Murtoa Stick Shed, Victoria for Treasure Tuesday

 

For the past four years I have made the monthly journey to Horsham, where I attend to my professional duties within the local hospital, nursing homes, and community clinics. The drive has become a familiar one, and on each occasion I pass through the modest township of Murtoa. This settlement is distinguished above all by its famed “Stick Shed,” a structure of both national and historical significance.

The Stick Shed, officially known as Murtoa No. 1 Grain Store, was constructed in 1941–42 at the height of the Second World War, when wheat surpluses threatened to overwhelm conventional storage facilities. Built in only four months, it was intended as a temporary measure, yet it endures as the last remaining example of several such sheds once scattered across Victoria. Its extraordinary interior is supported by 560 unmilled mountain ash poles, rising like a vast cathedral of timber and corrugated iron. At 265 metres in length, 60 metres in width, and 19 metres in height, it could accommodate up to 92,500 tonnes of wheat. Once regarded simply as a utilitarian granary, it is now recognised as an engineering feat of national heritage, earning its place on the Australian National Heritage List in 2014.

My blog friend Stefan would, I suspect, remain unimpressed by my indulgence in ultra-wide-angle compositions of the building. Yet I find myself rather taken with the subdued, muted tones with which I have treated my photographs; they seem to lend an atmosphere befitting its austere grandeur, and in turn they awakened in me many recollections of past journeys.

On a lighter note, I was able to meet Joel over the weekend for a restorative bowl of pho. On this occasion there was no photography—only conversation, laughter, and the easy comfort of friendship. It was a simple pleasure, but one deeply felt.

Sony A7RV

Laowa 9mm f5.6 

Linking Treasure Tuesday

Lonsdale St Murals for Mural Monday

 

One evening, during an outing, Joel escorted me to a Korean restaurant. At its entrance, and upon the façades of the neighbouring shops, there were displayed murals of considerable charm.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Mural Monday

Maldon Milkyway sky for Sunday Best

 

Maldon, situated not far from Bendigo, which I often regard as my second home, is a town of vintage charm and historic resonance. By night, the township lies beneath a deep and pervasive darkness, its obscurity relieved only by the faint glow of a few tungsten lamps in the town centre. These lights, though serviceable to the passer-by, are oft resented by photographers, for the colour cast of tungsten is notoriously harsh and unflattering to the delicate sensitivity of the modern camera sensor.

In my own practice of nocturnal photography, I have adopted a particular method of image refinement. For it is a truth, seldom appreciated outside the circles of those who employ a star tracker, that the core of the Milky Way is ablaze with natural hues—crimson, gold, and azure—wrought by the very physics of interstellar gas and dust. Without such aid, these colours often appear subdued, but with patience and careful editing they may yet be revealed in their original splendour.

The town of Maldon itself bears a history no less luminous than the heavens above it. Proclaimed in 1853 amidst the tumult of the Victorian gold rush, Maldon swiftly prospered as miners from near and far sought their fortunes in its quartz reefs. By the mid-nineteenth century, the town was adorned with banks, churches, and fine public houses, their stout masonry and wrought-iron embellishments testifying to both wealth and permanence. Unlike many goldfield settlements that withered when their veins were exhausted, Maldon endured, and in later years became renowned as Australia’s first “notable town” formally classified by the National Trust in 1966, a recognition of its remarkably preserved streetscape of Victorian architecture.

Thus, Maldon is at once a relic of human endeavour and ambition, and a stage upon which the eternal drama of the cosmos may be observed. Its dimly lit lanes, untroubled by the clamour of modern neon, afford the night sky a rare purity—an inheritance both from its miners of old, and from the silence of the stars that wheel above.

Sony A7RV

FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM

Linking Sunday Best

Cadillac Gorge Coast Gippsland for Skywatch Friday

 

Cadillac Gorge in Gippsland is a place of singular beauty, best revealed in its fullness when the tide runs high. Unlike many locations along the coast near Melbourne, which lose much of their drama to the receding waters, this gorge gains its splendour precisely at the hour when the sea presses inward, filling its chasms with heaving, silvered tides. It was during the quiet severity of winter that this particular scene was captured, when the air was sharp, the sea restless, and the light cast a subdued, almost austere glow across the stone.

The natural history of the gorge is deeply rooted in the geological character of Gippsland’s coast. Over countless millennia, waves and weather chiselled away at the softer rock, leaving behind a rugged cleft where the sea now surges and withdraws in eternal rhythm. The walls of the gorge bear silent testimony to this slow labour of time, their strata marking ancient epochs of earth and ocean. In winter, sea-spray often wreathes the rocks in a fine mist, and birdlife—gulls, cormorants, and the occasional sea eagle—can be seen circling above, drawn by the bounty of the waters.

The human history of Cadillac Gorge, though quieter, is no less meaningful. Long before European settlement, the coastal country of Gippsland was part of the traditional lands of the Gunai/Kurnai people, for whom the shorelines and sea caves were places of food gathering, story, and spiritual connection. With colonisation, the coast became a frontier for sealing, fishing, and later, tourism, as travellers from Melbourne sought out wild beauty beyond the city. Today, though relatively little known compared with the more frequented coves of Phillip Island or the Great Ocean Road, Cadillac Gorge stands as one of those hidden places that rewards patient discovery.

Thus, a photograph taken here at high tide is not merely an image of rocks and water: it is a moment within a much older story, shaped by the forces of earth and sea, and framed by the layered presence of human history upon the land.

Sony A7RV

FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM

Linking Skywatch Friday

Kitty Miller Bay Phillip Island for Water H2O Thursday

 

Kitty Miller Bay, situated on the southern coast of Phillip Island, is renowned as a premier destination for surfing, drawing enthusiasts with its consistently favorable waves and striking coastal scenery. The bay, framed by dramatic cliffs and pristine sandy shores, bears witness to both natural and human history. Its geological formations tell the story of ancient coastal processes, while the surrounding vegetation reflects the island’s unique flora adapted to the harsh marine environment. Historically, the area has attracted mariners, and remnants of shipwrecks along the shore serve as poignant reminders of the perilous seas that once challenged early navigation. I once visited Kitty Miller Bay in pursuit of capturing a compelling photograph of one such shipwreck, seeking to preserve the interplay of natural beauty and historical resonance in a single image.

Sony A7RV

FE 70-200mm f4 G

Linking Water H2O Thursday

New curry house on De Graves St Melbourne for Sign2

 

After returning from my period of work away from home, Joel and I had intended to venture out together, as had been our custom. Yet fate, ever whimsical, had other plans. He was overtaken by a most disagreeable cold which lingered obstinately for several days, robbing him even of his voice, and leaving him in no condition for rambles abroad.

Thus, with reluctant heart, I resolved to take a solitary stroll. The air was gentle enough, though the absence of companionship rendered the way a little quieter than I might have wished. My camera, though faithful, felt almost unfamiliar in my hands, as though it, too, had grown idle during my absence. I captured but a few images, for the rhythm of observation and the instinct for composition, once second nature, now seemed to lie dormant, waiting to be awakened once more.

It was not so much the photographs themselves that mattered, but the act of stepping out, of reacquainting myself with the world through a lens. I sensed that, in time, the old ease would return—that subtle harmony between eye, heart, and machine which makes the smallest detail sing. For now, it was enough simply to begin again, however modestly, and to know that the habit of seeing had not altogether deserted me.

Sony A7RV

FE 16mm f1.8 G

Linking Sign2

Duckboard place mural Melbourne for Mural Monday

 

This mural in Duckboard Place, Melbourne, is the work of Steph Mann, who signs her pieces as @stephmann_artist. It is a striking, dreamlike painting that blends surrealism with whimsical natural motifs.

The piece depicts a fawn-like creature with elongated legs, blending seamlessly with tall mushroom stems that appear to grow into and through its body. The creature turns its head gracefully toward a glowing butterfly perched above its back, suggesting a moment of quiet wonder. The background is layered in vivid blues and purples, transitioning into deep magentas and reds on the ground, evoking an otherworldly twilight or dreamscape.

Steph Mann’s work often explores the fantastical and surreal, transforming familiar animals and natural forms into beings that seem to live in a liminal space between dream and reality. The surreal elongation of limbs and the fusion of plant life with animal life suggest a meditation on interconnectedness, transformation, and the strangeness of the natural world when seen through an imaginative lens.

Duckboard Place, adjacent to the more famous Hosier Lane, is one of Melbourne’s renowned street art precincts. It provides a platform for both established and emerging artists to create large-scale murals that merge fine art with urban expression. Mann’s mural contributes to this vibrant gallery of the streets, offering passersby an invitation to pause, reflect, and immerse themselves in a fantastical vision that lingers long after one has walked past.

Sony A7RV

FE 35mm f1.4 GM

Linking Mural Monday

Mathias track, Dandenong for Sunday Best

 

Mathias Track holds both natural and human history woven into its length. Stretching seventeen kilometres through the Dandenong Ranges National Park, it traverses forests of towering mountain ash, groves of tree ferns, and pockets of dry, open woodland. In winter, the land is drier than one might expect for a mountain range; the undergrowth thins, the soil hardens, and the bare forms of the hills emerge more distinctly, giving the track an austere beauty. Lyrebirds often scratch along the forest floor, and the air carries the scent of eucalyptus and damp earth.

The track itself carries a trace of colonial history. It was originally surveyed as a service road, named after Carl Mathias, an early forester who worked in the region when logging of the mountain ash was at its height in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Alongside its natural splendour, the path retains echoes of human endeavour—abandoned huts and remnants of early forest camps stand as silent witnesses to the men who felled timber and sought shelter here.

Walking along Mathias Track today is thus both a communion with nature and a dialogue with the past. The stillness of the bush contrasts with the faint relics of industry and settlement. To step into the remains of a hut and sit upon its weathered timbers is to momentarily inhabit another life—that of the bushranger, the forester, or the itinerant wanderer—while the surrounding ranges remind one that the land itself endures, vast and unyielding.

Sony A7RV

FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM

Linking Sunday Best

Turpin Waterfall, Bendigo for Water H20 Thursday

 

Turpin Falls, not far from Bendigo, remains etched in my memory as one of those rare discoveries that seem almost too wondrous to share. I visited the falls some four years ago, and though I cannot recall quite how I came upon the exact vantage point that day, I remember well the sense of awe as the basalt cliffs opened before me and the water poured in a silver sheet into the deep pool below. The cliffs themselves tell of a distant volcanic age, their dark basalt columns rising like the walls of some vast natural cathedral, while the surrounding country speaks of long habitation by the Dja Dja Wurrung people, for whom this landscape has always held meaning. For over a century, the falls have drawn summer visitors, who would climb down to the base for swimming and relief from the heat, their laughter echoing against the stone. Yet such visits belong now to memory, for the track to the base has been permanently closed, both to preserve the fragile environment and to ensure safety upon those treacherous rocks. In a sense, this loss lends a heightened value to my recollection: a private moment of communion with the wild spirit of the place, both a traveller’s fleeting encounter and a glimpse into the deep natural and cultural heritage of Turpin Falls.

Sony A7RV

FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM

Check oout Water H2O Thursday

Martin Place Signs in Sydney for Sign2

 

Martin Place in Sydney is a most agreeable promenade, a thoroughfare distinguished alike by its elegance and its historical resonance. Established in the latter part of the nineteenth century, Martin Place was originally conceived as a civic square adjoining the General Post Office, and over time it has become both the ceremonial heart and the financial centre of Sydney. Lined with imposing sandstone edifices in the classical style, it has witnessed countless public gatherings, from patriotic assemblies during the Great War to the sombre commemorations of Anzac Day and the more recent memorials of national grief. Today, amidst its bustling offices, cafés, and the ever-present signs that guide the pedestrian, it remains a place where history and modernity intermingle.

Over the past weekend, I found myself obliged to return to Bendigo, for there were pressing matters awaiting my attention. Several referrals required immediate consideration, and so I undertook the journey back to that regional city in order to attend personally to the urgent cases, ensuring that no delay should impede the care of those entrusted to me.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Sign2

Mycena species found in Lake Sanitarium for Treasure Tuesday

 

A dense cluster of small, conical mushrooms was observed growing from moss-covered, decaying wood at Lake Sanitarium, Mount Macedon, Victoria, in a shaded, damp montane forest. The caps measured approximately 5–20 mm across, deep wine-brown in colour, finely striate, and hygrophanous. Stipes were slender, fibrous, and darker toward the base. The species is likely a wood-inhabiting Mycena, though precise identification would require spore print analysis and microscopic examination. It is saprotrophic and plays a role in wood decomposition. Consumption is not recommended.

Sony A7RV

Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro

Linking Treasure Tuesday

Lushux's portrait at AC/DC Lane Melbourne for Mural Monday

 

This mural, located in AC/DC Lane in Melbourne’s central business district, reflects the increasing popularity of portraiture within contemporary street art. The work bears the signature of Lushsux, a prominent Melbourne-based graffiti and mural artist celebrated for his large-scale, often pop culture–inspired creations.

Emerging from Melbourne’s vibrant street art scene in the early 2010s, Lushsux quickly gained international recognition for his provocative and often satirical works, which blend popular imagery with political and social commentary. His murals are characterised by bold composition, meticulous attention to facial detail, and a striking use of colour that amplifies emotional impact. Working primarily with aerosol paints, he employs layering techniques to achieve depth and tonal variation, while his choice of subject matter often reflects current cultural phenomena, internet memes, and global media narratives.

By integrating humour, controversy, and technical precision, Lushsux has established himself as one of Australia’s most recognisable urban artists, leaving an indelible mark on Melbourne’s laneways and beyond

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Mural Monday

Tenby Point for Sunday Best

 

Recently, I revisited the complete series of Tenby Point images that Joel and I once attempted in the ultra long-exposure style. Ultimately, we abandoned this approach to photography, as the results often appeared somewhat artificial, lacking the natural authenticity we sought. Nevertheless, this genre—once highly regarded—held a particular fascination prior to the widespread advent of AI-generated imagery.

Tenby Point, situated on the scenic coastline of Victoria, Australia, is renowned for its rugged cliffs, sheltered bays, and abundant marine life. Its natural beauty has long attracted photographers and nature enthusiasts alike, offering vistas of rocky outcrops, gentle surf, and abundant seabirds nesting along the shore.

In our attempts, we frequently had to employ neutral density filters exceeding 15 stops to achieve the extended exposures, which, when combined with an aperture stopped down to f/22, rendered automatic metering impracticable. Consequently, manual focus was an absolute necessity. Upon revisiting these images, I find that they no longer seem so unsatisfactory and possess a subtle charm that had previously eluded us. 

Sony A7RV

FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM

Linking Sunday Best

Nyah West sunrise for Skywatch Friday

 

Nyah West is the outback town that I visited for monthly nursing home visit. Outside the care facility, the sunrise is always pretty like this.

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Linking Skywatch Friday

Signs on Flinders St and Swanston St Melbourne for Sign2

 

The first photograph was taken at the renowned Young and Jackson Hotel, an enduring landmark situated in the heart of Melbourne’s central business district. Established in 1861, this historic hotel has long been celebrated for its distinctive Victorian architecture and rich cultural heritage. Beyond its architectural and social significance, the hotel is perhaps most famously associated with tales of the supernatural. According to local legend, the spirit of a former barmaid named ‘Jane’ is said to haunt the premises. It is believed that Jane met a tragic end within the hotel’s walls, and since then, numerous patrons and staff have reported unexplained phenomena—whispers, fleeting shadows, and sudden drops in temperature—giving the establishment an eerie yet compelling allure. These ghostly tales have cemented the Young and Jackson Hotel as one of Melbourne’s most haunting and storied sites, attracting both history enthusiasts and those intrigued by the paranormal.

Following this, the image depicting the juice bars along Swanston Street was taken; these establishments continue to operate, serving a steady stream of patrons.

Sony A7RV 

FE 20-70m f4 G

Linking Sign2

** A glitch that this was posted on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. 

Portsea Back Beach in Mornington Peninsula for Treasure Tuesday

 

At times, once an image is captured, I find it impossible to recreate it again, even when returning to the same location under seemingly similar lighting conditions. For a period, I frequently ventured alone along the shore, experimenting with various shutter speeds and techniques. I persisted in my pursuit irrespective of the weather. These photographs were taken during that time at Portsea—a locale not renowned as a popular tourist destination yet distinguished by its exposed ocean floor at low tide. Though these scenes may not captivate the majority, I hold a profound affection for these two particular images

Sony A7RV

FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM

Linking Treasure Tuesday

Makatron's basketball mural in Fitzroy Melbourne for Mural Monday

 

In the heart of Fitzroy, Melbourne, a vivid and commanding mural by renowned street artist Makatron stretches across a building wall, celebrating the legacy of basketball legends with unmistakable flair. Boldly coloured and rich in caricature detail, the mural features iconic players from the Chicago Bulls, including the unmistakable figure of Michael Jordan, alongside animated expressions, dynamic poses, and even the team’s red mascot brought to life with oversized sunglasses. Known for his large-scale, pop-surrealist works, Makatron infuses this piece with both nostalgia and urban energy, turning a quiet laneway into a vibrant homage to sporting greatness. The mural not only showcases his signature comic-inspired style but also contributes to Fitzroy’s reputation as a living gallery of contemporary street art

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Mural Monday

Killen Falls Ballina NSW for Sunday Best

 

I have visited this waterfall on several occasions, primarily during my locum postings in either Ballina or Lismore, New South Wales. While I have previously shared several images of the falls, I had not, until now, revealed the singular perspective from within the cave behind the cascade. On that particular visit, the conditions were exceedingly damp, the air thick with mist and the roar of falling water echoing within the hollowed rock.

Killen Falls, part of the Emigrant Creek catchment, is a vestige of the region's ancient volcanic history—its basalt cliffs formed by lava flows from the long-extinct Mount Warning shield volcano. The waterfall plunges over a semi-circular basalt overhang, allowing one to stand within the cave and behold the curtain of water from behind, a rare and immersive vantage point in nature.

Following this wet and awe-filled exploration, I ventured to a nearby township where I partook in a traditional Jewish breakfast—an experience that remains warmly entwined with the memory of that elemental and storied place.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Sunday Best

European Goldfinches at Cranbourne Garden in Melbourne for Saturday Critter

 

This journey took place during the autumn months, when Joel and I set out in hopes of observing some rare and exotic bird species. However, our efforts were met only with sightings of European Goldfinches.

Despite the absence of more unusual birds, the presence of the European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) offered its own quiet charm. Native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, this species has long held a place in human culture and history, admired for its striking plumage and melodic song. During the Middle Ages, the goldfinch was frequently featured in Christian iconography, symbolising endurance and the soul’s resurrection due to its association with thistle plants—linked to the Passion of Christ.

Biologically, the European Goldfinch is a small passerine bird belonging to the finch family (Fringillidae). It is easily recognised by its bright red face, black-and-white head, and warm golden wing-bars. These birds are primarily seed-eaters, favouring thistles and teasels, and their slender, pointed beaks are well-adapted for this purpose. Social and often found in flocks, they are a common sight across much of their range, thriving in open woodlands, orchards, and gardens.

Though not the exotic encounter we had envisioned, the experience served as a reminder that even the familiar, when seen with attention, carries its own elegance and significance.

Sony A7RV

FE 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 

Linking Saturday Critter

Portsea Back Beach for Skywatch Friday

 

My visit to this area during an unusually low tide proved most rewarding in terms of photographic endeavour. The light, delicate and fleeting, was at its finest just before the onset of complete darkness. The exposed ocean floor took on a strange, otherworldly appearance—almost alien in aspect. Portsea itself, a refined and affluent enclave favoured by the wealthy, remains largely untouched by the ordinary tourist trail. Few ventures beyond the cave gate that marks the divide from London Bridge, lending this particular stretch a sense of quiet seclusion and hidden charm.

Sony A7RV

Laowa 9mm f5.6

Linking Skywatch Friday