Skippy the bush kangaroo

Just got round to watching a doco on Skippy I’d taped on my VCR last week. Love the theme music but it’s such an earworm! There were 91 episodes made from 1966-8. It was filmed by English blokes who appreciated the Aussie light and bush, so they did lots of wide vista shots. Sweden wouldn’t show it cause it would make their kids think animals could save the world!

Skippy was shot in Ku-ring-gai, which is now being redeveloped with high-density housing. I’ve visited Waratah National Park – it was set on 13 hectares with the Ranger’s office intact. You can’t go and visit it now cause it has closed down and the 140 kangaroos have been re-homed. The office might re-open someday.

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At Ranger Headquarters, Waratah Park. I'm third from the left.

The Ranger's office in Skippy.
The Ranger's office in Skippy.
Inside the office when I visited.
Inside the office when I visited.

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Pics from the series from Don Storey’s excellent Skippy site.

Red dust over Sydney

Red dust in Sydney's inner west
Red dust in Sydney's inner west
Same view on a bit of an overcast day.
Same view on a bit of an overcast day.

I was sitting reading shorthand at 6.40am (had insomnia) and could see a bright red light coming under the living room curtains. I felt a bit panicky, thinking it was a major bushfire outside the living room but it was thick red dust! My camera colours are crap – the sky was much redder. There’s a thick layer of dust over everything.

Turned on the telly to check what was happening and there it was – no one can see the Harbour Bridge! The Channel 9 helicopter can’t get off the ground to take footage!

Red dust from inland. First time ever.

And there’s a big earthquake in Melbourne. Are they connected? Are these the Final Days?

Bondi Beach photos at night

I went to Bondi Beach late after a work shift a couple of nights ago. I used to live there years ago, in Jacques Ave, where the Post Office is. The Hotel Bondi has smartened up.

The ocean was very noisy, though the waves were small –  it roars. I loved the bracing, salty air – like inhaling a strong packet of Pringles Salt & Vinegar into my lungs. Refreshing. It’s all a bit blurry – I just got bifocals. The joys of ageing!

Statue at Bondi Pavilion.
Statue at Bondi Pavilion.

Paddling waves.

Paddling waves.
Foot in water.
Foot in water.
Sandcastle washed away.
Sandcastle washed away.
Bondi lifeguards main station.
Bondi lifeguards main station.
The Bondi Pavilion (viewed from the beach).
The Bondi Pavilion (viewed from the beach).

Was at work today

And I wrote this headline, was pleased it got in: It’s a jump to the Left, then a step to the Right.

And Backbenchers feign shock over PM’s F-word. My caption: Fair shake of the sauce bottle …  Rudd hopes this latest outburst will be consigned to the “forgettery”.

 

Why no one’s interested in politics

“Stress, celebrity worship and rising complacency are fuelling a growing political ignorance.” The Fun-Herald on why no one’s interested in politics.

I think it’s because it takes so long to digest. It’s much quicker to get to grips with the finer points of Britney’s ups and downs, though I haven’t read much about her lately. There aren’t enough summaries and short ongoing narratives on politics.

For some news stories, it’s not even clear – if you’re not a newshound – whether they’re talking about state or federal politicians. And TV news just mangles everything. There’s no middle ground for people who just want to read summaries of poltics on-the-run.

Katharine Murphy’s piece “In the belly of the beast” makes it clear why politics is such a huge turn-off.

Dried rations are stashed under the desk. There are no family photographs because there are no families, dogs, lawns or detritus of any kind, apart from some long-suffering girlfriends.

… And the blokes absolutely run this show. They like football, and novellas, and blogs, and popular culture in boxed sets of DVDs they can devour down the back of the Prime Minister’s plane.

I enjoyed reading “In the belly of the beast”, though it confirmed what a pointless waste of time those staffers are with their skewed priorities.