Canberra Hot Air Balloon Festival

Decided to tick off another item on the Bucket List - the hot air balloon festival in Canberra, the political capital of Australia. 

I was able to stop off on the way in Goulburn and Collector, two other historical towns so it was a packed 2 days. 

 Most of the large balloons ignited but didn't launch due to poor wind conditions and most of the decent shots were taken on the ground. I spent some considerable time balloon chasing when it was decided to launch the balloons from a location other than the one I was at :-) Thank goodness I had my Navman as I ended up on the top of a large hill on a dirt road only to glimpse the balloons as they landed. I guess it was better than nothing :-)


View Balloon Landing Places in a larger map

The light was fairly lacklustre so I decided to try out Nik Software HDR Efex Pro. This one was very grainy and I can hear all the purists moaning, but I like it.

St. John's Orphanage Goulburn

Another location which keeps calling me back is the old orphanage on the hill - St. John's - overlooking the city of Goulburn. Opened on the 17th March 1912, the Sisters of Mercy ran the orphanage for its duration until closing in 1978. The building was designed to house up to 100 boys but that figure reached as high as 250 during the war years. It was a foundling orphanage which meant that children who were placed here usually had at least one surviving parent. During the Depression, it was common for families to keep older children and leave younger ones in the orphanage as there was not enough money to care for all the children.  

 I've visited on 3 occasions now, exploring different rooms each time. The last time I visited on my way down to the Canberra Balloon Spectacular and as luck would have it, there was a local wandering around inside so I was brave enough this time to explore upstairs with him. Motivation was high after discovering the following video on YouTube. It seems to be very difficult to locate much information on the internet about St. John's. 

During all visits access was easy as there was no scaffolding erected even though it is obviously going to be demolished to make way for some aged retirement villages. Until my third visit I'd been wanting to go upstairs but I thought it was unwise in case I had an accident or the floorboards were damaged.  It also gave me the creeps as the stairwell was really dark and although it wasn't a windy day, there was the sound of a door which kept banging.  On my third visit when I was not alone, it didn't appear nearly so haunting but there is still a sadness which pervades the air.

 Other links :
Boys Homes
Flickr images
Wikipedia

Rainy Day At Wollongong Harbour

Lesson Learnt:  Never underestimate the unpredictability of water and always cover the camera.

My photography teacher Greg Ford, David Mills, Danielle Sheehan and I had our plans thwarted for a sunrise at Sandon Point so we headed off in the rain to see if we could capture some interesting shots at Wollongong Harbour. It was BIG. I farewelled my first DSLR camera, my Canon 60D. 

Thinking I could get some great action shots of David and Greg, I took shelter behind what I thought was a safe barricade while they attempted to reach the lighthouse. However, the swell was so large a wave dumped beside me, bounced back up and poured down on both my cameras and left me with water swirling around my legs up to my thighs. My position ( indicated by the arrow) looked safe enough I thought. 

I was obviously wrong :-(

 It was interesting to watch Greg and David from my so called safe spot. Interesting to compare the two video versions. Can't find any way to make the One True Media (purchased software)video larger while the Slide.ly version (free) is easy to configure but difficult to change slide order . Go figure !!! Can never get exactly what you want

Sandon Point

 Lesson reinforced: Try to spend time researching the effect tides have on a  location. Check it out on Google earth to ascertain access

Travelled down to Sandon Point with some photo buddies - the aim to capture the sun's early rays beaming onto the old boat sheds.

Unfortunately high tide was approaching and as I couldn't find a space on the sand for my tripod I hurried towards the safety of the steps and amused myself by playing with an inordinately high ISO while I watched the braver trio using the limited time available to lightpaint.

Greg, Dave and Danielle experimenting

 View from my safe vantage point  

 As the water began  to rise Dave decided to hop up on the steps as well. This is a pretty crook shot but it's great for reliving the memory.

We weren't content to have our plans thwarted so we headed off for Wollongong Harbour hoping to get some decent shots with the high tide and a good swell . We weren't disappointed. See the results here

Coledale

Lesson learned:  always check the white balance from the shoot before and reset.  My white balance had been set for light painting the previous night and most of my shots had an unusual blue hue :-)

I met up with Carolyn, (a fellow member of the Focus Group) who had been camping at Coledale.

Coledale is a small sea-side village approximately 18 kilometres north of Wollongong along the Princes Highway in New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the City of Wollongong and lies between Wombarra and Austinmer.   I've not photographed many sunrises - too complicated to explain the reasons - today's exercise was somewhat of a tragedy as I failed to check my camera settings and the white balance was set to tungsten from a previous shoot. Initially I considered rectifying it PP but began to like the blue tones and decided to leave well enough alone. Not to be daunted I have endeavoured to resurrect some memories as best I could.


I've been experimenting with different programs for creating videos. The first is Slide.ly which is a free online creator. One of the advantages is unlimited photos and an option to select a reasonably clean interface. Other options are One True Media which also requires free subscription but has a limit of 30 images on the free version, Roxio Photo Show which supplies a basic show with greater access to sound and styles with  premium membership and You Tube which appears to allow unlimited images but makes sound tracks difficult to locate.

 Looking down on the camping area at 5.30 a.m

Bluebottles scattered along the shore punctuating large patches of seaweed.

 

   

Tankers lined up along the horizon waiting for access to Wollongong Harbour 

With a high tide of 1.9 metres, surfers had some great opportunities to catch a decent wave

 

Seagulls, oyster catchers and terns were out in force

Surfers enjoy the conditions

 

Camping is popular with many families 

The rising sun paints everything in its path with a golden glow

Taralga Rodeo

I visited my first rodeo at Taralga in 2012 and was keen to visit again, however I've decided I don't enjoy them. Apart from there being a serious accident and injury to one of the riders, I'm not convinced that the safety of the animals is paramount and I really object to the use of spurs. It was unsettling to observe the look of panic on the faces of some of the horses and steers.

Rodeos however are great locations for 'characters' and people watching and they provide a glimpse into country life in rural Australia - a healthier, happier, less hectic life in tune with the land.

One of the young cowgirls riding the ferris wheel

Travel Backlog

My stock of photographs is growing and I fear it may be almost impossible to catch up so I've decided to document them according to date and take it one small step at a time and hope I can make some headway. :-)
I have to say that now it's all itemised I've become even more fearful of never catching up. However I'm reassured by the fact that if it's the case, it really doesn't matter, because the fun is in the processing and recalling fond memories. Perhaps one strategy is to publish one image from each of the locations in the interim. So it's off to the post processing I go

January 4 - Hyde Park
January 7 - Sunflower fields at Quirindi
January 11 - Potter Point
January 17 - Clovelly
January 19 - Wilton sunrise, Austinmere and Tooths Brewery
January 25 - Wombarra
January 28 - Wollongong Lighthouse
January 28 - Taralga Rodeo

February 2 - Lightpainting
February 9 - Coledale
February 10 - Colour Run
February 23 - Wet day at Wollongong Lighthouse
February 24 - Mystery Tour to Warragamba

February 27- Sandon Point, Wombarra and Wollongong Harbour

March 2 - Sussex Inlet and Sandon surfers
March 4 - Glebe and Sylvania Jetty
March 13 - City sights

March 15 - Watamolla
March 17 - Oak Park 
March 24 - Clovelly to Coogee Walk

March 22 - Shelly Sunrise
March 27 - Shelly Sunrise
March 29 - Hydro Majestic Hotel and Lithgow Blast Furnace

March 31 - Shelly sunset

April 2 - Blue Mountains

April 5 - Canberra Balloons, Goulburn Orphanage and Sandon Sunrise 
April 12 - Cronulla sunrise
April 14 - Cahill Walk
April 16 - Graffiti
April 19 - South Coast Holiday
April 21 - Coastal drive home
April 23 - Cronulla Sunset
April 25 - Anzac Day March 
April  28 - Harbour Mystery Tour and Solander sunrise

May 4 - Autumn at Mt. Wilson
May 9 - Tamworth and Scone
May 17 - Potter Point
May 19 -Audley Walk
May 25 - Little Bay
May 26 - Yena Gap
May 28 - Foggy Day
May 29 - Pelicans

June 2 - Railway Tunnel
June 6 - The Nuns Pool and Shelley Beach
June 8 - Point Perpedicular
June 14 - The Leap
June 16 - The Big Swell
June 21 - Yena Surfing
June 25 - Stormy Day
June 28 - La Perouse
June 30 - Yena Gap

July 1 _ Bombo
July 7 - Little Austi
July 8 - Inscription Point
July 12 - Leura Waterfalls
July 21- Kites at Kurnell
July 26 - Cecil Hills
July 31 - Potter Point


2012
January 5 - Sydney Harbour
January 11 - Como
January 13 - Hyams Beach
January 26 - Australia Day at Cronulla

January 30 - Goulburn and Taralga Rodeo


February 12 - Mystery Tour 4
February 9 - Mogo

March 6 - Explorer Bus Trip
March 8/29 - QVB
March 13 - Norah Heads
March 13 - Newcastle
March 18 - Lavendar Bay


April 6 -  Moonrise
April 9 - Centennial Park
April 11 - Pelican Feeding
April 13 - Murrays Beach
April 15 - Bare Island
April 17 - Greycliffe
April 26 - Anzac Bridge
April 27 - Milsons Point


May 4 - Manly
May 6 - Airshow
May 6 - Full Moon at Wollongong
May 10 - Collector
May 12 - Canberra
May 13 - Goulburn and orphanage
May 18 - Auburn Botanic Garden

May 22 -  Callan Park

June 2 - Bats
June 8 - Lithgow Blast Furnace

July 2 - Cockatoo Island
July 6 - Parramatta
June 11 - Vivid
June 12 - Vivid 2
July 15 - Gosford Society Trip
July 16 - Parramatta
June 20 - Mystery Tour Tunnel


???? 25 - Port Kembla and dandelions

September 7 - Parramatta 2
October 4 - Symbio

October 9 - Bowral
October 10 - Tuggerah Lakes Jetty
October 10 - Passion Flowers
October 14 - Camden
October 15 - Banjo Patterson Cottage
October 16/November 19 - Loftus House
October 18 - Audley Weir
October 18 - Gladesville Mental Hospital
October 19 - Tram Museum
October 19 - Buddhist Temple  
October 23 - Goats Farm

October 25 - Sculpture by the sea
October 30 - Bat pups


November 3 - Tooths Brewery ( Mittagong Maltings) http://cosmicthunder.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/abanoned-beer-halls/


November 10 - Flannel Flowers

November 11 - Mystery Tour
November 13 - Port Kembla 
November 25 - City at night and ALs Party
November 29 - Bargo
November 30 - Northbridge

December 6 - Woy Woy
December 29 - Saddleback Mountain

Pelican Antics

I was mesmerised for over four hours watching pelican chicks in the pelican nesting colony situated at Woy Woy. The colony is on an island in the middle of the river and using my Canon Powershot like binoculars I was able to zoom in and observe the interaction. The island was a few hundred metres away so the images are very grainy but hopefully it won't be the last time I visit this colony so next time I'll inquire into renting a boat in order to get within a reasonable distance without disturbing them.

Feeding Time On The Island

Gladesville Mental Hospital

During my childhood days my family frequently drove past Gladesville Hospital (once known unfortunately as the Lunatic Asylum) on the way to my cousins’ home at Eastwood. For some unaccountable reason I was always intrigued by the notion of asylums and Gladesville’s appearance and somewhat clandestine history always appealed to my wild imagination.

It claims some architectural and historical significance, being the first purpose built lunatic asylum in the colony. It was constructed between 1880 and 1884, and received its first patients in October 1884. Originally named Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum in January 1869 Manning had it renamed the Gladesville Hospital for the Insane. The grounds cover a substantial area and contain a variety of incredible ruins from the 1870s. One which seems more derelict than the rest is a grey stone structure surrounded by a cyclone wire fence and totally overgrown with lantana. It is approached up a set of stone steps. The hospital was in effect decommissioned in 1997 when all in-patient services were transferred to Macquarie Hospital, North Ryde.

 Peter Colthorpe (Coordinator of the Friends of Gladesville Hospital) claims it began as a folly, an extravagant garden structure often built by the wealthy. It had been used as a staging post, where officers of the Colony could stay overnight on their way from Parramatta or back, and also as part of Frederick Norton Manning's (Superintendent of the Gladesville Hospital in the mid eighteen hundreds - a pioneer in the more humane treatment of the mentally ill) intent to use nature to help treat mental health patients. They had no drugs at the time. Today, the building is officially declared a 'garden remnant'. It was difficult to obtain a clear shot due to the wire fence and I was conscious that climbing amongst the lantana was probably not the most sensible of actions given my recently broken ankle. It would be a magical location for some light painting :-)

Biennale 2012

Held every two years, the Biennale of Sydney is Australia's largest contemporary visual arts event, showcasing bold and innovative contemporary art from around the world. The free exhibition is presented over 12 weeks in the heart of Sydney at leading contemporary art spaces and on world heritage-listed Cockatoo Island. The 18th Biennale of Sydney (27 June – 16 September 2012) was based on a collaborative framework and dynamic new exhibition model bringing together international artists to collaborate and create artworks, exploring new ideas from unexpected voices around the world.
A major disadvantage of being so far behind with my reviews of photography locations is the inability to document the titles of the artworks and artists. Hopefully I'll be better prepared next time.

The 19th Biennale will be held from 21 March – 9 June 2014. Inspired by a sense of ‘happy anarchy’, Cockatoo Island will feature numerous new site-specific projects, producing an atmosphere of joyful energy. In the Industrial Precinct, Danish artist duo Randi & Katrine will create an anthropomorphised wonderland in the style of a typical Danish village. Surrounded by a city wall with a forest at one end, and with buildings designed to have human features – rooftops as hair, windows as eyes, and doors for mouths – The Village (2014) promises to be a magical environment for visitors of all ages. Inside the cavernous Turbine Hall, Danish artist Eva Koch will present a towering life-sized, projection of Gljufrabui, the Icelandic waterfall, accompanied by a roaring soundtrack.
source: http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/events/biennale-2014.html