Year: 2026
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The house of a thousand species.
UQ has a very interesting series of lectures called Briscience. Last night we had the pleasure to listen to Dr Matthew Holden a mathematician, who lived in a shared house in Annerley ( an urban suburb ) over the Covid Years. His interest predated Covid but it was during that time, this trio of academics,…
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Greek Easter
Its not often that I say I miss the rituals, the smells and tastes of my homeland and Easter this year which we celebrate this weekend was one such. I have always said I am an outsider looking in. This is a status I am perfectly comfortable with. I have not been born here or…
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Magpie Goose
I had the good fortune to visit an unusual exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane last week. It’s on until October so plenty of time to visit. Its the story of Magpie Goose.The company was founded by Maggie McGowan and Laura Egan in 2015, to create a platform for artists in remote communities to produce…
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Bravery at its best.
Not where one bully imposes his will on a weaker person. Not where its an easy task to obliterate and annihilate, not where words are used with hatred and aggression. In this terrible climate of might is right and I will take it if I want it and to hell with all the rest, it…
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Vacant Assembly
I am always excited to discover new venues even after having lived in Brisbane now longer than I have lived anywhere else. Vacant Assembly which is on Montague Road in West End is a delightful centre of creativity and arts. Its a large warehouse with functional exhibition spaces, workshops, and much else. Pots of paint…
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The Raftsmen
Last night I had the opportunity to watch “The Raftsmen” in the Ocean Film Festival.The film maker is Chadden Hunter who was on hand for a Q&A. He came to the story on a rainy afternoon trying to entertain his toddlers at the Ballina Maritime Museum. His wife came across a reference to this and…
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A post postscript
Instead of shopping in Banda Neira I saw some beautiful postcards and bought them together with the necessary stamps. I had all that I needed to proceed. A shaky memory of addresses and a glue stick. Watch this space – will they ever reach their destinations ? London, Australia and Cyprus. The three corners of…
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Amsterdam island aka Miossu
We started with the Dutch colonialists in the Spice islands so it’s a little strange that we are ending this journey with a visit to an island which still bears the name of the former Dutch capital. Its new name, in smaller print is the one which should surely replace it. The welcome to this…
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Pulau Mansinam
This is one of the places where it all began. Two German missionaries landed here in 1855 and spread the Gospel to this area of Papua. Their arrival is celebrated with a big festival on the 5th of February every year. We were greeted by a group of highlanders who had come across the water.…
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Pulau Manim
A tiny uninhabited island with white sand and a fringing reef which descends to the deep ocean below. These channels are some 200 metres deep. We spent the day snorkelling here. Beautiful clarity. A kaleidoscope of small fish, orange and black, electric blue and dusky pinks. Flashes of yellow. Two things to note today. An…
Mezze Moments 