PORT PHILLIP BAY

Port Phillip Bay is a large, horsehead-shaped bay in southern Victoria, Australia, serving as the aquatic playground for Melbourne and Geelong. It is a popular destination for recreational activities and a home to diverse marine life and extensive coastlines.

This is the view from the top of a building in Southbank, and I am stretching the capabilities of my iPhone camera, zooming as much as I can to capture the sailing boats. The clock tower is that of the South Melbourne Town Hall.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

BEAUTY HIDES DANGER

Walking along the Darebin Creek in Thornbury, an inner suburb, one can enjoy the natural beauty of the bush in the midst of the City. However, in Summer especially, there may be some untoward encounters, such as meeting this Tiger Snake.

The Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) is a large and highly venomous snake of southern Australia, including its coastal islands and Tasmania. These snakes are often observed and locally well known by their banding, black and yellow like a tiger, although the species can be highly variable in colouration and patterning. All populations are classified within the genus Notechis (Elapidae). Their diverse characteristics have been classified either as distinct species or by subspecies and regional variation. While tiger snakes are usually ground-dwelling, they are able to swim as well as climb into trees and buildings.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

and also part of the Saturday Critters meme

INDUSTRIAL

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

BUSHFIRE SUNSET

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

DUCKPOND

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

HELLISH TIMES

We've had three consecutive days in Victoria where temperatures have stayed up in the low 40s (˚C). The extreme heat, strong winds and tinder dry grasslands and Eucalypt forests have created a catastrophic set of circumstances for bushfires to start. Climate change and unpredictable weather events are making each year worse in Australia as fires, floods, droughts, cyclones and storms wreak havoc.

Presently, hundreds of firefighters are flat out out trying to contain many large out-of-control fires as night falls on Victoria, the most concerning fire is the enormous Longwood fire, which has been threatening several townships as it spreads through central Victoria. Firefighters and emergency services are concerned as a change in wind direction expected this Friday evening could hamper their efforts, as it pushes the blazes into new directions.

Three people, including a child, remain unaccounted-for after a house burned down in Longwood. The Country Fire Authority says cooler, calmer conditions might allow firefighters to assess the impact of multiple blazes in the coming days.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

MOTH ORCHID

A purple hybrid Phalaenopsis orchid. Commonly known as moth orchids, they are a very popular genus.  The unique shape of the broad-petaled flowers resembles a moth with its wings wide open. They are known for their long-lasting blooms, which can last for several months. 

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DAREBIN CREEK

Fish ladder in the Darebin Creek, at Darebin Parklands, Alphington. A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass, fish steps, or fish cannon, is a structure on or around artificial and natural barriers (such as dams, locks and waterfalls) to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration as well as movements of potamodromous species.

Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps (hence the term ladder) into the waters on the other side. The velocity of water falling over the steps has to be great enough to attract the fish to the ladder, but it cannot be so great that it washes fish back downstream or exhausts them to the point of inability to continue their journey upriver. 

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

MAKE HAY...

...WHILE THE SUNS SHINES

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SUMMER

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.