Waiting for dinner

A much happier bird than yesterday's!

This little bloke is one of a family who fly in for a feed each night at our friend's place. For those who don't recognise him, he's a Kookaburra, the largest of the Kingfisher clan, famous for their distinctive laughing call.

One of the great sounds of the Australian bush.

Yandina
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Road Kill

Life is short.

Remember: always look both ways before crossing!

Beerwah

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Sunset Shadow

Sunset on Campus

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Seating

Some seats, some liriope, some grass, and some sunlight.

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Zebra Crossing

I'm not sure what the shade structures over the median are actually there for, but they do reflect the pattern of the zebra crossing rather nicely.

Dicky Beach

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

ReCycle

I'm not sure what came first, the bike rack or the recycle station, but I thought it a delicious play on words.

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Bats Skywatch

Sometimes skywatching is more about what's in it than the sky itself. These flying foxes or fruit bats as they are known roost in the mangroves by day and had their sleep disturbed by something. In the evening, they can be seen heading off in their hundreds in long silent columns, towards their feeding grounds.

Ann's Sydney Meanderings featured a much closer view of a single flying fox two weeks ago, but these are over a rather wide stretch of water, so it was not quite possible to get closer!

Find links to lots more Skywatch images on the Skywatch Portal!

Mountain Creek

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Sago

The Sago, Cycas revoluta.

Very commonly referred to as a palm, the Sago is actually a Cycad, one of a species of plant that are one the oldest survivors on the planet. They are very common in landscaping because unlike many of their kind they are relatively fast growing.

This yellow part is a cone in the centre of a male plant.

Edit - as Annie has commented, this plant has high levels of toxins and should not be confused with the true Sago Palm which provides a staple food source. More information here.

Dicky Beach

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Surfboards

Surfboards racked on the footpath, ready for the next wave of customers.

Dicky Beach

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Broken

The "T's" may have been crossed, but someone forgot to dot the "I".

Sunshine Plaza
Maroochydore

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

I can't explain

I'm not sure if there was something in the mushrooms I'd had for breakfast, but I was sitting on my little river bank having a quiet sandwich when I heard a noise.

Perhaps it's all due to global warming, I have no other explanation as to how a gondola found its way to the Mooloolah River, nor how it came to have a motor.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Sofa

There's a great little Restaurant in Moffat Beach called "Bucket and Spade", and there you will find this sofa, just quietly waiting to welcome you.

Moffat Beach
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Water Dragon

There's a little play area near the beach at Mooloolaba, which was originally intended to be a water play park, but presumably because water is in rather short supply from time to time, it's never functioned in that way, at least in the seven years we've lived here. Kids don't seem to worry though.

This dragon only sees water after rain, but it seems to be quite happy about it.

Mooloolaba
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Mondrian Skywatch

I wonder if the Red and the Silver were intended as the perfect foil for a clear blue sky when viewed through the void in the building facade?

Of course on a dull day, I'm sure one could find a sky that matched the building exactly, but not today!

Skywatch through a teensy hole in the building fabric! A painting that could have been created by a descendent of Mondrian!

Find links to lots more Skywatch images on the Skywatch Portal!

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Unishade

I noted yesterday that "Some of the Architectural detailing in the University Buildings is restrained, and beautifully resolved in it's sub-tropical environment."

And some of it isn't. While critically acclaimed, I cannot for the life of me see any justification for this immensely complicated stucture. Although it appears to be serving a purpose in providing sunshade, it doesn't appear to be oriented in a direction which provides any real benefit.

Begrudgingly, I admit that it looks pretty amazing, it could have been built from pieces salvaged after the war of the worlds.

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Tropical Architecture

Some of the Architectural detailing in the University Buildings is restrained, and beautifully resolved in its sub-tropical environment.

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

University

Same building, round the corner!

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Art

The Sunshine Coast University Art Gallery sits comfortably in front of the main admin building. I don't pretend to understand the mesh grid covering the building, but it looks wonderful in photographs!

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sippy Downs
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Paths and Passages

The path along the Esplanade runs for several kilometres between the Mouths of the Mooloola and Maroochy Rivers. During daylight hours there is continuous throng of walkers, joggers, cyclists, dogs and baby carriages snaking along the waterfront.

Today's City Daily Photo theme is "Paths and Passages", click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Mooloolaba
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Ahh January!

January has gone, and with it the crowds. We no longer have to arrive at the beach at five am to find a vacant barbecue area, or at six to grab the last piece of sand.

This is a reminder of what it is like, just so we appreciate February, when business goes quiet, and we have the sand to ourselves.

Mooloolaba
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Southern Sky

The view from Pt Cartwright to Caloundra from the farthest vantage point in yesterday's photo, looking back at where I had been.

I'm always fascinated by the way the days are clear, but as the evening descends cloud builds up along the coastline, caused by the thermal effect of the moist sea air rising as it arrives over the land.

Find links to lots more Skywatch images on the Skywatch Portal!

Pt Cartwright
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Looking North

The view from Moffat Headland to Point Cartwright, fading into the sea spray and a strong northerly breeze!

Moffat Headland
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Rock Pools

There is something about a rock pool that brings out the child in all of us. I watched innocently from the top of the headland as this couple explored and frolicked in the pools, and it wasn't until I downloaded the shot hours later that I realised they were wearing underwear, and I suddenly felt that I had been something of a voyeur!

I trust their anonymity spares us all from embarrassment.

Moffat Beach
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Wave Form

My architectural training has left me with a mostly cynical view of designers who try to emulate natural forms.

This roof is close enough to the form of a breaking wave in Moffat Beach to get a rare tick from me though.

Moffat Beach
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Australia Day

Today is Australia Day, our national day, notionally celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the first fleet of European settlers in 1778, but more recently it has become a celebration simply of being Australian.

Any excuse for a barbecue I suspect!

This little red car parked at the markets with it's stars of the Southern Cross and the blue and white tent in the background took my eye, only because it holds all of the ingredients of our national flag.

Have a great Australia Day, wherever you are!

Fisherman's Road Markets
Maroochydore
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Relax

The holidays are almost over, but that doesn't mean one can't relax under a shady tree. The colour of the grass highlights what little rain we've had this summer, just endless blue sky!

Moffat Beach
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Blue and Green

Blue and Green should never be seen, unless there's something in between, but the blue tones nicely with the sky I guess.

I'm thinking that a week or two of building graphics won't go astray in the coming months...

Moffat Butcher
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Storm

Golden Beach narrowly misses a summer storm.

Makes a nifty Skywatch shot, a pleasant change from all that blue in the last few days pictures and proof that it doesn't happen every day, just mostly!

Links to lots more Skywatch images can be found at the Skywatch Site!

Golden Beach
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Glider

An aerobatic glider strafes the headland, while out to sea a container ship punches silently into the wind.

Moffatt Headland
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Glider Pilots

On the top of Moffatt Headland, a trio of model glider pilots hone their skills in a stiff northerly breeze.

Moffatt Beach
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Fishing Tinnie

"Tinnie" is the name given to all aluminium fishing boats, and there are lots of them!.

Mooloolah River
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Rowboat

Another of the dying breed, a "bondwood" fishing boat, held together by a few decades of paint.

Pumicestone Passage,
Caloundra
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Helmet

There's no point having a vintage motorcycle if you don't have a matching stack hat. Yes, helmets are compulsory in Australia!

Mooloolaba
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Great Day at the Beach

When the temperature hits the mid 30's (high 80's F) there's nothing better than a shady hat and a day at the beach.

Mooloolaba
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

After Dusk

Pt Cartwright, below the lighthouse, with the evening sky like a pastel sketch.

Links to lots more Skywatch images can be found at the Skywatch Site


After Dusk.
Pt Cartwright
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Palm Shadows

One of the lovely things about the rainforest is the way the sunlight and palms conspire to provide an ever changing lattice.

Kenilworth
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Fig

In some parts of the forest the light almost disappears, but the occasional searchlight beam blinks through the canopy of leaves above.


Kenilworth

Clearing

It's almost half way through the month. Time I thought to leave the beach for a time and visit the rainforest!

It's easy to see why forests were often seen as enchanted, although so far I have to report that in my experience, trees don't ever say no when you ask them if they'd mind if you took a photo or two.

Kenilworth

Shooting Fish in a Barrel

In the rainforest, the overlapping Alexander Palm fronds compose themselves so readily that posting photos of them should be considered cheating!

Kenilworth

Body Boards

A thief stealing away into the sunset? A professional bodyboarder taking his quiver home?

Possibly not. More likely a grandparent acting as a packhorse trudging home in the evening light!

Mooloolaba

The Code

The Code specifically states:

"At the boat ramp, the female of the species shall hold the boat, and generally remain wet, while the male parks the car and trailer".

Even if there really isn't a code, it is the way it invariably happens.

Golden Beach,
Caloundra

Bustard Bay Sunset

If one was to drive a few hundred kilometres north of the Sunshine Coast during their holidays, they'd get to Bustard Bay, and once there, they'd be stunned at the resemblance of some of the geography to Noosa Heads. So stunning is the resemblance, that this is where people from the Sunshine Coast go when they go on holidays!

An orange SkyWatch viewed through the beach acacias!

Links to lots more Skywatch images can be found at the Skywatch Site

Bustard Bay Sunset.
Town of 1770

Indian

Not the world's fastest, but perhaps the most perfect restoration. A nice side benefit from living in a resort town is that people arrive here riding their collectables!

Mooloolaba

Rock Pools

A family of ghosts watches the waves as evening descends on the rock pools at Pt Cartwright.

Pt Cartwright

Lifesavers

No, it's not cold enough to wear a sweater. The long sleeves are there for sun protection.

LIfesavers
Mooloolaba

Outdoors

One of the nice things about holiday times is doing things you haven't done in years, like cycling on the esplanade pathways.

There are more older people in our community than there are strapping sun-bronzed youths!

Mooloolaba

Thongs

No not an item of underwear, the humble rubber thong is also known as the scuff, the flipflop (the jandal in New Zealand) and by a host of other names.

Whatever it's called near you, we know it's summer when it becomes the ubiquitous footwear for supermarket patrons, (those that have any footwear that is), and the floors start to become unmistakably gritty as half of the beach is brought in on the suntanned feet of convenience shoppers.

Coles Mooloolaba

Mooloolaba by Night

Part of the beach at Mooloolaba is floodlit at night, allowing an extension of the days activities, and it looks pretty to boot, specially when viewed from Point Cartwright.

Mooloolaba

Fishing

A holiday at the beach wouldn't be a holiday unless you'd spent too much time in the sun, and "tried your luck" with your fishing gear in the cool of the evening.

The setting sun washes out northern the sky, but reflects warmly off the sunburnt legs of the fisherman.

Links to lots more Skywatch images can be found at the Skywatch Site


Southern Breakwater
Pt Cartwright

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

May 2009 bring you whatever you seek, and with a little luck, another 365 pictures from the Sunshine Coast.

As I was flicking through the photos posted here to date, I was quite surprised to see the large number of shots featuring water.

This shouldn't have been too much of a surprise I suppose, given that our entire city is built along the water's edge, but I have certainly not consciously set out to depict that. In another year, I'll be interested to look back at what sort of a picture it is that I've painted of our town.

I found it impossible to choose my best picture of 2008, but I know a few people were taken by my young fisherman, and if I look hard enough I can see quite a lot of new year symbolism in it; from the sun setting on the old year, to the boundless optimism of youth - I'm sure we'll have a great time in 2009.

Today, many members of the City Daily Photo Portal have elected to post their "Best photograph from 2008".
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants