The road from Cooma to Canberra – the poplars were turning gold.

White-backed magpie at its northern most part of its range south of Canberra

Liquid amber near Bredbo

Time for a visit to New Parliament House – no Prime Minister seen but a few mal-content public servants

House of Representatives chamber

Senate chamber

The Prime Ministers portraits are always worth seeing – the artists capturing a lot of character – Paul Keating’s one of my favourite portraits – looking directly into your soul.

On the top

No politicians here at present – but I found four parliamentary pigeons discussing policy and how their bills are shaping up. They did mess up the white paper.

Old Parliament House – now Museum of Democracy

My better half with a picture containing her grandfather sitting in the front row of government (third from the left) in the House of Representatives in early 1960s.

Grandaughter and great-granddaughter sitting in the same chair

Honour board containing all elected politicians who sat in Old Parliament House

National Gallery of Australia currently exhibiting the Cartier Collection

The Aboriginal Memorial consists of 200 hollow log coffins from central Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory and is one of the most significant Indigenous works of art in the Gallery’s history.

Some Australian Masterpieces – this one of the Blue Mountains by Eugene von Gerard

McCubbin

Waterlilies by Claude Monet

Blue Poles by Jackson Pollack – one of the gallery’s most controversial and famous works

The Cartier Collection is extensive, beautiful, gaudy and ostentatious but quite compelling

Something to wear out to the local RSL

Evening wear

There were pieces showing the world’s fascination with Egyptian art and the Indian Maharajah.

Pieces were linked to their owners with photos of celebrities wearing the jewellery on display

Elizabeth Taylor’s necklace

Many pieces were very ornate – all real diamonds and gems

The Queen loaned a few pieces from her collection to the exhibit

The tiara owned by the Queen worn by Kate Middleton/Duchess of Cambridge at her wedding

A brooch owned by the Queen

From Mount Ainslie

Sunset over Canberra

Sun setting over the Brindabellas.

The Big Merino at Goulburn – one of the greatest Big Things in Australia – no expense spared with this one – there were considerable ramifications around the construction.