Hidden Street Sculptures in Brisbane

May 21

As I approached the island jetty, the sun was rising over Stradbroke, the second largest sand island in the world.

And the early morning passenger ferry taking commuters to the Australian mainland for the day, appeared across the sparkly waters of South Moreton Bay.

I was on my way to Brisbane city, Queensland’s state capital.

I love the Street Sculptures in Brisbane - and have previously written about some of the public art to be found in Brisbane here.

They’re a joy.

To be buzzing about one’s everyday business in the CBD (Central Business District) and simply come across an art work that is there for no reason other than to adorn the streetscape and brighten up the day of passers-by is my kind of fun!
And garnishes my day with smiles.

Today, I’m after some ‘hidden’ street sculptures – public artworks that don’t leap up in front of you, so are easily missed.

First, heading down Brisbane Arcade, away from the hustle and bustle of Queen Street Mall I spot my first tucked away piece of public art – Mirage.

While ‘Mirage’ is slap bang in the middle of the walkway, its set up high on a marble plinth and with shop windows either side vying for attention most people walk past looking the other way!

Its an art work by Gidon Graetz, an Israeli-Swiss sculptor who is based in Europe and in 1988 was commissioned to produce the work for the World Expo in 1988.

The Mayne Family Trust who own and run the Brisbane Arcade bought the work after the event with the Brisbane City Council and housed it here in the Arcade.

There is neither a beginning nor an end to this piece as the shimmering illusion of water ripples up its shiny stainless steel surface and swirls in a fluid wave that wavers on feeling both near within arms reach and far off on the horizon.

Out into Adelaide Street I cross the road and at the base of a Victorian lamp post, look up to spot my next ‘hidden’ gem.

Have you stopped and looked up in Adelaide Street?

A flying fox street sculpture atop a lamp post!

Sculpted by Fred Whitehouse in 1996, a grand-nephew of the renowned British sculptor Henry Moore, this isn’t Fred’s only work in Adelaide Street.

Look up again a few lamp posts on (going north) and…

You’ll be one of the few people to have taken the time of day to stop awhile to notice this bronze snake!

But there’s more…

A few more lamp posts along is a bronze possum after a hand out!

I’ve since found out there are more animals yet to be discovered – a frog, a goanna and a bird…?

Have you seen them?

Do tell where

About to catch the ferry back to the island in the Bay off Brisbane

Or if you’ve noticed any of these fun public works of street art…

Did someone tell you… or, are you one of the few observant visitors to Brisbane?

Joining the Dots with Journey Jottings

Apr 30

One of our fabulous readers Red Nomad Oz, travels Australia and records her discoveries on her entertaining website Amazing Australian Adventures.

In 2011 Red wrote a post for us here called My Journey Jottings Aussie Odyssey recounting where she’d spotted Journey Jottings’ Journal Maps and Mail-It Maps as she criss-crossed Australia’s outback visiting Mildura in Victoria, Wentworth and White Cliffs in NSW, Boulia, Winton, Townsville and Cairns in Queensland.

So where did Red get to in 2012… and did she manage to spot any Journal Maps on her travels? Read on to find out!

“Just how many Journey Jottings products can a traveller zig-zagging through 5 Australian states and territories in 12 months spot?

WAAAAY too many to count!

But perhaps that’s because I’m always on the lookout for my favourite Aussie owned, Aussie designed and hand-drawn, Aussie FSC-certified-recycled-paper/soya-based-vegetable-ink produced, sooooo COOL Journey Jottings are HOT!

Over 12 months of travels in Australia the Journey Jottings sightings have come thick and fast in a lot of obscure and intriguing Australian hotspots – some old favourites, and many new. So tag along while I show you 5 of the coolest Amazing Australian Journey Jottings sighting spots from my last 12 months of adventure downunder!

1. Bendigo, Victoria

Playing the tourist on a 3 day Bendigo bender in May 2012 reacquainted us with the fascinating gold-mining heritage of this sophisticated and attractive regional Victorian city – especially by sunset from the Poppet head lookout in the middle of town.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking gold-mining is a thing of the past!
The ‘Welcome Stranger’ – at 71+ kg (3123 oz) the world’s largest alluvial gold nugget – was found nearby, and looking for its twin is a national sport.

So far, no dice.

Bendigo, Victoria

But don’t despair. This melodramatic marble statue contrasting superbly with the striking architecture and superb gardens surrounding it, was donated by a previous mayor to ‘reward’ the citizens of Bendigo and makes a fine consolation prize!

If you’d rather reward yourself more practically, take a tour of Central Deborah Gold Mine and stock up on Journey Jottings products in the gift shop!

2. Nitmiluk National Park, via Katherine, Northern Territory

In June 2012, I was sneaking a photo of the Journey Jottings display in the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre when I was sprung by a ranger (not nearly as painful as it sounds). Clearly expecting an explanation, I told him I knew the Journey Jottings designer! It was only a small white lie – although I’ve never met Linda face to face, she’s a blog buddy! How much closer could we be??

Journey Jottings Display at Nitmiluk

‘Well, tell her from me to get an on-line share version,’ he stated. ‘Then people can plot where they are so their friends can see, and print the map out at the end of their trip.’ I quickly handed him a business card and we vowed to split the proceeds after I shared his fine idea with Linda …

… then promptly forgot about it as I lost myself in the grandeur of Katherine Gorge.

Nitmiluk Gorge from the famed Lookout, and getting up close and personal

The trio of young, cool guys rude enough to suggest we weren’t up for the tough gorge wall climb to the the lookout point overlooking the magnificent Katherine River also thought we couldn’t read the ‘Lookout Climb’ sign.
Wrong on both counts, boys!

SO … I notched up another experience for my map journal, to add to the Gorge cruise from our last visit!

3. Cape Range National Park via Exmouth, Western Australia

Yes, the photo below could’ve been taken anywhere … so you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you it was snapped during August 2012 in the shop and kiosk at the Milyering Visitor Information Centre, gateway to the extraordinary Cape Range National Park.

Journey Jottings Display at Milyering National Park, Exmouth, WA

An intriguing blend of coastal scenery, wild mountain ranges, outback gorges and mountain-goat-esque roads, the park is often overlooked in favour of its sexy neighbour, the adjacent Ningaloo Reef Marine Park.

Yardie Creek Gorge at Cape Range National Park

Of course I can’t guarantee that the Frenchman we met who kindly shared the secret of what he wore under his sarong will still be there for YOUR visit. But trust me! There are enough other attractions at Cape Range to make the visit worthwhile!!

And you’ll just have to visit my blog if you want to discover the Frenchman’s secret …

4. Murray Mouth via Goolwa, South Australia

Spectacular coastal scenery awash with glorious natural attractions marks the end of the Murray River’s journey from its headwaters in Mt Kosciuszko National Park. Australia’s longest river, and 16th longest in the world, the Murray supports millions along its 2520 km (depending on who’s measuring) length, and merges with the Darling to form the most significant catchment basin in the country.

Although the notorious 1956 floods are still remembered with impossibly high flood markers way above the current river level, the natural flow is more commonly affected by drought, upstream water allocation and irrigation.

Goolwa where the mighty Murray meets the sea

So it was with a great sense of occasion we approached the mouth, free-flowing for once after a couple of good years, on a perfect South Australian summer day in January 2013.

Nestled amidst the Sir Richard Peninsula, Hindmarsh Island with its infamous bridge, the Coorong National Park, Younghusband Peninsula and the vast and windswept expanse of Goolwa Beach, the Murray River bar at journey’s end is a superbly scenic tourist attraction.

And just right to record on a Journey Jottings map journal you can pick up at the Goolwa Visitor Information Centre!

5. Jindabyne, New South Wales

‘My mate was more worried than I was when the snake bit me,’ casually asserted the Jindabyne sales assistant. ‘Probably because it kept striking. I’m more bothered by spiders,’ he continued before telling us about the snake’s demise.

What kind of mad fools were these water wader-wearing Alpine fly-fishermen, anyway??

I’d have also thought twice about staying on the shores of stunningly beautiful Lake Jindabyne in March 2013 if I’d known that East Jindabyne, a few kilometres further round the bay, had the highest concentration of brown snakes in the country. Reportedly. So much for my theory that it’d be too cold for them in the shadow of Australia’s highest point, Mt Kosciuszko!

Jindabyne Lake and the peak of Mt Kosciuszko

Gateway to the extensive and spectacular Mt Kosciuszko National Park, Jindabyne was rebuilt on the shores of the lake after the original town was flooded during the construction of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, one of the engineering marvels of the modern world.

Inspired by the lofty surroundings and tales of big dreams come true, I couldn’t let a few deadly snakes stand between me and bagging the first peak in my Seven Summit challenge! So we climbed Mt Kosciuszko!!

But not before spotting a clutch of Journey Jottings products at the Jindabyne Visitor Information Centre!

6. Hay, New South Wales

OK, I lied. But you get 6 superb sighting locations for the bargain price of 5!!!

Breaking our March 2013 journey while crossing the vast, flat expanse of the Hay Plain, known to many as one of the more featureless attractions – or attractionless features – of Central New South Wales, we called in to the excellent Hay Bakery for lunch.

And spotted this FINE display at the Hay Visitor Information Centre!!

Journey Jottings luggage tag shaped Jotter, with envelope for posting home at trip’s end

But a lack of features is a feature in itself, right? So you’d do well to remember that the Hay Plain is one of the few places where one can actually observe the curve of the earth …

One can observe the curvature of the earth crossing the Hay Plain

The last 12 months was a good year for Journey Jottings sightings. But I hope I’ve got many more Australian travel memories punctuated with Journey Jottings sightings to come!”

Have you spotted some Journey Jottings products on your travels?

Take a photo and email or post to our Facebook page (whichever is easiest) and I’ll post you a product of your choice – Just tell me which product you’d like to stake your claim!

And in the meantime read more about Red’s travels on her blog *Amazing Australian Adventures*

Travel Notebook

Apr 16

Australia Travel Notebook Published

Things always get a bit chaotic here at Journey Jottings when we’re putting out a new product.

Once the design is sorted, the practicalities of getting the artwork to press becomes all consuming.

Paper samples are fondled and folded and felt for the right feel.
Notebooks are for writing so the feel of the pen as it strokes the paper is more than an important consideration if you want a gorgeous notebook – not just any old notebook!

I therefore go for an un-coated paper where the ink can cling and sink into the fibers rather than sit on the top of a glossy coated surface, which smudges at the slightest touch.

I also like some thickness and texture to my paper – I’m not keen on stationery where the paper is so wafer thin you can virtually see through it and can only write on one side due to its translucency.

I use a 120gsm thickness – The paper has some weight to it.

I also insist my papers be Eco-labeled, and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified.
It’s not always possible to get the quality suitable for a notebook in 100% recycled (like the envelopes we use with the Mail-It Maps) but my favourite paper is happily 40% recycled – and that’s 40% post consumer waste recycled, not just claiming a recycled label by re-pulping off cuts from their manufacturing process.

With a potential selection of papers picked out, printers quotes are acquired, queried and compared.

While in the background my pre-press guy quietly converts my pen and ink drawings, tinted with watercolour, into a format from which metal plates can be cast.

The job is ready for the printing press.

The selected sumptuous paper is ordered, proofs are checked and then it’s in the hands of the printer.

Primed, the printer applies the cyan, magenta, yellow and black soya based (vegetable) inks to the rollers and he watches attentively as the first sheets of paper are taken up and pass through the machine’s length. As they slip off the end of the press they fall under his diligent eye where, with spy glass in hand, he inspects the new born for imperfections.

Our little travel notebook is A6 landscape format

When it comes to travel memories – little notebooks are perfect.
I’ve heard far too many tales of travellers carting off their big new travel journal and being struck by page fright on page 1 when the journal they thought they were going to start doesn’t get started and it’s left to languish blank – Void of experiences and memories lost.

Our little A6 travel notebook is 14.8cm wide and 10.5cm high…

…with 28 pages each featuring one of my drawings of either Australian plants, animals or one of eight mini-maps.

There are seven different covers.

One Journey Jottings Notebook shows the whole of Australia on the front cover, for those who like the big picture.

Australia Travel Notebook

And for those who prefer the detail, the other six notebook covers zoom in on regional sections taken from my hand drawn pictorial journal map, so each covers one of six regions within Australia.