Floral, and other, scenes of Canberra

We arrived in Canberra just as Floroade was finishing for the year.  Unfortunately, in the same way that vampires rise again at nightfall if not well staked down, it will re-emerge from the crypt next year!  It will be interesting to see if Commonwealth Park is available again on our November visit or if the temporary fencing is still in place.

On the subject of fencing there is still an interesting specimen at a memorial (possibly Merchant Navy) near the Carillon.  This has been there for at least 5 weeks and seems to be protecting workers cleaning up the memorial.  There were about 6 blokes there today and very busy so I don't know how it is taking them so long!  (NOTE from the future: the fencing ad all gone by the morning of 18th.  There was still a security dweet there and one fundi-with-a-shovel attending to a tree, but basically the work was finished.)
On the subject of workers this lot all seemed to be leaning on the railings of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.  We  were then told the path would be closed for 2 weeks !
 That seemed ridiculous, but on further enquiry it turned out they were replacing the fluros with LED lights so there is a whole lot of rewiring going on, not just changing the lights.

Over near the NGA there were drifts of kapok from the poplars.  Excellent if you have hay fever!
 Nearby was a huge clump of Hardenbergia violacea.
 Also some planter beds from the NCA.  A similar number of flowers to Floriade but more attractively presented.

This confirms my belief that the real reason the ACT Government was created was not to find jobs for a few Party hacks who needed a job, but to make te NCA look good,

Some more blossom around the City/Barton area.  I think this is some form of Prunus on the Lake shore near the spout.
 Poppies at the entrance to Glebe Park
 Hydrangeas in GP.
 Lilac GP
 Camellia GP
 Peony GP
Rhodedendron GP (I suspect this may under threat by Andrew Barr's new playground).
Moving away from blossoms, on 15 October as we got down to the Lake an angler had just landed this nice fish.  I think its a Golden Perch.
 Back in Glebe Park this Choughs' nest was still occupied.  The presence of some oter begging young Choughs in a nearby tree suggests that today is fledging day.
A couple of reptiles from ANBG.  The Gippsland Water Dragon was very lurid!

This is a fair bit away from Nature - unless you're in SE Asia - but says something about the demographics of Civic.  Durian for sale in the fruit and veg section of Coles.

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