Tram Town
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
City Skyline - from High Street Northcote
Category: Tram Town Tourist This view of the city from the corner of High Street and Clarke Street Northcote is one of my favourites. I got this shot on a cold but sunny morning in May 2012. 
From this point I'm looking over the area of Northcote known as Westgarth - south Northcote if you like. Here, the main road heads up a bridge from the Westgarth village, sometimes called Rucker's Hill after one of the early settlers, with many steps at this corner down into the streets. I've known lots of people who have lived in this area over time - in Clarke St and at least 3 families in Charles St at different times. You can walk to the train, or a number of different trams, and the Merri creek with a bicycle path can get you into Collingwood, Kew or even the city. Nowadays I drive through it each day on my way to work.
When I took this photo the other day I realised I wasn't the first to admire this view - at the top of the bridge someone has stuck a drawing of the skyline with most of the buildings named - thanks Dave!
 
This shot shows the drawing stuck to the end of the bridge. In the distance on the left, you can see the large building that is the Westgarth Cinema. For a short while it was known as the Valhalla, which started its life in Richmond, a cinema I frequented often in the 80s. How many student households had a copy of the Valhalla movie program on the back of their toilet door?
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Sunday, June 17, 2012
Walking along the inner city creeks
Category: Tram Town Tourist We've been enjoying a few local walks with the dog around the Tram Town creeks of late, meeting a range of wildlife. This is a far cry from the mess we called creeks back in the 60s and 70s when factories regularly emptied their waste into the water - you'd never let your dog swim in it, let alone drink from a creek. The ones near us were riddled with blackberry bushes (though I recall much jam was made from our childhood collections). Here's a shot of Spotty on the "Chooks" walk.  Unfortunately, the chook run looks all boarded up now. There are still sheep in the paddock next door - this is inner city West Brunswick, along the Moonee Ponds Creek.  The black swans of Edwards Lake didn't seem upset by humans, but when a dog came near their chicks they were very specific about how close it could get. I think Spotty was a bit alarmed at these "ducks" that fought back instead of being chased.  There is a well camouflaged hawk perched in this gum tree, no doubt keeping a watch out for any tasty looking vermin.  |
