A couple of additional places

 On Sunday 10th August we took #2 grand-daughter to the Melbourne Zoo.  It was a very pleasant outing and I was very pleased with how well #2 new her way around the Zoo.  I could have added lots of birds (eg Noisy Pitta, Glossy Ibis, Black-necked Stork, Regent Honeyeater, Blue and Yellow Macaw) were it ot for the convention that birds in cages don't count!

I didn't take photos until we got to the Meerkat enclosure, where they were irresistible.  They were very close and I didn't need my binoculars to see them!

Heading back into the CBD Frances spotted a Pam-the-bird work we hadn't previously noticed.  Again, didn't need binoculars so see it.

The Monday morning had clear skies with the sun reflecting off windows in the City.

Didn't need bins for that either but thought I might on our planned outing to Burnley Gardens.  The problem was I couldn't find them.  We both searched the apartment for about 30 minutes, with no luck.  Frances suggested that I may have left them at the zoo the previous day, and I could remember sorting out my back pack towards the end of  our visit which gave possibilities.  So I rang the zoo and they had them!  Amazing!  So we headed off.  (Frances stayed in the Flinders Lane Library while I trammed out to the Zoo.  

In Levers St I saw this building with a memorial to the Maltese effort in WW2 (note the George Cross).

Turns out the bins had been found by a staff member.  I felt someone should get a reward and it was suggested a donation to the zoo would be good.  so that happened.  Getting back into the City, at Collins and Elizabeth, Plod School was in session with groups of trainees on two corners learning how to organise hook turns.  Much blowing of whistles and shouting by Senior Plod.

On getting to Burnley we found our way to the Gardens which are part of the campus of Melbourne University.  The Gardens have been developed by the Horticulture Department.  This is the route we followed, as tracked on eBird.

This fountain is in the sunken garden.

Nearby is this picnic area labelled on the map as Sugar Gum table.  Presumably the wood was taken from a Eucalyptus cladocalyx (native to SA).

This snap is to features the highest pencil pine I have ever seen.  It could be interesting on a windy day!

I hope this is legible.

Beyond the gates is a non-public area used for field research.

A couple of flower snaps.

Coming back on the tram, having checked I have the binoculars this time I snapped this image where the rail-lines cross Swan St.  It is very close to the Punt Road Oval (now known as Swinburne Oval) the spiritual home of Richmond Football Club.

Just for fun I tried, I think successfully to duplicate that image using Streetview from Google Earth.  I presume the reference to BILLY LATER (rather the Slater) in the adjacent poster is an AFL jab at the Melbourne Storm, who play as AAMI stadium between Punt Road and the G.