Pelikan Societe, Hastings

Lunch at the coastal town of Hastings (on the western arm of Western Port Bay east of Melbourne, Australia). Pity it was too cold and blustery to be outside. The town has many marinas but was unexciting to say the least (it won the Victorian Tidy Town Award in 2004!). This restaurant as we discovered was a gem. (Obviously many people already knew that).

Some white mangrove near the shore. They are common in around Western Port Bay.

Marker pens, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”.

Dundas Street, Dunedin

This is perhaps my favourite sketch from our Dunedin, New Zealand trip. I found a spot to sit on some steps by the pavilion on North Ground field on our last (and only warm sunny) day. I was facing part of Dundas Street, looking at a row of new and heritage houses and a church – the former Dundas St Methodist Church and Sunday School. I see it is listed on the Heritage New Zealand website under Lost Heritage. I loved the bare trees and the hill behind.

It was beginning to cloud over when I left.

Marker pens, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”

Sketching Dunedin Architecture

I really liked Dunedin...except I’m told it’s dark and cold all year round. The distinctive 19th and early 20th century architecture has been preserved giving the town a special charm. Old buildings have been re-purposed for new uses. Built in stone or brick, these buildings were built to last by the early Scottish founders. 

Here's a sketch at the University of Otago. The brickwork pattern was dizzying to draw until I got to understand it. 

Here's the former police station, viewed through the window of the very interesting Toitu Otago Settlers Museum cafe. The vegetable muffin I had for lunch wasn't bad either.

I wish I'd had more time and the weather better. Here's a building on the University of Otago campus. 

The former railway station now houses art galleries. 

Marker pens, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”.

Madam Woo Dunedin

On our recent trip to Dunedin we had dinner at the famed Madam Woo restaurant. We had an excellent Malaysian hawker food inspired meal but it was expensive. 

Some of our dishes were authentic (as I know them from Singapore/Malaysia) and others were interesting fusion food. I would go there again!

Madam Woo Dunedin is one of five in the country founded by Michelin-star chef Josh Emmett. Coincidentally the Air New Zealand magazine on our flight home featured an article about him taking his staff on a culinary tour of Penang, Malaysia. How neat is that!


#TombowMarker, #Moleskinesketchbook 3.5”x5.5”

Dunedin Museum Sketches

It was cold and a bit rainy during the 3 days I spent in Dunedin, New Zealand recently but I got some enjoyable sketching time at a couple of museums there. 

At the Otago Museum. For this sketch I tried something new and prepared the coloured  background for the page before going to the museum.

The mechanical Dimetrodon (it was an exhibition of dinosaurs from the Permian age). I got tired of it roaring every time someone walked past.

Here an old trolley car and a ceremonial Maori kite at the very informative Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. 

My visit was made all the more meaningful knowing that my son-in-law’s late mother (whom I sadly never got to meet) was once the director of the institution.

Marker pens, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”.25”.