My new wheels.........

Finally the Volvo had to go, no airconditioning since before Christmas and not an easy(nor cheap fix as parts were hard to find) so have replaced it with a Mitsubishi Verada 1997, sold in the USA and Japan as a Diamante.

The ship JAVA, which I am researching.

This is the ship JAVA, said to be the last of the East Indiamen I have been researching since about 1985. I obtained this image from New Zealand this year. It was taken in Gibraltar Harbour in 1933. It has been built in India in 1813, brought my ancestors to Adelaide in 1840. It served as a troop ship for HM Government etc.

"This digital image is copyright to Victoria University of Wellington and may not be further reproduced without permission."

"The old East Indiaman 'Java' of London", in Newsclipping scrapbook, J. C. Beaglehole Room, Victoria University of Wellington Library, Fildes 637, p.80.

Under the table

This frog gave me some great shots!!

Again a Green Tree Frog at my front door

I had great fun using my Fuji 602 digital camera to get this shot this week. Looking foward to going to Kakadu soon, although I noticed a gecko on my lounge ceiling tonight so I don't really have to go far in Darwin to see wildlife!

Frog at my front door

This fellow was waiting for me when I came home from work. It's been an interesting week or two with an earthquake of 7.1 in the Darwin area one night recently and now this weekend Darwin is bracing itself for Cyclone Ingrid tomorrow Sunday

A shy neighbour

I met this possum and a friend one night just outside my front door.

Ken and Sue at the World War 2 Oil Storage Museum

This was well worth the visit with lots of interesting photos from Darwin in WW2

I jumped a mile and so did the frog

Having seen possums, geckos, gigantic cockroaches etc, I jumped and so did the frog when I went to put papers in the recycle bin in the dark

Barramundi , Prawns and chips

My favourite meal from Kim's at the Stokes Hill Wharf

The best fish and chips in Darwin

This was taken at the Stokes Hill Wharf precint, with a nice meal of barra and chips

Too much Christmas cheer?

This was taken at the end of a very nice Christmas meal with my colleagues at the "The Jetty", at Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin.

A research interest, Stanislaus Ostoja Kotkowski

My son Dave and I share a common interest in researching the life and work of this gentleman, better known as Stan Ostoja. He lived in Australia from the early 1950's worked in textiles, stained glass, set design for theatre, opera. He was a Churchill Fellow , experimenting with lasers and electronic music. He was a photographer etc, etc. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory has at least one of his works, "Red Centre" This photo is from the collection of the National Archives of Australia as well as our own Ostoja archive


See Wikepedia entry created by Dave at >Ostoja

Another view of the Gates at the Chinese Gardens

This view shows the lions guarding the Chinese Garden Gates at Cahrles Darwin University

Gates of the Chinese Gardens

The gates are very traditional, the garden is filled with "garden rooms" to see and enjoy.

A visit to the Chinese garden

After having arrived in Darwin over two months ago, I have only just visited the Chinese Gardens on campus. What a delightful place to walk through. There is a touching statue in the garden in memory of a young teacher who died trying to request some young pupils in her province in China.
There are other sculptures and its a rather contemplative spot to spend lunchtime.

HMAS Melbourne in Darwin

I saw this ship in late September at Stokes Wharf. I was taken by the colour of the sea and sky. This was at Stoke's Wharf, just out of the Darwin CBD. Its a great place for a cheap meal of fish and chips, especially barramundi!

Our cat "Molly"

A favourite closeup of Molly, who still lives in Adelaide. A very vocal Oriental cat, but much loved.

My Favourite Book

This has been around for a few years, but I can still pick it up and laugh, very well written.

A local identity

This lizard I found near the rear of the library. Is it a Gilbert's Dragon (Lophognathus gilberti) or perhaps is it a Ta-Ta Lizard (or Lophognathus temporalis) ?


For a little more information from a German site:

Where I work

This is a photo looking at the library building at the Casuarina campus of the Charles Darwin University where I work in the Northern Territory, Australia