A tale of two stations /  by Mario Mirabile

Melbourne has an extensive suburban rail system, and despite the best efforts of a string of  governments to corporatise, privatise and generally run the system into the ground, it remains a pivotal part of Melbourne life. The network radiates from central Melbourne like a giant octopus spreading it's tentacles to the outer suburbs, and at the centre of the beast lies Flinders Street Station.

A railway station has existed on the site at the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets since the 1850's, although the current building was completed in 1910. A classically decorative building adorned with elaborate facades and domes and a clock tower at it's main entrances, it quickly became a Melbourne icon. Successive renovations, the addition of modern technology and the invasion of retail outlets have eroded it's classic appeal, but it retains many fine features such as the portico at the Swanston Street entrance. For more than 100 years, Melburnians have arranged to meet "under the clocks" at this entrance, and although the clocks are no longer an accurate indication of train departure times, they still make a fine meeting place.

At the other end of the style scale sits Parliament Station. Constructed in the 1970's as part of the underground loop built to extend the rail service to other parts of the central city, it's style could best be described as utilitarian. It works well enough, but I've never heard anyone express any affection for it, and certainly no one meets there unless they absolutely have to.

Room service /  by Mario Mirabile

I've been doing longer walks as part of my hip rehab, and I'm determined to try to get in at least a 2 or 3 kilometer walk each day. Now that I'm back at work after the Christmas/new year break, I'll be looking for back streets I haven't explored yet, however even familiar paths can turn up interesting sights if you keep your eyes open.

I spotted the guy showing off on his new mountain bike but wasn't ready to get the shot. Fortunately he obliged by doing another loop just to make sure his suspension was properly dialed in. At 333 Collins St, an eatery I haven't noticed before occupies the portico, and looks a very nice place to enjoy a meal on a fine day.

The strangest thing that caught my eye however was a dilapidated pair of shoes outside a building in Little Bourke St. It used to house a power station, and while the front of the building has been redeveloped while retaining parts of the original structure, I don't know the current purpose of the rear part where these shoes were. This section presents an imposing, if odd face to the street. There are several sets of tall basalt columns, each supporting a short flight of steps leading to a portico with a blank steel door. There's nothing unusual about a discarded pair of old shoes, but these were place neatly together, the laces undone, just next to one of the entrances. They seemed so carefully placed that my first thought was that they were a permanent part of the grill on which they sat, some sort of bronze street art.

They were, however, just shoes, left perhaps in the hope that room service would collect, clean and return them pristine for the owner's first meeting of the day. 

The daze of Christmas /  by Mario Mirabile

After the mad pre-Christmas rush and the pleasant excess of Christmas Day, the period between Christmas Day and new year is a time to let the year unwind gently. OK, you may be unfairly burdened by having to work, or foolishly caught up in the post-Christmas sales mania, but there are rewards for those wise enough to take it easy.

A pleasant brunch at Rickett's Point followed by a walk and spot of bird watching is a good start. If you have the time and inclination to drop a line in the bay, you'll find it quite relaxing as you're unlikely to be burdened by the tedium of having to clean any fish. After all, it's called "fishing" and not "catching" for a reason.

By the time new year's eve rolls round, you'll have recharged the batteries and, with luck, stay awake past 10:00 PM.

Have a great New Year.

One for the pugilists /  by Mario Mirabile

Cricket is a curious game in which a match lasting five days may not produce a winner. It is a summer staple in Australia, and one of the great events on Melbourne's sporting calendar is the Boxing Day cricket test. On a day where people really people should be recovering from their Christmas feasts, tens of thousands routinely make the pilgrimage to the MCG to sit in the sun, consume copious quantities of amber fluid and cheer on their national heroes. When the adversary is the old enemy England, the numbers swell dramatically.

England had soundly beaten Australia in recent confrontations and seemed to have a solid grip on The Ashes (surely the most curious major sporting trophy in the world). They arrived in Australia expecting to continue the victory march, but by the time of the Melbourne test had already lost the first three matches of the five test series, and with them, The Ashes.

Despite the result of this match being irrelevant to the outcome of the series, a world record 91,000 people attended the first day. These images are from day two, attended by a mere 78,000. Over the four day course of the match, which Australia won to go 4-0 up, nearly 300,000 people marched through the gates. Just another average week for the Melbourne sporting fanatic.

The mad rush (or the city on Christmas Eve....) /  by Mario Mirabile

Christmas Eve in the city is a mix of furious last minute shopping, end of year celebratory wining and dining and school children let loose on summer break.

The retail store employees are a bit confused, caught between serving customers intent on finding appropriate stocking stuffers and preparing for the crazy onslaught of the post-Christmas sales. The Myer Christmas window display continues to attract large crowds with a queue more than 100 meters long patiently waiting their turn to get a close look at this year's spectacular: "Gingerbread Friends", a tableau loosely based on the tale of the gingerbread man. Dazed shoppers for whom the whole experience has become too much stare blankly into the street awaiting the excitement of the Boxing Day cricket test to snap them back to reality. Santa's elves, their toymaking tasks completed for another year, frolic outside his house in the warm sunshine before returning to the North Pole, and even one of his reindeer escapes to wander among the crowds.

Once your own personal rush abates, I wish you all the best for a happy and peaceful Christmas and a wonderful new year.

It's moments like these... /  by Mario Mirabile

Our friend Anne had been reminding me for months that I had been negligent in fulfilling my duties as official photographer to Minty, their two year old Japanese Spitz. I finally agreed to do a portrait session once my hip had recovered sufficiently and as we were invited to dinner on Friday, I thought it might be a good opportunity. The light was OK if a bit dull and Anne had recently mowed my studio (a very pleasant lawn area edged with a low box hedge and agapanthus in flower), so it looked like we might have a good session.

Minty, like many small dogs, is a very social and excitable creature and after our arrival it was a while before she settled sufficiently for our session to begin. Action shots were difficult as the light was fading and she was still quite active, but she managed to keep still long enough for me to get some good portrait shots.

For those of you not steeped in Australian culture and wonder what the title of this post is all about, see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minties .

A backyard tragedy /  by Mario Mirabile

When I got home, Trish told me a fledgling wattle bird had fallen out of it's nest in one of our trees. It sat around squawking for attention as I got a few shots off. I was trying not to get too close, but it seemed completely unconcerned by my presence. It appeared healthy, and was able to fly short distances without getting too far off the ground, but certainty unable to fly back to its nest. 

Watching from a distance, the parents (assuming it was them)  were in a nearby tree, calling but not coming down. I offered it a couple of worms from the compost on the end of a stick, but it wasn't interested. Clearly a well bought up child, knowing not to accept treats from strangers. Eventually it flapped off behind the shed, and we flapped off to our dinner, hoping all would be well.

I had a quick look around the next morning before leaving for work, but saw no trace of it. Trish called later to say she'd found it dead near the shed. I hope our interest didn't scare off the parents, but I guess it's the usual fate of chicks in similar circumstances, either in the wild or in the back yard.

Friday 13th - not a horror story /  by Mario Mirabile

One of the good things about working in the Melbourne CBD is that there's an endless supply of photographic opportunities. It can be hit and miss as to whether I come up with something interesting and much depend on the light, my mood and just how well I'm reacting to the passing parade. 

I took to the streets on Friday 13th looking for inspiration for the first two club competitions of 2014 - "Alleys and Laneways" and "River Transport". I expect alleys to be swamped with street art, so I'm steering clear of that. River transport is a bit of a dry subject, so I'm looking for different angles. And, lets not forget that Christmas is coming. Have you been good?

Last of the birthday blues /  by Mario Mirabile

My last few shots from the Elwood Blues Club birthday bash on December 8th. Christine Manetta sang a hot set which even featured a Doors number. 

Din 'n' Dodd /  by Mario Mirabile

Dan Dinnen and Greg Dodd were the headline act for the Elwood Blues Club's first birthday bash at the Greyhound Hotel. Both are animated performers (Greg on guitar and vocals, Dan on guitar, harmonica and vocals) and they played a powerful mix of standards and original compositions to an appreciative audience. All they missed was "Happy Birthday"!

Adrian (or don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player...) /  by Mario Mirabile

Adrian Reeves is a regular keyboard/vocals performer at the Elwood Blues club. He plays with serious intensity and lots of flourishes, but will occasionally break into a wide, twinkle eyed grin which betrays how much fun he's really having. An entertaining and fun to watch performer.

Salty blues /  by Mario Mirabile

Salty runs the Elwood Blues Club. It's not strictly a club (it's a weekly event at a pub) and it's not in Elwood (it's in the neighbouring suburb of St. Kilda), but you've all seen the Blues Brothers, so you can guess where he got the name. Salty not only organizes the night, but is also a regular performer on vocals and harmonica.

It's a free event with a different headline act each week. It's on every Sunday from 5:00PM at the Greyhound Hotel in St. Kilda, and was the club's first birthday in the current venue. Well worth attending if you're free. You can find more information at www.salty.com.au.