 feet above sea level.

Jellicoe Street. This is downstream from the confluence of East and West Creeks.​

Contrary to what a lot of TV 'journalists' would have you believe, East and West Creeks in Toowoomba are actually the extreme upper headwaters of the Darling River and flow West. The water seen rushing through the City in these pictures is not the water that flooded the Lockyer Valley and which is currently threatening Brisbane. It's bound for South Australia, in fact, where it will arrive in about 7 or 8 months time.

Either North Street or Jellicoe Street. It's hard to say with 5 metres of water over it.

The corner of Chalk Drive and Ruthven Street.
Ruthven Street is Toowoomba's main street, and is part of the New England Highway.

Same place as the previous picture, after the tide has gone out a bit.

I have no idea where this is.

Margaret Street near Victoria Street. The very heart of the City.
West Creek wouldn't normally appear in this shot. It should be under the roadway directly below the level-crossing sign.

Corner of Margaret and Dent Streets.

Margaret and Dent from the corner window on the first floor of Myer.
The stranded peeps in the middle of West Creek are standing on a four-foot-high fence.

Neil Street and Chalk Drive (East Creek)

Kitchener Street, looking towards either James or Herries Street.
It actually floods here pretty often.

Schofield Street (just off Russel Street, near Rowes furniture shop)
I think it was a truck floating by that knocked the wall of the flats down.

Chalk Lane Car Park and Marina

Grantham, in the Lockyer Valley

Grantham again. I think it's the Pub​

All photos courtesy of ABC News.

 

[Akhenaten]

In this post I've tried to match up the pictures from last year with ones of the same place from last week with, as you'll see, varying degrees of success.



For those not lucky enough to be familiar with the Garden City, here's a handy link to Google Maps.

This the corner of Herries Street and Dent Street, on the edge of the CBD. The building
in the background is Grand Central/Myer and it features in a few of the pictures here.

Schofield Street, a laneway in the CBD. The debris caught up in the fence on the right shows the level that the
water reached. The damaged building in the following pictures is the last one on the left in these pictures.

The shop at the front of this building is still empty, but after some patching up and a coat of paint the
flats are as good as new. Also on the bright side, the National Hotel next door is also safe and sound.

This pair of pictures and the one following are the car parks on either side of East Creek.

East Creek where it flows between the car parks in the preceding pictures.
On the day of the big flood the footbridge was well and truly under water.

The bloke in the upper photo had a very narrow escape. He managed to scramble into this tree
but was almost knocked into the water when a 4WD being carried along in the torrent ran into it.
At its highest the water reached the top of the fence, approximately 10 metres (35 feet) above
the normal level of the creek. The building to the right of the tree is the Toowoomba City Library.

Jellicoe Street. This is downstream from the CBD and the confluence
of East and West Creeks, so the amount of water here was horrific.

Jellicoe Street again. Rebuilding of this bridge is pretty much the last major job that still needs doing.

I couldn't figure out exactly where the top photo was taken, but I'm sure you get the idea. Not good.

Neil Street and Chalk Drive. The pine trees in the centre are in the car parks shown in the earlier pictures.

Same place but from the other side and closer up.

Margaret Street in the City Centre.

West Creek doing the right thing and going under Margaret Street.

The corner of Margaret and Dent Streets.  I have no idea what's going on with the safety fence
around the garden, but it was there before the flood and doesn't look like going anywhere soon.

East Creek crossing (and not crossing) Neil Street.

When I posted this picture last year I incorrectly labelled it as Kitchener Street, which runs alongside East Creek.
It was only last week that I realised that it's actually Taylor Street, which is nearly at the crest of the range on the
Western Side of the city. It's not a lot of water, really, but when you consider that this is approximately 150 metres
(500 feet) higher than the CBD then it takes on a whole new meaning.


_____________________________

​

Tomorrow - the gentler side of Toowoomba's waterways. Here's a teaser:

East Creek at dusk​

 

[gumboot]

Wow Akhenaten, thanks for that, pretty eye opening!

On a lighter note, over Christmas I got to meet my new Australian niece for the first time, born in October in Brisbane to ANZAC parents. My opinion of the "wist illind" has improved slightly as a result.

 

[Orphia Nay]

Amazing photos and amusing / astute commentary, Pharaoh.

 

[Akhenaten]

On a lighter note, over Christmas I got to meet my new Australian niece for the first time, born in October in Brisbane to ANZAC parents. My opinion of the "wist illind" has improved slightly as a result.

Kiwiroos rock!

​

Amazing photos and amusing / astute commentary, Pharaoh.

Thank you ma'am. It was a pleasure to share the good news that good old Woombles is back to normal after such a traumatic event.

 

[Akhenaten]

 

[Giraffe107]

Great work on the photos Akhenaten. Parts of SE Qld and Northern NSW are flooding again; perhaps we should just have floating cities.

Happy Australia Day- time for lamb

​

 

[Orphia Nay]

Lamb? Oops, we had steak!

 

[Giraffe107]

how unaustralian

 

[Akhenaten]



Identify the Place - Part 9

Does this picture, in the old part of the same town help?

Eucla, Western Australia

Eucla is the easternmost locality in Western Australia, located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia along the Eyre Highway, approximately 11 kilometres (7 mi) west of the South Australian border. At the 2006 census, Eucla had a population of 86.

The upper picture above shows a signpost in the small township on the Eyre Highway while the lower picture shows the old telegraph station, a scene which is probably more evocative of the place. It's about 5 kilometres (3 mi) away from the modern settlement.

The name Eucla is believed to originate from an Aboriginal word 'Yinculyer' - part of a phrase which refers to the rising of the planet Venus over the coastal dunes. It was first used by Europeans for the area at some point before 1867.

The first European to pass through the area was Edward John Eyre on his ill–fated 1841 expedition. He was followed by John Forrest in 1870 and in 1873 land was taken up at Moopina Station near the present townsite. The land is very marginal experiencing an average rainfall of only 254 mm per annum.

Eucla's 'modern' history began in 1877 as a manual telegraphic repeater station, the location being chosen because it was the only place where boats could moor for hundreds of kilometres (the cliffs to the east along the Great Australian Bight are the longest stretch of uninterrupted cliff face in the world).

Eucla was proclaimed a township in 1885 and its population peaked in the late 1920s. It declined after 1929 when a new telegraph line was built beside the railway line to the north.

In the 1890s the town experienced two consecutive plagues - the first when it was overrun by rabbits and the second when the population of the cats brought in to control the rabbits exploded.

Plus ça change . . .

Touristy stuff and more pics at Nullabor Net

Fact and figury stuff at Wikipedia​

Constitution Dock, Hobart, Tasmania

One of several wharves and docks in Sullivans Cove on the Derwent River, Constitution Dock is famous as the finishing point for the world-renowned Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

At other times the dock is home to part of Hobart's fishing fleet (servicing the city's fish market) as well as a large number of pleasure craft.

It's a popular tourist spot and features several of Hobart's top restaurants. Needless to say, the seafood is as good as it gets.

A little bit more at Wikipedia​

Horizontal Falls, Talbot Bay, Western Australia

Located in the Buccaneer Archipelago on the Kimberley Coast in WA's northwest, these twin gaps are part of the McLarty Ranges, which have two ridges running parallel approximately 300 metres (330 yards) apart. The first and most seaward gap is about 20 metres (65 feet)wide and the second, most spectacular, gap is about 10 metres (33 feet) wide.

Massive tidal movements create a waterfall effect as water banks up against one side of the narrow cliff passage, to be repeated again on the turning tide.

On a slack tide it is possible to drive boats through the two gaps to the bay behind. The tides in this area have a 10 metre (33 feet) variation which occurs over six and a half hours from low tide to high tide and vice versa.

The effect of the waterfalls is created by the tide building up in front of the gaps faster than it can flow through them and there can be a four metre high waterfall between the bays.

The waterfall phenomena has been described by David Attenborough as "one of the greatest natural wonders of the world".

Here's a short fillum:

​

More pictures, links and tourist information at Waratah Software​

Burdekin Falls Dam/Lake Dalrymple, Ravenswood, Queensland

The Burdekin Falls Dam is the largest dam in Queensland and is a key source of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses, including supply to the city of Townsville and to the central Queensland coalfields.

This photo might give a better idea of the size of the dam​

Lake Dalrymple itself is used recreationally with fishing and water skiing being the most popular activities. Species regularly caught in the dam include sooty grunter (black bream), sleepy cod, archerfish, catfish, eels and spangled perch. Yellowbelly and golden perch are also occasionally caught while Barramundi have been released into the dam but are not regularly caught.

I won't be making the customary comparison vis-à-vis the number of Sydney Harbours the dam equates to, but if I did it would be four.

Some more numbers:

• Period of construction: 1982 - 1987
  
  
• Dam capacity: 1,860,000 megalitres
  
  
• Area of Lake: 22,400 hectares
  
  
• Spillway Height: 37 metres
  
  
• Length of Dam: 867 metres
  
  
• Length of Spillway: 504 metres

Here's a recent article from the Townsville Bulletin about the dam, which includes a stunning photograph of the first of this year's water flowing over the spillway.

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2012/01/18/298551_news.html​

Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales

The Concert Hall is the largest interior venue at Sydney Opera House. With its high vaulted ceiling and interior finishes of brush box and white birch timber it is designed primarily for acoustic performances.

The principal performing companies in the Concert Hall are Sydney Symphony, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Festival and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Complementing the work presented by these companies, a wide variety of concerts including prominent touring contemporary music artists is presented by commercial producers and promoters.

The maximum seating capacity is 2,679 with approximately 2,100 seats situated in front of the stage (most appropriate for amplified concerts). The concert platform is 14 metres to 17 metres wide x 11 metres deep with a floor area of approximately 200 square metres. Stage extensions can be added to increase stage depth with the loss of 85 seats.

Needless to say, the Opera House is more than worth a post all to itself, which I'll get around to one of these days. In the meantime . . .

SydneyOperaHouse.com​

and

Wikipedia​

will have to do.

Moggill Ferry, Brisbane, Queensland

Vehicular ferries and barges are still reasonably common in Queensland, although Moggil Ferry, a cross-river cable ferry that connects Moggill and Riverview, is the last one still operating in Brisbane.

The service dates back to 1873 when a bloke by the name of Henry Stanley held a lease to row people across the river at this point and manual labour was involved in the crossing until the 1940s when the ferry was motorised under the joint control of the Brisbane and Ipswich City Councils. That ferry, which carried four cars at a time is now on display in the reserve on the Moggill (northern) side of the river.

At some time in the 1970s the 20 vehicle capacity vessel Stradbroke Star which was formerly in use on the North Stradbroke Island to Toondah Harbour route and owned by Stradbroke Ferries Ltd commenced servicing the crossing.

During the 2010–2011 Queensland floods the ferry broke free from the cable guidelines and there was much urgent discussion on whether or not to sink or demolish the ferry to prevent it shooting off downstream into the City. Fortunately the captain and and crew managed to secure the vessel to the banks of the river with ropes and the crisis was averted.


This page has an amazing set of panoramas of Mogill Ferry before, during and after the 2011 floods. It really is worth a look.

Davis Station, Princess Elizabeth Land, Australian Antarctic Territory

Davis is the most southerly Australian Antarctic station and is situated 2,250 nautical miles south-south-west of Perth, on the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land, a region discovered by Norwegian whalers and Australia’s Douglas Mawson in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

It was officially opened on 13 January 1957 and is named in honour of Captain John King Davis, a famous Antarctic navigator and captain, a resident of Melbourne and a member of the ANARE Planning Committee until his death in 1967.

In January 1965 Davis was temporarily closed to allow concentration of the Australian Antarctic Division’s resources on the building of Casey as a replacement for Wilkes. It was reopened on 15 February 1969 and has been continuously occupied since that time.

In the 1980s Davis was substantially rebuilt. Steel-framed structures on concrete foundations replaced the cramped accommodation of earlier times, with purpose-built laboratories providing scientists with unprecedented facilities and space for their work.

Aaaaaand they have a webcam. Check it out!

Much more information from the Australian Antarctic Division website.​

Queen Victoria Building, Sydney, New South Wales

The Queen Victoria Building, now affectionately known as the QVB, was designed by George McRae and completed in 1898, replacing the original Sydney markets on the site. Built as a monument to the long reigning monarch, construction took place in dire times, as Sydney was in a severe recession. The elaborate Romanesque architecture was specially planned for the grand building so the Government could employ many out-of-work craftsmen - stonemasons, plasterers, and stained window artists - in a worthwhile project. Originally, a concert hall, coffee shops, offices, showrooms, warehouses and a wide variety of tradespeople, such as tailors, mercers, hairdressers and florists, were accommodated.

Over many decades, change saw the concert hall become the city library, offices proliferate and more tenants move in, including piano tuners, palmists and clairvoyants. Drastic 'remodelling' occurred during the austere 1930s and the main occupant was the Sydney City Council. As recently as 1959 the Queen Victoria Building was threatened with demolition. As it stands now, in all its glory. It is testimony to the original vision for the building and the superb craftsmanship of the artisans who put it all back together again.

The QVB fills an entire city block bound by George, Market, York and Druitt Streets. The dominant feature is the mighty centre dome, consisting of an inner glass dome and an exterior copper- sheathed dome. Glorious stained glass windows and splendid architecture endure throughout the building and an original 19th century staircase sits alongside the dome. Every detail has been faithfully restored, including arches, pillars, balustrades and the intricate tiled floors thus maintaining the integrity of the building.

read more at vickypedia​

 

[MG1962]

That last one is one of my favorite buildings from where I come from

 

[Akhenaten]

That last one is one of my favorite buildings from where I come from

Me too, mate. I absolutely hated it when it was full of dingy little SCC offices, but it's in fine form nowadays.

I bought my first bag o' fruit at Reuben F Scarf's when they had a shop about half way along the George Street side of the building.