AQUARIUM

At the Melbourne Aquarium.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

SPEEDWELL

A vibrant cluster of low-growing Speedwell  cultivar 'Georgia Blue' (Veronica), used as  popular groundcover.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

SPRING SUNSHINE

This post is part of the Nature Notes meme

BLOSSOM TIME

Celebrating Vernal Equinox in Melbourne today, with blossoming spring trees.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

and also part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

VERNAL EQUINOX

September 22nd in the Southern Hemisphere marks the Vernal Equinox, when astronomical Spring begins in our part of the world. My painting in the centre, flanked by two of my photos.

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

INCIDENT

In my neighbourhood - fortunately nobody was hurt...

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

QUOKKA

The quokka (Setonix brachyurus), the only member of the genus Setonix, is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat. Like other marsupials in the macropod family (such as kangaroos and wallabies), the quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal.

Quokkas can be found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, in particular on Rottnest Island just off Perth and Bald Island near Albany. A small mainland colony exists in the protected area of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, where they co-exist with the critically endangered Gilbert's potoroo.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNDOWN RUN

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

FIREWHEEL

Stenocarpus sinuatus, known as the Firewheel Tree is an Australian rainforest tree in the Proteaceae family. The range of natural distribution is in various rainforest types from the Nambucca River (30° S) in New South Wales to the Atherton Tableland (17° S) in tropical Queensland. However, Stenocarpus sinuatus is widely planted as an ornamental tree in other parts of Australia and in different parts of the world.

Other common names include White Beefwood, Queensland Firewheel Tree, Tulip Flower and White Silky Oak It is a medium to large tree, up to 40 metres tall and 75 cm in trunk diameter. The bark is greyish brown, not smooth and irregular. The base of the cylindrical trunk is flanged. Leaves alternate and variable in shape, simple or pinnatifid, the leaf margins wavy, 12 to 20 cm long. Leaf venation is clearly seen above and below the leaf. Leaves are characteristic and easily identified as part of the Proteaceae family.

The ornamental flowers are bright red in umbels, in a circular formation, hence the name Firewheel Tree. Flowers form mostly between February to March. The fruit is a follicle, in a boat shape, 5 to 10 cm long. Inside are many thin seeds 12 mm long. Fruit matures from January to July. Regeneration from fresh seed occurs speedily. Cuttings also strike well.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

FISH LADDER

At Darebin Parklands, a fish ladder to help native fish to swim upstream to complete their life cycle.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme
and also part of the Nature Notes meme

DAREBIN PARKLANDS

The Darebin Parklands is a 33-hectare urban bushland reserve located in Alphington and Ivanhoe, just 7 kilometers northeast of Melbourne's central business district. The image highlights a tranquil pool surrounded by native River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and Ribbon Barked Manna Gums, which characterize the lower reaches of Darebin Creek.

Long before European colonization, the land and waterways were sustainably managed for tens of thousands of years by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. Darebin Creek served as a vital source of food, tools, and materials. The name Darebin is derived from a Woi-wurrung word thought to mean "swallow" or "swallow-creek".

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

HAVE A COFFEE!

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme

and also part of the Seasons meme.

NOXIOUS WEEDS

Carpets of soursob (Oxalis pes-caprae), a common and persistent weed also known as Bermuda buttercup. It can look good en-masse, it is bright and cheery, but...  It spreads quickly through underground bulbs and tiny bulbils, making it tough to remove completely and can take over a whole garden in a season!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

GOOD DOG!

A friendy golden retriever quietly waiting for his owner outside a shop.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SPRING SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

LEUCADENDRON

Leucadendron is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, endemic to the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where they are a prominent part of the fynbos ecoregion and vegetation type. Many hybrids have been developed and as well as being decorative garden shrubs, they make excellent cut flowers.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

CREEK

Darebin Creek, a permanent waterway in Ivanhoe. On the West bank there is a light industrial area, while on the east side, an up market residential area. The quality of the water is excellent as it is frequently monitored by the Environmental Protection Authority and stiff fines are imposed for pollution and rubbish dumping.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

SOUTHBANK HIGH RISES

Modern high-rise residential towers in the Southbank district of Melbourne, featuring the prominent Prima Tower. It was completed in 2015, has a height of 254 metres and has 72 floors. 

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SPRING'S ARRIVAL

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,

and also part of the Seasons meme.

AT VICTORIA MARKET

A view of City North from Victoria Market on a fine Spring day. All the fathers were out with their families celebrating Father's Day today.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

SULPHUR CRESTED COCKATOO

A sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) perched on a tree branch, displaying its prominent yellow crest. It is a large white parrot with a dark grey-black bill and a striking, erectable yellow crest. Raising the crest often signals excitement, curiosity, or alertness. This bird is often seen in urban areas, common in our neighbourhood, in the Darebin Parklands.

This post  is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SILVER SUN

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

GERALDTON WAX FLOWER

Geraldton Wax (Chamelaucium uncinatum), an Australian native evergreen shrub featuring masses of small, waxy pink and purple flowers with contrasting dark centres.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DAREBIN CREEK

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

CHAPEL

This is the historic bluestone chapel at the Convent of Mercy and Academy of Mary Immaculate, located at 88 Nicholson Street in Fitzroy, Melbourne. It is part of the Academy of Mary Immaculate, which was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1857 and is Victoria's oldest Catholic school. The complex features 19th-century Gothic Revival and Victorian-era bluestone architecture built over several decades.

The Academy has achieved success in sport, speech, choir, concert band, debating and many other extra-curricular activities. Notable alumnae are: Anne Henderson – writer, deputy director of the Sydney Institute; Alice Ross-King (1891–1968) – awarded the Florence Nightingale medal in 1949 by the International Red Cross for service in both World War I and World War II; Mary Maguire – actress; Abbey Lee Kershaw – supermodel; Ged Kearney – Federal Member of Parliament for Cooper, former President ACTU.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme