Sunday, December 21, 2008

Bound for Botany Bay

The Caltex pipeline just inside the Botany Bay heads which are to the right of the image.

"Ole timers" excursion this week was a trip down to the southern suburbs - just a little nibble at the edge of the notorious "Shire" - winding around Brighton-le-sands, a loop through Dolls Point and then the stretch out to Kurnell and Captain Cook's Landing Place. We do place-names and ceremony poorly in Oz.

Belying the image, the storm did a lot of brewing and not much pouring. These fishermen are in the lee of the oil pipeline going from Kurnell to Botany - sometimes above the water sometimes below. As I said, we do historic sites pathetically. What other nation would allow this abomination to be built within 200yds of the "birthplace of the nation"?

This image was taken partway down The Grand Parade and looking straight out to the Botany Bay heads. The tanker appears to be in the middle of the heads but as we got closer (next image) it was obvious that it was a perspective thing.The pipeline is to the left, the heads are too the right. The Botany refineries are directly behind. Botany Bay is the flight path for Sydney International airport.

Hover the cursor over the image for more information.

7 comments:

Virginia said...

I love our coast and everything about the sea and sad and sand dunes and relaxing and absorbing it all. THis is a wonderful winter refuse for me. Merci.

NOw about my blog and photos. Explain the red truck. I can't make out what you wanted me to know! Help me my friend.
V

Virginia said...

I left a comment on Paris, but yours disappeared. Maybe we can email. I value your input so very much.
V

Julie said...

Firstly, the red truck is very much a "paris" photo. You are showing just a small part of the whole. If you had shown the entire truck it would have been boring and just been an image of a truck. Boring except to blokes ...

However, you came at it obliquely which emphasised the curves and the red. It was no longer just a truck - it became your take on the world. Both the shape and the colour are sensual and this helps to tell the viewer more about you. This to me is the essence of your phototgraphy: it radiates warmth whereas so many other photographers show us something that is just as technically correct but which is cold.

Virginia said...

Aaahhh yes, now I see what you were trying to tell me. Merci,
V

roentare said...

The cloud formation does look impressive!

Joan Elizabeth said...

I have read several Australian history books on my holiday (a break from poetry for a while). One thing I like about they way Botany Bay appears today is that it still demonstrates some of the inhospitability which made them go around the corner to Port Jackson to start the new colony.

Julie said...

It most certainly does! The stretch from Taren Point Rd out to Kurnell is the pits and the opposite shoreline is now Port Botany which has an "industrial" allure. Must go down there again and see what I can do with such an unattractive landscape.

However, around Dolls Point is fairly pretty ...