YARRA RIVER, WARRANDYTE

The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River (Aboriginal: Berrern, Birr-arrung, Bay-ray-rung, Birarang, Birrarung, and Wongete) is a perennial river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river are where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches.

From its source in the Yarra Ranges, it flows 242 kilometres west through the Yarra Valley, which opens out into plains as it winds its way through Greater Melbourne before emptying into Hobsons Bay in northernmost Port Phillip. The river was a major food source and meeting place for indigenous Australians from prehistoric times. Shortly after the arrival of European settlers land clearing forced the remaining Wurundjeri to neighbouring territories and away from the river.

Originally called Birrarung by the Wurundjeri, the current name was mistranslated from another Wurundjeri term in the Boonwurrung language; Yarro-yarro, meaning “ever-flowing”.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SPRING

Spring is coming early this year. We've had a glorious, warm sunny day today and in a walk around the neighbourhood, many of the Spring bulbs were out and some had already perished. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology officially declared an active El Niño event on June 16, 2026, marking the first time the pattern has been established in nearly three years. Driven by record-fast warming in the central tropical Pacific, current oceanic and atmospheric indicators point to a strong—potentially historic—event persisting through the rest of 2026 and into early 2027.

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

FACTORY

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

AUSTRALIAN RAVEN

This is an Australian raven (Corvus coronoides), about 45 cm long and characterized by glossy black plumage and a pale white iris. These birds possess all-black glossy feathers with greyish bases hidden underneath. Distinctive white irises surrounding a dark pupil, indicate an adult bird. Strong, heavy black bill and perching posture typical of the Corvus genus.

Australian ravens are exceptionally intelligent birds. Like other corvids, they possess a high brain-to-body mass ratio and cognitive problem-solving abilities that closely rival primates and young children. They have been observed actively shaping and using sticks to extract insects buried deep within tree bark. In urban areas, Australian ravens work together collaboratively to pull heavy plastic liners out of public rubbish bins to access food. They are also famous for stalking bushwalkers and successfully unzipping backpacks to steal snacks.

They can accurately recognize individual human faces and categorize them as either a threat or a friend. They can hold these memories—and potential grudges—for several years. They easily pass vital safety information down through generations, effectively teaching their young which specific neighborhoods or humans are dangerous to approach.

This post is part of the Nature Notes meme,
and also part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

AEONIUM

These bright yellow, star-shaped inflorescences (clusters of star-like blossoms) are characteristic of a flowering succulent from the genus Aeonium (such as Aeonium arboreum), belonging to the stonecrop family Crassulaceae.

The insect resting on the yellow flowers is a Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens). It has a long, slender black body that mimics the appearance of a wasp to ward off predators, though it lacks a stinger and is completely harmless. As adults, they are important, docile pollinators that feed gently on flower nectar. Their larvae are highly beneficial decomposers used globally to recycle organic kitchen and garden waste into rich compost.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DAREBIN CREEK

In winter, after rain.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

HERRING ISLAND

Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park is a 3.2-hectare artificial island on the Yarra River in South Yarra, about 3 km from Melbourne's CBD. It is Melbourne's only river island, famous for its environmental art sculptures, walking tracks, and free weekend summer punt service.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

WINTER SUN

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

TURKEY TAIL

This is a Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) mushroom, a common polypore found worldwide.It is characterised by its thin, fan-shaped, and colourful caps that resemble a turkey's fanned tail feathers

These fungi are frequently found growing in overlapping clusters on fallen hardwood logs or stumps. Trametes versicolor has a porous underside rather than gills and is a popular subject for foraging due to its distinct features and potential medicinal uses.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme