Adventures Down Under

More Gallery Gazing

2006-07-19T00:17:00.000-07:00

I've really savored the Art gallery visits throughout Oz. At each city we visited - getting to the art galleries was my primary objective and a major part of my project inspiration.

I was disappointed in Melbourne that misinformation in my guidebook had me showing up at the Ian Potter Museum just as it was closing. The guidebook said it was open until 9pm. - but that was LAST year - lesson: always buy the current edition of your travel guidebook!Fortunately they have a rather good on-line gallery but I was bummed not to see the Landscape exhibition. The Melbourne Museum was definitely a highpoint along with the Aussie Rulz Football,... from Art gallery to peanut gallery with a blue North Melbourne Kangaroos cap!

The best came last as I spent two days visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art across from Circular Quay to photograph the collection. Seeing that Landscape was the feature exhibition filling two floors was sheer bliss!

Museum Musings ala Lunch Date

2006-07-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

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I spent my free day returning to the Museum of Contemporary Art photographing their entire collection of contemporary Aboriginal Art for my project. Curator Keith Munro has done a fabulous job AND created a FREE video for teachers that the museum’s Education Department is sending out to the Art teachers in the group. Goodonya MCA!

I had a blast photographing artworks as well as people looking at Art.

The second floor gallery had a landscape focus that made me swoon, from a series of photographs of Palestine titled “Stolen Places” to Tillers multi-canvas mural of Aboriginal struggles. My favorite was a room of video sections of seascape sequentially overlapped by still photos – and reflected in a series of mirrors placed along the floor. If you live near Sydney – get over to see the entire gallery!

I was so enamored of the artwork that I had to run almost all the way back to the hotel to meet Peter and Kay Freckleton for a lunch date. They welcomed me warmly to Australia on my first visit and we had a great time on Darling Harbour catching up with the details of their US visit and my adventures in Oz.

Captain Cook’s Chef

2006-07-18T23:43:00.000-07:00

The old captain never had it this good! The food! The sun! The fun!

We enjoyed a sunny afternoon on the deck of the Matilda craning our necks for great views of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge (complete with bridgewalkers like ants beside the flag!) and dramatically lit skies.

Sydney’s downtown profile was punctuated by lovely clouds and we all relaxed on deck. Below deck we drooled over yet another fabulous luncheon proving definitively that Cuisine IS one of the major topics that Fullbright planned for us. I personally went back for over a dozen oysters, but only after crab, pesto salad, potatoes and some of the other food groups – particularly the most important group of all – the sugar group – excellent desserts and great coffee. Australia has turned me into a temporary coffee drinker with all the complimentary cappuchino and espresso. Galah! No wonder I can’t seem to get to sleep!

Botanical Gardens and Sydney Harbour

2006-07-18T23:16:00.000-07:00

Back at the Rockford Novatel at Darling Harbour we reaquaint ourselves with Sydney - one sweet city. First on the agenda is a tour of the Botanical Gardens - lush green nestled in the heart of the city.

Our driver takes us down the main streets of old buildings mixed with new. The flying foxes or fruit bats in the bigger trees really grab our attention. I spend at least a hour hour leaning back and aiming my telelphoto lens to get a good shot of one flying overhead.
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Great pics - but I lost the group for a while. I anxiously headed toward the Opera House and caught up with them in time for the walk to Circular Quay where we picked up our tickets for an afternoon cruise of the harbour complete with yet another gourmet buffet! Fullbright ROCKS!!!

Breakfast With the Birds

2006-07-17T00:46:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Cairns, we were up early to head over to The Habitat - an education center and animal park of the rainforest. We arrived for our reservations for Breakfast with the Birds - literally. You serve yourself from a breakfast buffet (well covered) in an aviary where there are many varieties of birds flying about. It was interesting watching the white covering overhead for the shadowed footprints of herons walking and skidding overhead. Cattle egrest and parrots boldly visited tables. I got several good shots of a cassowary, herons, magpie geese, black swans, and frogmouth owls in the landscaped poools alongside the breakfast areas.

After breakfast our guide lead us around various rainforest habitat areas to see more birds, freshwater crocodiles (the kind that don't eat people!), kangaroos, and koalas. We were given bags of food to feed the kangaroos so everyone was pretty excited to be crowded by kangaroos. One mother roo came over with her joey who jumped out of the pouch and proceeded to showoff by nursing right in front of us. the cameras started snapping away! The Aussies must get really tired of our kangaroo-mania, but they're such interesting and unusual animals (unless you see them all the time as people here do!)

Return to Sydney

2006-07-17T00:28:00.000-07:00

This morning was a humane wake-up with our flight to Sydney at 2 pm. The last few mornings were early risers with a 6 am. coach trip to Habitat and before that the 4:30 am wake-up for the 6 am. flight from Darwin to Cairns. We flew over the Great Dividing Range and from above, the clouds formed one range of mountains mirroring the undulating shadows of land forms belowI could enjoy employment flying around the planet just taking photographs of the topography below. I hope to print these up for an exhibition of my travels at Palo Alto HS when we return to school. . Usually there’s a month gap before student shows are installed – so I will check to see if I can start off the year with an installation of photographs to inspire my students and inform our school of this unique landscape and culture Down Under. I’ve been composing photographs of faces in the landscape – see if you can recognize these two.
We arrived to a lovely sunset over Sydney – just enough light to capture beautiful cloud variations and the glint of sunlight off the skyscrapers. After another excellent dinner, we embarked on an historic pub tour, first to The Hero of Waterloo and then on to Lord Nelson’s Pub. Definitely an educational outing – with research of beer varieties and appetizers.

Cairns Arts

2006-07-17T00:23:00.000-07:00

Patricia and I have been dedicated to gallery viewing while in Queensland. We spent most of our time in Kuranda in galleries and do the same back in Cairns. We were very delighted to meet Stephen Simon (tribal name Gatarr-Dulbil of the Kokowarra Tribe from northwest Cooktown). I bought these artworks of Stephen’s animal images. later that evening, I was excited to get a ticket to see the contemporary dance production of the Bangarra Dance Theatre - “Clan” – a series of six pieces mourning the oppression of Aborigines from first contact to retaining culture in the modern world choreographed by Frances Rings. The second series of pieces in the double feature reflected the contributions of Aboriginal inventor, writer, and philosopher David Unaipon.

Getting Our Bearings on the Great Barrier

2006-07-17T00:11:00.000-07:00

I eat a light breakfast of fruit only and board the bus to the reef and pop motion sickness tablets, very excited to be doing one of my top ten “cool things in the world to do” list: snorkel and scuba the Great Barrier Reef! We head off along the docks in Cairns Harbor for our Ocean Spirit cruise to Michaelmas Reef under overcast skies which are easy on the eyes and lowers the sunburn factor.
We’re all very excited after Alan’s presentation last night on the animal life of the reef – the colors, fish, varieties of coral – all amazing. On my dive we saw a sea turtle, chocolate-dipped damselfish, angelfish, giant clams, sea cucumbers and all variety of coral: spaghetti, digit, bowl, brain, shelf, mushroom, and staghorn. I slept for most of the 2-hour cruise each way – catching up on lost sleep from our early airline bookings – and recovering my energy level for the dive and walking around the Night Shops here in downtown Cairns.

It is tropically warm even in winter – but we did need wetsuits, and I even rented corrective lens goggles so that I could see well underwater. I decided to go scuba diving which was fun but on the threshold of pain for my right ear (battered by many bouts of swimmers’ ear as a kid). I was thrilled to accomplish one of my dreams – to snorkel & scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. Unfortunately the professional photographer who promised to take photos of all of us was not on our scuba dive, nor in our snorkeling party - so I was really disappointed not to have any photos of myself in wetsuit and dive gear!

Pampered Pedagogues

2006-07-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Family and friends – you need to be prepared to welcome home some incredibly pampered teachers. Staying at an amazing assortment of luxury hotels, we’re getting very used to maid service, gourmet meals prepared and set before us, and those little bottles of herbal shampoos!

After the rail trip along the Barron River gorge and the skyride return, we meet Alan back at the sandy end of the huge hotel pool for snorkeling lessons to prepare for tomorrow’s day excursion on the Great Barrier Reef. Dave gave up a great lecture tonight before dinner about the reef history and habitat, and have us stoked for snorkeling, submarine rides, and diving. I packed my bag with sunscreen, power bars, earplugs, and motion sickness tablets to pass around!

Cloud and Water Dreaming

2006-07-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

I take several photos of the darkening grey skies, breathing in the variegated greens of Cairns. The wet of Kakadu and Cairns are a surprising change from the dry and heat of the red center. As I walk through galleries of Aboriginal images, learn more about the Dreamtime, along with the current Dreamings of this impressive culture, I am drawn to the water images of the Northern clans.
I shared with Greg Yidinji today that clouds are one of my Dreamings, and I think about how much my clan is water people: my mother growing up on Irondequoit Bay, our summers at Keuka Lake, my need to live need inland lake or ocean, and my star sign of Cancer the Crab. This study trip continues to shape my student project, while it also reshapes how I see myself within nature as I continue to savor waterscapes and skies.

Sky High

2006-07-16T23:36:00.000-07:00

After a fabulous lunch of fish and chips with macadamia nut ice cream for desert in Karandu, we take the Skyway for the return trip through the temperate rainforest. Our new guide, Alan, waits patiently for Patricia and me to finish our Art expeditions.

The skyway has several platforms along the hour return ride where to get off and on to walk around platforms built through the rainforest with an informative CSIROS museum and display about rainforest habitat. The view below the gondolas is beyond spectacular. I lean my head into the narrow opening and listen to the sounds of birds and the wind through the trees, savoring one sweet slice of heaven. At the second station I get a gondola to myself and jump around like a jackrabbit taking photos in all directions of the gorge, dam, and waterfalls.

Kuranda Touring

2006-07-16T23:18:00.000-07:00

Toasting until midnight had us dragging ourselves onto the bus at 4:30am the next morning for the flight to Cairns. Ted faithfully checks us in to airports, restaurants, cultural centers while coordinating buses and shuttles to the next activity.

We limp onto the Kuranda Railroad but perk up quickly with the ever impressive sights along the Barron River, dam, gorge, waterfalls, and temperate rainforest. Walking through the village of Karandu is a delight.. I make an exciting connection with Aboriginal artist Greg Yidinji and buy several Tjabaru paintings.

Greg is interested in staying in touch about my student project with the painted “pillars of environmental education.” He recommends a gallery where he has smaller paintings but its closed. Instead I meet Ann at the Dumpster Diva and we make connections about reuse as an important part of Environmentalism.

She owns a vintage clothing store in the gallery arcade and I buy several hat pins from a Russian collection that she has on display. I am adding to my hat pin collection for my drover’s hat – pictured on me at Ubirru overlook.

Sleep Deprivation Buzz

2006-07-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

Crikey! I miss a few days of journaling and it’s like catching up on weeks. The Fullbright office continues to dazzle us with an amazing line-up of travel, events, natural wonders! We had a delightful dinner hosted by the Australian-American Association in Darwin. Many thanks to Nick, Rick, and Kris who organized the event complete with belly dancer.

That night after the dinner and before we headed off to Cairns, Mark and Vicki generously broke open a bottle of 1974 fortified Muscat that their host family gave them in Albury, to give Martin a fine send-off as we say goodbye to the Northern Territory.

Bloody Tourists

2006-07-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

Every stop we make is the bane of our guides Martin and Ted, who have to round us up out of gifts shops and bookstores to corral us back on the bus. Here Vicki, Carol, and Mark Ellen pose amid browsing at the Bark Hut on the road back to Darwin. I bought some tea towels with Aboriginal patterns as I am running short on both cash and allowable weight in my ever-growing baggage. It is truly dangerous to be traveling in a fascinating country for a month – possibly more dangerous than even the spiders and snakes!

Shadow Me Down Under

2006-07-16T22:56:00.000-07:00

Here are my favorite selections of self-portraits Down Under. I’m having a swell time with the fisheye lens, especially under the right lighting conditions when I cast a long shadow and I’m included in the composition.
This landscape is taken on the top of the escarpment at Nourlangie Overlook after we hiked in to see the Rock Art at this impressive Aboriginal site, that tribal leader Bill Niedjie decided to share with the world. You can see the whole bloomin’ top end from that spot, mate!

In Melbourne I was fascinated with the austerely beautiful rust design of the Australian Contemporary Center for Art. Later in my travels I realized how much it looks like the profile of Uluru.
The exhibition was quite fascinating: a series of video artists expose and question First World alliances to exploit the oil reserves of the Caspian Sea, titled “Under Cover Files.”

Later I took the shuttle to the Melbourne Museum and got a great shot of the 19th C. Exhibition Hall as I walked through Carlton Gardens in the late afternoon. Clouds overhead formed the most interesting pattern of mackeral sky. I'm always on the lookout for my cloud buddies!

The last shot is our stop today at the Cathedral Termite Mounds. Fascinating organic structures that are taller than many of the surrounding trees. Those termites certainly reach for the sky and their building style reminds me of Antonia Guadi - the organic man of architecture. Termites rule (the mound!)

Kuranda Bound

2006-07-13T23:47:00.000-07:00

Toasting until midnight had us dragging ourselves onto the bus at 4:30am the next morning for the flight to Cairns. Ted faithfully checks us in to airports, restaurants, cultural centers while coordinating buses and shuttles to the next activity. We limp onto the Kuranda Railroad but perk up quickly with the ever impressive sights along the Barron River, dam, gorge, waterfalls, and temperate rainforest. Walking through the village of Kuranda is a delight. I make an exciting connection with Aboriginal artist Greg Yidinji and buy several Tjabaru paintings. Greg is interested in staying in touch about my student project with the painted “pillars of environmental education.” He recommends a gallery where he has smaller paintings but its closed. Instead I meet Ann at the Dumpster Diva and we make connections about reuse as an important part of Environmentalism. She owns a vintage clothing store in the gallery arcade and I buy several hat pins from a Russian collection that she has on display. I am adding to my hat pin collection for my drover’s hat – pictured on me at Ubirru overlook.

Sleep Deprivation Buzz

2006-07-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

Crikey! I miss a few days of journaling and it’s like catching up on weeks. The Fullbright office continues to dazzle us with an amazing line-up of travel, events, natural wonders! We had a delightful dinner hosted by the Australian-American Association in Darwin. Many thanks to Nick, Rick, and Kris who organized the event complete with belly dancer. That night Mark and Vicki generously broke open a bottle of 1974 fortified Muscat that their host family gave them in Albury, to give Martin a fine send-off as we say goodbye to the Northern Territory.

Bloody Tourists

2006-07-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

Every stop we make is the bane of our guides Martin and Ted, who have to round us up out of gifts shops and bookstores to corral us back on the bus. Our bus driver Jason took us to a friend's store that carries Aboriginal Art so I bought this digeridoo made and decorated by Larry. In Kuranda Patricia and ran to the Skyrail after a LONG time deciding on Aboriginal Art in one of the shops. Our wonderful guide Alan reassured us that we had arrived in plenty of time. In Darwin I bought some tea towels with Aboriginal patterns as I am running short on both cash and allowable weight in my ever-growing baggage. It is truly dangerous to be traveling in a fascinating country for a month – possibly more dangerous than even the spiders and snakes!

Animal Magnetism

2006-07-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

We’ve enjoyed the scary bits about everything here could either kill ‘ya or make you suffer and wish ya’ were dead (Bill Bryson tells a story of how even unconscious a man bitten by box jellies was screaming!) and certainly we drive the Aussies crazy with our effusive rapture over the fauna Down Under.

At the Taronga Zoo we had a chance to pet a diamond python and blue tongue lizard. We beg for stops to photograph the kangaroos, gasped over dingoes dashing along the side of the road, and finally at Yellow Waters we had the BIG encounter: crocodile spotting. Our guide boat captain did a fine job of coasting past several crocs, along with a jabiru, brolgas, whistling ducks, sea eagles, spotted heron, kingfisher, and magpie geese. Yellow Waters is actually the vast wetland spread of the S. Alligator River - and yes, we know there are NO alligators in Australia, but that didn’t stop the whitefella from calling these Aboriginal lands any old crazy name that came to their heads (usually their own!)

It is a gloriously beautiful land rich in wildlife, especially birds and waterlilies. Sharp-eyed Martin pointed out several rock wallabies yesterday. I stayed around for a long while until the baby came out into a bit of sunlight for a great shot. At the Aurora Resort in Kakadu, the flocks of corellas covered the trees, and Martin had quite a job competing with their racket during his lecture on the geology, Art, and culture of the area.

Northern Territory Notes

2006-07-10T06:01:00.000-07:00

Every day seems like three with all that Fullbright has planned for us. It continues to amaze and delight us. Staying in Kakadu National Park is truly exotic. Culture Centers are teaching us about the Binninj who are stewards and gracious hosts of this land that we are privileged to visit.

We were awed by Rock Art at Ubirru and Nourlangie gallery sites were the Binninj have been frequenting these caves and high ground for 50,000 years. It is humbling to stand in front of the oldest artworks on the planet! My favorite is the image of Nabulwinjbulwinj and Namarrgon the Lightning Man. The view from the escarpment once we climbed up to the overlook was breathtaking - a 360 vista of the wetlands and rock escarpments of the territory.

Cuisine Scene

2006-07-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

Several Fullbrighters have suggested that this field study add one more focus point: The Unique Environment, Culture, Art and Cuisine of Australia. We are daily pampered with full breakfasts, pleasant lunches and sumptuous dinners in exotic and interesting places. We’re not just adding pounds to our baggage!

We enjoyed possibly the most scenic dinner of our lives at sunset in the red dunes between Uluru and Kata Tjuta with cocktails, fine linens, exquisite foods, and entertainment of didgeridoo player and astronomy presentation. The astronomy guide had telescopes set up for us and we saw the finest craters of the moon and Jupiter happily under the Southern Cross. In Jabiru, here in the Northern Territory, we had lunch in a restaurant shaped like a giant crocodile! Even on our hikes to the Ubirru and Nourlangie Overlooks, Jason our driver had fruit juices and snacks waiting at the end of the long trail.

Literally Australia

2006-07-10T05:36:00.000-07:00

We stopped for a snack and toilet break. Lynn found this VERY specific sign. We were wishing that we had a metric yardstick to check the accuracy. We hit the road at dawn, leaving Ballarot for Melbourne Airport, then another hour in the terminal, followed by another 2+ hours flying over the Red Center.

I was SO glad that I got a window seat so I could photograph the extraordinary topography below. I had planned to sleep on the plane but couldn’t take my eyes off the scenery of red desert, mountains, salt deposits, especially Lake Eyre – the vast, white expanse of dry inland sea. It was like flying over another planet. Arriving in Yulara we were dazzled by the massive profile of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

Uluru Magic

2006-07-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

The guidebooks are right – no amount of study or seeing pictures prepares you for the truly spiritual experience of being at Uluru. A powerfully mystical experience comes with this massive, red rock towering out of the central dunes in the land of Anangu, the ancestral caretakers who are gracious enough to share their lovely landscape with visitors.

The surrounding red desert is dotted with sparse foliage that gives patches of color, set off like fireworks, at sunset. We had a sunset viewing the first night with wine and snacks before we returned to the Yulara Resort for a Pioneer Grill-Your-Own BBQ of kangaroo & crocodile skewers, barramundi, and emu sausage – all delicious! The next day we took the sunrise shuttle to walk around the Rock. I took three hours walking and taking photos, rather than the planned two, and missed the group tour and lecture - fortunately catching up with them for the ride to Kata Tjuta.

Our fabulous guides, Martin and Ted took us on a hike through the narrow canyon that dips between two of the steep rock faces of Kata Tjuta’s “many heads.” It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Warnambool and Ballarot

2006-07-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

We stayed in Warnambool last night at a motel that had a broken lift, so I just packed in my overnight bag. It was windy and rainy but there was an outdoor heated pool so I swam laps for the better part of an hour. I headed to bed at 7pm, after some meditaition and time to remember Ryan. July 1 makes it ten years since his death, so I spent the evening fasting and doing a challenging effort in his memory with laps in the rain to mark his passage through my life. For family and friends who have not checked in to make a donation to the fundraising walk that we're doing in Ryan's memory the weekend after I return - you can make an easy donation by logging onto - www.theovernight.org - and visit my page by typing in my name in the "Support a Participant" icon. You can type in my name and make a donation to the American Society for the Prevention of Suicide and Depression Education - a very worthy cause.

So today when the bus pulled up to Craig's Royal Hotel we all felt like royalty indeed. We walked around to each other's rooms with "oooh's" and "aaaah's" over the marble tubs, balconies and exquisitely carved furniture. We had a sumptuous luncheon in the Craig's Royal Dining Room and truly felt like royalty eating in the same room as several princes and dikes and various royal travelers. The Fullbright group toured The Eureka Stockade while I went to the Ballarot Art Gallery for the afternoon to check out historic and contemporary Australian Art. For dinner we ate in the historic dining room of Sovereign Hill, an historic village recounting the early gold mining town boom days. We saw a great light show, "Blood on the Southern Cross," marking the movement toward Australian nationhood.

Along the Great Ocean Road

2006-07-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Heading west on from Melbourne we took the Great Ocean Road along the Shipwreck Coast. The views were breathtaking - but only after I got over motion sickness (I waited too long to take my Dramamine).
Fortunately we made several stops to enjoy the many lookouts and I got my stomach back down where it belongs. I especially enjoyed the "road signs for dumb Americans." The weather was foggy but clear enough to get some great views of the Twelve Apostles rock formations and London Bridge (which actually fell down in 1994 stranding several tourists who had to be heliported off the seaward side of the suddenly "former" bridge. We also hiked Mait's Rest loop around the big trees: Eucalyptus Regnans. Some specialists believe that they may have been taller than the coastal redwoods. They certainly were incredibly beautiful surrounded by the dense and lush growth of fern trees. True to form the rainforest covered us with a light rain.

Running Loose in Melbourne

2006-07-02T00:55:00.001-07:00

Most of our first day was spent at the CERES Center – an incredible farm tucked away in urban Melbourne. Our guide showed us around an amazing complex of solar panels, grey water, composting toilets, watershed pools, and other impressive working technologies for sustainable living. The great thing was the amount of Art throughout the farm complex. I spent my lunch hour photographing Djabril Camara building a hut from his native Ghana. The complex includes a third world village setting that documents the use of resources and energy in the world and worldwide impact to the land. The other Fullbrighters enjoyed a hearty meal served up by the sustainable kitchen featuring vegetables, chicken and eggs from their own farm. While I proceeded to happily run down my camera battery. Our second day in Melbourne was a free day – so I slept in then headed to the Immigration Museum for a photography exhibit. I rode the free shuttle around the city center to get a sense of the place. It’s easy to see why Melbourne is consistently voted the best city in the world in which to live – it has an incredible blend of old and new and so many great places to visit like Victoria Market, a half dozen sports arenas, as many museums, all within walking distance on the downtown grid, yet connected byb a handy system of trams and shuttles. I spent the afternoon at the Melbourne Museum to see Aborigine Art, the Greenhouse, Phar Lap, and try to buy a painting from one of their exhibitions. Later I went to the Australian Center for Contemporary Art and Federation Square for more artworks. We brought the day to a rousing close at an Auzee No Rulz football game. I wore my Kangaroo gear and made friends with fans from Essendon who explained the game to me – I could be a fan, but I’d cheer the Adelaide Crows – first because I love crows and always pick my sports teams by the cool factor of their mascot – and secondly because they are leading the league.

Miliwa Meanderings and Healesville

2006-07-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

The coach ride from Albury took us along the edge of the Great Dividing Range, often up and around winding roads through Eucalpyt forests. We stopped at the Brown Brothers Winery for cappuchino and cherry muffins – the best I’ve ever had. Then we bellied up to the bar for a round of wine-tasting. You can be sure that the coach ride after that was relaxed and amiable! It was such a lovely day (and being a vinophobic lightweight) I walked around the grounds in the dazzling sunshine. The grounds were covered with barns and red-yellow-orange leaves from elm trees. Victoria is flush in elm trees having been spared the Dutch Elm disease that devastated most of N. America. It was nice to spend time noticing the details. It will certainly be a shock to get back to summer now that we’re so accustomed to this lovely autumn weather that is “winter” down under. Our second stop was at Healesville to tour the animal park which is also a central veterinary and animal rescue center. I asked our guide if that was the reason the town was names “Heals”ville.

Breathtaking Sky

2006-06-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

I often sit in the back of the bus and track my camera along the breathtakingly beautiful landscape of NSW and ACT.

Rolling yellow hillside makes me smile and think of California, especially with the profile of Eucalyptus everywhere.

The sunlight after the longest day of winter this week is striking as sunset approaches with long shadows and dazzling sunlight. My cloud buddies down under continue to brighten and dazzle my days. I’ve included some of my favorite scenes from travels through NSW and ACT. On the way home from the CSIRO bird tagging I closed my eyes and savored the warmth of sun across my face. I have more appreciation for the early Australian landscape painters as I travel along these southern roads.

I’ve also included one of my favorite shots of the outdoor education programs. Leaning over the balcony at Royal National Park I watched groups of children with their guide. These boys struck the kind of pose that we need to take for sustainable management of education and landscape if we hope to build a better world.

We had a long busride today from Albury Wodonga (twin cities on the Murray River) to Melbourne. Last night we had dinner at host family homes sponsored through the Rotary Club - Marie and Rodney served up some tasty pot roast and lemon pie with the best cup of cappuchino I've ever had. Once he finishes the banking career - watch our Starbucks!

The trip was broken up with a visit to the Brown Borthers Winery in Milawa District - famous for its wines, mustards, cheeses, and honey. We only got a taste of the wine. I took photos and walked around the grounds following birds and sunshine for interesting compositions while the rest of the Fullbright gang was sampling the spirits. I had a bit of the dessert wine when I got back - an orange floral - good stuff - so that might be Greg's present (don't tell him though :)

Barruja – The Journey

2006-06-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

Burendan Kennedy from the Cobar Clan – which means Stone Country People – has designed an amazing experience for visitors to the Parklands of Albury Wodonga exhibition space. Barruja – The Journey is an interpretive center of Aborigine customs and artifacts. Burendan demonstrated flint making, playing the digeradoo, spear-throwing techniques and explained the many indigenous artifacts throughout the exhibit. Afterwards he took us outside to practice techniques for chipping flints and throwing spears. I had a great day making several flints and throwing the spear the farthest after Burendan showed us the technique. All those years growing up with brothers keeps paying off along the way.

Green Building

2006-06-28T04:36:00.000-07:00

Notice the large collection tanks at the entrance to Charles Sturt University School of Environmental Sciences. Nick Klomp gave us an animated lecture about the exciting exploration of green building that the campus has embodied for its buildings of Information Technology and Institute for Land, Water, and Society. He points out the use of recycled lumber from old buildings, rammed-earth support walls (with only 7% cement dust as a sealer) and the role that the many large water collection towers play in the heating and cooling system for the building. Sets of grills around the building that open and close to circulate air, along with composting toilets make the campus an exciting model for green building. The use of local natural materials, reuse lumber, and containment towers reduces the energy expense of greenhouse gasses in both the building and maintenance of the campus. Greg – book your MA research trip in green building technologies at Charles Sturt for next year - you can bring me along as a guide at no extra charge!

Artists in Oz

2006-06-26T02:10:00.000-07:00

I had a chance today to meet artist Jo Davenport to see her exhibition of VIEW: Works on Paper at the Wilson Street Gallery in Albury. Her artworks reflect the importance of nature in our lives with a series of multimedia works that explore the energetic spirit of the greenery in her garden.

It’s an exciting connection for me as I design the Fullbright project for my Art Spectrum class which will include a unit on Landscape painting, drawing and sculpture inspired by Aborigine and contemporary artists like Jo. This piece with painted sticks from recent storm debris will be an interesting connection for the painted log project that I'm planning for my Art Spectrum and the AP Science class.

Tracey Raine invited the Art teachers to visit her at the Wodonga TAFE (Technical Advancement and Future Education) which serves students from 16 to 60. Tracey introduced us to Jo Moffat who has just come to TAFE from teaching at an Aboriginal school. She generously shared her resources with us while Tracey generously copied them for us.

Tag Team Birding

2006-06-26T02:00:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we went back to Holbrook to watch Geoff and Alex from the CSIRO (Center for Science and Industry Research Organization) tag birds for the Holbrook LandCare Group. Over 80 farmers in the area are replanting trees on former grazing land to provide habitat for birds. Increasing bird populations is vital to reduce Eucalyptus dieback caused by insect damage. Holbrook is a model for watershed and land management since 1988 and farmer Phil Locke explains that they are caretakers of the land who want to improve it for future generations. Vonda and Nadene help Alex log in and band birds from catch nets set this morning. Hugh looks on with the kind of fascination that we hope to inspire in our students with our own Environmental projects.

Albury in Style

2006-06-26T01:36:00.000-07:00

We had a pleasant welcome by the Albury mayor and Colleen from Odyssey Travel – which has done an outstanding job with our travel arrangements. We are all feeling a bit like celebrities with private rooms, dinners and destinations all planned and coordinated for us. Most nights we get together for some drinks and stories at the local pubs. Fine country for pubs and stories. Great food and good company set the standard for fun and relaxation after our information-packed day excursions each day.

We have been driving around in a wonderful bus by Kevin who is a great guide and driver. Here's the view from the back of the bus - where I usually sit to take photos and read books.

Sights and Tucker

2006-06-26T01:34:00.000-07:00

Ted and our bus driver Kevin show us around to all the great spots and always make sure that we up done for tucker (which means food, mate). On the road south to Albury we stopp for snacks at the Dog on the Tuckerbox in Snake Valley just outside Gundagai. A local drover inspired a hard luck ballad after getting his wagon stuck in the mud. The grounds have some lovely historical pieces: old wagons, farm equipment, foundation stones of the first building.

Outdoor Education

2006-06-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

Nick Johnson the director of the Birragai Outdoor Education Center welcomed us with tea and Anzac biscuits for a tour of the facilities. After a fire several years ago, many of the buildings were just reopened and they are very impressive with great outdoor features that Nick planned in the design like a climbing wall, Art and computer rooms, and an outdoor theater. We walked around the grounds to watch the Year-3 students getting ready to make some damper on their campfire and marveled at the kangaroos grazing along the hillside. Australia is a leader in Environmental Education which is part of the school curriculum. NSW has 23 centers where students have 3-4 overnight stays and activities to learn about planet systems and habitat this - Queensland has 20! Good on ‘ya Department of Education!

Nightlife

2006-06-26T01:04:00.000-07:00

Our first night in Sydney Mark took us on a tour of Darling Harbour to a microbrewery and then on a tour of Sydney after we got off the ferry from Manly at Circular Quey - both times for some Aussie good cheer. Our days in Canberra were filled with exploring the national treasures in Museum, Gallery, Libray and Parliament house - but our nights were spent exploring the famously friendly pubs. Our last night in Canberra we went to a Scottish kalleigh for some wee fine dancin’, drinks and the traditional haggis. Satch Campbell read the Ode to the Haggis and afterwards it was served up with nips’ and spuds. Peter and Cass Hancock shared their table and good humor with me and I’m expecting them to visit in SF next year for a wee bit of California.

Canbarra Can-do

2006-06-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

We certainly got a lot in our first day in Canberra. First to the New Parliament House and tours of both the House and Senate chambers, we met with Jason Wood MP on environmental issues for Australia including water conservation, weedy species eradication programs and the fight to stop Japan from resuming whaling. Then we made a stop at the Botanical Gardens where I ran into a 6-foot grey kangaroo munching some tasty bits along the trail! At the National Museum of Australia we had a guided tour that included a ride on their CIRCA art exhibition display. The architecture and design of the museum is exquisite. I plan to write a fan letter to Sun Microsystems (HQ in my town of Santa Clara) for being a major sponsor of such a fabulous museum. I plan to make a return trip tomorrow after a lecture on Aborigine Art and tour of the National Gallery. Many thanks to the Fullbright Office in Canberra for arranging this incredible study trip for us – as well as letting me use their computers to post the adventures to this blog. Good on ‘ya Fullbright – what a sponsor!

Heading South

2006-06-22T00:19:00.000-07:00

We stopped at Royal National Park for a guided tour of the trailhead. Our guide took us to an overlook that highlighted the sandstone and bush environment of the original Australian coast, wisely preserved at Royal. The road south reminded me of the California landscape – rolling golden hills with ranch and farm areas but refreshing roadway devoid of billboard blight. We spotted a mob of kangaroos along the hills and drove along Lake George – a dry expanse of lowlands that fills every few decades with water.

Nature Lessons

2006-06-22T00:16:00.000-07:00

Bruce Foott demonstrates some of the curriculum materials in the Gibberagong Environmental Center at Bobbin Head. He uses fabric to demonstrate to schoolchildren how the ozone layer is thinning from fluorocarbon use. Bruce also introduced us to the work of Earth Education author Steve Van Mater – whose 7 concepts will frame the parts of my project. Touring the center we had a bit of bush tucker, saw a rare wollomi pine, and had our first spot of tea with cakes. New South Wales has 23 education Centers like this where schoolchildren can learn firsthand about the Environment. Good on ya’ NSW – for the planet’s sake!

Wild Times

2006-06-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

At the Taronga Zoo Stephen Wearing gives a presentation on the development of Eco-Tourism as a means to support indigenous economies and preserve habitat. We were served another wonderful lunch for the occasion, followed by a tour of the zoo and presentation on native animals at the Education Center where we got to pet a ring-tail possum, diamond-back boa, blue-tongue and shingle-back lizards.

Suddenly Sydney

2006-06-22T00:08:00.000-07:00

After getting up at 4am to fly from Hilo to Honolulu and sitting in the terminal for a few hours we boarded our flight to Sydney to learn that we’d be stopping in New Caledonia to change pilots. The good news was that we arrived in Sydney at 9pm - so when we collapsed in bed – we were at least exhausted in the correct time zone. Actually a few of us stayed up to follow Mark and Ted on a tour of Darling Harbour which ended with a field trip at a microbrewery studying local beer samples served in six small glasses on a wooden plate for each round. I only sampled the chocolate coffee dessert beer - and no I'm not a convert yet - it all tastes like something gone bad (which it IS!)

Fire and Water

2006-06-22T00:05:00.000-07:00

Walking along the trail to Akaka Falls we find out why they call it RAINforest – you need an umbrella with all that wet! ClaudiaZiroli-Coyl from the University of Hawaii lead us through several park habitats including rainforest, lava vents, lava tubes, crater and devastation areas at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We also spent an afternoon at the Imiloa Astronomy Center exploring their unique combination of science and native wisdom woven together in the education center on the Environment of Hawaii. Check out the websites at the right.

Hilo Welcome

2006-06-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

Leilehua Yuen explains the items for our welcome basket. We helped assemble it in the traditional way and then followed her across the bridge to a small island and set it adrift in the water.

Our first dinner at the Kaikodo restaurant in Hilo set the pace for what one Fullbrighter dubbed the “fourth” aspect of our scheduled study trip (Environment, Art and Culture) to include Cuisine. The hotels and meals have been first rate. We are all gaining pounds as we delight over dinners in historic buildings like the Shipman House.

Final Days (or is that Daze?)

2006-06-14T00:34:00.000-07:00

Finals week is (hopefully) fun for Photography students who share their "best shots" from the year. Eric, Eliza, Amir, Jordan, and Cally pose beneath the Tower Building after spending part of the class hauling boxes of photo gear to the new classroom in the remodeled 100 Building.

End of School Kudos

2006-06-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

Bluecoat offers a new paradigm to support local Art programs: awards for student artworks to decorate their new corporate campus in Sunnyvale. John Carosella and Gabrielle Angel present me with the 3rd place $1000 School Portfolio award for Palo Alto HS and Gunn HS won 2nd place of $3000. What a GREAT way to end the school year!

The Nature of Packing Decisions

2006-06-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

I'm spending time this weekend trying out different lenses - deciding which ones to pack in my new LowePro camera backpack. Our front yard is a good test site with dragonflies galore for the telephoto lenses. The pond and native California plants in the background reflect our efforts to add habitat to the slab-o-lawn suburb of Santa Clara. Anna hummingbirds fight over the territory of our yard dotted with madrone, sage, and fuschia along with two birdbaths to make this wildlife central for our neighborhood. We have a family of racoons that winter in the coastal redwood next to the pond giving our two turtles quite a survival challenge.

Art & Science Collaboration

2006-06-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

Liz Brimhall, the AP Environmental Science teacher, has been collaborating with me to design a project integrating the unique Art and environment of Australia for our Art and Science classes. Our Science teacher Lynn Hori maintains this lovely native California plants garden with her TEAM students.

Getting Ready for Fullbright

2006-06-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

Commence the packing and study! Our host from the Fullbright-Australia Commission sent a fabulous research list - complete with books titles, research websites and movie recommendations. I filled up my Netflix queue with Australian DVDs and we spend evenings @ our house doing movie research - great fun especially with popcorn!

As the school year ends, I'm grading Photography and Art portfolios, and getting ready to move my classroom into a newly renovated building at Palo Alto High School - but spending weekends reading up on all things Australian. What a fascinating culture and landscape! On June 14th our Fullbright group will begin the adventure with a 3-day orientation in Hawaii - then we're off to Sydney to commence with academic and environmental Oz Spotting. Stay tuned for the chaos of last minute details - always a comedy of errors for me! This time I've vowed to break the pattern with well-organized clothing selections compliments of my sister Wendy's packing guidelines (her job requires international travel - so she's a pro) and our coordinator Vicki's most excellent packing directions: When in doubt - leave it out! That's a tough one for me with deciding on camera lenses, books and jackets!