LILIUM HYBRID

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

REMEMBRANCE PARK, HEIDELBERG

Remembrance Park pond, in this little oasis of green close to Austin Hospital, Heidelberg. It's wedged between busy roads, residential streets and of course the hospital. Always pleasant to walk there and de-stress...

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.

HEIDELBERG PANORAMA

View towards the East from Heidelberg, to the skyscrapers of Box Hill. Box Hill is an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 kilometres east of the city's Central Business District (CBD), located within the City of Whitehorse local government area. Box Hill recorded a population of 14,353 at the 2021 census.

Today, Box Hill is notable for its large Chinese community, having the largest percentage of individuals of Chinese heritage in Melbourne (The 2021 Census recorded 46.6 % of the suburbs residents as of Chinese origin), and is home to the city's tallest high-rise buildings outside the CBD.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SPRING FLOWERS

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

Forest lily (Veltheimia bracteata); Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) and Sweet bay (Laurus nobilis)

HOSPITAL

The bottlebrush flowers soften the rather harsh architecture of the utilitarian Austin Hospital and somehow give some hope to all who enter there... 

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

AUSTRALIAN SWALLOW

The welcome swallow (Hirundo neoxena) is a small passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae that is native to Australia and nearby islands. It has self-introduced into New Zealand in the middle of the twentieth century.

It is very similar to the Pacific swallow with which it is often considered conspecific. This species breeds in southern and eastern Australia in a variety of habitats, mostly in open areas, man-made clearings or urban environments, but not desert or dense forest. Eastern populations are largely migratory, wintering in northern Australia. Western birds and those in New Zealand are mainly sedentary.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

An image created from several photos (including the view from my window and some jack-o-lanters), and also some silhouettes from clipart (no, it's not a real witch!), with the help of Photoshop.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

and also part of the Mosaic Monday meme.

Oh! And one of my songs, that suits the occasion!

LEUCOSPERMUM

Leucospermum formosum hybrid "Leucospermum Carnival® Peach" produces a unique colour display that combines and captures the seasonal peach and apricot notes into a beautiful centre of burning embers. Carnival Peach is a medium sized shrub and ideal for low maintenance, low water use gardens. Additionally, it has a moderate frost tolerance which sets it apart from other Leucospermum varieties.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

MORNINGTON

Mornington is a seaside suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia located on the Mornington Peninsula 46 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District. It is the most populous locality in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula local government area. Mornington had a population of 25,759 at the 2021 census. Mornington is a tourist destination renowned for its bay beaches and wineries, with a town centre that runs into the foreshore area and local beach.

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

A COUNTRY RETREAT

A peaceful vista in Warburton, a town in Victoria, Australia, 76 kilometres east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges local government area. Warburton recorded a population of 2,020 at the 2021 census.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

RELAXING

Having a spot of lunch in Warburton.

This posts is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

DOG WALKER

Taking the dog for a walk along the Yarra River in lovely Warburton.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SPRING SKY

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme,
and also part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

ROSE SEASON

The roses have started to bloom in earnest now, despite a few setbacks with our Spring weather. This is a climbing rose we've had in our garden for decades and it is an unknown hybrid, which was given to us as a cutting by a friend who had no idea what particular type it is.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

WEATHER

We get a lot of weather in Melbourne, all year round, but also all of it on one day. Spring is usually a good season to experience all sorts of interesting weather conditions. Like today, which started out grey with showers, then fining up for little and then strong winds, bringing down many trees and causing damage, and then rain... Never a dull moment!

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

IN THE CITY

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SUCH IS LIFE...

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

AT THE PARKLANDS

At the Darebin Parklands, in suburban Melbourne, on a fine Spring morning. The City is about 5.8 km away.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

EMU

The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is a species of flightless bird endemic to Australia, where it is the tallest native bird. It is the only extant member of the genus Dromaius and the third-tallest living bird after its African ratite relatives, the common ostrich and Somali ostrich.

The emu's native ranges cover most of the Australian mainland. The Tasmanian, Kangaroo Island and King Island subspecies became extinct after the European settlement of Australia in 1788. The emu has soft, brown feathers, a long neck, and long legs. It can grow up to 1.9 m in height. It is a robust bipedal runner that can travel great distances, and when necessary can sprint at 48 km/h. It is omnivorous and forages on a variety of plants and insects, and can go for weeks without eating. It drinks infrequently, but takes in copious amounts of fresh water when the opportunity arises.

Breeding takes place in May and June, and fighting among females for a mate is common. Females can mate several times and lay several clutches of eggs in one season. The male does the incubation; during this process he hardly eats or drinks and loses a significant amount of weight. The eggs hatch after around eight weeks, and the young are nurtured by their fathers. They reach full size after around six months, but can remain as a family unit until the next breeding season.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNCATCHERS

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) flowers against the sky.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

THE FIRST ROSE

The first roses have started to appear in our garden. This is the perennially favourite, "Mr Lincoln". It is a vigorous, tall upright shrub, 120–210 cm in height. Blooms are very large, 15  cm or more in diameter, with 30 to 35 petals. The rose has a strong damask fragrance. The high-centered, deep red petals are generally borne singly on long stems and do not fade, even in the hottest climates.

The shrub is a repeat bloomer. The buds are deep red and open up into large, velvety red, double blossoms. The foliage is dark red when young and becomes leathery and dark, matte green when the plant is older. It is generally healthy and heat tolerant, but is susceptible to blackspot. 'Mister Lincoln' is hardy to zone 5–9

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

YARRA RIVER

Walking along the Yarra River in Abbotsford, Melbourne, enjoying the vast areas of parklands and nature reserve along the river. This is amazing as these vast tracts of natural bushland are within a stone's throw of the bustling city centre. Melbourne has a population of close to five, million people, so I consider myself very lucky to have such splendid conservation areas within walking distance of my home.

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

DRIVING IN THE CITY

You know you're in Melbourne if you're driving on the left side of the road and you do hook right hand turns, watching to avoid trams! Oh, and it's Spring in October!

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SPRING MOOD

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

IN THE CITY

Elizabeth Street, looking South towards Finders Street and the Flinders Street Train Station.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

KOOKABURRAS

Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm in length. The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call. The loud distinctive call of the Laughing Kookaburra is widely used as a stock sound effect in situations that involve an Australian bush setting.

These birds are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, as well as in suburban areas with tall trees or near running water. Even though they belong to the larger group known as "kingfishers", kookaburras are not closely associated with water. The genus Dacelo was introduced by the English zoologist William Elford Leach in 1815. The name Dacelo is an anagram of Alcedo, the Latin word for a kingfisher. The laughing kookaburras shown here are Dacelo novaeguineae (native to eastern Australia, introduced to southwest).

Kookaburras are almost exclusively carnivorous, eating mice, snakes, insects, small reptiles, and the young of other birds; they have also been known to take goldfish from garden ponds. In zoos they are usually fed food for birds of prey. The Darebin Parklands is a perfect habitat for these handsome birds and one may see these quite commonly right throughout the area of the park. Their laugh-like call is definitely a sign you're in Australia!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

SUNSET UP HIGH

Enjoying a sunset from a plane flying out into the evening skies. I always try and get a window seat when flying as there is much to see and photograph!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

'PINK LADY' INDIAN HAWTHORN

Rhaphiolepis indica, Indian hawthorn, is a dense, mounding, broadleaf evergreen shrub cultivated for its foliage and flowers. It is native to southern China and Southeast Asia, where it is found on woodland slopes and along streams. It is a member of the rose family.

The 'Pink Lady' hybrid is a stunning disease-resistant variety that produces profuse clusters of pink flowers; bright reddish-orange new foliage matures to a deep glossy green, with deep maroon winter foliage; excellent groundcover, accent, or foundation shrub.

The fruit of some varieties is edible when cooked, and can be used to make jam, but some ornamental varieties bear fruit that is of no culinary value.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

ON THE WATER

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

CITY VIEW

The sculpture on Spencer Street in front of the Grand Hotel is a Melbourne public art installation called "Raising the Rattler Pole—The Last of the Connie's" by artist David Bell. Located at the corner of Flinders and Spencer Streets, the 1:1 scale replica is a tribute to the iconic W-class "rattler" trams (see one in action below main photos). The sculpture features a black tram playfully and significantly upended with its rear pointing upwards, a social comment perhaps on the advent of automated ticketing and the abolishment of the human "connie" (tram conductor and ticket issuer).

I took the photo from a moving train going towards the Southern Cross Station.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SPRING

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

STORM COMING...

And it's called puberty...

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

SNAKE SEASON

Australia has nearly 200 known species of snake, only 25 of which are considered potentially deadly. Common snakes in the Melbourne area and surrounding suburbs include the Tiger Snake, Eastern Brown Snake, Copperhead Snake, White-Lipped Snake, Small-Eyed Snake and Red-Bellied Black Snake. There are over 27 types of snake in Victoria and a number of these are venomous, including the tiger snake, the copperhead, the brown snake and the red-bellied black snake.

Darebin Parklands is a nature reserve in the midst of inner suburban Melbourne. It has a host of animal species, many of them native that live happily in its confines. These creatures of course include snakes. Numerous signs relating to snakes are found throughout the Parklands, reminding people to take care during the Summer between the months of October to April.

I have seen snakes a number of times, in the Parklands and elsewhere, but fortunately these encounters have been innocent enough. While seeing a snake may be an intimidating experience, they are typically shy creatures and most will try to avoid confrontation with humans and quickly slither away (how quickly they can move is indeed a sobering experience).

Snakes go into brumation during the cooler months. Brumation is a state of winter dormancy exhibited by cold-blooded animals, such as reptiles and amphibians, during periods of low temperatures or reduced daylight. It is a naturally occurring process where an animal's metabolic rate slows down, leading to increased sleep, decreased appetite, and reduced activity. This state differs from true hibernation in that it is not dependent on the animal's body temperature but rather on environmental conditions.

Brumation is officially ending in October in Melbourne and snakes are becoming more active, as this wide-awake tiger snake is exhibiting in the Darebin Parklands. I said hello, took its photo discreetly and quietly left...

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNSET SKY

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

BLOOMING WATTLE

Wattles are  trees and shrubs of the Acacia genus, with the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), shown here, serving as Australia's national floral emblem. Wattles are highly resilient, fast-growing plants that play a crucial role in land regeneration, acting as a "nurse crop" for other plants. They are a powerful symbol of Australian identity and are celebrated on National Wattle Day, September 1st.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DAREBIN PARKLANDS

One of the ponds in the Darebin Parklands provides ample space for wildlife, especially water birds, as well as much native flora around it.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Roentare’s Water Meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

ALOE

This post is part of the "My Sunday Best" meme.

POSSUM

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula, from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus Phalangista) is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, and the second-largest of the possums.

Like most possums, the common brushtail possum is nocturnal. It is mainly a folivore, but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats. In most Australian habitats, eucalyptus leaves are a significant part of the diet, but rarely the sole item eaten. Its tail is prehensile and naked on its lower underside. The four colour variations are silver-grey, brown, black, and gold.

It is the Australian marsupial most often seen by city dwellers, as it is one of few that thrive in cities and a wide range of natural and human-modified environments. Around human habitations, common brushtails are inventive and determined foragers with a liking for fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and kitchen raids. Its once vast distribution has been greatly affected by drought, epizootic disease and intrusion of invasive mammals into its habitat.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

HOT AIR

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

WARATAH

Telopea speciosissima or the “waratah” is a native Australian plant with spectacular flowers. Robert Brown (1773-1858) named the genus Telopea in 1810 from specimens collected in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. Sir James Smith (1759-1828), a noted botanist and founder of the Linnaean Society in England, wrote in 1793: 'The most magnificent plant which the prolific soil of New Holland affords is, by common consent, both of Europeans and Natives, the Waratah. It is moreover a favourite with the latter, upon account of a rich honeyed juice which they sip from its flowers'.

The generic name Telopea is derived from the Greek 'telopos', meaning 'seen from afar', and refers to the great distance from which the crimson flowers are discernible. The specific name speciosissima is the superlative of the Latin adjective 'speciosus', meaning 'beautiful' or 'handsome'. 'Waratah', the Aboriginal name for the species, was adopted by early settlers at Port Jackson.

Telopea is an eastern Australian genus of four species. Two are confined to New South Wales, one to Tasmania and one extends from eastern Victoria into New South Wales. Telopea belongs to the family, Proteaceae, which is predominantly Australian and Southern African.

The Waratah is a stout, erect shrub which may grow to 4 metres. The dark green leathery leaves, 13-25 cm in length, are arranged alternately and tend to be coarsely toothed. The flowers are grouped in rounded heads 7 to 10 cm in diameter surrounded by crimson bracts, about 5 to 7 cm long. It flowers from September to November and nectar-seeking birds act as pollinators. Large winged seeds are released when the brown leathery pods split along one side.

The Waratah is a spectacular garden subject in suitable soil and climate; it flowers prolifically and tends to be long-lived. The Waratah occurs naturally in at least ten national parks in the geological formation, know as the Sydney Basin. Brisbane Water, Dharug and Macquarie Pass National Parks are among the areas where this species is conserved. Waratahs are cultivated north of Sydney and in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria. They are grown in Israel, New Zealand and Hawaii for the cut flower trade. It was introduced to England in 1789 but cannot survive English winters out of doors except in the south-west coastal regions, and it rarely flowers in glasshouses. It is also cultivated in California.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

WERRIBEE RIVER

The Werribee River is a perennial river of the Port Phillip catchment that is located on the plain West of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The headwaters of a tributary, the Lerderderg River, are north of Ballan near Daylesford and it flows across the basalt plain, through the suburb of Werribee to enter Port Phillip.

A linear park follows the Werribee River along much of its course. In total the Werribee River completes a journey of approximately 110 kilometres. The river flows through the Werribee Gorge State Park before being utilised for irrigation of market gardens at Bacchus Marsh, then through Werribee where it is crossed by the Maltby By-pass. It then flows through the Werribee Open Range Zoo in Werribee Park, and finally the small coastal settlement of Werribee South before entering Port Phillip.

The Western Treatment Plant, a sewage treatment site, is located near the mouth of the river, and supplies irrigation needs to the zoo. The Werribee River Trail winds beside the Werribee River from Davis Creek in Tarneit to the Princes Highway in Werribee.

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

THE GRAMPIANS

The Grampians National Park (also Gariwerd), commonly referred to as The Grampians, is a national park located in the Grampians region of Victoria, Australia. The 167,219-hectare national park is situated between Stawell and Horsham on the Western Highway and Dunkeld on the Glenelg Highway, 260 kilometres west of Melbourne and 460 kilometres east of Adelaide.

Proclaimed as a national park on 1 July 1984, the park was listed on the Australian National Heritage List on 15 December 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern Australia. The Grampians feature a striking series of sandstone mountain ranges.

Although a bit far for a day trip, some acquaintances of ours have done it all in a day, although I must say it was a bit of a Cook's tour! Best to take your time and enjoy your trip there and back, as well as stay a few days and do all the wonderful hikes and walks.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SPRING EQUINOX

The Southern Hemisphere's spring equinox, also known as the September equinox or vernal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere, marks the start of spring for locations south of the equator. It occurs on or around September 22 or 23 each year, when the Sun is directly above Earth's equator and both hemispheres receive equal amounts of sunlight - hence on that day, there are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime.

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