The House(s) of Fran_mart

 As the RSL no longer has a presence at Mallacoota the Mallacoota and District Historical Society and the Mallacoota Pony Club have jointly organised an event to recognise ANZAC Day with the members of the Pony Club riding to the Bunker Museum for a service followed by a BBQ.  My estimate was that about 300 people - riders, walkers and other participants were at the 2025 event. Well done both organisations! Many participants arrived well before the formal proceedings kicked off, with the designated area and nearby verges occupied well before the formal start time. A couple of snaps of the crowd. A group of walkers preceded the ponies, from the junction with Betka Rd. Pony Club members following the banner. The ponies were well catered with hay and water set out before their arrival. And the Thelwell Award goes to ....

 After our March visit was put back a week to avoid being here for the bogan fest of the Australian Grand Prix in Albert Park this visit was to get back to the pattern of travelling up on the Sunday after the monthly U3A meeting.  That meant it coincided with the start of Standard time, which we ignored, leaving Angophora Drive in the dark at 5:45 new time.   We didn't see any marsupial until Gipsy Point Rd where a large kangaroo jumped out as we passed.  I managed to swerve as did it and despite a couple of bumps there no loud bang.  The 'roo bounced away and on stopping there seemed to be no damage to the car.  I suspect the bumps were the wheels going over its tail as it also swerved.  That is the second time this has happened to us (the first being in the mid 1980s about 25km East of Hay, around 8pm - ie pitch dark - as we drove to Adelaide). No other excitement until as we approached Melbourne we saw signs about the Domain Tunnel being closed...

Note that these photos were taken through our tinted windows, which gives a blue cast.  Maintenance work is happening on the West face of our building.  Today we found some workers passing by the Winter Garden.  One of them paused, apparently observing a colleague lower down. He had a lot of kit around his belt. I went down to the garden area on level 1 to look up.  ('Our' guy had descended a few floors by then.) A close up of the 2 guys on the left. A little later I went out, and saw the blokes up on the roof with the gantries they swing off. They were back on 8 April.  In the first 2 images they are wrapping a canvas (or similar) sheath around their rope to protect it where it runs across a balcony. Looking down: if I was working in this position I also would not want the rope to fray.