Ian Halstead イアン・ハルステッド
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Ian Halstead イアン・ハルステッド
@ianhalst.bsky.social
830 followers 530 following 2.7K posts
Retired graphic artist and web designer. History, music – bass guitarist – silversmithing, book gorger with a pile of as yet unread books taller than I am.
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Bramble – the furry vortex of snooze.
Female tortoiseshell cat named Bramble, curled up inside a furry circular donut style cat bed, and photographed from above.
December 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM
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And resuming the Australia trip photos. A ferry trip along the Darling River in Bourke with some views from the ferry, the Jandra Paddleboat, and sights from the town. Paddle boats once formed an important goods transportation link.
Gillian taking the wheel of the Jandra whilst underway. The Captain closely supervised passengers having a go. The large windows on the bridge and modern controls in the wooden binnacle in front of the wheel aid easy navigation. The wheel has ten spokes with handles for turning the wheel, and is around 1.5m in diameter. A handle to operate the ship’s whistle hangs from the ceiling to the left of the helmsperson. An iconic wind driven water pump, comprising a multi-vaned circular sail atop a three legged mast, is used to extract water from the river. The windmill stands next to some low sheds-like buildings near a row of mainly Eucalyptus trees. The foreground is parched earth and low grass. Two kangaroos sit in the shade beneath a large Eucalytus tree, with fallen branches on the ground nearby. One kangaroo is sitting in front of an old grey tree trunk and blends into the background. The Gidgee Guesthouse, a former bank, is a good example of Bourke’s architectural heritage. Wide verandahs shade the building from direct sunlight, which in the late spring and summer months can be brutal in intensity.
December 17, 2025 at 3:46 PM
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あなたはどこかで旅を始めなければなりません。小さなステップで、日本語学習の最初のステップは、基本的なキーキャラクターのいくつかを正しく形成することです。あまり大声で笑わないでください！🫣😬😳練習で上手になります。
Japanese characters repeatedly written in rows to practice forming them correctly. I don’t have the shapes well formed and the writing is not fluid, but it will improve.
December 15, 2025 at 8:18 PM
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…and the graves of three children killed in a horse and cart accident. Two Chinese people are also interred here. Bourke was once home to 2000 camels, used for transporting goods to and from the railhead which ended in Bourke at the time. 2/2
The white marble headstone reads: In Memory of MICHAEL COSTICAN A CONSTABLE OF THE NSW POLICE WHO WAS SHOT DEAD AT BOURKE ON THE 11 SEPTEMBER 1872 Erected by the Government of NS WALES. He was one of two unfortunate policemen who were killed when a barman went berserk during a heatwave. A white marble headstone is surrounded by ornate and rusty railings. The inscription reads: In Memory of ANNIE M. CARTHY ACCIDENTALLY KILLED AT THE BOURKE CHILDRENS PICNIC 15 AUGUST 1888 AGED 41/2 YEARS. DEAREST ANNIE HOW WE MISS THEE EARTH HAS LOST THEE, HEAVEN HAS FOUND THEE LITTLE ANNIE FARE THEE WELL A white marble headstone is surrounded by ornate and rusty railings. The headstone reads: In memory of IDA LILLIAN WARTON ACCIDENTALLY KILLED AT THE BOURKE CHILDRENS PICNIC 15™ AUGUST 1888 AGED 6 YEARS. ALAS, HOW SOON HER LIFE WAS O'ER, HOW TRANSIENT WAS HER STAY; JUST LIKE A WAVE UPON THE SHORE OUR DARLING LILLIAN PASSED AWAY. A white marble headstone is surrounded by ornate and rusty railings. The headstone reads: In memory of JANET LUSCOMPE DIED APRIL 2 1893 AGED 9 MONTHS JOHN NORMAN LUSCOMBE DIED MAY 24TH 1894 ACED 4 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS ELSIE LUSCOMBE DIED AUGUST 2 1896 ACED 2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS.
December 15, 2025 at 3:42 PM
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Another daily (almost) dose of Australia trip photos. These are from Bourke’s historic graveyard and it’s a fascinating place. It contains a tin roofed mosque, the graves of notable cameleers, the grave of a policeman shot by a bar owner who went berserk… 1/2
A descriptive plaque next to the mosque used by Afghan cameleers. “Afghan Mosque Around the turn of the century this small building was used by Muslim Afghan Traders as a place of worship for their Islamic Faith. The Afghan traders were immigrant camel drivers, who came with their camels from the North West regions of India, now known as Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were experts in the handling, training and breaking of camels and they set about establishing carrying companies to carry goods to remote and arid areas. About two years after the Railway service was extended from Dubbo to Bourke in 1885, a camel carrying transport company was established just south of the railway at what is now the Bourke Showground area. As many as 2000 camels were stationed there as the property of the Bourke Carrying Co. under the initial management of Abdul Wade. From the railway, goods were transported by camel trains which usually consisted of between 20 and 30 camels, and 2 or 3 cameleers (and occasionally many more). Camels were also used to carry the mail. In 1886 they were used by Cobb & Co to carry the mail and passengers between Wilcannia and the Mount Brown goldfield which was then a very arid region. Again during the 1901-1902 drought the Bourke Hungerford mail passenger service used three camels to pull the standard Cobb & Co Coach, but with slightly wider wheels to assist travel over sandy country. The Muslim Afghans brought with them their religious practice of their Islamic faith, and were then called Mohammedan. For services, it is believed initially that a place of worship was set aside in a special room in the house of Bye Khan. Later this small Mosque was constructed at the rear of Marbeen Perooze's house in Hope Street, Bourke. The Mosque was moved to this site in 1998 for safekeeping. It is oriented, as it was in Hope Street, towards "Kaaba" in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The mosque is perhaps 4 metres wide by 5 deep, constructed with a wooden frame faced by corrugated iron sheets for the walls and roof and painted white. It sits near a small copse of trees in the graveyard. The grave of Zeriph Khan, born in Afghanistan in 1871 and died March 23 1903. The Arabic inscription reads: The Merciful, there is no one but Allah, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, Zalouhan, for the servants of Allah, Khan Zeriph. The grave of Natoolah Akonzada, who died in Bourke June 29 1922. The Arabic inscription is not legible unfortunately.
December 15, 2025 at 3:42 PM
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Images of Australia, from a trip Nov. 6 to Nov 27 2025. Moving on from a one night stay in Dubbo, to two nights in Bourke.
Trangie, a town between Dubbo and Bourke, in a cattle and grain area. Looking across the cross-roads from Cafe 2823 (recommended, good coffee) to a line of agricultural vehicles on Narromine Street. A large red tractor pulls a red 20 wheeled grain container, ahead of combine harvesters and further tractors. Yet another seemingly randomly placed Bofors gun, spotted opposite Cafe 2823 in Trangie. Getting closer to Bourke. A refreshment stop at Mulga Creek Hotel near Byrock. The ceiling is festooned with hats signed and left by visitors. Yet another very friendly welcome! Sunset at our stay in Bourke. Clouds on the horizon catch the yellow and oranges in spectacular fashion. The local bird life was particularly vociferous.
December 14, 2025 at 10:48 PM
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Previously thought lost in a move, but now found in a box of DVDs hidden at the back of a cupboard. My grandad features for a few seconds as he pops his head out of a hatch and finds they are under fire. He was engineer aboard the launch in real life, his squadron were chosen to take part.
DVD case with cover: “The Ealing Studios Collection The action is swift – the characters loveable For Those in Peril The Story of Air Sea Rescue Produced by Michael Balcon” The case cover features an illustration of an High Speed Launch in rough seas approaching an inflatable dinghy containing two downed aircrew. A still from the film. My grandfather – a bare chested and bald headed man in his 30s rising out of the opened engine room hatch of a 63 foot ‘Whaleback’ launch. His head and upper torso are visible as he grips the hatch sides. Sea spray kicked up by the rapid speed flares up behind him. At this point, he is supposed to realise they are under fire and he ducked quickly back into the engine room. As engineer aboard, he looked after and operated the three 500hp Napier Sealion Engines.
December 14, 2025 at 7:57 PM
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On the road from Katoomba to Dubbo – heading for outback country. Hired a Mitsubishi GSX from No Birds car hire. The hire firm were brilliant, the car less so. A bit fidgety and crashy on less than perfect roads. Decent fuel economy though.
Heading for Dubbo on the Mitchell Highway. Light traffic was the norm once past urban areas. The image is taken from the passenger seat looking down the road to a rocky outcrop alongside a bend to the right. Two vehicles are approaching on the opposite side of the two lane road. Eucalyptus trees flank the carriageway. Farming country, with a mix of grain and cattle farming. The land is mainly flat in the image with a ridge of low hills in the distance. Grasses occupy the verges with open fields beyond. There is a blue sky with high cirrus. This was on the Castlereagh Highway, past Mudgee. A mix of grasslands and interspersed trees. We came across the odd group of Emus, but didn’t manage to photograph any. The image is from the passenger seat, having just stopped for a break. A long stretch of road with zero traffic. The road is flanked by grass verges and lines of trees, and is ruler straight into the distance.
December 12, 2025 at 8:43 AM
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And… yet more images from the Australia trip. Warning ⚠️ – there are hundreds yet to come! 😬🫣. Katoomba sunsets taken from Cahill’s Lookout. Got a chance to practice a little Japanese with some lovely tourists from Japan.
Looking south from Cahill’s Lookout. A light grey tree trunk on the extreme left gives way to bushes and shrubs leading to a cliff edge beyond which is a rock face of the Narrow Neck. More cliff faces are seen in the distance, as are hazy blue ridges in the far distance. The sky is orange and yellow. Further down Cahill’s Lookout, looking south across the valley. Two Eucalyptus trees dominate the foreground. The set sun glows yellow behind the far horizon. The sun shortly before setting completely. Seen from Cahill’s Lookout and viewed looking south west. Trees and bushes in the foreground catch the yellow of the setting sun. Again looking more or less south west at the setting sun, with the tops of the foliage catching the setting sun. A backlit leafless tree stump is central on the image.
December 11, 2025 at 9:24 PM
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Trip to Australia – photos around Katoomba, with discovered textures
Looking like highly compressed and folded dry noodles, this wood formed part of the root system of a tree in the temperate rainforest in the valley near Katoomba. Another exposed root section of a tree with highly convoluted folds and wraps showing in the wood grain. The lower part of Katoomba Falls. The water flow was restrained at this point and is often much more energetic. The water divides into several paths flowing over sandstone composed of horizontal layers. Foliage flanks the falls, and areas of moss grow where the rock is kept moist. The view from a track in the valley, up to a prominent cliff of red sandstone, looking a little like the bow of a huge ship. Trees and bushes form the foreground and frame the ultramarine sky on either side of the image.
December 11, 2025 at 11:15 AM
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The Bofors gun…
A 40mm Bofors gun positioned next to a car park in Katoomba and protected by railings. The rear view of the gun, which is painted a light blue-grey.
December 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
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Australia trip – more images. Moving on from Sydney to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. A Bofors gun seemingly randomly placed in Katoomba and views of the Three Sisters rock formation.
The Three Sisters rock formation viewed from a platform at the Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centre. Standing proud of a rocky projection overlooking the forested valley below. Looking like the lower jaw of an enormous animal the Three Sisters sit like worn molar teeth on the promontory ‘jaw’. A wide valley winds past, with a cliff face visible in the far distance. Railings and viewers are seen at the bottom of the image. The weather is sunny with a few clouds. A sulphur-crested cockatoo standing on a patch of grass in the shade of some trees. Predominantly white, with a yellow crest, the colour being reminiscent of sulphur. A close-up of the Three Sisters rock formation. In the valley below the Three Sisters, the vegetation becomes far more lush, being temperate rainforest with ferns, including tree ferns, several species of Eucalyptus, Coachwood trees and Sassafras trees among others.
December 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM
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Trip to Australia – more images around Sydney. We managed to locate the heavily refurbished house in which Gillian lived until age 4. We knocked on the door, showed the occupants photos of the house from the 60s and got a guided tour! A ferry out to Watson’s Bay and a walk to South Head followed.
Looking very different, but occupying a similar footprint to the house in which Gillian spent her early years, this bay front property occupies a prime position in Yowie Bay. A two storey detached house with pale grey-blue wooden slat cladding, access is via lots of steps or an inclinator lift. Mature tree foliage is seen behind the property, together with an almost fully blue sky. Just the occasional cloud. Gillian looking out on Yowie Bay, with the house she once lived in on the water’s edge to her right. The photo is taken from the grounds of a convent adjacent to the house. The convent is now defunct and the land and buildings have been sold. On the walk from Watson’s Bay to South Head, is a gun emplacement featuring a nineteenth century muzzle loading cannon, possibly an Armstrong design. It appears to be aimed at Sydney, with the tall buildings of the city centre visible in the distance over the bay waters. Hornby Lighthouse at South Head, and featuring vertical red and white strips around the circumference. It stands at just over 9 metres tall, sitting on a bed of solid sandstone rock.
December 9, 2025 at 10:05 PM
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More images from the trip to New South Wales. Sydney again.
Hyde Park Barracks, city centre reflections and the excellent Adge Hotel.
Hyde Park Barracks – now a well thought out and run museum. It has served as a military barracks, hospital, housing for prisoners, a mint and a courthouse. Three stories high with a roof space and is built from sandstone in Georgian style with a pediments gable containing a large clock. Reflections of an adjacent building on the windows of another, the green glass giving a stylised impression of water reflections. The top floor of the barracks is a dormitory, the interior is whitewashed and contains rows of hammocks for use by prisoners. The excellent Adge Hotel in Surrey Hills. Outrageously splendid decor in bright colours with contemporary furnishings. Very reasonably priced and within easy bus travel to Sydney Harbour.
December 9, 2025 at 3:26 PM
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Spent from November 6 to 27 in Australia, touring around New South Wales in a hire car after an initial few days in Sydney. Some photos from the Sydney stay.
Sydney harbour bridge photographed from near the opera house. Sydney harbour is in the foreground and midground, with the bridge running left to right across the image. Largely blue sky with wispy cirrus. A stray pointing hand intruding into the photo is visible at the bottom left. The harbour bridge and opera house on the horizon, left and right consecutively, with the long curved pedestrian area leading to the opera house curving upwards left to right from the bottom left. Looking back to the Sydney business area with several skyscraper type buildings beyond the extensive opera house apron. Several apices of the opera house building, arranged around a stairway leading to a hidden entrance.
December 9, 2025 at 12:25 PM
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Mid 80s photoshoot for a band I was in – originally ‘Agent Orange’ until we found the name already taken. Became ‘Beat the Clock’. Photographed around St. Andrew’s Dock in Hull with a large format Rollei as I remember. I may have posted these before but what the hell!
Photographed at the quayside next to the bow of a trawler with its mooring rope and anchor visible. Foremost is Grant Ardis the drummer, perched on a mooring stanchion, right leg raised with a foot on the rope. Behind anto the left is the author, Ian Halstead, bass guitar. Behind Grant to the right are Maggie Foottit, vocalist and Pete Cox, guitar. Another trawler can be seen adjacent to the far dockside, and part of the bow of one berthed further to the right on this side. A bright sunny day, accentuating the monochrome tones of the image. Grant, Maggie, myself and Pete, left to right, standing facing the camera with backs to the quay. A small section of trawler now is on the extreme left, with a side view of a trawler on the far dockside with another berthed alongside this. Maggie, myself, Grant and Pete on the superstructure of a caterpillar tracked mobile crane, used in a major raid-building programme near the docks. Maggie is perched on the large striped counterweight at the rear, with the rest behind the rail alongside the cab. Right to left, flowing diagonally from lower right to top left of the frame, are Grant, Maggie, Pete and myself. We are all sitting facing left in a raised low wall at a quayside – the camera is looking down from a standing head height. Deep shadows of us are cast on the ground in front of us as bright sunlight comes from the right onto our backs.
November 2, 2025 at 9:01 AM
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A cast metal sign on the side of a well within the courtyard of Doune Castle in Scotland. The close-up image shows the sign, with a white border and capitalised lettering, on a black background. The sign is mounted on stonework around the well.
October 16, 2025 at 9:13 AM
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A day of sunshine and rain showers. Polly is happy to just laze on the sofa.
#Sighthound #Podenco #HairyPodenco
Polly the hairy Podenco, outstretched on a sofa, her head partly resting on cushions and partly on an arm rest. Her front paws protruded over the arm rest. Polly has eyes almost closed, a white nose along with most of her face, and brown and tan shades on the rear of her head and to her body.
September 12, 2025 at 9:52 AM
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The empty chair. 🪑
A room at Gargunnock House near Stirling.

www.landmarktrust.org.uk/properties/g...
Standing in a corridor, an internal panelled door is partially open, revealing an empty chair positioned next to a sunlit window behind it. The ceiling of the revealed room slopes down to the right above the chair. A light coloured patterned rug is in front of the chair, and one leg and a corner of a side table can be seen behind the right side of the open doorway.
September 5, 2025 at 7:28 AM
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Going through some old printed literature and found this tour guide for the Myoryuji Temple in Kanazawa – we visited in May 2017. A fascinating structure in that it looks like a temple but was a defensive fortress. Hidden rooms, trapdoors and secret tunnels etc.
The cover of the tourist guide book to Myoryuji Temple. It shows the entrance gateway with a stone column outside. Three postcards acquired with the guide. One shows an escape tunnel entrance/exit disguised as a well, the second is of a room containing staircases to the main sanctuary and the third shows the cylindrical well in a courtyard. The guidebook opened out with an explanation in the left and a photo of the subject on the right – in this case showing floor boards which can be removed to reveal hidden spaces.
September 1, 2025 at 1:37 PM
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Instantly transported back to my student days. Gong: Expresso II.
The cover for the LP Expresso II by Gong, laid next to a Linn LP12 turntable, set next to each other on a treated and sealed marine plywood media furniture unit.
August 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
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And some more images…
Lilly pads and two striking flowers with the carmine colour contrasting wonderfully with the rich green of the pads. A zig-zag walkway projects out into the pond, returning to the pond bank after roughly 30 metres or so. Small bushes and an outcrop of heather are in the foreground, on the island connecting two sides of the pond. Three people are on the walkway. The large arched bridge connecting the pond island with one side of the pond. Four sets of supports are visible under the bridge. It has been left unpainted, in its natural wood finish. An outcrop of Meripilus fungi in close-up. The platelets are mottled brown in colour on top with cream coloured undersides, and resemble a jumbled up frilly skirt.
August 24, 2025 at 8:40 AM
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And yet more images…
A gravel rake – the raking section is dog-toothed rather than equipped with dowels for creating the grooves – placed on a cut grass surface next to a freshly raked circle of ripples. A raked ‘shoreline’ of a moss and stone island is in the background. A stone frog, itself placed on a stone, is positioned in a small glade surrounded by foliage. A stone Tanuki statue – a Japanese ‘raccoon dog’ complete with saki bottle – represents a mythical creature which originally shapeshifter and played tricks on people. More recently, it symbolises good luck, particularly in a business setting. Yes, this Tanuki like most, is well endowed in the testicle department. A stone lantern, shipped from Japan complete with packing and assembly instructions is placed on a tall stone column. There are several lantern in the garden. Bushes and trees are behind, with a cut grass lawn and large stones in front. Partially hidden is a wooden thatched roof structure.
August 24, 2025 at 8:28 AM
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More images from the visit…
A short arched bridge spans a stone-walled channel fed by water from a dam upstream. Trees flank the bridge, with a pathway is on the left side of the channel. A golden house on the banks of the pond is the information centre for the garden. The walls are a rich golden orange colour and the structure has a thatched pitched roof. A zig-zag walkway over the pond leads to an island, connected to the far side of the pond by a large arched bridge. Both the walkway and bridge symbolise the journey through life. Large stones placed in the pond are seen in the foreground. A covered wooden viewing structure projects over the pond. Four substantial poles support the roof, allowing the structure to be open on all four sides. Wooden railings with delicate bamboo infills fully cover three sides of the structure, to waist level. The large arched bridge is seen in the background.
August 24, 2025 at 7:30 AM
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A visit to the Japanese Gardens at Cowden, near Dollar in Scotland.

cowdengarden.com
A large artificial pond, created by a dam constructed in the valley is the central focus of the garden. An arched bridge connects one side of the garden to an island. Both the bridge and surrounding trees are reflected in the pond. A dry garden with moss and stone islands is a part of the garden. A freshly raked circular ripple pattern has been created in an open area of gravel, with the circumference of the islands also raked. A series of conjoined stones projects into the pond, with a capped stone lantern at the end. A coveted gateway leads to a path taking you further into the garden. Delicate bamboo dancing and hedges flanked by the gateway. The gateway cover is a pitched roof constructed in wood and bamboo. Japanese characters on the gateway roughly translate as ‘dew water healing’ – I think!
August 24, 2025 at 7:08 AM