RSL Glenara Motel, Lakes Entrance

The Returned & Services League of Australa website describes the organisation evolving as 'a direct result of the camaraderie, concern and mateship shown by the "Diggers" for the welfare of their mates during and after the 1914 - 1918 War. That ethos of compassion and service remains today the motivating influence of the League' .

Today, there are many RSL sub-branches all over Australia working to maintain this aim. Many include restaurants and bistros that are open to the public and usually provide good value old fashioned meals but I haven't, before now, come across an RSL sub-branch/motel combination like the RSL Glenara Motel at Lakes Entrance.

And what a strange looking building it is. Rounded corners, a nice wall to the left of the building, a very interesting tower on the roof and a pair of quite stylish handles at the main entrance.

Monarch Hotel-Motel, Moruya

I'm just not sure. The colours mauve & pink on the second storey and 1970's brown tiles at street level.

A plaque explains the site's history. Thomas Staunton had the Gold Diggers Arms here in 1859 which he later updated to The Commercial, a two storey timber hotel.

In 1939, J J King came along and built effectively the structure that remains today. He called it the Hotel Monarch after the British battleship as a result of a competition for possible names.

Michel P Nader remodelled the building into a Hotel-Motel in 1972. I suppose Mr Nader is responsible for the brown tiles. And actually I'm fairly sure I do not like the brown tiles but I suppose there is or will be in the future a Seventies Society that will love them.

Jamiesons Building, Gundagai

To my eyes perhaps a bit old fashioned for 1935 but it is in the country and it is lovely to see it so well maintained and occupied.

Eden Killer Whale Museum

The Killer Whale Museum in Eden opened in 1931 although this building dates from 1938. It's still going strong and by all accounts, the skeleton of the killer whale, "Old Tom", is still a very popular exhibit.

References:
Eden Killer Whale Museum website
Eden Visitor Information Centre website

da Goodfellows, Leeton

da Goodfellows Restaurant in Leeton has three wonderful stepped Art Deco elements on the façade above the main entrance. They really stand out with the current colouring of the building. In fact they look brand new. Maybe there are. Perhaps they 'fell' off another building and been added here or hopefully they are original. It's hard to tell. Nice little building though.

Registro Civil de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires

This is the Registro Civil de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. I know this because it is written above the entrance. I also know that it was built to commemorate something, presumably the establishment of the Registro Civil, between 1886 & 1943 because these two years are written elsewhere on the façade. More I can't really tell you other than the fact that there are three very nice Art Deco lamps hanging in the entrance.

Encyclopedia of Australian Architecture

Today I popped into a bookshop and had a flick through the extremely large Encyclopedia of Australian Architecture , edited by Philip Goad & Julie Willis. The entry I was particularly looking for was on Stuart Calder, the architect who designed the grandstand (left) at Glenferrie Oval in Hawthorn. In fact, the Calder entry includes one of my photos of the grandstand which is a big thrill because there are not that many photos in the book.

A Shop in Traralgon

A nice shop in Traralgon, even through the garish Chemist Warehouse livery.