Up the Highlands

Yes, it snows up in The Highlands of Tasmania in Winter though it only looks like a dusting of snow.  The black swans seem to love the snow. 

The local Hotel, well part of the roof collapsed in the accommodation section.

The Highlands are near enough in the middle of Tasmania, Australia and the town of Miena is about 1,000 meters above sea level.

We used to go up there in winter and take photos but I can't find them and I think they were taken before digital cameras.

These photos are borrowed, hoping you enjoy and for those that are having heatwaves, hope these photos cool you down a little.  Don't know who took these photos as it didn't say.

Where we live it's -4 deg C for several mornings in a row, afternoon temperature between 9 to 12 deg C, many frosts which in turn causes a beautiful sunny day. The forecast is the frosts are finished for awhile and daytime temperature will probably rise to 16 deg C.

John Lewin, Tasmanian Artist

Something different for me to post today.

The first Australian Artist.

When John Lewin stepped off the boat in Sydney, Australia on January 11, 1800, he was about to wield his paintbrush as the first free-settler professional artist in a wild frontier land.  He's already missed his first boat to Australia, the Buffalo, which his wife Anna Maria (also and artist) had boarded 18 months earlier.

So, he took the long journey to Australia alone, and he began his life in a new land amid controversy, when Anna Maria was accused in court of misconduct with the Buffalo's second mate - a charge which she was acquitted of.

Nonetheless, once he was settled, Lewin painted some of the earliest and most valuable paintings of Australia's fauna and flora, exhibiting a relaxed style at odds with the traditional European art, but well suited to the colonies.

John Lewin died in Sydney in 1819 as is buried at Botany Bay.

The Tasmanian Tiger, now extinct.

A Parakeet painted in water colours in 1810

Eastern Ground Parrot 1809. The parrot will fly at dawn and duck only. This parrot is only one of four ground parrots in this world.

Oil Painting done in 1819.

Waratah, water colour done in C 1805