I was up in Brisbane for a work conference. This involves a lot of thinking and best behaviour, which can be quite exhausting. I took what time I could to go for walks and jogs before and after the day's sessions. It's hot and sticky up there, but there are pretty flowers, Botanic gardens, and a winding river.
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| Hazy IPA at Caxton Street Brewing Co. |
On a wander through the town in the evening I came across a brewery (Caxton Street Brewing above) and an Indian restaurant (Garlic Clove below) which was preparing for its grand opening later in the week. The food I had as part of the 'soft opening' was excellent and I wish them all future success with their business venture.
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| Onion bhaji |
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| Murg Malai Tikka |
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| Jacob's Ladder |
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| Mural at Queensland University of Technology |
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| Stories of a Word by Said Donkins |
As part of the Brisbane Street Art festival in 2018, artist Said Donkins interviewed a number of local people, looking for key words and specific phrases that refer to local culture, and asking them to share with him a story of Queensland with a single word. He put together these symbolic words in a vibrant composition on a wall over 200 square metres in an artwork to call attention to protecting Aboriginal cultures and language.
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| Flood Level 2011 |
In January 1974 Brisbane was subjected to the worst flooding of the river since 1893. Heavy rain began to fall on Friday 25 January and by Saturday night 375mm had fallen in Brisbane. There were higher falls in the inland parts of the catchment. Vast areas of Brisbane were flooded and 14 lives were lost, 6,700 homes ruined, and 5,000 people left homeless. Those who were unharmed rallied to help those less fortunate. The cost was almost $2 million.
This marker was erected to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1974 flood. A maximum level of 3.6m was reached by the floodwaters in New Farm Park on Tuesday 29 January 1974.
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| Ornamental ponds, Brisbane Botanic Gardens |
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| Story Bridge, Brisbane |
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| The Guardian by Cezary Stulgis |
"The guardian is a contemporary mythological figure, a good-natured dog/man that restores balance on the planet. The sphere in his body symbolises his energy or his life force. The tree in his backpack is a link to our fragile climate." - Cezary Stuglis
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| All Saints Anglican Church |
The heritage-listed stone church is the oldest Anglican church in Brisbane.
Back in the ACT it was time to take up trig-bagging again at the weekend. We drove to Namadgi National Park, checked our maps and then orienteered our way to find the trig points, with compass bearings and relocation going on. These ones are not well-frequented and in some cases, there is nothing there to mark the spot. At Uriarra Hill, someone has cobbled together some sticks and a plate to resemble a trig point structure.
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| Uriarra Hill |
The track up to Blundell Hill (once we found it) was extremely steep, although you can't tell that from the pictures. At the top was really just a pile of stones.
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| Blundell Hill |
To get to Bull's Head, we walked up beneath the pylons and back via a track we found from the top.
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| Bull's Head trig |
Back home in the garden I lay on a blanket in the shade of the trees with my book and the kittens and a gin and tonic.
And in the evening we went round to some friends' house and sat in their garden by the glow of their fairy lights.
