Poor old Pentridge

Interesting combination – a latte in the prison reception building
On Sunday we went to see how historic Pentridge Prison (circa 1851 ) was holding up in the good suburb of Coburg. This site was part of Jeff Kennett’s effort to sell the government assets of the State of Victoria while he [...]

Off with the fairies

I could be accused of being ‘off with the fairies’ sometimes. Particularly today, when I am procrastinating rather than doing my work and sitting inside rather than walking in the sun. It is a lovely day out there. Early spring sunshine but still a little chilly.
On the weekend we visited the Fitzroy Gardens. It was [...]

Signs

This post was inspired by Andrew, who is actively collecting the old signs of Melbourne for a project he has on the boil.

The last signs of Whelan The Wrecker.
The public used to call the early workers of this company ‘ Whelan’s Birds’ because of the heights they would scale, balancing on the walls of their [...]

Shoeing the birds

I happened to notice this the other day when I was walking along Little Collins St in the city. I would guess it is probably a laneway art project with an instantly recognisable reference to the dangling footwear which can be seen all over Melbourne.
I stopped to take a photo and other people [...]

Just scratching the surface

Old and new. One office building beside another…
The former Gollin and Company office and warehouse circa 1901
Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne…I had to laugh the other day at the number of times I overheard snippets of conversation where Melbourne was the focal point. A personage in her own right or is our Melbourne more a him? [...]

Look what they done to my town ma!

I remember reading about the fate of The Stork Hotel quite a while ago. I stored it in my file of infuriating facts and due to the many distractions in life I forgot to go down and photograph the old pub while it was still a working concern. I am kicking myself right now for [...]

As seen on my walk today…

Big, throaty, chortling magpies young and old. It is a lovely thing, this singing to the sky business. Later a few went and tried jousting with a murder of finely attired crows.

Lucky shoe above the door of a shop. I don’t see many of these around but I spied this one and it is good [...]

Always rubber necking…

I would like to thank Alyson from Laugh In The Sun for giving me a Kind Blogger Award this week. I am chuffed by that. I have met so many kind bloggers, so I pass this award to all who have commented here (if you don’t have it already). You are a [...]

Coburg Cemetery needs care

I finally got around to visiting The Coburg Cemetery approximately 15kms from the centre of Melbourne. I wanted to go because I find cemeteries fascinating. They are a vital record -historic, botanic and artistic. I rarely feel maudlin when I walk around them and I think in some way a visit is appreciated by such [...]

Demolition days

I was walking around the city yesterday, clearing my head I call it. I took a shortcut down a faithful old path between the two halves of Myers (a large historic retail store in the Melbourne CBD) expecting things to be the same. What a surprise to find an old building being torn down [...]