Handmadehobart Market

It is a couple days late, but I think some mental space was needed before I even felt up to posting some pictures of................

Our stall at the handmadehobart market! 

My SIL, a friend and myself all shared a stall. This picture is from the second day when we had improved our look (stay tuned for another post on that), and I think it looks pretty awesome :)

I made these neckwarmers using my Urban Shells Scarf pattern (free!). (My other free crochet patterns can be found here, two of them also have pdf downloads). The shawl pins are made from horn, I think all the ones you can see here are made from ox horn.

My SIL made these adorabe overalls. She is one clever chicky! The best part is..... custom orders! She also made the recycled denim bibs you can see hanging up on the basket and the pink flowery dress lying on the table. If you scroll back up to the first photo you can see some more of what she makes. The few things that did not sell at the market are now in her shop, Wee Threads.

In this photo you can see two of the crochet beanies (pattern coming soon!) made by me for the stall. Hanging up are the gorgeous knitted dresses made by Jeka B Handmade. These dresses are incredible. My neice has a pinny like the red one hanging up and it is so adorable on her. The blue and brown baby beanie and the two neckwarmers you can see at the front (the black one and the light blue one) were also made by Jeka B Handmade. She does custom orders too!


The market goes over two days and happens every two months in Hobart, Tasmania. All the stalls were amazing. I bought a gorgeous scarf from one and did some swaps with a couple other stall holders. I will be back later in the week to show you what I got! 


It was a great experience, I loved meeting other stall holders and am hanging out for the next market we do!


Kathy xxx

Chess Board at Franklin Square

Chess Board at Franklin Square
Originally uploaded by kathytakesphotos

I logged into Flickr today for the first time in over a month. Imagine my surprise when I had a message saying that this photo of mine had been shortlisted to go in the Schmap Hobart Guide, which gets published at the end of January.

This photo of the chess board at Franklin Square is one of my least favourite photos of those I have on Flickr, but it will be interesting (and exciting!) to see if it gets chosen!

Saint Davids Park III

You've seen the entrance and found out it is a cemetery. Now it's time for some pretty pictures!

The main walkway through the park. The trees make a shady tunnel to walk under.

In the shade of the trees are many plants, though not many of them are flowering at the moment. These Hydrangeas are one of the few plants curently in flower.

These steps connect the park with the memorial walls (see yesterdays post).

Stone, sunshine and flowers. I love this photograph.

For me, Hobarts most attractive feature is its joining of old and new. Here, a gazebo and the Conservatorium of Music (University of Tasmania) somehow look good together in the same shot, despite the differences between them.

The gazebo. It is humble, but has been stood on by famous characters (Humphrey Bear) and people (George from Playschool). Quite a few classical musicians have also played their instruments on here. Not quite as exciting as Humphrey Bear and George, I know, but it does sound beautiful.

One of the walls that borders the park.

Usually, there are people dotted all over the grass. When the Christmas Carols were held here, the park was overflowing with people. It was great!

Another entrance to the park, this one is diagonally opposite to the one with the lions. We will be leaving the park through here. Beyond is Sandy Bay, which we will have to explore some other time!

I hope you've enjoyed our three-day exploration of St. Davids Park! If you're in Hobart, come here with some lunch and a frisbee, and see if you can find someone in the cemetery with the same surname as you!

Saint Davids Park II

So, St. Davids Park is a bit more than just grass, trees, a gazebo and lion statues.

It's a graveyard!

'Cemetery' might be a better word.

There are two types of graves in St. Davids Park. Memorial, and - for lack of a better word - tombs. Here is a 'tomb':

This is some of the writing on it:

I love how the sun is hitting it.

Here's another 'tomb':

In it are (or, were... the coffin is from 1859!) the remains of a man named James Kelly. I wonder if he was related to Ned?

Slightly seperated from the rest of the garden, down a flight of stone stairs (you'll see them tomorrow!) are walls with memorial plaques on them.

I didn't look at the plaques themselves (I had to meet my husband at the hairdressers and was already running late), but I'm sure I would have recognised at least some of the names.

Regardless of whether I'd recognise any names or not, the wall is very picturesque!

Saint Davids Park I

On Monday we had a mosey through Franklin Square. Today, we are going to be just a couple of blocks away from there, at St. Davids Park.

But we're not going inside - not yet! Today we're just getting to the entry... one of my favourite parts of St. Davids Park.

Look at the following two photos. The first one I took on Monday (the 23rd of November, 2009). The following image is a lantern slide and was probably taken between 1890-1920.

Lantern slide of by James Backhouse Walker, from here.

My photo is taken from further back, but you can see the same building in both. Whether or not the trees are the same is a different matter! You will notice that the entry lions aren't there.

The main entry to St. Davids Park. When the wisteria is in bloom this archway is utterly breathtaking.

The lions were not a part of the entry of park until 1988. Before that they had been stored at Port Arthur. Originally, the lions stood over the entrance of the Bank of Van Dieman's Land. They were carved in 1884 in a tent on the footpath. Interesting stuff! There's more here.

The closer you get to the lions the cooler and weirder they look. The eyes are a bit freaky.

Fairly self-explanatory.

This lion looks a little freaked out. Perhaps the branch infront of its face scared it?

I've always thought of St. Davids Park at a little oasis - a good place to have lunch and throw a frisbee. So what I realised after walking through the gate on Monday surprised me... and now I can't think of the park in the same way.

What did I realise? Check back tomorrow to find out!

Franklin Square

Franklin Square is the hub of Hobart. It connects Hobart with Kingston, Sandy Bay, Bellerive and even New Norfolk. It is where the buses drop you off and take you up. There are thousands of people that would either sit in Franklin Square or one of the bus shelters along its edge everyday.

 One of the entrances to Franklin Square.

Franklin Square is bordered on two sides by highway, one taking you through Hobart to the Eastern Shore, the other takes you to Kingston and the Channel. On another side is a street used mostly by buses, with parking for moterbikes down the centre.

Macquarie Street. I have spent many hours sitting in these bus shelters, waiting and looking at the buildings across the street. I love the difference between the buildings: one so old and beautiful, not quite overwhelmed by the modern building behind it.

 

 A giant chess board. The chess pieces are stored under the seats. It is unusual for no one to be playing!

People playing instuments - whether busking or just playing to fill in time - is a common occurance around Hobart. This is a guy called Aaron. He should be busking! I would have put some money in.

Franklin Square was named after Sir John Franklin, one of the Governers of Tasmania. The Franklins are famous for adopting a Tasmanian Aboriginal girl, Mathinna. When they left Tasmania, they left Mathinna behind, and Mathinna died not long afterwards. It is not known if she died accidentally, was murdered, or committed suicide. It is known, however, that she died in absolute poverty. Lady Jane Franklin was very into literary and scientific things and the Franklins were very good for Hobart culture. The town Franklin, in the Huon Valley, was named after them.

In the centre of the Franklin Square is a fountain. Nearly all the benches in the square look towards the fountain. There is a statue of Sir Franklin in the centre of the fountain.

The fountain in Franklin Square, with a statue of Sir John Franklin in the centre.

This photo shows the diversity of the people who come to Franklin square. School kids, emos, the elderly, and people who have immigrated here.

I trust you've enjoyed your visit to Franklin Square with me! Hopefully you can understand why I consider it to be the centre of Hobart. Personally, I'm a bit surprised there were no pidgeons around.

See more photos here, and go here to read more about Sir and Lady Franklin.

Hobart, I Love You

Hobart fascinates me. 


It is the second oldest city in Australia, beaten only by Sydney.


It has a lot of trees. (Thank you, Hobart Council!)


Peak hour traffic would be considered nonexistent by non-Tasmanians, but we all complain about it like crazy.



Salamanca market seems to be its heart... beating once a week... it's a strong heart.

Hobarts Heart: Salamanca Market (John de la Roche)

Nearly anywhere you look, you are likely to see a heritage building next to a relatively new/modern one.


There are lots of art galleries.


There are lots of public toilets. Some are really quite nice. (Yes, I have my favourites.)


There are lots of pigeons and seagulls.

It really only has three main streets: Macquarie, Davey and Elizabeth.


There are some really quite modern buildings, most of which outraged the general public for at least a couple of months. The general public pretty much still is outraged, but now they just mutter to themselves. Zero Davey and this water tank home to the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra are two excellent examples.

Remember this? The Myer Fire, 2007.

There are lots of little grassed areas, some hidden quite well (like the one behind the Playhouse Theatre).


It was named after a English person (as were most of Hobarts streets and the surrounding landmarks - Mount Nelson, Mount Wellington).

It has many fine dining restaurants and cafes.


It also has McDonalds, KFC, Hungry Jacks (two, actually!), Darrell Leas, and Hudsons.


Starbucks did not survive. It was a bit too American for Tassie taste.


What fascinates you about Hobart?