Emu Dreaming

Lovers
Joy St Clair Hester
1957

Near the You Yangs in Victoria, is an ancient circle of stones roughly egg-shaped and about fifty (50) metres in diameter, with three larger rocks at the western end. This structure, now called Wurdi Youang, has been described as a small Stonehenge. Nothing is known about its purpose although it appears to have a religious or spiritual sense about it. There is also speculation that it had an astronomical purpose and archaeologists have measured the direction of the large rocks against the range of the setting sun. Wurdi Youang is now owned and managed by the Wathaurung Aboriginal Cooperative Limited.

Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre

 

 

A Southern Imbolc: Mt Macedon

Mount Macedon
racv.com.au

  

In the 19th century, the cool climate of the Macedon region was thought to provide a perfect environment for patients suffering tuberculosis. In 1899 a sanatorium was opened a short distance down the Mount from the lake in a building previously used as a private hospital. The lake was built to supply water to a new, larger sanatorium which due to opposition and lack of funding was never built. The original sanatorium closed in 1910 and was later destroyed by fire.

Sanatorium Lake

MOUNT MACEDON SANATORIUM

INSTITUTION TO BE CLOSED.

LACK OF PUBLIC SUPPORT.

The Argus

31 July 1908

The annual meeting of subscribers to the Victorian Sanatoria for Consumptives was held yesterday afternoon, in Prell's building, 34 Queen street, Melbourne.. There was an attendance of 25, and Mr R Murray Smith, president, was in the chair.

In submitting the nineteenth annual report and balance-sheet, the committee regretted that the public support solicited had not been forthcoming, and the work of the institution had been conducted during a year of anxiety and care. The number of  patients treated between July 1 1905 to

June 30 1008, was 544. From July 1 1907 to June 30 1908, 205 patients had been treated. Of these, 134 had been cured or relieved. There were incurable 27, discharged  at own request or on other grounds 14; died 5, remaining on June 30, 1908, 25 [patients].

During the period under review the institution had been subjected to persistent attacks by one section of the press which, though fully and convincingly disproved, had had a prejudicial effect on the public, and it was to these attacks that the kind efforts of friends to assist the funds of the institution by concerts and other entertainments might attribute then partial failure. The committee had been led to believe that the Government grant for 1908-9 would be 1,000 pounds but the Premier had intimated that unless the recommendations of the inspector of charities, the main feature of which had been the abolition of paying patients, were adopted the grant from the Government would be withheld.  [read full article]

A Southern Imbolc: Flinder's Peak, You Yangs

You Yangs
by Matilda Iglesias

“The Rhythms of Life project by Australian artist Andrew Rogers is the largest contemporary land-art project in the world, forming a chain of stone sculptures, or geoglyphs, around the globe. Monumental geoglyphs have been constructed in ten countries to date: Israel, Chile, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Iceland, China, India, Turkey and Nepal. Future locations will include the United States, United Kingdom, Eastern Europe and Africa. By completion, the project will have involved over 5,000 people on six continents.

The Rhythms of Life sculptures are optimistic metaphors for the eternal cycle of life and regeneration, expressive and suggestive of human striving and introspection. The geoglyphs embrace a wide cultural vision that links memory and various symbols derived from ancient rock carvings, paintings and legends in each region; they punctuate time and extend history into the distant future while delving into the depths of our heritage in pursuit of the spiritual. The exhibition at the Akureyri Art Museum in Iceland is the first general survey of the project.”

A Southern Imbolc: Mt Dandenong

"Brownout" Melbourne Feb 6 2009

view from Mt Dandenong, Victoria

Image source

Once upon a pre-time there was a great and silent mystery out of which came the rhythmic sound of cosmic consciousness, since then we have been dancing to it non stop for eons of space-time, from one geological era to the next, like any creative planet might given the right systemic solar circumstances. At some earlier point in space-time we were just a twinkle in the eye of a cosmic supernova and the next thing we know our larger Galactic-self is giving birth to yet another brand new Solar-self that constantly manifests in whatever new form we can dream up.

Superb Lyrebird
Sonia Ross

Hence our insatiable urge to be and desire to express our differentiated unique-Self, for better and for worse in one cosmic form or another, from our larger Galactic-self of black holes and spiralling solar systems all the way down into the deeper layers of our relatively small unique-Self, we manifest cosmic consciousness in a stupendous variety of breathtaking form.

~ Robert Seaborne, Stone Makes us Human

A Southern Imbolc: Mt Buninyong

Looking towards Mt Buninyong from the approximate location of Scott's Swamp

Mount Buninyong, an extinct volcanic mountain 745 metres above sea level, is a great landmark of the district. Standing out from the vast Western Plains next to its sister Mt Warrenheip, it is visible from the Grampians, the Otways and the sea-cliffs at Barwon Heads, providing a sure sign of home to countless generations of local people.

..and so, after many long, weary miles traipsing over hills, wading across creeks and ploughing through the slough of despond, the weary travellers faced a final uphill trudge, crossing the foothills formed over a million years before by the volcanic eruptions of Mt Buninyong. For many miles they would have seen its profile rising before them as they walked or rode, slowly drawing closer.

Making ancestral tracks and songlines

IMBOLC IN MELBOURNE

WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE DURING THIS TIME?

According to the six-season calendar we are now moving into 'Early Spring' and it is slowly warming up. On the seven-season calendar for the Upper Yarra Valley, we remain in Wombat Season until the end of August.

The Skies

Days The air is warming and the fragrance of flowers becomes increasingly noticed by our senses. The temperature averages between 6 and 13 degrees C. Sunrise ~ 7:15 a.m. Sunset time ~ 5:30 p.m. Throughout the wintry time, north-westerly breezes prevail over Melbourne, whereas the summer winds are more likely to be southerly.

Nights

The temperature can hit zero degrees C on the mountain and snow may fall. While he was alive, my aboriginal friend, Gaparingu Naputa would tell the tale of The Eagle for August. Called Totyarguil, (the constellation we call Aquila) is visible throughout this time, in the Northern Sky, along with the other bird constellations. The Eagle includes the star Altair, which is also sacred in the Vedic System. Throughout spring the constellation of Scorpius ranges across the southern sky.

Elkie, The Melbourne Grove