Brisbane Mangroves

A few weeks ago Dad and I went for walk through the mangroves at Wynnum North (near the mouth of the Brisbane River). There is a boardwalk which meanders through a section of relatively undisturbed mangroves.  I suppose this is what the mouth of the Brisbane River looked like to John Oxley when he first discovered it.  So haunting and yet so beautiful, though if you looked closer the water was quite murky.  Far from the description in historical records.  I love these words describing the river in 1823:

"crystal clear water and a white sandy river bed that reflected the sun's rays even though it was 10 metres deep ...dark green patches of palms and giant fern forests were sprinkled with the delicate colours of thousands of orchids ...Oxley’s boat glided through millions of pink and white water lilies."
http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/federation/stories/s270973.htm

I wonder what Brisbane could have been had we preserved some of that natural beauty.

Tuesday Touring

Making the most of our Tuesday public holiday we packed a picnic hamper before heading off for the Brisbane Valley.  We meandered our way through the lush Brisbane Forest Park stopping for morning tea of homemade scones and tea atop Mt Nebo.  Then to Esk via Lake Somerset for a late lunch.  The striking scents of the forest, the birdsong and the lakes made for tranquil surrounds.  Our destination for lunch was a park where the old Esk railway yard used to be, the old station a great centre piece.  For lunch we had pasta and tea cake for dessert.  I love fresh pasta and this one, prepared with asparagus, tomato and zucchini from the Saturday markets, was definitely a favourite.  I didn't think to take photos of lunch... too tasty.  Anyway, having enjoyed the last patches of warm sunshine we returned home before late afternoon showers washed the day away.

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A Beach Cottage

Hinterland Views

Today I drove up north to Maleny in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland to visit a client.  It was a tough day at the office...  This is a view south towards the Glasshouse Mountains, one of many panoramic views from the Blackall Range.

Pillar Valley

While seeing if there was the faint chance of any remaining holiday accommodation in the sleepy beachside town of Wooli, I stumbled across a real estate site which listed a property for sale in nearby Pillar Valley.  This was one of the photos on the listing and I just love it!  That shade of grey on those classic Adirondack chairs are perfect. The soft, velvety grass, the enormous shady tree with the rope swing and the timber ladder... so beautiful.  Nevermind the house though, it does not match up with it's lovely grounds I'm afraid.

Sunday in the Gardens

While in Toowoomba a couple weeks ago we had enjoyed a continental breakfast on the verandah where we stayed followed by a morning stroll through the Toowoomba Japanese Garden.  I enjoyed watching the families of ducks, Helen especially liked the little ducklings.  A lone white duck put on a bit of a display washing itself while the turtles seemed to be rather interested in watching us.  It was a rejuvenating Sunday morning.

Mt Cootha Sunset

Photos taken yesterday at Mt Cootha lookout.  Just a slight detour on the way home from the bay.  It was unusually chilly up there for mid October.

Sunday Bayside

After a couple weeks of rainy weather the clouds passed and beautiful sunny weather came our way.  Just in time for the weekend.  This afternoon we decided to make a dash for Wellington Point and see if we could walk across the sandbar to King Island.  Unfortunately we arrived with the tide coming in and while some decided to wade toward the disappearing sandbar we decided to go for a stroll amongst the mangroves.  Though the point was full of humanity we had the mangroves all to ourselves.

West End Courtyard

A courtyard garden in Brisbane's West End, also seen last weekend.  While I am not so keen on the architecture the courtyard garden is fantastic!  I'm sure these apartments would be great in Japan but for our hot humid summer I can't imagine they will get much breeze through those tiny windows...

Tropical Courtyard

While out and about last weekend we stopped in at Bowen Hills to look at the site for one of Helen's design projects.  We also took at peek at the courtyard garden of this architectural practice nearby.  The tropical garden makes the space, cushioning the occupants from a bitumen wasteland that surrounds the building.  I'm loving courtyard gardens at the moment and especially ones with plenty of bamboo.

Viewpoint

A few months back I came across this property while browsing through a local magazine.  Located on an elevated site near Cunningham's Gap this house takes in panoramic views of the mountains and extensive farming land.  Apart from the fact that it is some way inland from the sea this region would be perfect for us as a country retreat.  We'll continue to dream....  Stunning!

Highway 13

A roadside of cinematic appeal.  Also taken near Mount Lindesay in 2006 this is one of my favourite black-and-white stills taken to date.

Rural Escape

Digging through my old photo library this morning I found some pictures which I took on Kate's farm near Mount Lindesay in 2006.  Kate's family had owned the farm for many years.  The living room in the house was particularly classic as if unchanged for around fifty years.
threeminorgroove visited on a couple of occasions to let our hair down, jam and write music.  These photos were taken on one such visit.  All were taken on the farm except for the first picture which was taken nearby.

Byron Getaway

Easter long weekend had us planning a quiet few days relaxing at home and catching up with friends.  However, all that went out the window on Saturday when Caroline suggested we catch up in Byron Bay where her and Vini were staying for the duration.  Hence at the last minute we booked in to the Summerhouse and headed off first thing Sunday morning.  Breakfast at Bangalow at Ate and a wander through the cute boutiques was followed by a side trip to Lennox Head for lunch and a walk along the beach.  The afternoon was spent lazing about on the daybed by the pool overlooking the beautiful view across the hinterland and the bay with Easter eggs and bubbly.  Sunday cloudy weather cleared up and  we awoke to perfect beach weather.  We made our way over to Wategos Beach for the day to visit Caroline and Vini at their family beach house and spent the afternoon in the sun and surf.  It's amazing how a couple of days by the ocean is always so invigorating.

Bawa Landscapes and Courtyards

Ever since discovering Geoffrey Bawa's work I have found his architecture, interiors and landscapes continually fascinating.  Bawa was not only an architect of enormous talent and insight working in the tropical Asian context, but also meticulously designed the extensive landscapes and gardens surrounding his buildings down to the placement of every exact type of plant. The courtyard houses Bawa is most well known for continue to be relevant in the contemporary context of our desire to merge the line between the internal and external.  Bawa's interiors were no less meticulous with every item envisaged down to the last detail.  His drawings are artworks in themselves and a testament to his attention to detail as well as his grand vision and love for the Ceylonese landscape.


Image source: 
www.geoffreybawa.com