Mundane as Australian suburbia might be, we often do get interesting visitors. This multi-part web page contains a selection of recent suburban wildlife pictures of interest.

Photos and text © 2010 Carlo Kopp; Photographs produced using a Mamiya 645AFD with 80 mm f/2.8 AF prime, using Fujifilm RVPII 100 ASA,  Fujifilm HS10 superzoom (10 Megapixel CMOS), and Nikon D90.

Pacific Black Duck paddling along Yarraman Creek (Nikkor AF-S 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED / D90 - Click for HD Screen Background).

Yarraman Creek is part of the Greater Dandenong waterway system, comprising the Eumemmerring, Yarraman, Mile and Dandenong creeks. All eventually merge into Dandenong Creek. Upstream Yarraman Creek is fed from the Sandown Racecourse reservoir and is used primarily as a stormwater collection system in the central Noble Park area. Downstream Yarraman Creek is a nature reserve retaining much of the vegetation and habitat predating colonisation and urbanisation. The creek system provides a valuable corridor for wildlife in a relatively densely populated suburban and industrial area.

This series of images was mostly produced as a test shoot using a Mamiya 645AFD and 80 mm f2.8 AF lens with Provia 100 transparency film, in spring 2010, at the end of a period of drought. Within weeks record rainfalls transformed the area.

Yarraman Creek, Victoria - Autumn 2012

Yarraman Creek and Chandler Road in April, 2012. Over year of wet weather has seen major growth (D90/Nikkor AF-S 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED - Click for full resolution).