These are my last sketches from Brisbane, Queensland. After lunch at Longtime Yum Char (what a treat!), J wanted a coffee...plus a small cake. Not this HUGE apple crumble served with whipped cream AND icecream! I was happy to help as it was so good, fresh out of the oven. 

I managed a sketch of the Neville Bonner Bridge just before we left for the airport the next day. It is Brisbane's newest over-river connection between Southbank and the CBD. Completed in Feb 2023 to improve connectivity ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games. 

I hope we will be back again soon!

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #FaberCastellPittPen, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 8.5 x 5.5".

Sketching in King George Square, Brisbane

I’m very happy with this page of people in King George Square, Brisbane! A wedding party was there with many guests taking photos of each other, standing to pose just long enough for me to sketch them. The bride had taken herself off to the side. 

I'm so glad I added the strange bird which was weaving its way from crumb to crumb. It’s an Australian White Ibis. Originally a wading bird widespread over most of Australia, it has established itself in urban areas. Due to its fondness for rummaging in rubbish bins it has become known as the tip turkey or bin chicken! 

Finally we understand the meaning of this keychain. A lovely gift from a Brisbane friend. Thank you!

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Sailorfude pen, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 8.5 x 5.5".

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Brisbane Sketches

 At the end of June we spent a few days in Brisbane, Queensland. Here's a few sketches I did during a fast and furious trip. J attended a conference, we had a family bereavement and there were many family and friends to catch up with. 

My first sketch...everyone has to draw Queen St Mall!

Here's one from an excellent location – looking down into Queen’s Gardens. I didn’t include the river or bridges behind so the view is incomplete. This was done over 2 sessions on different days. I'm so out of practice with this sort of view, it felt like hard work. 

I forgot to take a photo until the sun had dropped so low on the second day due to interruptions as I was with a couple of sketchers one of whom I had not seen for 12 years. 

J and I found Ryan’s on the Park Cafe which was an ideal location for sketching Queen’s Gardens from ground level. I captured a couple of people taking photos (there were many). The man was posing in front of a statue of Queen Victoria. It was on the left just out of view.  

Sharing a club sandwich with chips while sketching sure made the day!

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 8.5 x 5.5".

Peranakan Melbourne Association Kueh Chang Festival

Here I am sketching at the Kueh Chang (Dumpling) Festival of the Peranakan Melbourne Association. The singing group was conveniently on stage when I sketched and painted a few of them dressed in traditional costume, together with some Peranakan cakes we were given to take home. The other page of my sketchbook shows the lunch of Nasi Lemak (a coconut rice dish with chicken and condiments) and some of the group who had started dancing. Unfortunately I didn't get further from being too busy eating. 

Text and the wrapped dumpling plus 2 homegrown persimmons from a friend were added at home. 

The Peranakan Chinese are a hybrid racial group with their own unique culture. This racial group is found mainly in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia and are the descendants of mainland Chinese who migrated to SE Asia in the 14th to 17th century and intermarried with local women. 

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour,#Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”. 

Edrington Park Retirement Village

Looking down from the first floor of the former home of Lord Richard Casey in Berwick, Melbourne is this imposing tree on the front lawn. He was a statesman and 16th Governor General of Australia. The manor house built in 1906 is significant for its association to the pastoral history of colonial Victoria. Also the house and gardens are of aesthetic and horticultural significance to the City of Casey. 

The house now forms part of Edrington Park Retirement Village. 

This sketch was done during a visit to the retirement village  with a few sketcher friends. I added a bit more texture to the tree trunk at home after the paint had properly dried. 

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour,#Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Wilson Botanic Park May 2025

Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick (an outer suburb of Melbourne), is a favourite sketch venue for my small group of sketch friends. We make a point of sketching there a few times every year as there's so much to sketch. This visit was no exception. 

A coldish and gloomy afternoon turned gloriously sunny and warm! Lots of interesting people were promenading or walking their dogs. There was even a beautiful Afghan lady (an actress and model as we discovered) having her photo taken. A large group of cyclists rode (illegally) through the park.  Some  people stopped to talk to our small sketch group. 

What I thought were a “rather too young” bride and groom came by and I included them in my sketch. We later found out they were high school kids dressed for Debutant Night (not Prom night as I had written on my sketch page). One of our group explained that the large tree on the right is a North American Swamp Cypress. It will turn red like the tree next to it. Unfortunately the lilies in the pond around the tree were no longer flowering. The sun was casting strong shadows by the time I came to add colour. 

Here's the group of strange Yucca Trees. 

To read the intriguing history of the park, click on the link below:

https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/history-of-wilson-botanic-park-berwick

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour,#Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

ANZAC Day 2025 Sketch

I have sketched at 3 previous ANZAC Day ceremonies held at the cenotaph on High St, Berwick (an outer suburb of Melbourne). This year, I was joined by 5 sketch friends. Going by previous years I knew a good place to stand with my sketchbook. The troops turned the corner at the Old Post Office and proceeded down the hill to the cenotaph. It was a small but nonetheless moving ceremony. The crowd seemed smaller than previous years even though the rain stayed away till it was over.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, Hahnemuehle Sketchbook A6.

A Staycation in Southbank

 Our short staycation in Southbank in the city last month was a nice milestone to reach after a challenging few months of health issues.

This first sketch was started along Southbank at the St Kilda Road end while having lunch at Sake. It's a great (but very expensive) Japanese restaurant which serves some unusual dishes. This was our second visit there and we will go again. 

This second sketch was done a bit further along the river near Evan Walker Bridge while having a cup of coffee from the Foodcourt (talk about a come-down!). What a glorious sunny afternoon and I thought our summer was over.

This next one is a view of the back of Flinders St Station from Southbank. 

Here I'm trialing a Hahnemuehle two sketchbook bundle. Lovely and smooth to draw on with my ink pen! I added a wash later. There was slight buckling on the back of the main page but it disappeared when fully dry. This bundle contained two softcover sketchbooks (pink and grey). Each 20 sheets, A6, $10.65 for the bundle from Senior Art Supplies. Lovely paper to draw on (very fine tooth, almost smooth), no see through. I’d have to make a hard cover sleeve to make it ideal. I like it as it would be so lightweight to carry.

Last dinner at the Waterfront Fish Restaurant along the river. We sure went big on fish this trip as we both had fish the night before when we met up with S and D for dinner to celebrate their recent wedding.

We will be back!!

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5” and Hahnemuehle Sketchbook Bundle A6.

Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne

Here we are at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, Victoria. This landscape design depicts the journey of water. A staff member passing explained that the lunettes (on right) represent rock or sand formations, the Spinifex rounds and red sand Central Australia and the line of Yellow Button bushes the north south direction some early European explorers took from the south to the unexplored north in search of the great Inland Sea. 

A very sunny day with 4 of the usual group of sketch friends. An appropriate day to enjoy this spot!

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

#RoyalBotanicGardensCranbourne

Gardenworld

Gardenworld, Braeside, Springvale Road, Victoria. What a place for garden lovers and sketchers! A HUGE garden centre with a grotto and waterfall, a big desert/cactus display like a movie set and a bonsai area. Plus regular plants, garden paraphernalia, a gift shop specializing in fossils and a separate lotus/waterworld area. Not to mention a bustling cafe with an unexpectedly large selection of good food. Today was busy with visitors including what looked like a tour group of geriatrics.

Here's the dim, cool and damp mossy area where the sound of a waterfall made for a relaxing sketching spot. Drops of water kept falling on my page and helped my wet-on-wet painting attempt. Next to the bridge was a popular photo taking spot. The lady was acting up trying to look coy! 

A great day out with a few sketch friends.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

#Gardenworld

Courtyard Cafe

Here I am back in a medical establishment yet again! This hospital had a cafe with an unexpectedly pleasant outdoor courtyard. One large wall was covered by huge tropical plants. An balmy, sunny 24 degrees, my sketchbook, a hot lemongrass drink and an apple muffin filled in the 3 hours very peacefully.  It felt like a real treat! 

Brought to an end by the phone call...time to pick up the patient. 

I've come to like drawing people. I wonder what their story was on that day, waiting in a hospital. 

#Tombow marker pens, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”. 

Caftans and Circuses

The past week has taken me (with my sketchbook) to a hospital cafe and a medical clinic, waiting while my spouse is seen to for a cataract procedure. What would I do without a sketching hobby! 

Here's a lady wearing a striking striped caftan with a headscarf in the rather small and quiet hospital cafe. 

It turned out a much more stimulating experience than expected when a mandarin-only speaking man asked to share my table. With my primary school mandarin and the translation app on his phone, we managed to strike up a long conversation and exchanged life stories! I was impressed he knew mine was a sketch and he taught me the mandarin term for it (su4 miao2). He was very happy to have me sketch him too! Urban Sketchers just keep on having good experiences. Art does bring people together!

Here's people in the waiting room of an eye clinic while my spouse had a checkup after his successful procedure a couple of days ago. 

Is that a circus I see in the distance out of the window!? Yes indeed! It is the Circus Royale Australia near the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre. As I learn, it is an Australian owned and operated circus that travels around Australia. Currently closed on a belated Christmas break they will soon be back performing!

Marker pens, #Stillman&Birn Zeta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”, #HandbookJournal 5.5" x 5.5".

Christian's Meeting House

The former Christian’s Meeting House in the outer suburb of Berwick, Melbourne was built for the Church of Christ in 1886. It was sold to City of Casey in 1975 and is now privately owned. Unfortunately I found little else about it. 

I did this sketch of the heritage building after a sketchmeet with friends when my spouse stopped for coffee opposite it. An enjoyable sketch using just a marker.

Marker pen, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Berwick Arcade in 2025

The Berwick Arcade has always been an interesting short cut between streets. Unfortunately due to Covid, the big trees in planters were removed, the popular Touch of Dutch cafe and several shops closed and it became a hollow shell. 

I'm pleased to say, now, with a new cafe called Shack with its cheery tables outside and newly planted trees, the arcade is coming back to life! Fella Hamilton the ladies clothing store with its window mannequins is one business which has stood the test of time.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”.

Yarrow

In past years, our Salvias have always been the survivors in our garden but this summer the couple of 40C degree days got to them. Their flowers are looking decidedly fried but surprisingly this yarrow has done remarkably well. They even look great at night when our motion sensor light comes on! The rose hips and faded roses? That’s just neglect on my part.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 8.5 x 5.5”.