Atheists convention in Melbourne

Benches & bike racks, Southbank, Melbourne


Pedestrian bridge across the Yarra, Melbourne


Walking to the convention along the Yarra


Reflections of the Polly Woodside. (Just in front of the convention centre)

I went this last weekend to the Global Atheists Convention in Melbourne. I had thought it would be a case of preaching to the converted and that it would be boring, but it seemed a good excuse to see Melbourne again and to see my friend, Eve.

In the event, we found ourselves attending the entire shebang, and while much of the argument reiterated stuff I knew, much didn't, or it elaborated on themes in less well known (to me) areas. In any case, it was liberating to hear others say what I have now for a long time believed, that the Christian (Judaic/Muslim) God and the various attendant beliefs are incompatible with science....

The standout speaker for me was Dan Dennett (philosophy, Tufts University), but others were not far behind (Sam Harries, Richard Dawkins, Eugenie Scott,Dan Barker, A.C.Grayling... and the list is invidious).

It was an amazingly good venue, with morning/afternoon teas and lunches provided easily for 4000 people in the short time allowed for these things, and the degree of mingling forced by the numbers of people doing to these things was most enjoyable.


Us

If you have read this far, please check out this haiku,
hexapod haiku (winner under 13)

South Bank, Bridges and more

The Story Bridge, from the citycat.


Rainforest at South Bank.


Rainforest at South Bank.


Streets Beach, South Bank


Yayoi Kusama, Narcissus Garden 1966/2002. Queensland Art Gallery.

Caught the ferry all the way from UQ to Appollo Road. Thought the story would be about the river. And I suppose it is.

For a Melbournian, the striking thing about the bridges across the Brisbane River is that they are all so new. Before I rushed into print about this, I had thought that the oldest bridge across the river was the Story Bridge(opened 1940), and said to be designed by Bradfield (but not really). A lovely bridge. (More elegant than the Sydney Harbour Bridge.) Anyway, from the furthest bridge downstream (The Gateway, 1986) to the last (almost, the Eleanor Schonell, 2006) on the ferry route, the bridges are: the Story (1940), the Goodwill (2001, pedestrians & cyclists only), the Victoria, third of that name (1969), the William Jolly (1932) and the Merivale Rail Bridge (1978). Not a single 19th century bridge. (There are 5 more bridges which I have yet to see.) See Bridges over the Brisbane River in Wikipedia

I needed a coffee and a break, so I got off at South Bank, to go to the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art. On my way, though, I just had to take photographs of the rainforest and of the beach. It was a hot Sunday, and the beach was well patronised. There it is: a beach in the heart of Brisbane, complete with sand, surf livesavers, lifesaver tower, surf rescue board and everyone from tiny tots, teenagers, mums and dads and grandparents all enjoying themselves. Brilliant conception and superb in its realisation. (And what about the rainforest?)

Onward to Andy Warhol. But what caught my eye was in the Queensland Art Gallery: this lovely garden of polished steel balls moving gently in a current.

The last photo I have included is for my daughter.


Chris Mackinolty, 1976. Queensland Art Gallery.