Quarries

Visited a few quarries today (in their various forms). Shortly after we arrived at our first stop, I spotted a beaten old ute struggling to drive up the hillside of Solomon Heights - an unusual sign of human life in the area. I don't know if our presence caused them to drive away. 

We didn't stay for long on account of the weather, and as soon as we got back to the car, a clean silver 4WD ute came down the hill and drove over the footpath. The back tray held two dogs - a staffy, and an egg-headed bull terrier - chained to the rollcage. The driver jumped out, tested a fence separating the River Valley development from the quarry, and pushed it (probably to ascertain whether he could drive over it) reasonably close to the ground. He then hopped back into his car and reversed the whole way back up the hill. By this point, I also began to drive back up the hill and spotted him idling on an empty block of land. He then drove aggressively back down the hill, the car - dogs and all - violently lurching from side to side. I didn't see him after that.

I wonder who turned these concrete drainpipes into planters

I also wonder whether these drainpipes are related to the planter-pipes

I can't tell if the rusty cars were burnt or submerged (or both). 

I'm no geologist but the rock formation is nice. Reminds me of Organ Pipes park

Quarry beach

Soccer stadium on the hill

The above quarry links to this one. I think they filled it a few years ago.
You can see some revegetation on the quarry face closest to the street.

Not a quarry but I like this path (which will probably have houses on both sides one day)

West of Duke St. This quarry was earmarked for a shopping centre roughly ten years ago. As you can see, much progress has been made. 

If only I could live next to a giant hole in the ground

I don't think this quarry attracts as many hooligans. Seems a lot more quiet/clean

Substation box propped up with wood, very safe looking

Dead-end street I parked on, featuring giant tyre

Newport Lakes was decidedly more wholesome. Some kind of junior bush dancing competition was on, which seemed to result in a large number of kids being forcibly led away from the event by their parents (overheard: "You want freedom? Well those friends of yours..."). 

Man-made indentations in the land can end up looking surprisingly natural

This bird has bread in its foot

Mean cloud in the same colourway as my car

Stopping for groceries on the way back constituted the final quarry visit, in the form of Altona Gate shopping centre. The row of spaces I usually park in had a curb extended halfway through each space, essentially turning each spot into a square. I don't know if this was intentional but people kept parking there anyway, two squares to a car (and then I did it and by the time I got back from Coles everyone else had left, rendering me the only person to park like that which probably made a lot of people think I don't know how to park a car).

I'll actually park my car inside the "quarry" next time.

This looks so inviting

It actually goes another 2 levels below this