Tag Archives: Melbourne

Docklands Playground Sculpture

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On one windy day in Melbourne I managed to take some footage of a fun and playful wind sculpture. The sculpture is part of the Docklands, Melbourne, and situated within a children’s playground.

Watch the film in High Definition on YouTube.

The sculpture appears to be referred to as the “Blowhole” and “Docklands Playground Sculpture”. An earlier form, or variation, appeared as part of the “Sculpture by the Sea” exhibit in Sydney in 2000 with the title “Windy”.

Update October 2011: A metal plate in the near by children’s playground explains all. A photo of the plate appears below.

Blowhole by Duncan Stemler

Blowhole by Duncan Stemler - Click for a larger version

Windy, Docklands Playground Sculpture, Melbourne

Windy, Docklands Playground Sculpture, Melbourne

Looking through to the Docklands playground wind sculpture

Looking through to the Docklands playground wind sculpture

The artist credited with “Windy” at the “Sculpture by the Sea” and this sculpture “Blowhole” is Duncan Stemler, and the engineers of this sculpture appear to be Design Stainless Industries Pty Limited.

Melbourne’s Moomba Festival 2011

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During the long weekend in March, Melbourne celebrates Labour Day with the Moomba Festival.

This year many of the same attractions from last year appeared. We had a walk around and I took photos and some film footage. This time last year, Melbourne was being drenched in a sudden hail storm. Thankfully no sign of anything less than sun and blue sky this year.

Ferris wheel, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Ferris wheel, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Big teddy bears as prizes, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Big teddy bears as prizes, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Water skiing, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Water skiing, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Blue sky and rides at Melbourne's Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Blue sky and rides at Melbourne's Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Film and photos of the Great Ocean Road

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Megan and I spent yesterday sightseeing along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. Our stops included Torquay, Bells Beach, Apollo Bay, and the Port Campbell National Park.

I had my camera on hand throughout the day and came away with great footage and stills.

Watch the High Definition (HD) edition of the film on YouTube.

Below are photos from the day.

Melbourne in the early morning

Melbourne in the early morning

Beach, Great Ocean Road

Beach, Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Road

Apostles, Great Ocean Road

Apostles, Great Ocean Road

London Bridge, Great Ocean Road

London Bridge, Great Ocean Road

Melbourne's Festival Season Begins

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Melbourne’s city festival season has begun. This weekend saw the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival overlap with the Thai Culture Festival. Next weekend the Greek Festival begins, the Formula 1 crowds descend on the city, and the Jazz Festival coming soon. With all these events going on, it is difficult to resist a walk around the city centre with camera in hand.

Monk reflected in Federation Square's BMW Centre building

Monk reflected in Federation Square's BMW Centre building

The Thai Culture Festival drew in the crowds today. The weather was ideal for investigating all that was on offer.

Thai Kick Boxing at Federation Square

Thai Kick Boxing at Federation Square

Crowds, Thai Culture Festival

Crowds, Thai Culture Festival

On Melbourne’s Southbank were the slightly calmer and less trafficked Melbourne Food and Wine stalls.

Wine stalls, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

Wine stalls, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

Waterskiing on the Yarra River

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This afternoon Megan and I visited Melbourne’s annual Moomba Festival. Yesterday’s storm made the Yarra river’s banks muddy and slippery, but did not appear to reduce the crowds.

Carnival ride, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Carnival ride, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Carnival ride, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

Carnival ride, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

I put together a short film of the waterskiing on the Yarra River. This is my first film experimenting with Garage Band. The result is not what would I like but I learnt a lot.

Watch the High Definition (HD) edition of the film on YouTube.

Photos from the day after Melbourne's hail storm

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Twenty-four hours after the hail storm, Melbourne appears mostly unaffected by yesterday’s spectacular weather. The signs of yesterday’s flash flooding in the city centre are minimal.

Flood damage in a Melbourne shop.

Flood damage in a Melbourne shop.

Walking through the central business district this afternoon, I noticed the stairs near Elizabeth Street/Bourke Street still sheltered hail storm ice hidden from the sun.

Leaves caught in railings.

Leaves caught in railings.

Stairs leading down below yesterdays flooded street.

Stairs leading down below yesterdays flooded street.

Ice remains protected from the sun a day later.

Ice remains protected from the sun a day later.

Ice remains protected from the sun a day later.

Ice remains protected from the sun a day later.

Hail storm in Melbourne caught on film

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This afternoon an unexpected hail storm hit Melbourne. Megan and I were lucky enough to be inside at the time. I grabbed the camera and we joined others in the building’s lobby to watch the storm build.

Watch the High Definition (HD) edition of the film on YouTube.

The thunder storm that followed lasted for most of the afternoon.

Hail storm, Melbourne, Australia

Hail storm, Melbourne, Australia

Chunk of ice from the hail storm

Chunk of ice from the hail storm

Hail storm, Melbourne, Australia

Hail storm, Melbourne, Australia

Update

The day after I ventured out into the city and took photos showing the remaining piles of hail ice.

This short film has appeared in the Slovakian Pluska.sk, the Australian Herald Sun web sites, and has accumulated a handful of YouTube honours:

  • #25 – Most Discussed (This Week)) – Travel & Events – Australia
  • #84 – Most Discussed (This Month)) – Travel & Events – Australia
  • #11 – Most Viewed (This Week)) – Travel & Events – Australia
  • #37 – Most Viewed (This Week)) – Travel & Events – New Zealand
  • #69 – Most Viewed (This Week)) – Travel & Events
  • #68 – Most Viewed (This Week)) – Travel & Events – Mexico
  • #84 – Most Viewed (This Week)) – Travel & Events – Hong Kong
  • #10 – Most Viewed (This Month)) – Travel & Events – Australia
  • #19 – Top Favorited (This Week)) – Travel & Events – Australia
  • #52 – Top Favorited (This Month)) – Travel & Events – Australia
  • #31 – Top Rated (This Month)) – Travel & Events – Australia

Japanese Summer Dance (Bon Odori)

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This afternoon we visited Melbourne’s Docklands to see the Japanese Summer Festival 2010 (メルボルン夏祭り2010開催). I had fun capturing and editing together some of the summer dance performance.

Watch the High Definition (HD) edition on YouTube.

Once again this short film was taken on a Canon SX200IS and edited with iMovie on Mac OS X. I continue to be impressed with the quality of the footage from a point-and-shoot Canon. iMovie’s stabilisation feature has been great for making more of my shaky footage useful.

iMovie on Mac OS X

iMovie on Mac OS X