Mt Coot-tha

Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens

My last days here in the apartment at Women's College. I got my sister to come down and spend a night here, and we went to the gardens.

The base of the fig looked to be garlanded in flowers (which of course it was).

Sunset on the Brisbane River IMG_1285

Sunset on the Brisbane River IMG_1285
Originally uploaded by MargaretsFamily

A long time since I posted. I managed to leave my camera in Sydney.

So what's been happening? Well, I've been sorting out (or more to the point, not sorting out) what my PhD's about. I got quite excited, but my supervisor in WA is not enthused, and want's me to do what I think is pretty much a load of shit.. We shall see.

And in the meantime, just before semester one ended, a mob of evangelist students from Missouri took the ferry. And sought to evade paying the fare. I watched them from the time they got on at North Quay and listened to their conversation. "Do you think we don't have to pay, since we haven't got a seat?". (No attempt to find out) I motioned to one lad and told him that you paid your fare by going inside. He ignored me.

I was getting madder and madder. Tourists rich enough to cross half the earth, but not prepared to pay their way when they got there. Eventually, after Guyatt Park, one of the students asked me to take their photo. I said yes, if they paid their fare. They then came up with some very specious excuses: "we're poor students", "we were going to pay when we got off" (Was the ferry going to wait while they finally found out where to pay, and all 10 of them paid?)

I remain outraged. To come to another country and claim that they didn't know they needed to pay. They didn't know because they didn't want to find out.

They were no ornament to their country, their church or their creed.

Snorkelling off Moreton Island

Moreton Island


Tangalooma. Artificial reef, Moreton Island

Went snorkelling on Sunday. Failed to realise that here in Brisbane, you have to travel to get where you want to snorkel. In other words, a reasonably long boat ride, an hour across rough seas, and then all snorkelling to be done from the boat. Wetsuits a requirement. I also failed to realise that we would be a mixed bag of snorkellors and scuba divers.

We anchored off Curtin reef (another artificial reef), reasonably deep, and not suitable for those snorkelling. And when all the divers had returned, headed for Tangalooma. There was a very strong tidal current ripping alongside all the wrecked boats, and the idea was that we were to drift along in the current, close by the rusty oyster-incrusted hulks. The trouble was that drift wasn't quite the right word. The current was racing. And the thought of being snagged on all that rusty iron was not attractive. They took us in an inflatable to the top of the race and in no time flat we were back at the boat having seen very few fish. At that point, having seen how incompetent, I and my buddy were, they sent us back with one of the Garys to help us and this time we saw lots of fish.

Originally they had planned to take us to Flinders(?), but the weather was not improving so they decided that the dive after lunch would again be at Tangalooma. By this time, the tide was no longer so swift and we took our time 'drifting' back. The visibility by this time was less than a metre, but we still saw lots of fish.

In the end I thought it was a pretty good trip with most of us well looked after. But snorkelling off Sydney or off Rottnest seems a good deal simpler. I do hate struggling in and out off a wetsuit and in and out of fins.

Easter

Fisherman's Beach, Emu Park (out of Rockhampton).


Rockhampton Customs House (1901-1986)

It had to happen. I went into meltdown a couple of weeks ago. A state severely exacerbated by the bad faith of the dean of studies here. But hopefully that will be the worst of it.

I went by train to Rockhampton for Easter and saw my brother. We had a lovely day canoeing, and another surfing and ate copious quantities of pawpaw and pineapple. I had a sleeper to myself coming back in the train and if you are not claustrophobic, it was pretty civilised. They supplied a key to your room so that you could safely lock up your gear on going to the breakfast car or to take a shower.

Weekends

Stenocarpus sinuatus, Firewheel Tree. Perth Zoo.

Not sure whether it is alcohol, or seeing my beloved daughter, but most of the dramas have faded away. Almost. They still exist. Nothing has changed. But I feel happier. We didn't talk particularly. Just had a meal together. Sat in the taxi and did nothing whatsoever in the Qantas club. I hope she too is happier.

Anyway, now I need to organise Easter and do a bit of exploring.

I have just attended the AGM of the students' club. I am definitely a fish out of water. I had been going to discuss the issues about tutoring and the formal dinner with the principal but if I am going to depart, will I bother? On the other hand, how many such meetings are there? Good God. Right now I just want out.

In Perth

Gum, Anketell Street.


Illyarrie, Anketell Street

Finally saw the Illyarrie and its amazing joined cap of four thrust off by the blossoms. And when the cap has been thrust off, the blossoms form the corners of a square.

I now have an ID on the gum tree. It is E.globulus subsp bicostata. See www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd/-keys/euclid3/euclidsample/html/Eucalyptus_globulus_subsp._bicostata.htm

As for the Illyarrie See also: florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/5638
and: asgap.org.au/e-ery.html

For a photo of the Illyarrie in flower, see Nuytsia's photo at
www.flickr.com/photos/nuytsia_pix/2301820844/in/set-72157...

Heading off for WA

In the Qantas lounge at Brisbane Airport, heading off for WA, to present what we propose to solve their problem.

Not really properly organised, my slides need to be redone tomorrow. Today was spent at a PG orientation course, which was very much the Curate's egg. And I oscillate as usual between negativity and positivity.

I think I need to relax. This is a start, not a conclusion and as a start it is entirely dubious and certainly not the answer.


This looks to me like a lighthouse. West End, Brisbane

And, I would very much like to know the story about this.