Coconut Trees are easily grown in the tropics. Most scenes are framed by a lovely fringe of leaves.  Palm fringes and flowers may serve as  decoration for a special occasion - bilas.
  The trees eventually grow tall and there is always a bit of a risk that a coconut might hurtle down. Locals in PNG would see a misfortune like that in supernatural terms 
  A plantation looked like this following a storm.  Or were the trees just past it.  I forget - lossim ting ting. In Papua New Guinea. Upper photo is the Madang Resort hotel some time ago.
Back to pre digital days as my little old camera has troubles and smartphone pics could be taken more seriously. One of these days. Maski.  

Minister for Transport, NSW, with red handbag, was trainspotting today and electioneering on the local rail, plus bus, network.
Save Our Rail group was on the ministers path to Hamilton station where she caught the Telarah éxpress' for the Maitland area.
Not much action occured hence the substantial police presence was not overworked.
Slightly more interesting photos failed to process.
What status does Newcastle have in state budgeting?  The rail in Western Sydney has a number of extensive rail and bus interchanges. They are nothing new in Sydney.  Of course, the population there is much higher. Decentralisation would be encouraged if more resources came to the provinces.

At the gallery of NSW, a Pop art moment.  Marilyn Clones?  Conservative liberals can not stand on their own two feet.  They proclaim stability and unity at any price. The patriarchy is so last century.
  Game of thrones? No, not like that dynamic game.  More like a brooding House of cards.  MPs prepared to live with a very unsatisfactory leader for a favourable deal over submarines. Seems to miss the point. Is that as good as it gets?

9.18am post spill.  Imagine the hubris from now on by Abbott. Now he says the country is doing well - now that's a change of tune.

Teetering wharf.
Unexpected change keeps us on our toes.  Even chaos looks good compared to the present conservatives.
Stability continues to make me uneasy.
The country needs revenue and the government seem incapable of raising any equitable taxes. Even remove seemingly essential taxes.
Infrastructure and more and more roads are proposed. Instead, limit cars and turn to renewables.  Even lip service would be a start.
This country and its circumstances mean it can't be as posh as a Dubai or a Shanghai. Yet.  If that is the goal what price are we prepared to pay as wealth depends on high growth and consumerism but recent thinking points to the limits and inequalities of all that.
 The prime minister talks of journey. But we have a race to alter our lifestyle via policies that seek growth yet toy with what we hold dear and enjoy.  Social capital needs care.
 A sustainable journey is the only way to go and one free of inequalities. A brave leader will take it on.
Setting limits on the illness industry goes without saying but why only target GP services and more so for the needy?
 Instead reign in endless higher order health services and over servicing and countless pharmaceutical products.
 Same with higher education.  Begin pruning at the top. 
   

   

A lone weed. And bee.
Unbearable, Abbott had even more hubris at the press club. Who will take him on?
That he will be liked by the average person is just too much to take given his promise of lower taxes - read lose half of our services - stress on security, demonization and blame of others and saving us from them plus economy, economy and more economy.
Blameless victim with a mantra.  Nothing substantial. Devoid of uplifting ideals.
Concern for future generations?  Then climate change policy should be number one.


Number of coal ships waiting off shore: 20. 
 

Newcastle baths pounded by waves Friday.  The tide was receeding.

  Eye strain, stress and compulsive viewing this weekend with the Socceroo's victory and Serena W in Melbourne - a knock out with Toyota styled celebratory leaps!  The pair were in complete contrast.

    At the swimming pool the usually benign seating was submerged. Experience leads one to step back to avoid a shower. A man said he ruined his camera there in the last storm.

Still cat napping as the new year rolls on.

Tuesday and the river at Kempsey was wide, muddy, smelly and swirling with debris following lots of rain. Try getting along a back road where the pot holes expand into sheets of muddy water and worse. Don't ever drive in flood waters.
Pioneering work on expanding highway Number One was at a standstill.
Not a good day for a motorcyclist. 
Naturally the weather hardly compares to the Juno event.

Socceroos are the roos that are most important tonight in Newcastle as they  play against UAE, United Arab Emirates, in the Asian Cup. Semis.
Rain has not kept the big crowd of fans away from Hunter Stadium.

Evening and mother marsupial and little joey were nibbling the grass.
 Ever watchful,  the presence of a camera led mother to make an utterance to alert little joey to return to her pouch.
 Joey then hung from the pouch to continue eating the grass.  Mother returned to grazing as well.

These little mothers, with joey in the pouch, are quite small compared to the local 'roos.  I guess they are wallabies.

Short of suitable knives while camping?  The saw came in handy.

Take the ferry, Curranulla, to the township of Bundeena. Probably in 'the shire'.

Power stations would be cranking up today.  All that fossil fuel up in smoke. Hot weather with maximum humidity are our lot. Air con and fans at the ready. These are the days when power consumption is highest.
 Every beach is closed because a five metre unwelcome visitor has taken a liking to our seafront and has been sighted on several days.  Believe sharks are a very very ancient ?fish. The closure of the swimming areas for several days is unprecedented.  Swimming pools are an alternative.

Pop art is presented for children of all ages in a lighthearted preview on the concourse of the gallery.  The exhibit itself is extensive and diverse.  

Fellow humans have been immersing themselves in grief or often finding a whole lot of interest in total strangers such as celebs or the size of the celebs rear.   
 Naturally, we have feelings for a victim. A tragic death or illness of a citizen is very upsetting. One would best try to keep it in proportion.
 We honour a total stranger in an overblown manner. Words, flowers, cards, twitter.
This week, a terrible slaughter occurred in Africa, literally thousands were slain. Other areas suffer continuous losses.
 We need to get real. Get affronted and seek resolution of unappealing problems. The problems are not cute.

 riveting photos from Ballast point

Some readers of The Sydney Herald agree that certain published material is too insulting. So, I am not alone in my questioning. I think we have laws against such as that and at the same time freedom is upheld by the prime minister et al.

Are our protection services and their big costs and their priority justified?  Problems are not anticipated or averted - it is an impossible task.

The final standoff.  It involves death and enough weapons and deadly devices to overcome a hugh battalion.  Where is the art and science in that?

Ballast Point.  Former industrial site becomes a harbour

side park

 From Ballast Point


Je suis Charlie

Ballast Point. Has gabions as ballast all round.

2015?  It's just too much.
New Year from Sidderney 2015 (on an angle)

Playing trains. Christmas Eve and a court ruling halted removal of the rail lines into Newcastle.  The actual train service probably ended last night.
An open triangular area bordered by rail lines, west of Hamilton station,
is unused and some claim is suitable for a hub. To say nothing of another large vacant area nearby.
Few signs of hustle and bustle there or in the local shopping centers Christmas day. Only a few times do all shops close their door.  Or is it the only time?  Even supermarkets locked up and empty. Two days even. Twice. Not two times.  Twice has faded from existence. As thrice has.
 

How do I hit the Jackpot?

Sunlight and water.  Difficult to focus on  Corruption Collusion Community Exclusion when our little world is looking so darn good.

Great day for a protest.  On the fringe of Save Our Rail in Civic park.
Social media gets the community going.  It spreads reactions of grief.  Lets hope it never uses its power for evil. Think for yourself.  Stand on your own two feet.

  The latest disturbed gunman went unhindered in the past, when he could have been stopped without any new legislation, designed to curb our rights. It is about our free society. And a price was paid for it.

 South of the 'great train wall' and unionists flags are flying to retain the discontinuity in Newcastle.

Message for Gladys, Minister for Transport.
Protest against the truncation of the rail line.  Believe that is the term used.

All Change!  Pre-protest rally to save our rail, Newcastle.
Just down the line, east of Hamilton station, is found activity to facilitate All Change! Mind the Gap.
In recent times, strange shady shameful processes take place, such as stolen gen, corruption in politics, torture, removal of rail services, then there follows an enquiry, heartfelt guilt or absence of and the matter is wound up.
So, do what you like. It will all come out in the wash. No worrries.  

Here's a nice book, almost corny, sprinkled with Aussie sayings. Although shirtfront or chin wag are not among them!
 Santa is in the sky in a rusty old ute pulled by eight mighty roos. 

...Now, Kylie! Now, Kirsty!
Now, Shazza and Shane!...
On, Bazza and Wayne!
Park up on that water tank,
Grab a quick drink,
I'll scoot down the gum tree.
Be back in a wink!
 

Y Morrison, K Niland An Aussie night before Christmas.Scholastic Press Lindfield 2005

Overnights on ABC radio is fortunate to have an interlude with Scott Speck, a conductor of note, despite which he is light hearted, informative, pleasant and ever tactful with us general listeners who sometimes find ourselves awake listening at dawn.  His day job is with Chicago Philharmonic and or Ballet. 

International Children's games opening, Lac Macquarie, last night.

I'm not often in the mosh pit