Mandjoogoordap (Mandurah)

This sculpture (Shirley Shell) stands at the train station in Mandurah. It is meant to represent a tuart tree and was designed in 2006 by Coral Lowry before the station was opened to traffic in 2007. At the time it was controversial because of its abstract nature but has since become a valued part of the landscape of Mandurah. The base is believed to represent both a seed and a shell, since Mandurah is on the Indian Ocean. This picture was taken in 2011; now the structure is much more weathered and surrounded by more vegetation.

"Water Dance" This installation is next to the Forrest Highway near Mandurah, Western Australia.. The sculpture is titled 'The Water Dance' by artist Anne Neil and consists of 8 cone shapes some 5.5m high and 4.5m in diameter. There are also 16 poles. The poles and cones are placed at a variety of angles to represent the movement of rain hitting the earth. The cones represent cupped hands reaching up to catch the rain drops. The poles represent the water depth markers found in rivers. The cones are painted blue on the inside. At night they light up, changing colour from blue to green. (The above information is paraphrased from www.public-art-directory.com .) It isn't possible to get to the sculpture easily. There is a parking lay-by adjacent, but the sculpture is surrounded by a moat and a fence. The fence would be easy to negotiate, the moat less so. We have driven past this many times as it lies right next to the southbound lanes of the highway, but this was the first time we'd ever stopped to look closely. It was worth the wait. Best seen big. Please press Z.

The pedestrian bridge crossing the Mandurah-Perth railway line and the Mandurah bypass road. Happy Fence Friday everyone. Keep yourselves safe. Picture may be better seen large. Please press Z.

Happy Fence Friday to all. I hope your day and your weekend are all delightful. Keep safe in these strange times. Artwork on the new carpark at Mandurah rail station in WA. Black cockatoos, eucalyptus leaves, fish from the nearby Peel Inlet. (Press Z for full screen.)

A Happy Final Fence Friday of 2022 to everyone. I hope your day, your New Year celebrations and the entirety of 2023 are pleasant, joyful and far, far better than 2022 seemed to be. Love to all. This is one of the many canals in Mandurah, along which Madame Much Younger Owl and myself march briskly each morning early for our daily exercise and for the delight of seeing dolphins, swans, herons, egrets, ducks, terns, seagulls, other walkers (old and young) and their dogs. Life is good, innit. Press Z to biggen it up.

Stingray Wharf, Mandurah. Not the best photo, I'm afraid. The scene was some distance from me and I was shaky having run/walked some distance on an increasingly hot morning, plus my iPhone skills are rather rudimentary. The bird on the right is, of course, an Australian pelican; the one on the left is, I think, a Nankeen heron (sometimes called a night heron in these parts). I took this and walked on ... They were all still there, in more or less the same positions when I passed by 45 minutes later on my return journey. Now THAT is patience. I hope they were all rewarded by a feed from the estuary waters. Gosh, I love this land.

Mandjar Bay, Mandurah. HFF, everyone. Let your weekend bring you peace and joy (or at least a break from the daily grind). (Press Z to see it bigger.)

White-faced heron. Mandjar Bay, Mandurah.

Nankeen heron (AKA Night heron). Stingray Wharf, Mandurah WA.

HBM, everyone. Sit down and enjoy the view .. though not on this bench. Whilst the view of this wide bay may be wonderful (and it is, I assure you), the various seabirds have also enjoyed sitting there and have left evidence of their incontinence. When the rain comes some time in March or early April the bench may be cleaned by the downpours ... for a while at least.

Clara Bow? Theda Bara? Louise Brooks? The shadow over the left window reminds me of hair across the eye and thus of a film actress from the 1920s. First thought was Veronica Lake (but she didn't have black hair). Help me out here, guys, lest I begin to obsessively trawl the interwebthingy and end up in a padded cell and have only a few friends who will shake their heads sadly at my pitiful state. It is actually a wall next to a restaurant in Dolphin Quay in Mandurah. The shadow is from an awning above. Happy Wednesday Wall to all and sundry. Enjoy your day whatever you're doing.

Happy Fence Friday, everyone. I hope your day is productive and exciting; and your weekend is restful and calm. This footbridge spans part of the marina in Mandurah, leading to Dolphin Quay on the left. I walk across here every morning at about 7.45 on my daily constitutional. Yesterday's weather was rather dull for a change, though by about 9.00 a.m. it had reverted to its normal bright blue sky with not a cloud to be seen. Wunnerful! Probably better seen large by pressing Z.

HBM, everyone. Let’s hope that wherever you are you can sit and contemplate the joys of the world (those that are still to be found). These benches face Mandjar Bay. The sculpture here has six faces showing paintings representing the six seasons of the Nyoongar calendar. Mandjoogoordap (now called Mandurah) is home to the Bindjareb people of the Nyoongar nation. The six seasons have variable lengths since they relate to weather patterns and natural occurrences rather than to fixed dates like whitefeller seasons. We’re currently in Bunuru - the season of adolescence, which is the hottest part of the year, lasting from early February until late March or early April. It is sometimes called Second Summer.

Happy Wednesday Wall, everyone. May this bright blue building cheer up your day. Biggen it up by pressing Z.

Happy Fence Friday to everyone. May your day be full of joy and your weekend be restful and fulfilling. Kayaks stored on the edge of a canal in Mandurah.

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... like ships in the night ...