Fingers of rust

Catalina Bay, on Lake Macquarie, is fingered with jetties and boat-ramps, and fringed with expensive homes, and holiday shacks.

Sub-urban slough

I heard the chink of prized booty as an arthritic fist jagged a tattered caddy up and over the gutter. The whiff of sloshing dregs ensued, as I bagged the final image from the lane and tossed 'They yours?' over my shoulder. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face her, pushing my wallet that little bit further into my hip pocket. The breath clammed in my chest as I realised her age: as I realised my age, and the difference between us.

‘Wotcha lookin’ at, Miss Lah-di-dah with the fancy cam’ra? A woman’s gotta live. And to answer yer question, they’re mine now!’


And with that she shoved them through the lip of the caddy, and made off down the lane toward Underwood Street. She only got as far as the defunct cafe when she paused, turned and threw over her own shoulder: ‘Well, you comin’?’

I hesitated frowning, and her cackle escaped through blackened teeth.

‘I’ll not be havin’ you stealin’ my image from behind. If yer want a portrait of an urban rust-bucket, then lets’s do it properly – out in the golden hour. An’ you can let that wallet off the leash at the same time!’

As we turned into Underwood street, heading for the Eddie Ward Centre, I knew this was gonna cost me, and more than mere money.

Finger tip food

A thing of beauty is a joy ... until renovated!

Built in 1912 and decommissioned in 1983, White Bay was a coal-fired power station built to add more electricity to the Sydney grid with the extension of the urban train system and the immense popularity of the tramways system. The site covers 3.9 hectacres of land about 4km from the city centre. It is located in the suburb of Rozelle on the shores the Bay. It is no longer accessible to the public although occasionally the Historic Houses Trust conducts tours but, as with tours of the Tank Stream, these tours sell as rapidly as Carols at Kings!


The skeletal remains have settled further into the primordial slime since '83. That is a long time with no decision on the future of the site. In 2000 ownership passed from the NSW Electricity Commission (its heirs and successors forever!) to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority for a mere $4m AUD. Its zoning means that it cannot be used for housing.

Hah ... that is why it has sat there that long! Waiting for a rezoning. Glad that Frankie Sartor no longer has control of that particular function of state government. See what I can see in this final image? A graveyard for old boats: Kanangra, Waratah, John Oxley. Now where did I put those fencing wire snippers?

Skywatch - silk purses and sow's ears

Licking the scaffolding of the stirring city, the burgeoning glow Trumpets into the heavens, Tip-toes across glassy Black Wattle and Traps its beauty in the panes of White Bay.

Skywatchers around the world

Decisions, decisions, decisions ...

It's a tough life, and a tough life requires tough decisions. Dearie me ... a satellite dish or a new front fence?

Much scratching of the head and contemplation of the navel would have been required before that thorny issue was resolved!

Batty Street, Balmain, near The Bald Rock hotel

Old'n'mucky lane in Glebe

Tooday I am moving house - keep me in your thoughts. I am sure there will be a modicum of cursing and cussing. Together with bruises and ricked backs.


I am moving from the inner-city working class suburb of Waterloo to the even more inner-city working class suburb of Glebe. These images were made last week in the laneways around my new abode: I adore old and rickety and rusty. This move was meant to be!


One of my first jobbies will be to remake this image of the gate latch: I am annoyed with myself as the concept was great. I just over-reached ... drats.

Skywatch - antithesis

Check out other Skywatchers around the world.

Why call it Garden Island?

Raising the Union Jack on 26 January 1788, Governor Philip quickly sent a party out looking for areas suitable for growing fresh vegetables for the colonists. It had been a long, arduous journey from Portsmouth and scurvy was rife. Garden Island stood about 300m off Potts Point as can be seen in this undated image taken from The Domain showing Potts Point on the right and Garden Island in the left middle distance. Weathered over the years through neglect but now encased behind perspex and glass, the first rock graffiti by white man (WB, IR and FM) indicates that a party of 3 had endeavoured to till the land as early as 11 February 1788, eventually growing turnips, carrots, lettuces, onions, leaks, parsley, celery, corn, five sorts of cabbages, artichokes and beets. However, as the island was not particularly arable, the colonists not particularly adept and the weather unforgiving, the infant colony was plunged into two years of severe deprivation waiting upon every arrival from "home" for basic foods.
Wednesday: When and why did it cease being an island?

Afternoon delight

Rusting hulk swaying in the declining sun, at anchor in Fitzroy Dock, Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour.

A perfect location for a photographic shoot to bed down newly learnt skills, Cockatoo Island played host to Ann from Sydney Meanderings and I for an afternoon.

In the 1840s, after the cliffs on the island were blasted with gunpowder, it took 11 years for convicts to excavate the stone and build the dock.

Map of Sydney Harbour

The final straw

Abandoned cottage, Running Stream, Castlereagh Hwy, towards Mudgee

Pulling the door behind her Juggling the youngest and the hessian bag Her dry reddened fingers hesitated As the emotion whelled.

When jasmine last on the back-fence bloom'd

Tradesman's Lane, Glebe

The paper-fragile waste of shawl draped her shoulder with thin warmth Milky blue eyes probed his face For denial of her corroding fabric. For Lesley

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