Friday, March 30, 2007

The library team celebrated my departure but had trouble popping the cork!
Cork problems.
On the drive back to Adelaide there was lots of stock grazing the long paddock.
The long Paddock
The long Paddock
I visited my former Darwin colleague Kaye Henderson's parents property at Goodnight.
The Hickeys

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A crisp Thurgoona morning.
Thurgoona morning

Sunday, March 18, 2007

I enjoyed a pleasant afternoon and evening at work colleague Helen and Nevilles property at Baranduda, as well as a quick birdwatching expedition to Chiltern to try to spot some Banded lapwings.
View from Neville and Helens home
Neville Bartlett

We needed Nevilles long lens and extender to see the Lapwings in the middle of a paddock.
Banded lapwing

Monday, March 12, 2007

Also took a trip to Burnie and had a breezy picnic on the foreshore.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/upload/
Saw these brown juvenile Pacific gulls along with the common sea gulls.
Pacific Gulls
There was lots to see and take photographs of.
Self
View!!
Goats
Goat

Sunday, March 11, 2007

We toured in and around the small towns near Devonport and Launceston. The weather was great except for a short time when we were near Cradle Mountain, so I have an excuse to return soon.
Brass Steam Whistle
Sunny Day of steam
Old steam machine
Spirit Of Tasmania arrives daily in Devonport
On a whim, instead of heading for Adelaide for the long weekend in Victoria and Adelaide I decided to take a quick train trip to Melbourne and then a flight over to Devonport to see Sue and Ken Weslake. I spoke to Sue briefly on Wednesday and confirmed with her that I was coming. I surprised Ken when I walked in on Friday evening.
Drinks on the Balcony
Ken and I went to high school together over 40 years ago at Marion High in Adelaide.
Ken and  I at Edwardstown in about 1967
We tried to replicate this image that is over 40 years old we think.
Ken and  I at Devonport in 2007
Ken and Stephen
We had a great weekend with trips to Launceston, Sheffield
Sheffield Mural
Steam traction Engine
and Penguin as well as Burnie. This lighthouse is at Mersey Bluff,Devonport.
Mersey lighthouse
I enjoyed my first ever trip to Tasmania and am already planning a return visit soon.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

The Opening of the new Albury/Wodonga Hume Freeway project.
Signs of the times
See this link to a local ABC story.
The authorities allowed the public to do a once only walk/run/bike ride. I took a stroll with the crowd.
A pleasant Sunday morning
Walking to Wodonga
All kinds of  ways of enjoying the day
Two wheels and one
New pedestrian bridge
It will make a tremendous difference locally as thousands of semitrailers travel through Albury everyday. Its nothing to be along side 6 or 7 at the traffic lights or travelling across the causeway between the twin cities. Acccording to the ABC website it will carry an estimated 35 thousand vehicles per day. It actually opens for traffic on Tuesday morning and will make my travelling from Thurgoona a lot easier and quicker.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Despite the 40c heat today I decided to undertake a bit of touristy activity.I visited the very attractive Albury Railway Station and then went to the opposite end of town, to the Monument Hill.
Albury Railway station
Albury Railway station
Albury Railway station
IMG_4299
monument hill view