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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

The Cocky’s Corset

A million years ago ,well two weeks anyway, on a rare sunny day this winter, we went to The Dandenongs for a walk and a picnic with friends.
We met a few cheeky Sulphur Crested Cockatoos on our travels, hence the photo above. Just look at those beaks…I really think care should be exercised if you [...]

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 [...]

Which side are you on boys?

Eight hours work. Eight hours recreation. Eight hours sleep.
I passed this monument the other day walking down Swanston St past the union buildings and cafes. Somehow, I have never noticed it before but it attracted my attention this time, maybe serendipitiously, while ‘Work Choices’ is being binned.
The monument is dedicated to James Galloway, the [...]

Yackandandah

Well, finally it is time to go to Yackandandah or Yack as the locals call it. I said I would go there earlier but the truth is that as soon as I did an incredible period of blog block descended. I have no idea why although I dreamt about Beechworth the other day ( [...]

Wildlife in the heart of Melbourne and the sins of the city

What beautiful eyes you have you big grey bird. Doesn’t nature have the most accomplished aesthetic sense? This exquisite bird was parading about before 9.00 am on the banks of the Yarra in front of the South Bank restaurant precinct.
What was it looking at? Well, it was observing the horrible flotsam and jetsam that was [...]

Oakleigh Pioneer Cemetery

Gravestone reads: In loving memory of Catherine McQuade native
of co Monaghan, Ireland who died 27th November 1877. Aged 64 Years.
Recently, I spied, what looked from a distance, to be a lone gravestone in a beautifully maintained park. Sometimes I just like to bumble around until something takes my eye and like many of us cemeteries [...]