Space House at Palm Beach

Black Mountain Communications Tower

Found this photo from a few weeks ago when I was in Canberra. Black Mountain Tower opened in 1980 and is 195m tall. It provides essential communications facilities for Canberra, including major trunk line radio telephony facilities, television transmitters for national and commercial services, FM radio transmitters, and mobile phones.

Palm Beach Fish and Chips

Palm Beach

The crossing at Barrenjoey Road. This is a place worth traveling the 40km from Sydney CBD. It does both grilled and fried fish, and is licensed to sell wine and beer. Just walk across this crossing to sit by the shore of Pittwater and watch the sunset (see previous post 24 December 2012).

Surf's Up!

Palm Beach is at its best this time of year. Time to hit the surf. Watch out for bluebottles, they were all along the shore.

Kombi Van at Palm Beach

Along Barrenjoey Rd at Palm Beach.

Sydney Christmas Tree

Martin Place, early Christmas Eve.

Sydney Christmas

A warm Christmas greeting to you, I hope your day is peaceful and joyous. Thank you for all your kind comments throughout the year. I will be taking a break till the new year.

Pittwater sunset

Walking along the western shore of the Palm Beach peninsular, looking west towards The Basin.

Australian War Memorial Canberra 7 FINAL

The setting sunlight over the AWM and parts of the HMAS Brisbane. Back to Sydney tomorrow.

Australian War Memorial Canberra 6

The gun mount of the HMAS Brisbane outside the AWM. HMAS Brisbane (1966) was the second vessel of that name to serve in the Royal Australian Navy. She was the third of the RAN's American-built "Charles F. Adams" class guided-missiles destroyers. Brisbane undertook two tours of duty with the United States Seventh Fleet off Vietnam, in 1969 and again in 1971, and was the last ship of the RAN to serve there.

Australian War Memorial Canberra 5

The setting sun and the big Amiens gun, captured WW1. ‘To assist Australians to remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on Australian society’. This is the mission of the Australian War Memorial.

Australian War Memorial Sculpture

Australian War Memorial Canberra 3

Afternoon light. After the 1939-1945 war, the charter of the Memorial was extended to encompass all wars in which Australians have died. Today, the Memorial’s collection is divided into the following areas: Art (the Memorial has an extensive art collection), Military Heraldry and Technology, (including flags, uniforms, guns, aeroplanes and so on), Photo Sound and Film, and Printed and Written Records.

Australian War Memorial Canberra Simpson and his Donkey

Outside the AWM Canberra is this statue of Simpson and his Donkey. John "Jack" Simpson Kirkpatrick (6 July 1892 – 19 May 1915), who served under the name John Simpson, was a stretcher bearer with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I. After landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, he obtained a donkey and began carrying wounded British Empire soldiers from the frontline to the beach, for evacuation. He continued this work for three and a half weeks, often under fire, until he was killed. Simpson and his Donkey are a key part of the "Anzac legend". Wiki

Australian War Memorial Canberra Entrance

The path to the Australian War Memorial Canberra. Over the next seven days I will be taking you around the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. I visit there on my afternoon walk around Canberra. This is one of my favourite places, especially after all the crowds have gone. "The Australian War Memorial is unique among the world’s war memorials, because it is both a collection and a building and the building is both a museum and a shrine. The Memorial was founded to commemorate the 60,000 Australians who died in the 1914-1918 war and to tell the story of Australians in war. Its foundation stone was laid on ANZAC Day 1919, but work on the building was delayed by the Depression and the Second World War and it was not opened until Armistice Day 1941." anzacday.org.au

Mist over Lake Burley Griffin

Low cloud was hanging over the lake.

Sunset over Black Mountain

In Canberra last week, here is the view from my hotel room.

Palm Beach Ocean Swim

This swimmer was just coming into the pool after an ocean swim.

Palm Beach Golf Course

Looking across the course you can see the blue of Pittwater. Only 9 holes, all par 3, dead flat.

Australian Lifeguards

Someone to watch over you. There were some dolphins about today.

KIddies Corner Palm Beach

The southern end of Palm Beach is a sheltered area for swimming, sometimes referred to a kiddies corner.

Palm Beach Dressing Pavillion

Catching some rays.

Flying Umbrellas

At the Galeries Victoria it is raining umbrellas. Seasons greetings to all!

Park and Elizabeth Street

Found this old postcard of Park and Elizabeth Street, tried to take a better picture but was blasted by a car horn for standing too long at the crossing.

Deux Chevaux at Palm Beach

This caught my eye as I was walking along Palm Beach. The Citroën 2CV (French: "deux chevaux" i.e. "deux chevaux-vapeur [fiscaux]", literally "two tax horsepower") was an economy car produced by the French car manufacturer Citroën between 1948 and 1990.

Art at Customs House

Big Bertha

Outside the Australian War Memorial is this German railway gun captured in 1918 in France.

Rail concertina

Even with the tiniest of reflection I am sure you would have guessed the station.

Open window

Aboriginal track

My street, or an extension of it. This is a path through a reserve at the bend in my street. I imagine that my street was once an ancient Aboriginal track. There is a shelter nearby (see post from a few days ago) where a dig dated occupation back 10000 years. My street is a natural track leading from one beach to another. The palm is a Cabbage Tree Palm which my street is named after. Part of the City Daily Photo theme day for December, for other click here.

Don't let Fear hold you back.

Don't let Fear hold you back. Spudd Carroll's Gym in the 'loo. Famous Rugby League player for Souths.

Illawarra Flame Tree

On the ground around the Illawarra Flame tree.

Super Cyclist

The things you see in the street. Location Willoughby.

Aboriginal shelter

Hidden from the general public is this magical rock shelter. Research has found that it was inhabited for 10000 years. It is facing north and is well sheltered from the elements.

Biggest tree in Sydney

This Angophora was once the biggest tree in Sydney. Sadly now in terminal decline. Located in its eponymous reserve.

Nippers at Turimetta Beach

While the nippers are at the beach the parents are in the cafe, I recommend the crispy bacon and fried egg roll on a fresh sesame seed bun. Only $6.50.

Turimetta Beach

Sunday morning and the beach is full of nippers. Run by lifesavers every Sunday in summer for a full hours children ages 6 to 16 learn beach skills.

Turimetta Headland

Jacaranda and Flame Tree

In Eloura Street Avalon is this house with a great backdrop of trees.

Kneeling Rat

I am not sure what cartoon figure this is, but it was a hit with kids.

Stilt man with horns

At Avalon Festival last Saturday.

Inside the Bahai Temple

Inside the Bahai temple.

Bahai Temple Terrey Hills

The Baha'i Temple on Mona Vale Road was built in 1961 and has survived some terrible bushfires in the area. "The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion that was founded in 1844 and has been present in Australia since 1920. The Faith's central theme is that humanity is one family and the time has come for its unification into a peaceful global society." Baha'i website.

Southern Cross Artwork (Reposted)

Australia has adopted this constellation of stars as one of our symbols. This hangs inside the Mitchell library. "The Mitchell Library's Vestibule has a stunning new contemporary glass sculpture created by the designer of the State Library's Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection exhibition, Jon Hawley. Private benefactor, the late Dr Bruce Reid, AM, funded the sculpture, the concept for which is based on the earliest depiction of the stars of the Southern Cross, a woodcut engraving of 1516 by Andrea Corsali. The sculpture enhances the great architectural and historical features of the vestibule of the Mitchell Library. Its design provides a twenty-first century interpretation of one of the great symbols of Australian identity while alluding to enduring associations of our history and culture." State library website. Last time I posted this the settings were wrong- my fault.

Fisherman on beach

Looking for bait.

Parrots near beach

Unsure of the type of parrot, Help anyone?

Kookaburra

A large family live near me, wonderful except in the early mornings.

Sydney Paparazzi

Here are the press photographers covering the press conference from yesterday's post.

Press Conference in the Domain

Here is a federal politician Joseph Benedict Hockey giving a press conference in the Domain.