On the inside

(Freo Prison again. Loved that place.)



In the final year of the prison's life (1990) the prisoners were allowed to paint on their cell walls. These paintings area all prisoner art and it will come as no surprise to you that every single painting is of an outdoor scene.










These drawings are from the colonial period. In the post-colonial period the cell was used as a broom closet. The drawings were found when a patch of paint was accidentally knocked off. There's Perspex over the walls now to protect the drawings from the grubby paws of tourists.




The cell once housed a convict who had been trained as a commercial artist. 19th century commercial art training involved drawing certain classics over and over until you got them right.




There in his cell he drew from memory, using whatever he had that would make a mark. How he kept the drawings hidden is an unsolved mystery.


Doldrums

Went off yesterday for a end-of-Dr-Who-season barbie and got a wee bit smashed and sunburnt. Other than that I've been head down arse up since I got back working. Another long day of it tomorrow then there might be a day or two off.


Bungalow alert



For sale. Railway Street Woy Woy. Dunno if it's been been sold yet so be quick. And if you buy it then do evil renovations to it, I know where you live.

Buggered

No proper walkies today. Stopped after a couple of hundred yards. I am absolutely buggered. This happens every now and then and is something I'm learning to live with. Thank yer for all the nice get-well-soons.



This is a banksia tree at Point Clare. Banksias are named after Joseph Banks. Who was the botanist on the Endeavour when Cook came to suss out Australia in 1770. That's 18 years before the first whitefellas came to stay in Australia.

Cook was of course the last captain to tour Australia successfully, as many a cricket fan will tell you.


(Big one)

Banksia cone off the same tree. The leaves had smooth edges and the flowering cones were bright yellow. Some were going to seed.


(Big one)

Cones gone (left) and going (right) to seed. Off a different tree (saw leaf banksia) but you get the idea. At the top and left of the left cone there's a few opened pods and in the middle a few still unopened.

The left one played the bad guy in Snugglepot & Cuddlepie.

Good banksia photos



This is today. There's a bit of breeze and rain coming up from Sydney but plenty of warm sun to potter about in. Good day for being out and about.

Left to right: Saratoga, Daleys Pt, Woy Woy & Koolewong from Brisbane Water Drive Tascott.


Update


(Click on them for big versions)

Lorraine AKA 144 Railway Street Woy Woy, has been painted. That's her before photo on the left and her after on the right. I like both versions but she's a damn sight easier to photograph in the new colours. She was built in about 1912 and had a refurbishment several years back.


Another look

How close to the houses was the 2006 New Year's Day fire at Umina? Bloody close as Mark Simpson's photos show.