(and so it begins)
Sydney & Area
Jervis Bay/Honeymoon Bay
The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters is an unusual rock formation representing three sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone.
There's a few legends as to how the sisters became stone, but the most famous one explains that the Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe.
These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry.
The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.
As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.
Melbourne & Area
The Twelve Apostles
The apostles were formed by erosion: the harsh and extreme weather conditions from the Southern Ocean gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then became arches, which in turn collapsed; leaving rock stacks up to 50 metres high. Now because of this erosion there are fewer than ten remaining.
Wilderness Camp
I spent a day and a night at a wilderness camp a few hours west of Melbourne in the middle of what we would refer to as the Outback. It was a camp where every Australian stereotype came to life. It was a very special place. I went for a walk in the bush where I thought I saw the Prime Minister floating in a dugout but soon realized it was just a log. Oh well. Unfortunately, I forgot my cameras in my room, so this reenactment pic will have to do.
(This video below is a reenactment of one of my experiences at the camp)
(I can attest that the Simpsons go to Australia episode is 100% accurate. It really is. Except for the drinking Fosters part. They don't drink that down there.)
Cate Blanchett read from 7 manifestos for this Julian Rosefeldt'svideo project. The one above (which I didn't record). This one is Jim Jarmusch's "Golden Rules of Filmmaking". It's great! See it in person if you can.
Tasmania
Darlington Probation Station
The significance of the convict probation era at Darlington was recognized recently as part of the 11 Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property.
Darlington is the most representative and intact example of a probation station in Australia. Its 14 convict buildings and ruins are preserved in a layout that reflects the key features of the probation system in Van Diemen’s Land. The site has remained relatively unchanged since the convict era. This site also hosted a cement plant after the convict era. Maria Island is now a National Park.
Derby
While in Central Tassie, I stayed in a small town called Derby. It probably is home to only a couple hundred people. This area used to be home to mines but most have since closed. The area is fairly depressed economically. This town's main industry, interestingly enough, is mountain biking. People come from around the southern hemisphere to ride the courses here.
Launceston
Launceston is about 2 and a half hours north of Hobart. It's apparently home to 70,000 people - though it felt bigger to me. Like Hobart, it's an old, very hilly city that is rich in history. It's a very pretty city and worth a visit. Launceston is settled in the Tamar River Valley, which is home to lots of vineyards and wineries.
Hobart - Capital of Tasmania
Hobart is the capital of Tasmania and is located on the southern coast of the island state. It's a very old city, with some of its buildings dating back to the 1700s. Much of the old city was built by convicts. Today, the city has about 200,000 residents. This city kind of reminds me of Victoria, BC.
The city is bordered by the ocean and Mt. Wellington. It's an incredibly hilly place, so driving standard may pose a challenge for many people (that's Mt. Wellington in the photo to the left).
MONA
MONA is the largest privately funded museum in Australia. The museum presents antiquities, modern and contemporary art from the David Walsh collection. Walsh, who made his millions gambling (how Aussie is that?) has described the museum as a "subversive adult Disneyland."
This place is huge (you need at least a solid day here) and is home to some really challenging contemporary art (which is a good thing IMO). It was nice to be in a gallery that was filled with people and was lively on a weekday afternoon. There's even a bar in the middle of gallery where you can stop and have a drink before continuing on to the lower section. It's not a stuffy place as there were people from all ages and economic backgrounds. The art is displayed and explained as to be accessible to all -- there seems to be a lack of elitist attitude in this place that seems to permeate many contemporary art galleries. It seems like Walsh is giving the middle finger to the elitist art establishment -- that's great. There is an admission fee to enter the gallery if you aren't Tasmanian. If you are from Tasmania, you get in for free -- this is a way not to allienate the locals. Anyways, I can go on and on about this place. It's a unique and wild experience.
The above piece features words found in the daily news headlines. The words frequently change (I don't remember who the artist is).
My hunt for ...
However, my very nice hostess pointed me to Platypus House! It was at the House I found the famous, but shy, platypus, and even I discovered the what the plural of 'platypus' is. Totally worth the $20 admission price. I also learned that platypuses suckle their young but don't have nipples (don't ask me how they do this). They are very confused animals.