Ballarat Bare Foot Bowling.

Another great part of Ballarat life which was captured as part of my involvement in MAPping Ballarat is the tradition of "Bare Foot Bowling". On many a Friday night in Ballarat, just after work you will see Ballarat business men, playing lawn bowls, bare foot and just kicking back to have a friendly beer with mates. It is a nice thing to do.

Deflating an air balloon.

After the dawn balloon flight and deciding whether or not to land in neighbour John Fraser's property, we decided on the the dry bed of Lake Burrumbeet. Early morning low light combined with a wall of diaphanous material being deflated with the help of fellow photographers and passengers made for a great silhouette




Of course the only problems were the constant condensation on the lens due to the very cold cameras and very warm air inside the balloon and then the even gretaer problem of finding your way out through acres of rip-stop nylon once the envelope was deflated.

Flying over Ballarat.

One of the greatest aspects of my work is that I meet many people, and then get opportunities to do really fun things. The most recent one was a dawn balloon flight over Ballarat as part of the MAP Group (photography group), in the project "MAPping Ballarat".




The fact that you're so close to the ground means that you can talk to startled residents getting their newspapers off the lawn, or speaking to livestock in the fields as the burner roars into life every few minutes.

The only forms of air transport I've yet to experience now are parachutes and hang gliders, and I haven't given up on them yet either.

Elvis Costello, The Palais, St. Kilda, Melbourne, 1981.

Elvis Costello's first tour of Australia was marked by a hostile attitude to the media, but brilliant performances.




I was working for Virgin Press at the time, and somehow managed to obtain the only press pass issued to his first gig in Melbourne at the Palais, in St. Kilda.



Obviously Elvis hadn't been consulted as he spent a vast majority of time peering at me, in the orchestra pit, the only media representative, with a slightly quizzical/pissed off look on his face. Great gig.

Ollie Olsen, Melbourne, Australia.

Ollie was one of the most influential and admired musicians in Melbourne in the late 1970's and early 1980's. He was the founder of the Young Charlatans, Whirlywirld, and of course, No.

He had the most extraordinary who's who of musicians play in his bands, and collaboration with the late, great Michael Hutchence should have given him the mainstream recognition he so richly deserved.

He remains a true musical pioneer in the Melbourne music scene.