Book Review: Quarterly Essay 102, 2026
When you take to reading a book you always have some levels of expectations. With this essay I thought the author would venture into thoughts and places to expand the thinking of AI – something I now use often. Continue reading The God We Made: The Threat and Promise of Artificial Intelligence
Somewhere in the past decade, the original Ivanhoe Town Hall had a complete make-over and the council delivered a well designed complex that consists of a new style library (a great facility), a small gallery (ok but not great), the meeting rooms for the council, and the main building became a venue – a large hall space for weddings and a range of cultural events (looked good!!)
Another good read of a Rebecca Solnit book. This one was Orwell’s Roses, a series of essays that roam through a range of topics and issues that she relates back to the theme – that George Orwell planted roses at his house.
I was looking forward to reading Damon Young’s recent book: Immortal Gestures, Journeys in the Unspoken. I am intrigued by people’s behaviour, how people move and how they communicate through gestures. Was this a book I had been waiting for?
The world population in 1700 was 600 to 680 million. the European population around then was around 127 million. How many of these earthly beings were aware of the debates centred on the philosophies of the enlightenment?
It is amazing how gullible so many people are and have always been; think religion, think Trump, think Australian Prime Ministers such as Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, think those who still listen to anything broadcasted by or published by the Murdoch empire.
Fun Fact: While looking up something else, I noticed a side bar image of the Meta (Facebook) headquarters. This is in Menlo Park California. Then I noticed the background and that the vast complex was almost at sea level.
Some time in the latter part of 2025, we wandered along Maling Road in Canterbury (Melbourne). This is a small street with loads of character. It is not a main thoroughfare for the suburb, so light traffic only. We had been perviously to the antiques shop and this time went to find some lunch.
To say it upfront and clearly, Missing You a TV five part series from 2025 is a dud.
The Guardian gave it 3 stars out of 5 stars; far too generous.
We have uploaded pages to celebrate the photography of Ruth Hollick who was a professional Australian photographer during the 1920s and 1930s.
The State Library of New South Wales has mounted an exhibition and produced a catalogue for an exhibition of photographs dating back to PIX magazine 1938 – 1972. Continue reading PIX: The Magazine that Changed Everything (1938–1972)
The Cathy Wilcox cartoon in The Age 10th December 2025 (Melbourne) says it all about an aspect of today’s society.
A couple of months ago I wandered into the local Coles supermarket to buy a bottle of a Coles own brand of honey (Coles Finest) that I had been enjoying for a few years. It came with four different versions. All were good and I would swap between them for variation. This brand was one of my more regular choices for honey.
Having an interest in archeology and having watched many programs such as Time Team, those with Professor Alice Roberts including Digging For Britain – the arrival of The Galloway Hoard into Australia definitely put a museum visit on the list of things to do before Christmas this year.
Continue reading Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard
Went for a wander up Rathdowne Street in Calton North and found a wonderful cafe for food, cakes and coffee and friendly service. this is a find!!
originally published in 2017
One of the pleasures of life is a great cup of coffee and a real baguette.
One of the many pleasures of living in Melbourne is that when you walk around the nearby suburbs, there’s plenty of diversity to take in.
While I am enjoying our move in late 2023 to Melbourne from Canberra, and have no regrets about the decision to have permanently left Canberra, there are aspects of a former life that will be missed.
I was visiting my local framers when I noticed that they had the portrait of Prince Charles for sale – again. They have been selling these portraits for a couple of years now.
The real estate sign states that this house is French Provincial Elegance in a Village Precinct. This mock style of building design pops up all over Melbourne’s suburbs.
The current crisis of democracy within the USA has not been a surprise. The reality of what is happening on a day-to-day basis is absolutely shocking and horrible to watch.
We travelled down to Docklands to Magnet Galleries Melbourne to see the exhibition The Prahran Legacy: Beyond the Basement.
I am a Crikey subscriber and enjoy many of their articles. However they have biases and sometimes their opinion pieces detract from what is otherwise reasonable journalism.
This book has apparently received rave reviews and is listed as a bestseller. My short response is that it is OK – but not great. I gave it six out of ten stars.
This is a must-see exhibition from the collections of John and Peter Perry that beautifully highlight the works and influences of Max Meldrum (1875–1955).
Last Thursday we made another visit to Deutscher Hackett auction house in South Yarra to see their wonderful selection of Australian art – paintings, sculpture and prints.
We wandered into the Whitehorse Artspace (Box Hill Town Hall) to see some artworks that were recommended plus to simply look the place over. We were impressed with the latter and as a bonus saw this artwork by Martin King. Loved it!
You have to cringe when you see how easily the property lobby take the public for ride with misleading information published as serious article in The Age – being Melbourne main newspaper.
April 2025, and on a first visit to Daylesford in country Victoria. It is a country town with not a lot to distinguish it from many other country towns in Victoria and NSW.
Last Saturday (1st March 2024) the Museum of Australian Photography staged a very crowded (that is well attended) exhibition opening of the photography of students of Prahran College (in Melbourne) with works dating from 1968-1981.
Continue reading Exhibition of photography from Prahran College
For various reasons up till recently I had not read much of the Griffith Review. I like a good non-fiction essays, and had appreciated that this publication put out a selection of essays that should have attracted my attention. And so over January, I bought these two editions.
A significant number of commentators have called on the media to stop sane washing bad behaviour of particular politicians and their lackeys. This call went unheeded during the run up to the last US elections and so a gang of self serving mobsters are now in the White House. I would have expected better from the The Atlantic.
One year on from moving to Melbourne and on an evening walk that includes the top of the high street for this shopping centre, I have stopped to look at the scene in front. And took this photograph.
More visits to auctions has led to research on Alma Figuerola. Seven of her works were in a Gibson’s auction in October 2024.
Following visits to auctions and subsequent research, we have been looking into the lives and works of a couple of Australian early 20th century painters. One artist that caught our eye was Mary Meyer – who had six works up for sale at Joel’s Women Artists auction here in Melbourne in September 2024.
On Saturday 26th October we went for a walk around the top end of Fitzroy in Melbourne along Gertrude Street. There was some art to be seen as well as the fun of the street.
We had things to do at the NGV, so arrived early to allow about an hour to take in the rehang of a couple of the galleries – in particular the 19th Century European.
Another post about visits to auction houses to see visual arts exhibition – being four day events before the auction. There’s usually a mix of artworks – some wonderful to some ordinary.
An opinion piece about photography exhibitions, the visual arts, and things.
As the title of the exhibition indicates, this is a photography prize exhibition. Maybe a third of the works are not photographs but are contemporary artworks that either use photographic processes or at least have links to photography.
On Saturday 7th Sept 2024 in Melbourne, we travelled over to South Yarra to visit a National Trust property, Como House. Till 20th October it is open house on the weekend (see times below)
The full title for this exhibition is:
Searching for Sanctuary: A journey of survival by Barat Ali Batoor
There are several reasons to go to the State Library of Victoria. It is a great place for research – and – they have very engaging exhibitions. One of their current exhibitions is high up in the dome (4th floor). This one is World of Books.
Recently in The Age (19th July 2024) several local politicians and a few ‘experts’ spoke of the coming of apartments towers to the central areas of Ivanhoe with the emphasis on those sites nearer the railway station.
On the main intersection on Upper Heidelberg Road in the middle of the Ivanhoe shopping strip, stands this building that I think is all about the real estate agency on the first floor – meaning I suspect the real estate is also on the upper floors. On the ground floor are two businesses.
A living in Melbourne story: A couple of months ago while meandering along Ivanhoe’s high street, Upper Heidelberg Road, I casually took in this sign on the bin. I kept walking – thinking so how about that – Joe Cocker is coming to Melbourne. Continue reading Joe Cocker in Ivanhoe
Melbourne, in particular inner Melbourne, has a serious problem with graffiti.
(Image above – a composite photo- captured from two train journeys).
Sometimes it seems that the only sane thing to do given the dangerous state of US politics is to find somewhere to hide and no longer communicate with anyone.
Become a hermit. But…
It was the 14th July in Ivanhoe and at least one cafe was honouring this important French national day. The cafe was quiet when I took the photograph, it was after hours and one person was inside doing the clean-up.
Upper Heidelberg Road as it runs through Ivanhoe in Melbourne has many buildings of interest. The street has a general people friendly feel to it. In among them is this bank building. Isn’t it wonderful!!
We were visiting the National Gallery of Victoria St Kilda Road when we split up with Gael heading for the paid exhibition of African fashion and I headed in the other direction to check on a couple of 17th century Dutch paintings. A few minutes later the phone tingled with a message that there was an exhibition of great photography within the fashion exhibition. Change of plan!
This exhibition is now closed but its staging was a curious event. Before I write about the exhibition, a few words about the photography of Steve McCurry.
An opinion piece about exhibitions, the visual arts, and things.
Always up for a drive out to the Museum of Australian Photography at Wheelers Hill – in Melbourne, we drove out through the suburban streets (rather than the freeways) for the pleasure of taking in a range of suburbs on the way. The changes of architecture and the various old and new build environments make the journey worth-while.
An opinion Piece about exhibitions, the visual arts, and things.
Our major public galleries now promote their special exhibition/ blockbusters to such an extent that people often overlook what else is on offer. Normally there are fantastic collection and other special exhibitions on offer.
On exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) till 22 Sept 2024 is a beautifully curated exhibition of two fantastic painters who were pivotal in the development of Australian abstract art. This is a must see – even for those of us who are photographers.
My rating for this exhibition is 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎 (out of 5).
This piece as originally published in 2022
Looking at the creative political sign in front of the Kingston Glass Workshop in October (now removed), the message was clear.
Continue reading Does Clive Hamilton value his own backyard?
At the end of June, I took time out from writing about local urban political matters.
Recently I was sent a real estate advertisement for a rooftop unit on Northbourne Avenue Canberra.
On Saturday 5th November 2022 I wrote an online piece for Canberra City News that received positive feedback from readers as well as directly from friends.
Developers love putting up their signs of things to come that will make life better for future residents.
There’s an ACT government standing committee on planning, transport and city services, headed up by Greens MLA Jo Clay that has asked the community to make submissions on the current draft planning bill.
There were few people visiting the NGA’s Sculpture Garden when I visited to enjoy the garden’s well-designed spaces and to check out the artworks.
There was news in May that a new supermarket is to open in Canberra. Harris Farm Markets are to build a new store at Majura Park on the northern end of the site occasionally used by the circus. Continue reading Supermarkets, galleries and Italian food
When Marion Mahony Griffin provided those glorious drawings for the submission to design Canberra, she included a distant view of the mountains.
Continue reading Marion Mahony Griffin’s vision for Canberra
Earlier this month we ventured out for the day to meet a friend at Braidwood. She was from the south coast and so Braidwood meant we both travelled just over an hour.
not so normal travel during the pandemic
We took the opportunity to travel to what seemed like a faraway place – Adelaide.
Rebecca Solnit has written about regimes such as Trump’s do not last forever.
George Monbiot writes about the signs for change. Please make it happen.
Just months ago a Luton’s auctioneer stated that the property going under the hammer was the only house for sale in Dickson.
Some issues just do not go away. Dogs that are dangerous or potentially dangerous is such a topic.
Here’s a message from me – and the many others who suffered through the flu recently:
This goes out to those thoughtful people who insisted on going out into public areas when they had the flu.
The words populism and populist have no simple, coherent meaning.
A good article summing up the state of politics, where truth is an option to be discarded.
Analysis shows that while land values per acre rose at 2.2% per annum, land rents fell by 0.3% per annum in the 1800s. Powerhouse Museum/Flickr, CC BY-SA
It is definitely time for all forms of peaceful and concerted actions to adjust our democratic structures to deal with the damage being done by forces that have resulted in Trump and his cronies being where they are.
the democracy experiment continues – but will it get beyond the influence of neoliberalism
While Australia is a great country – it has been a long time since we have experienced a government that was actually committed to its culture.
George Monbiot on how dark money is subverting democracy in the UK.
Click on the banner above
About the architecture along Northbourne Avenue
The saga of the proposed Garden Bridge over the Thames in London has been well covered in the UK press. It is indeed a saga. It is about a folly.
Music Review: Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway, February 2017My comments have nit changed much from my previous post on Rhiannon Giddens: This 2017 album features a woman with a strong and beautiful voice – singing folk songs of America – making very beautiful Americana music.
A few stories on this topic – and the world needs more people to identify this and to lead the change away from this nasty ideology.
George Bell (1920 – 2008) was member of Group M – in Melbourne.
Author Clive Hamilton has been engaged in the climate debate for more than 20 years, with books selling worldwide.
Very good article about this event – click on the image
Released February 2017. Rating 4/5 – highly recommended.
They have tried before and have failed–but this time they have got their way.
Click on the image for the story about the Arts District development along L.A. River
There’s so much wrong with the democracy experiment at the moment. But is good that a few journalists are seeing the issues that must be dealt with.
Clive Hamilton, Charles Sturt University (republished from The Conversation)
( a note from Paul Costigan – Before you read the Clive Hamilton article below from The Conversation– – have a look at the photograph above. It is scary!)
For many years tourists regarded Singapore as a stop over to somewhere else. Most spent a night or three but rarely much more.
click on image for the piece from The Guardian.
There were moments during the ‘meet the candidates’ forum in Lyneham a fortnight ago when it seemed that something was not right with the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.
Continue reading The Auditor-General, the Chief Minister and pesky chooks
It was indeed a sad story to see serious journalists and scientists trying to debate with the latest of the Australia’s right wing nut jobs on TV.
It should be known well by now that there is no use in using the usual polite and logical approaches with such people. It just feeds into their well practised weird ways of arguing or debating.
