Some lesser outings

 This post will include some snaps and commentary about outings not otherwise report during our March sojourn to St Kilda Rd

Albert Park

The first visit was to the South end of the Park which was not used by the private interests of the AGPC and thus outside the cordon (un)sanitaire.  This opened up a few of the ovals but was of insufficient interest for me to take photographs.  The main thing was how quiet everywhere was with very few people working on demolishing fences and stands: I suspect the corporate gooses were still hoping that one of the Arabian races would be redirected here so didn't want to take stuff down which they might have to re-erect.

My second visit (on 19/3) was after the area was (in theory) opened up for public access.  It seemed that the opening was basically the walking path on the edge of the Lake.  The race track was closed off because a few people were driving machines around.  

The first image is of one of the bridges across the track.  All steps and pretty steep ones.  I assume any wheelchair users or others with difficulty walking can just stay on the outside of the circuit.

This eyesore is (and still is on 22/3 8 days after the race) visible from our apartment.  There did not seem to be anyone removing the garish seating let alone undoing the scaffolding.  

I have no firm idea why all the grass was removed from these areas. Were they sand traps set up to capture wayward vehicles?  Whatever, I doubt if the grass will have regrown by the time the area is fenced off for 2027 (assuming Liberty Media don't break the contract and shift the event to South Australia).

My third trip was a walk on Saturday 21/3 from the Pavilion Rowing sheds along the north side of the Lake, ending at MSAC.  Although the track round the Lake was conceptually open, in places it was very narrow (due to fencing around bridges etc),  My estimate was that there were about 10% of the number of people I would expect to see in the Park on a Saturday afternoon.  I saw no-one working on demolishing anything and Lakeside drive was barricaded closed (I think cyclists were ignoring the barriers).

There was a lot of yachting activity on the Lake ....

... and a very noisy public address system - presumably an athletics meet - in the Lakeside Stadium.

These young women were researching Swan behaviour , and had a typed sheet the showed me which explained what they were doing.  Fair enough.

As I got to the Northern Sheds there was a ruckus from the Golf Course and a flock of about 60 Little Corellas flew across landing in the trees in front of the sheds.

Getting around to the MSAC area all the track barricades were still in place making it very difficult - and quite dangerous - to get across the road to the MSAC tram stop.  No wonder there are few people in the Park.

My overall conclusion is that AGPC are not even attempting to return the Park to its former condition nor to welcome people back in.  This should be a breach of the contract, but  as I understand it the contract is seen as commercial in confidence and thus no-one actually knows what AGPC are committed to.  Shime Victoria Government, shime shime shime.

St Kilda West Beach

On 22 March I needed to record a bird for the day.  So I hopped on a tram and headed down towards the beach, getting off at the Catani Gardens stop. Here is my route mainly from eBird with the tip and tail in yellow dashes.

The start through the Gardens was a little congested by the set up for a triathlon, which was well finished (see later for an image).    The beach was also a little crowded with a queue of yachts.

This seemed to be an interschool competition.

The beach was not crowded to the West ....

.. nor, looking back, to the East.

My target species was Pied Cormorant (or in Avilist terms ,Australian Pied Cormorant).  There were a few of them out on the jetty at the mouth of the marina.

There is a great view of the Westgate Bridge,

While scanning the Bay for birds such as Gannets (a fail) I noticed a boat with " Spirit of Tasmania" on the side.  I thought it was in the port about position 1, but couldn't locate it there to take a photo.  

I eventually relocated it at position 2 - Williamstown!  

On checking my Marine Traffic app it turns out that this is not one of the boats operating between Geelong and Devenport but Spirit of Tasmania IV, one of the new boats waiting for the wharf to be fitted out (after the operators told the Port of Devenport the wrong specs for building the wharf!!!!)

I have no idea why it is parked at Williamstown rather than Geelong.

Towards the end of the walk I came back into the triathlon area.

It was interesting that unlike another event - at the opposite end of Fitzroy St - they had people out picking up litter and dismantling the infrastructure.  I spoke to one of them commending him for this effort and he responded "We want to put it back as close as we can to its original condition, although there will be a little wear and tear."

Sunsets

21 March

22 March

Balloons of 23 March

We were near the end of our morning walk when I realised a balloon was heading into Fawkner Park.  On looking more closely into the sky I found there were 5 of them up there: the highest one here was not landing in Fawkner - possibly heading for Cattani Gardens - it was so high it kept going into the clouds?  

This one was interesting - was it going to clear the trees?

No - just got it down in time to avoid a $30k new canopy!

Others joining it, and hopefully dodging the mower working in that section of the Park

Other snaps from the 23rd

This street art is on Chapel St just South of Commercial Rd.  I think it is an excellent work.

A view from our winter garden looking at the building next door (including their pool) and a couple of cranes a little towards town on St Kilda Rd..  The dot  to the right of the cranes is the moon while the higher dot to the left is the medical helicopter coming in to the Alfred Hospital helipad.

A zoom in to the cranes.