Around fourteen years ago I left Sydney for the bright lights of Australia’s second biggest city, Melbourne. I didn’t know it at the time but my sea-change was going to be anything but smooth! However, despite my personal setbacks, I found inspiration in Melbourne’s back-laneways, street art, music, theatre scene and the gentle flow of its muddy river, the Yarra.
Looking at the clock on top of Flinders Street Station, I was reminded of Joan Lindsey’s ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock,’ of how all the clocks mysteriously stopped at exactly the same time, and for a moment the characters are neither here nor there! Well, this is my Lindsay moment; my time to stop and ponder my last 14 years in Melbourne…and then continue on!
Melbourne and I have been through a lot together! Falling out of love, hair doos and hair don’ts, and no hair at all. But through it all Melbourne’s charm has been there urging me on. She’s a creative muse! So I pulled out my iPhone and snapped these pictures of her! Ain’t She Purdy? (Read with an American accent)
“Four seasons in one day,” is a common Melbourne phrase, ’cause you go from hot, sunny day to raining and then it’d be hailing that night.’
“Eating crispy skin chicken alone (perfect ketones dinner) I ponder my journey from my home town to now over a Sav Blanc, served in a cheap glass at the China Bar on Brunswick street, comforted by the fact that the chicken is bloody tasty.” – Noel Anderson 15/07/18
CHARACTERS – Melburnians have their own unique style, and they’re not shy in coming forward or standing out!
The State Library Victoria an icon of Melbourne, was established in 1854, making it Australia’s oldest public library and the fourth most-visited library in the world. It inspired my magical story ‘Dumbstruck’ about the Alma (magic) Collection which is housed at the State Library. You can read it here – Dumbstruck Note – It was first published in SLV’s staff zine, The Goat 🐐
If you could change the choices you’ve made, would you want to keep them or upgrade them for something else? That question haunts me to this day!
Despite a few personal regrets, I have found Melbourne to be a city that encourages both old and young to “be who you are!” And to shout about it! Consequentially I’ve done a lot of writing in Melbourne, and a lot of damn shouting!
Melbourne and Creativity
Over 14 years, I’ve taken more than 20,000 photos of Melbourne and Melbourne performers, all shot using my iPhone.
A Fact – I have more pictures of Melbourne in my collection than my home town of Sydney. ‘It must be love, right?’
Today
Yesterday… or been there, got over that!
“Why did I take so many pictures? I don’t know, I guess Melbourne inspires me to look in the camera lens and dream” – Noel Anderson 3/3/21
Polaroid – A Retrospective of short Stories
This may not be the Melbourne you know but this is as I see it! Shot naturally on my iPhone. Now I raise my glass to Melbourne and the next 14 years 🥳
About the author – Noel Anderson is currently working on his play ‘Billy Loves Cha Cha Forever’ for the Midsumma Festival 2021 and putting the finishing touches on his feature film script Sammy & Dave. In 2020 Noel adapted Henry James’s ‘The Turn of the Screw’ into a play called ‘Ghost Story‘. Read an extract of Ghost Story on Amazon. More info: Australian Plays Org
More Info: https://linktr.ee/noelanderson
Harlequin ink 
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