Photos by Maria Ngo
August to October in 2021 in Melbourne was pretty quiet.
This was because Victoria had its 5th and 6th lockdown
with barely a week in between the two lockdowns. The 5th lockdown
started on Friday 15 July and lasted until 27 July. The 6th lockdown
started 5 August and ended midnight 21 October. Melbourne had experienced a
total of 262 days of lockdowns since the first one was announced in March 2020.
We were allowed out for limited essential exercises of 2
hours in duration and 9pm curfews were in force. We could also only travel
within a 5 km radius from home – this was later extended to 25km towards the
end of the period before being lifted completely.
People who could work from home did so. Business like
supermarkets, food retail, restaurants (only takeaways) and pharmacies were allowed
to continue to operate. Others involved in distribution as well as some
manufacturing were allowed – these operated under limited capacity and with
strict rules about square metre space per employee. Elective surgeries were
also cut back. Other retail businesses were shut. You could order items online
from places like hardware stores and department stores for pickup or delivery.
This period also happens to coincide with the Victorian
school 3rd term (from mid July to mid September). For those people
without kids in school, this would normally be part of our ski season which
starts on the last long weekend in June until 4 October. July and August are
the coldest months and the best time to go skiing. This year, our ski resorts
were not open.
While people were kept indoors and away from one another during this period, nature was not hindered. So, I only have photos of nature during this period.
AUGUST
Towards the end of August, cherry blossoms and stone fruit
start developing flowers. I love seeing the cherry blossom trees especially
come alive to announce the coming of spring. Several species of orchids
continue to bloom while irisis also join in to add to the floral cheer.
Dandelions develop their puffy balls that invite you to blow on them. Crisp
clear blue skies add to the lift in our spirits while onion weeds and snow
drops start putting on quite a show with their bell shaped flowers.
Cherry blossom tree, onion weed, irises, dandelions
SEPTEMBER
In September, I have enough irises and arum lilies that have
blossomed to pick them for my dining table. The tiny Australian native orchids,
the dendrobiums, are at their best at this time. Scented white jasmine, purple
ajugas, lilac dropping wisteria, fragrant freesias that pop through cracks in
brick walls and driveways as well as garden beds and lawns. These and the
various types of white and yellow daisies sing their glorious praise.
 |
| Jasmine, ajugas, arum lilies, daisies |
Kookaburras also add their distinct voices to my creek trail
walk. It appears that they mate for life and are very territorial. They have
been observed to respect
territorial boundaries and not cross into a neighbour’s patch to retrieve
food that had been tossed to it. This day, I saw one of them dive into a hollow in a nearby tree - I surmised that they must have a hatchling.
You can read more about them on the Nature
Conservancy Australia as well as the Australian
Museum websites.
The warmer weather invite me out to do more cycling. I take
the opportunity to do so with a friend. I love the long distinct shadows cast
by leafless trees at this time of year when you get a clear blue sky day with
just a faint nip of the last fingers of winter in the air.
 |
| Jasmine, wisteria, dendrobium orchid, sunset, kookaburras, iris |
OCTOBER
By the end of October, rose buds turn to fully formed
flowers. As this is the first round of rose blossoms, everything is just
perfect – there are no dead or dying flowers or leaves to prune or pick off. It
is simply glorious. The perfume of roses in their masses is simply one of my
favourite scents. They elevate the spirit and fill one’s senses with such heady
delights.
The protea in my backyard are at their grandest at this
time. This year I have the most magnificent show on my bush – it could have been
the extra rain we had been getting this year. Even the creeks are nosier than
usual as they tumble over the rocks. Cherry blossoms continue to develop in
October and stone fruit add more colour to the landscape.
 |
| Ramping fumitory, quince, picnic at the park, everlasting, pardalote, very full creek |
Seasonal ‘weeds’ like the White Ramping Fumitory with their
deep maroon tipped narrow white petals and our native yellow Everlastings start
popping up along my regular walking trails. The white oxeye daisy with their
yellow centres and later blooming wattle can be seen in the neighbourhood parks
and nature strips. Quinces can also be seen ripening in gardens.
In one wetland precinct I saw a grey headed heron wading in
the shallows. Another tiny bird I spotted was the pardalote – I had only seen
pictures of them until now. It was at Westerfolds Park where I saw
it. On previous visits I even saw kangaroos bounding and also lazing in the
cool grasses and under the trees. There are many kilometres of walking tracks
you can choose from in this huge parkland which has retained much of its
natural vegetaion. As restrictions eased further towards the end of October I
was able to organise picnics there as well as at Wattle Park.
October is a lovely time to get married as well – with
limited number of guests being allowed still this year (5 I think), most of us
watched it online. This would be the third wedding I had attended online since
one virus turned the world upside down in 2019. I made it into the city as well
and with clean clear air free of pollution, the sky was the most incredible
blue. What a magnificent backdrop it made for my cityscapes.
 |
| Grey headed heron, protea, wattle, Melbourne city in spring |
While these three months appeared rather quiet this year in
Melbourne, nature is never completely still. There’s always something to
discover and enjoy if you know where to look.