Alfred Nicholas Garden reflection

 

Alfred Nicholas Garden has that wonderful pond at the bottom of the alley

Sony A7RIV

FE 24mm f1.4 GM

This is linking to reflection Weekend Reflection  

Mural Art Reflection in puddle - Mural Monday and Reflection event

 Funny I am starting to take photos for the themes of weekday events. 

Brunswick, Melbourne.

It was an urban exploration that has allowed us to find more graffiti. 

Sony A7RIV

FE 14mm 1.8 GM

This is in participation of Monday Mural Event and Weekend Reflection Event

Flinders Blowhole Beach in Mornington Peninsula for Sky Watch Friday

 

This stretch of beach was where I often wandered in search of crabs hiding in the rock pools, timing my steps just before the sun began to sink low over the horizon. The tide left behind pockets of still water that mirrored the sky and, most strikingly, the cave nearby whose reflection shimmered with the changing light. It was a fleeting but beautiful moment, where the ordinary act of looking into shallow puddles revealed both life and landscape in harmony.

The cave and blowhole are part of the rugged coastline at Flinders, on the southern edge of the Mornington Peninsula, about an hour and a half from Melbourne. The region tells a story that stretches back millions of years, when volcanic activity left behind the dark basalt cliffs that now meet the sea. Over time, the powerful swells of the Bass Strait relentlessly carved into these rocks, hollowing out sea caves and forming the blowhole that today draws both visitors and locals. The air there often carries the salt spray of crashing waves, and on windy days the ocean surges with a force that reminds you of its timeless authority.

Flinders itself has long been appreciated for its natural beauty, with its cliffs, rock shelves, and tide pools offering endless opportunities for exploration. Beyond its geology, the area is steeped in human history too: the coastline was known and traversed by the Bunurong people, who relied on its waters for food and held deep connections to its land and sea. Later, it was named after the navigator Matthew Flinders, who charted much of Australia’s southern coast in the early 1800s.

Standing at the blowhole today, watching the sun lower across the horizon and catching glimpses of crabs in the pools, I felt the convergence of many timelines. The fleeting moment of a reflection in water was layered atop a landscape shaped by fire and ocean, and upon traditions that stretch back thousands of years. In that sense, the Flinders Blowhole is not only a place of natural drama but also one of quiet continuity, where the vastness of history meets the intimacy of memory.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Skywatch Friday

Kilcunda Trestle Bridge reflection for Treasure Tuesday

 

The reflection and the tone are what I am after

Sony A7RV

FE 14-24mm f2.8 

Linking Treasure Tuesday

Bendigo Night Reflection

 

Thanks to the reflective surface of the bin in the park. I got some reflections!

Sony A7RIV

FE 24mm f1.4 GM

Reflection posts

Tenby Point Sunset, Melbourne

 

This jetty sits in a town less than 300 in total. 30-minute drive from Melbourne. Not far at all.

This jetty sunset is very easy to shoot, and reflection of the jetty is a guarantee if no rain. 

Sony A7RIV

FE 14mm f1.8 GM

This is linking Reflection Weekend and Skywatch Friday

Milkyway Reflection at Lake Tyrrell for Water H2O Thursday

 

I visited Lake Tyrrell last night. Solo until midnight. I was lucky to spot the reflection view of Milkyway. 

Sony A7RV

FE 14mm f1.8 GM

Linking Water H2O Thursday

Lake Weeroona Sunset - reflection

 

Lake Weeroona Sunset with reflection

Sony A7RIV

FE 14mm f1.8 GM

This is linking Sky Watch Friday

Chinese Friendship Garden in Sydney for Sunday Best

 

The Garden of Friendship, located beside the hotel at which I was lodging, was conveniently within walking distance, thus meriting a brief but deliberate visit. Though the entrance fee of twenty-four Australian dollars seemed somewhat steep—indeed, one might argue that such a public cultural space ought to be freely accessible—the experience nevertheless offered a serene and aesthetically rich retreat.

Designed in the classical style of traditional Chinese gardens, the Garden of Friendship is a harmonious composition of stone, water, and plant life, arranged in accordance with Taoist principles. The architecture and décor reflect the elegance and symbolism characteristic of Ming Dynasty landscapes: curved bridges, ornamental pavilions, koi-filled ponds, and intricately carved woodwork, all working together to evoke balance and contemplation.

Historically, the garden stands as a gesture of goodwill and diplomatic kinship. It was opened in 1988 as part of Sydney’s Bicentennial Celebrations, a gift from the people of Guangdong Province in southern China to the people of New South Wales. Its very name, the Garden of Friendship, underscores its role as a living monument to the enduring ties between Australia and China. Located in the heart of Darling Harbour, the garden serves not only as a cultural showcase but also as a space for quiet reflection amidst the city’s bustle—a tranquil haven that bridges two worlds.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Sunday Best

Joel and I went out to visit a cheese factory. No photography but it was really nice to taste a variety of them. 

Balnarring Beach, Mornington Peninsula for Skywatch Friday

 

In the first photograph, Joel is visible in the distance, intently focused on photographing seaweed along the shoreline. The air has grown markedly cooler, and the sky bears the pale, steely blue that signals the quiet approach of winter. It is in such moments that the necessity of reconnecting with the natural world becomes most apparent—calming, grounding, and essential to the soul.

Balnarring Beach, located on the Mornington Peninsula southeast of Melbourne, stretches along the calm waters of Western Port Bay. Its gentle crescent shape and serene outlook toward Phillip Island make it a place of both quiet retreat and natural charm. The area is known for its safe swimming waters, expansive foreshore reserves, and the peaceful rhythm of tidal life.

The name “Balnarring” is thought to originate from Indigenous words meaning “little” and “gumtree,” a poetic nod to the native landscape. European settlement began in earnest in the 1840s when pastoral stations were established, and by the latter half of the 19th century, Balnarring had grown to include a post office, a school, and a church. The arrival of the railway in the early 20th century further connected the township with surrounding areas, allowing more visitors to discover its coastal beauty.

Balnarring Beach—once also known as Tulum Beach—has long held a quiet reputation as a haven for holidaymakers and nature lovers. In more recent times, it was honoured as one of Australia's cleanest beaches, a testament to the community's stewardship and respect for the land.

Even as seasons shift and the cold edges in, Balnarring Beach remains a place of stillness and reflection—a coastal landscape where history, nature, and memory meet in tranquil harmony.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Skywatch Friday

The past fortnight has been exceedingly busy for me. Despite the considerable amount of work I have undertaken, the returns have felt rather meagre. Joel and I have been diligently studying investments in the Japanese stock market, prompted by Warren Buffett’s decision to reallocate his wealth into Japanese equities.

Travancore Monash Freeway Entrance

 

Travancor Entrance of Monash Freeway

Nice to see a reflection and a sunset 

Sony A7RIV

Laowa 9mm f5.6

Linking Sunday Best

More Hosier Lane mural art for Mural Monday

 

This is Van Gough style mural art in the same lane that I used to come for graffiti documentation. 

In the window reflection, there is my buddy and myself. We knew each other for 32 years now. 

Panasonic G9

Leica 15mm f1.8 

Linking Mural Monday

Travancore Water Hole reflection for Water H2O Thursday

 

In the 1990s, these sculptural sticks were erected as part of an effort to position Melbourne as a more artistic and culturally expressive city. I still recall the press at the time describing them in unflattering terms, with some critics dismissing them as eyesores or likening them to phallic symbols. I later learnt that the area was considered particularly well suited to black-and-white photography, which prompted Joel and me to visit for a walk. As it happened, the rain had lingered in the precinct, leaving reflective surfaces that added depth and character to the sculptures. It proved to be an enjoyable and memorable outing.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Water H2O Thursday

Signs around Circular Quay for Sign2

 

There is a quiet singularity to solitary travel—a certain freedom that allows one to follow the whim of the moment, to drift where the feet may lead without constraint or consultation. I find myself spending less, yet gaining more in reflection and spontaneity. The first photograph captures a curious figure—a monkey with its eyes covered, glowing luminously in the darkness like a beacon. The second portrays a street scene imbued with a sense of ease, the leisurely manner of passers-by framed beneath the familiar signage of Hero Sushi. The final image was taken within a bustling Malaysian eatery, its tables crowded with young Australians, drawn perhaps by the warmth, the spice, and the communal spirit of the place.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Sign2

Stingray Bay, Warrnambool for Sunday Best

 

This was taken on an overcast day. No good sunset to use but the water reflection creates a lovely pattern.

Sony A7RV

FE 14mm f1.8 GM

Linking Sunday Best

Lake Tyrrell Topdown View, Mallee for Treasure Tuesday

 

Lake Tyrrell is truly a remarkable place to experience the vast beauty of Victoria’s inland Mallee — a land of shimmering heat, whispering saltbush, and an arid grandeur that stretches to the horizon. Once a great inland sea, this ancient salt lake — the largest in Victoria — lies some 314 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, near the township of Sea Lake. Its name, derived from the Wergaia word tyrille, meaning “sky,” aptly reflects the way the heavens seem to merge with its pale, crystalline surface.

Formed over 120,000 years ago, Lake Tyrrell’s basin collects ephemeral water after rare rains, only to surrender it again to the sun’s fierce evaporation. Over millennia, this rhythm has laid down thick crusts of salt, harvested since the 1890s for commercial use. Yet beyond its industrial past, Lake Tyrrell possesses a haunting poetry. When dry, its bed resembles an immense canvas — cracked, sculpted by wind and heat, patterned with soft pinks, ochres, and pearly greys. From above, the lake appears almost abstract, as though painted by nature’s hand: vast concentric sweeps of colour, delicate fissures like brushstrokes, and tonal gradations that shift with the light.

Standing on its edge at dusk, one feels both solitude and wonder — the landscape dissolves into sky, and the mirrored hues of sunset seem to blur the boundaries between earth and dream. Lake Tyrrell is not merely a geographical feature; it is a living artwork, a reflection of Australia’s deep interior spirit — timeless, austere, and profoundly beautiful.

Linking Treasure Tuesday

Lake Pearson New Zealand for Skywatch Friday

 

The reflection is gorgeous.

Doing plenty of sit ups and push ups now. Feeling off not being able to move about

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Linking Sky Watch Friday

Portsea back beach, Mornington Peninsula for Water H2O Thursday

 

Joel will be engaged with his in-laws over the coming fortnight, so we resolved to visit the back beach at Portsea before the demands of daily life took hold once more. The excursion was imbued with a creamy noir quality, lending the moment a sense of quiet drama and reflection. It also afforded me the opportunity to test my new neutral density filter paired with the 35mm f/1.4 lens.

Sony A7RV

FE 35mm f1.4 GM

Linking Water H2O Thursday

H.M. Sign in Melbourne Bourke St for Sign2

 

This is the spot to do people photography. The building is a good location at night for floor reflection. But this is where most of murders and killings take place over the years in Melbourne CBD.

Sony A7RV

FE 35mm f1.4 GM

Linking Sign2

Lake Pearson NZ for Water H2O Thursday

 

A lovely lake with reflection in early Winter from a while back

Sony A7RV

FE 70-200mm f4 G

Linking Water H2O Thursday