'Good bye Porpoise Spit' as Muloombinda, just visible under sea tow, off Nobbys Beach, leaves for other shores. It is a floating dock.
Leaves Newcastle on the edge of the de-skilling cliff.
 One last look, often things under tow sink or beach themselves. Our old ferries didn't get far before they came to grief off South West Rocks.
Real video of the departure can be seen on The Herald on line. I avoided the whole scene.

Next, a Hunter Street hot bread shop looks spick and span.  Not this time - which is unusual.  Is it true that Viet migrants are successful  in bakery shops became of the French traditions they saw in their home land.

Next, tribaltravel.com.au are responsible for the daggy camper van often seen driven by backpackers.  A rival for the original Wicked vans?

Next, who's hiding and reading behind the Christmas tree?  That's Christmas 2012 from Newcastle. Peace!

During the morning, these youngsters enjoyed receiving their end of year awards. From there, in contrast, to the evening when, during a ceremony, all children were remembered in prayer especially those who had lost their lives in the school in the US.

From Christmas in Word and Song with nine lessons come the words from a very traditional hymn:
...God is love, and he, enfolding
All the world in one embrace,
With unfailing grasp is holding
Every child of every race.
And when human hearts are breaking
Under sorrow's iron rod,
Then they find that selfsame aching
Deep within the heart of God...

Several tree varieties are displaying Christmassy red flowers. 
Visitors don't get to see the Australia that I know.  But really, we all have our own different vision of our country.

Red and alas, the blood of the innocent. Again. Overseas. Extreme action, extreme grief, drama, helplessness and tributes are rapidly becoming a fact of life.  We look serious and act out the sad Hollywood cliches. It is so not enough. In the cold hard light of day, try and question our society and its ways.
   

Outside 414 Hunter Street, a protest against hunting with guns in national parks was outside the shop front of Mr Tim Owen, Liberal (read conservative) party member.  'Not happy Barry' is aimed at the state leader.  My vote, as a visitor of national parks, is for nothing less than sufficient park rangers to well manage the parks.  Petition ....nohunting.wildwalks.com/ 

Belatedly, blog topics of the past came to notice with a new bio of Rachel Carson heard on LNL and Theroux was in a Pittsburgh blanked in snow.  

Close to the sea, scruby prickly open land displays patches of Christmas Bells at this season.
The bells are almost visible in the photo and idealised specimens are shown in the painting along with Christmas Bush with small red flowers, Mistletoe and the Christmas Beetle.  Biodiversity: we can't live without it!