Entries by

Augustine Zycher

Geisha in Kyoto, Japan

by

Kyoto is the centre of Japan’s Geisha culture. There are almost 200 Geiko (Geisha) in Kyoto, making it the largest concentration in Japan. It is hard to find a Western equivalent for this exclusive profession. It combines the rigorous training and discipline of an elite ballet school and music academy, with the self-renunciation of a nunnery. Exquisitely costumed Geiko are sometimes seen along the narrow streets in the Gion quarter. Meeting a Maiko, a young woman in apprenticeship to become a Geiko, was one of the most memorable events of our time in Japan.

Tasman Island Cruise, Tasmania

by

The boat is fast and the seas are often very rough. In the front rows, it’s the thrill of being on a roller coaster. The waves hurl you up and land you with a thump. From the middle rows to the back it is a more sedate ride – depending on the weather. So you get to choose what sort of ride you want, according to where you sit.

But wherever you sit, the views of the south-eastern Tasmanian coastline are spectacular.

Polixeni Papapetrou – My Top 5 Places in Australia

by

When photographic artist Polixeni Papapetrou chose her 5 favourite places to visit in Australia, they were not just travel destinations. They were landscapes that captured her imagination and inspired her to transform them into her art. Dramatically beautiful, they are insightful and unsettling works.

Maria Island Tasmania

by

The boat pulled into the clear turquoise waters of a small cove. We were surrounded by rocks aged from 280 million to over 400 million years-old, pressed together in configurations seen nowhere else in the world. And then lunch was served.

Susan – Women of Oz

by

I learnt to be on my own later, travelling as an older woman, because I think I have been left alone as an older woman in a way that I never was when I was younger. I used to be followed. Spain was a nightmare. You couldn’t be on the street in those days in the sixties. You could not go to Spain alone. You could not go to Greece alone. And you could not be in Italy unless you wanted to be followed all the time. Now I feel very free because no-one even sees me! Oh, it’s great! It’s fabulous!

Professor Gillian Triggs – My Top 5 Places in Australia

by

Gillian Triggs, Chair of Justice Connect, won enormous respect for her courage and fortitude in defence of human rights in her previous position as President of the Australian Human Rights Commission. This despite being subjected to unprecedented attacks and pressure from government ministers and their representatives.

Professor Triggs was catapulted into national headlines when she released a report on children in immigration detention. Tony Abbott, the then Prime Minister, Attorney-General George Brandis, and the then Immigration Minister Scott Morrison declared that the report was biased, that they had lost confidence in her and that she should resign.