Sunday, April 26, 2015

Lazarus at the Geelong Gaol

from w
Though I can't download this story it's a great idea unfolding - to use part of the old Geelong Gaol for homeless men and women. Three churches in the city - Yarra Street Uniting (formerly known as Wesley), St Mary's Basilica, and Christ Church Anglican and Uniting Care have worked together with this great idea. Go to http://www.pressreader.com/australia/geelong-advertiser/20150427/281582354176915/TextView  for the story.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Renovated church in Curlewis

from w
They have been recycling churches in our region for years and St Francis in the Curlewis area was sold ten years ago and renovated to become a beautiful home with landscaped garden. It's up for sale once again. We called in to have a look - but we are not investors. According to the Age Real Estate advertisement, the going price is about $2.5 million dollars. The elderly gentleman there told us the story. It wasn't that the congregation had dwindled, but that it had doubled and they all go now to a church in Drysdale. I'd love to live in a renovated church - it should have good vibes - or perhaps not! Then amidst the grass in the front I spied about fifty toadstools. I wonder about the symbolism of that!
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Friday, April 10, 2015

Avalon near Geelong

from w
Opposite Geelong city around the other side of Corio Bay there's salt pans and also a small row of cheap houses maybe for fishermen. Twenty-seven of them and the place was used in the Mad Max movies. It's not a pretty beach at all, mainly seaweed patches and a few pelicans.  But the environmentalists declare that it's an important habitat for the orange-bellied parrot and other birds.  However not far along the beach is a fine historical house called Avalon which once was owned by the Anglicans   - Brotherhood of St Lawrence - and used for retreats and hosting 'time away' people who needed peace and quiet. We've been there a few times - years ago - for Uniting Church retreats. I don't know who owns it nowadays but we daren't go through the gate.




When I looked Avalon on the net I discovered it is now used as a College for international students!  The website says: The Avalon Homestead, which we now use as Avalon College, was built in 1880 by James Austin, as a house for his family. The Austin family owned many large farms around Geelong and Western Victoria, and bred sheep, cattle and horses. They called this homestead "Avalon" in memory of their family home in England, Glastonbury Abbey. They placed a stone rosette from Glastonbury Abbey in the wall at the front of the homestead with a plaque above which reads:
Into the walls of Avalon is wrought
This stone from Glastonbury brought
Stay for a while Traveller and view
This link between the old world and the new
Avalon College was established here in the homestead by Jeffrey and Robyn Brook in 1998. Jeffrey and Robyn began Avalon College because they felt that young international students preparing to study in Australian schools needed a special and caring environment to develop their English skills and learn about Australia. Avalon College has always been a boarding school as Jeffrey and Robyn believe that boarding provides students and their parents with the guarantee of a safe and caring environment. Since 1998 many hundreds of International students have learned English here, and gone on to successful futures in many of the top schools in Australia and throughout the world.
Gazing out across the calm waters of Corio bay on misty mornings, one is reminded of the legend of King Arthur. His strength, resilience and courage inspire us to work hard to achieve our dreams in life, and a glimmer of his magic lives on in all of us here at Avalon College.

And below is a photo from the early days - perhaps when the Austin family lived there.

And later on:

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Ti-trees variations - from Point Roadkngiht

from w
Here are more variations using the drawings I made of ti-tree at Point Roadknight. Click on a picture to enlarge.








Monday, April 06, 2015

At Point Roadknight

from w
Today we drove past Anglesea to  a rather hidden beach - at Point Roadknight. Signed but not very obvious. It's a lovely beach without steep steps up and down to access the sand. I made a couple of drawings - one here - which was A3 so is cut in half here.  Lots of twisted trees in this spot.






I used my camera to capture the whole drawing so here it is with variations.



Sunday, April 05, 2015

Easter morning

from w
This morning a group of us watched the sun rise from Limeburners Point, Geelong as part of our Easter Day celebration. Then we had breakfast at Maccas before the 9 a.m. celebration worship at East Geelong.





Friday, April 03, 2015

Near Ceres

from w
There is a delightful village - or hamlet rather - as it is so small  - called Ceres a few k out of Geelong and the landscape there is lightly rolling hills. We drove there yesterday and parked near a bridge over the Barwon River and did some sketches. Here are the sketches and some variations using Picasa.