The House(s) of Fran_mart

 We have become quite interested in the roof tops, chimneys and chimney pots seen around in the various areas of Melbourne we have visited.  This post is going to be a repository of photos of those parts of houses.  At present I won't have much to say about them but have included a map to show where we went: the blue arrows are our walk from 505 and the red arrows show the streets in which the photos were taken. The area overall has quite a few 'original' houses as well as a few modest-sized apartment  blocks and rebuilds.  Towards the top (Northern) end of Domain street quite a few of the houses seem to be owned by Melbourne Grammar (which is the large block on the Western side of Domain St). This chimney is pretty standard but I liked the brick work. With a date of 1890, this is not a particularly early building: the suburb began in the 1840s . I shall have to pay more attention, but reviewing these images very few of the houses have iron rooves, suggesting t...

Can't call it the shipping news as E Annie Proulx has claimed that one! One of our interests at 500 is sitting in the Winter Garden looking out at what is going on on the Bay.  A highlight on this trip was the arrival of the Cunard Petri Dish "Queen Elizabeth" at Station Pier.  This caused me to recall a visit to Sydney in about 1985 when we stayed in a high room in a recently opened motel in Milsons Point.  When we got to our room the curtains were drawn and as we opened them there was the QE 2 sailing out under the Harbour Bridge!  (Then the 18-footers were racing a bit further up the Harbour - rather hard to leave this and go for a walk over the Bridge.) Getting back to this trip and the current tub, it got in a bit earlier than on the Vic Ports website so was almost moored for my first snap. At berth. At least I got a decent snap of her leaving at 1700 hours.  There had been many many tourists in the CBD when we visited around noon.  I had wondered who ...

 This is a report on a visit to the Ian Potter Centre (IPC) off Federation Square to view an exhibition of work by Reko Rennie.  He is of an indigenous background and started off his art career as a graffiti artist (which is repeatedly stated on the cards of various works).  Much of the commentary on his work was  🤮whereas the work itself was very interesting and clever. This introductory panel isn't too bad. Going in to the IPS the first point to strike one's eye is the camouflaged Roller. I remembered having seen his video using this car before, possibly as part of one the Indigenous Triennales put on by the NGA.  And indeed the film is shown as part of this show.  Here is the driver's view going down the bitumen. Most of the film is driving on dirt. I was a bit late taking this shot, but still think it is quite evocative. A bit sideways putting up a rooster-tail! A design? The title of this work was message sticks Zooming in shows that to be a witty ti...

 Some guys were on the roof of the St Kilda Tower this morning, looking to go down the Northern face thereof.   I am tempted to label this "What happens if I pull this?" When we came back to the building on the 16th one of the guys was working on the St Kilda Rd face of the building. Also on the 16th more abseilers were doing some running repairs on the building next door. Abseilers were back next door in November  This gang of 4 were doing some repainting.  I think they will be back later . It seems that Spring is the season for abseiling.  As we walked to the Shrine on 11 November we saw some folk reflected in a glass-clad building. A little further along we could see the abseilers. Returning home across Fawkner Park two workers were working on the balconies at the rear of 505. Then a painter appeared on the building outside my window.  Note the large sucker by his left hand which appears to hold him in place.  It is also possible to see the bou...

Although I have tried to repress how knackered I felt on the two occasions I ran the Melbourne marathon I thought it nice to record todays event in a more relaxed style.  The road was closed heading in to town but - somewhat to my surprise - the trams were running and the road out was open to Commercial Road. Course clearers - these become important later in the event. Not sure if there was a telecast but this was definitely following the race. The leaders at about 3.5km. The next few. Seeded runners taking their time. Numbers building. I missed the lead woman Genevieve Gregson (who I didn't spot at all) who came in at in 2:28:13.  This was the first woman I noticed  (darkish green, 4th from right in bigger bunch).  She, Sarah Klein, came 2nd  in 2:31:05 . This woman (Kate Mason) came third in  02:34:08. Photographer on skateboard 3 hour pace-setters.  A lot of folk here. 2 costumes. The footpath began to be used ... As did the main lane as well a...