Archive for April, 2020

Ghosts of the past beside the Princes Freeway

As a kid growing up in Geelong during the 1990s, driving up the Princes Freeway to Melbourne was a regular occurrence. Back then empty paddocks were a common sight, but today they are all gone except for one – a paddock between Kororoit Creek Road and the Laverton railway bridge. Exploring the paddock The bulk […]

Summerlands – the suburb that penguins reclaimed

As a young kid who spent his spare time flicking through the Melway street directory, there was a place on Phillip Island that always intrigued me – a suburb called ‘Summerlands’, and the mysterious “This area is subject to a Government acquisition program” note alongside. Melway Edition 22 Map 431 (1993) Paying a visit to […]

When nurses lived at Melbourne hospitals

The Coronavirus crisis has seen Victoria offer free hotel rooms to health workers so that they can self-isolate, and avoid spreading the virus. But what if I told you that Melbourne hospitals once had their own onsite residential faculties for nursing staff? SLV photo H2009.35/12 Self-isolation of health workers The desire of Australian health workers […]

Photos from ten years ago: April 2010

Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time it is April 2010. Building everywhere The new footbridge at Footscray station was finally finished. But the ‘roof’ was anything but – perforated panels let water through every time it rained! In 2013 the bridge was partially demolished to make room for […]