Items

• 
  2020-07-05

  The Life-Giving Locale

  This is the Moonee Ponds Drain. Concrete behemouth. Primary function: transport storm water to the Bay via the Maribyrnong River. Secondary functions (that came to light under lockdown): bike path, rollerblading circuit, mushroom foraging field, freeway viewing platform, late night extension of the lounge room during household parties, study break spot, skate park, graffiti canvas, shortcut to nearby suburbs, and shopping cart disposal pit. This place truly brings the community together. HIST 30060
• 
  2020-04

  ANZAC Day 2020

  Like many families we participated in a dawn service unlike any previously held this year. As gatherings and official ceremonies were cancelled people looked for alternate ways to commemorate ANZAC day. Across the country there was a movement to participate in a unified but socially distanced way. Lighting a small candle and observing the minute silence made us all feel a little more connected during the height of the Sydney lockdown.
• 
  2020-08

  Isolation bakes - HIST30060

  During isolation, myself and many others turned to baking as a way to pass time and enjoy a treat that didn't require anyone to leave the house. Perhaps more than this though, I felt that whatever I was baking was something that I had complete control over, so long as I followed the recipe, and in 'these unprecedented times' as the tag-line goes, this little bit of certainty was precious.
• 
  2020-04-08

  (HIST30060) lockdown lasting much longer than two weeks

  Back at the start of the pandemic, everyone thought we would locked down and at home for about 2 weeks, and then things would start getting back to normal. Little did we know that 9 months down the track would countries still be going into lockdowns and others having lighter restrictions. As the weeks went on and the case numbers kept rising, the level of restrictions increased as did the number of weeks we were in lockdown (Melbourne is just now slowly coming out of a 15 week lockdown, one of the longest in the world).
• 
  2020-11-05

  COVID Recovery for Local Hospitality - Victoria, Australia

  Metropolitan Melbourne is emerging from its second lockdown. Here you can see workers laying artificial turf out the front of some hospitality venues. The turf covers car parks, but it will increase the outdoor seating capacity of these venues. This will stimulate the small businesses and reduce the risk of virus transmission, as customers will sit outside rather than inside. I believe that the approach here is modeled on the Open Restaurants initiative of NYC, USA. 37°51'47.5"S 144°54'17.0"E
• 
  2020-09-28

  Noticing the little things

  Like many people, I've been spending a lot more time in my back yard this year. Once the weather started getting nice enough our household and the neighbours all seemed to have the idea to start barbequing, just for something different to do, and we often had barbeques going in three back yards along at the same time. One such day I spotted two baby wattlebirds in the tree. I spent a good few hours that day, and the next few, just watching them and their parents feeding them, I even saw their first flight. It's something I never could have imagined spending so long doing before the pandemic, so I guess you could call that a positive of the experience. (HIST30060)
• 
  2020

  Jewish Melbourne - My Two Lockdown Experiences - Day by Day

  I shared my thoughts, experiences and feelings: my family and me in lockdown. In both lockdown #1 and lockdown #2, in daily blog posts over many weeks. Many of the stories include Jewish-life aspects.
• 
  2020-05-04

  Fish Wish in the time of Covid - Jewish Melbourne

  We decided as a family to create a film that documented our experience of lockdown. The film is a narrative that is loosely based on our family's lived experience in the time of Covid-19. The act of making the film as a family served to connect us creatively. The film also acts as a time capsule.
• 
  2020

  'Grounded' Podcast Series - Australian Aviation and Covid-19

  ‘Grounded’ is a series of podcast interviews (created in the first three months of the pandemic) with aviation industry participants regarding the impacts and issues that the Covid-19 pandemic creates for the General Aviation industry in Australia. This is important because General Aviation is often forgotten about in the discourse. What is generally talked about in the media is the AIRLINES - not the small, family run General Aviation businesses and pilots). In these podcasts, I interview the smaller players in the industry - a small tourist charter operation manager, an airshow organiser, a flight school operator, the chairman of Recreational Aviation Australia, a light aircraft manufacturer, a maintenance facility operator, and even the editor of a general aviation aircraft trading magazine. All interview participants of the podcasts provide significant personal insights into the impacts of Covid-19 on their industry that are not generally part of mainstream media discussion. I have submitted this artefact as it provides a unique insight into the lesser-known parts of the aviation industry in those first three months of the pandemic.
• 
  2020-08-10

  Paste up street art, Ballarat

  The pandemic has inspired a lot of creativity including street art. This example on a mail distribution box was spotted while walking in the local neighbourhood (walking being another popular pandemic past time). The design has a virus symbol together with a rat. ("The rat" is a colloquial term for Ballarat).
• 
  2020-05-06

  Humans of Covid-19 AU: Montana

  “People are often saying that it sounds so nice and relaxing working from home, but I've been finding the opposite. It’s really exhausting, more so than a day at the office. I think it's because you’re fighting so many distractions, both consciously and unconsciously, all day. For me, art is often mental health focused. The reason that I do the art is for my personal mental health, it's a really good outlet for me to feel calm and understand my feelings and thoughts. But I also make the art to share it with others and build a community of people that can support each other and feel reassured by relating to others’ feelings. I love that people are turning to art as an outlet during this time. I'm a big believer that creativity can help people to reach a state of mindfulness and act as a preventative measure to mental health issues. I’ve noticed that people are being so generous and compassionate. As I go for walks, I notice that people have got baskets out on the nature-strip, offering their things, and sending letters to each other. It’s really wholesome. COVID19 has made me realize that there are so many things we do everyday that contribute to the decay of earth, but are completely unnecessary.” Instagram post on Montana, illustrator, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
• 
  2020-04-30

  Humans of Covid-19 AU: Hugo Ling

  “It’s strange having all this time to myself at home. I'm not necessarily someone who spends a lot of time at home alone doing my own thing in normal circumstances. The first few weeks were very funny to sit back and think ‘What are my interests? What am I into?’ I’ve been trying to do things that keep my brain active, like Boggle, practising my French, and learning some Spanish. Coming back a few months ago from exchange in France has given me some perspective on COVID19. I’ve got a few friends over there who are completely locked in their apartment. Here, we’re lucky to still have the freedom to walk and bike ride at our leisure. I’ve been doing both of them a lot. Earlier in the pandemic, everyone was talking about ‘social distancing’. My mum pointed out that the better term is ‘physical distancing’. You don't want to be socially distant, you want to be socially connected, with a distance - something that me and my friends have maintained. I’ve been feeding off the creativity of some of my friends: weekly Zoom live music; a home-made magazine; a friend is making Vino Quarantino. So there are a few things that have been happening amongst my close circle that keep us all talking, interested and connected. We’ll definitely carry the habit of diligent handwashing into the future, and a greater consideration for general hygiene. The pandemic has definitely sparked that in my house. I get bouts of cabin fever from time to time, but am trying to keep busy and active.” Instagram post on Hugo Ling, student, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
• 
  2020-04-29

  Humans of Covid-19 AU: James

  “I'm still working here at the supermarket 3-4 times a week. It’s been way busier and at times quite overwhelming. When the whole toilet paper saga was happening, it was hard to get enough products in. My other job is at a skatepark, but that’s been put on hold I'm glad to have employment at this time. I’ve been working here for five months now and I love it. Although sitting on my couch is always good, I would much rather come here and work with these guys and get paid. And definitely for my mental state I would rather be here. The skate park that I have been going to for 10 years is closed. I miss that a little bit. But I’m still skating when I can. I’m looking forward to being able to see my mates. Zoom calls are not the same. It’s weird, you never would have thought you’d appreciate it so much.” Instagram post on James, store clerk, and his experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
• 
  2020-04-23

  Humans of Covid-19 AU: Tracy Barnes

  “I lost my job as a cook straight away. Since then I've been able to do heaps more work in the garden. We make our own bread, and wine, and now we are experimenting with making stuff that we didn’t have time for before. If we could perhaps not rush back into resuming where we left off that would be fantastic. We have reset back to things that are a little more basic, like human interaction. We don't need a lot of external, materialistic things. This pandemic has shown that we can shut the world down if we need to, which in regards to climate change, was apparently a thing that was too hard. This situation has totally reaffirmed the importance of gardening and self-sufficiency. We have been able to provide for others around us. We have a chance to take a breath in history. Hopefully it can be a turning point that where we were going isn’t the way we had to go and we can look back and say ‘Wow, we actually changed the direction we were heading’”. Instagram post on Tracy Barnes, cook & gardener, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
• 
  2020-04-17

  Humans of Covid-19 AU: Alissa

  “I’m feeling the totality of the experience, the lack of any space or any break whatsoever. It leaks into every aspect of life, every minute of every day. This has definitely been a challenge. Being ‘forced’ to have quality time with my kids, actual quality time, is the best part. I’m loving the slowing down - no more rushing or hurrying the kids. Even on relaxed weekends, we were always pushing ourselves: try the latest cafe; take the kids to a new park; see friends we hadn’t seen for a while. Now there’s a stillness to things and reality is making my partner and me more present with the kids, and they’re loving it - for now! Apart from when it comes to the phone… that’s almost become a source of evil, with too much going on. I’m trying to put it aside when I can.” Instagram post on Alissa, a teacher, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
• 
  2020-04-16

  Humans of Covid-19 AU: Clementine Ford

  “Like a lot of people, I began isolation in quite a heightened state of anxiety, wary of how long this might go on for. Initially it was difficult, but I’m adjusting to this slower pace of life. I have been indulging in things that have traditionally been seen as frivolous, especially when women do them, but are actually deeply enjoyable: cooking, baking, playing with my hair, creating new makeup looks. When my son was in childcare, I was regretting all the time that I wasn’t spending with him. I could foresee a moment in the future when I would look back and think I missed out. At least now I have all this time, with memories I otherwise wouldn't have had. Women are on the front line at the moment: nurses, health care workers, child care workers, teachers. Interestingly, this has really exposed exactly who the essential workers are in our society. They’re not the CEOS, but the women out there who are taking care of their communities. What has become transparently obvious from this pandemic is that the only thing holding us back from significant social change is political and social will power. We are highly malleable and adaptable as a species. We have the choice to build the kind of society that we want to live in. It's just about whether we want to do it.” Instagram post on Clementine Ford, writer & host of the Big Sister Hotline podcast, and her experience during the pandemic, which was created by a psychology student living in Melbourne who was interested to hear about how COVID-19 was impacting on different peoples’ lives.
• 
  2020-05-14

  The First Day Out

  This was taken on the first occasion that I left my hometown in almost two months of isolation. My partner and I went to Richmond, a town only ten minutes from my house and very familiar, but the act of leaving was peculiar after so long sequestered. The Richmond Bridge, featured in the image, is the oldest of its kind in Australia, a piece of convict heritage that has stood the test of time. Some of my earliest memories feature the bridge and its surrounds, and returning to that place at the beginning of a post-COVID-19 existence was a peculiar sensation. For me, it will now have dual historical implications, as a relic of the nineteenth century, and of the plague year.
• 
  2020-05-25

  A Gift From the Past

  The first person I visited when restrictions in Tasmania were eased the first time was a ninety-year old lady, a family friend and distant relation who knows all the stories everyone else has forgotten. I sat in her house for two and a half hours and listened to her talk about our family and all the people they knew, and I learned about a past that is rapidly disappearing as the people who remember it age. After my visit, she gave this glass to my mother. It was my great-grandfather's preferred glass at the local pub, and was gifted to this woman's husband after he died, as he was a great friend to my great-grandfather. She chose to give it to us thinking it would mean more for us than it does her. I had intended to visit Mrs Howlett for months, but life kept getting in the way. The pandemic afforded me the opportunity to explore my own past and the history of many other people in a way that I usually can't in everyday life, and this glass is a physical, tangible example of that experience.
• 
  2020-05-27

  Charades Virtual Edition

  Over the course of the pandemic student resident committees and the student living staff at the UTAS Sandy Bay Student Accommodation have come up with many online activities to keep residents connected with each other. This example is an invitation from the John Fisher College resident committee.
• 
  2020-03-20

  Sports Cancelled Due to Covid-19 Risk

  Sailing, as well as all other sports, have been cancelled or postponed due to the Covid-19 crisis. This sailing club, like many others is therefore shut for the foreseeable future. I chose this image because through all the years that I have been sailing (17 years) nothing like this has ever occurred before.
• 
  2020-05-27

  Flatmates

  I have spent the pandemic living with my 5 flatmates in our student accommodation. Some of us had lived at student accommodation before and were already acquainted with each other, whereas others were strangers at the beginning of the year. Over the last few months we have learned to live with each other amidst the uncertainty posed by the virus, organising cleaning rosters, discussing food, stressing over university assignments and rediscovering the beauty of The Lord of the Rings films.
• 
  2020-03-30

  A Victorian-Inspired Reticule

  This was the first thing I made during the pandemic. It provided an outlet for my excess energy at the beginning of the initial isolation period, but also allowed some community engagement as it was part of the Instagram movement in the sewing community, #sewcialdistancing. It provided an avenue for me to connect with other creators, and refocus myself at the beginning of isolation.
• 
  26/05/20

  A Victorian-Inspired Reticule

  This item was the first thing I created once entering isolation. A project that I have been putting off for several months, it created an outlet for me to channel the initial nervous energy of the isolation situation. In this I contributed to a larger trend on Instagram in the sewing community, #sewcialdistancing, in which cosplayers, embroiderers, historical costumers, and other sewers began channeling their own excess energy into projects.
• 
  2020-05-25

  Delayed Shipping Email

  An email which states that due to international shipping issue related to COVID-19 they anticipate the order will be shipped late April/early May. At the time of contributing to the archive (late May) the item had still not arrived. It's frustrating that the delay has been this long. HUM402
• 
  2020-05-13

  Becoming Austen heroines in Quarantine

  An article on whimn.com reflecting on how the novels and adaptations of Jane Austen are not only great isolation comfort reads, but mimic the rhythm of life in isolation.
• 
  2020-03-29

  Pandemic Monopoly

  HUM402 The image depicts the creation of Pandemic Monopoly by a Hobart resident. The homemade board game uses toilet paper as currency, referring to the toilet paper shortage seen across Tasmanian supermarkets. The board game presents players with the opportunity to 'own' key Hobart locations. However, instead of mortgage, houses and hotels, the game allows players to buy hospitals and clinics to place on the properties. Centrelink, the Australian governments social security service, features heavily on the board game, indicating the rise in unemployment due to the pandemic. Whilst being used for comical purposes, the game also critiques the Tasmanian governments early handling of Covid-19 crisis via a chance card, which states "You have a fever, dry cough and Pneumonia to boot but despite having all of the symptoms, you haven't knowingly come into contact with a known carried so they won't test you for Covid-19. The Royal Hobart Hospital sends you home. Get out of iso [isolation] free." This refers to the Tasmanian government in early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic refusing to test individuals who had not been in contact with a known case, or had not left the country.
• 
  2020-04-12

  Sharing herbs with neighbours

  In Young Street Annerley we started a Facebook group 'They Young Ones’ and shared garden edibles, books and art materials.
• 
  2020-04-01

  Tied up play equipment

  Children can go to school and child care but can’t play on public play equipment. This makes me think about the all the energy small children are having to contain when confined to their homes.
• 
  2020-04-15

  Concert cancellations and postponements

  HUM402 A number of concerts, festivals and other forms of entertainment have been cancelled or postponed due to the impact of Covid - 19. This email screenshot from concert organisers, OzTix, shows the cancellation of the Luca Brasi tour, representative of the wider sacrifices made by the entertainment industry during this time of social distancing.
• 
  2020-04-19

  Daily Walks Need a Purpose

  Sydneysiders are allowed to leave home for exercise and essentials. Sporting activity has ceased so the streets are overflowing with people, prams, and dogs that have suddenly discovered the joy of walking. I seek out quiet places, but it is tedious to walk for the sake of walking, so I give myself little projects to make it more interesting. Last Sunday (a glorious Autumn day in Sydney), my goal was to find primary colours in a bushland park. There were yellow leaves and a blue pillar near the entrance, but no sign of red in my hour-long walk - until I came across this small reflector on a post in the car park. Mission accomplished!
• 
  2020-04-08

  Ballarat COVID-19 Report Number One

  Personal observation of lockdown in a regional Australian city
• 
  2020-04-06

  Kids respond to playground closure

  All the local playgrounds closed at the end of March and now the kids have decorated the Council tape — Rossi Reserve in Ford Street, Ivanhoe.
• 
  2020-03-31

  Playground closed

  All the local playgrounds closed from today. This one is Rossi Reserve in Ford Street, Ivanhoe.
• 
  2020-03-31

  New park rules appeared today

  We are going for a walk every day for exercise, noting as the days go by new signs and information about social distancing. These signs were not there yesterday, and the teenagers playing basketball at the hoop and the kids playing on the playground have now disappeared. Just groups of two, or families with a few more, walking slightly furtively past one another. And many more bicyclists whizzing past on the shared paths — have already seen a bingle or two.
• 
  2020-03-29

  ‘Stay safe from Coronavirus’ sign at beach

  ‘Stay safe from Coronavirus’ sign from Bayside council.
• 
  2020-03-26

  Solo bike ride lunch in Kinglake, Victoria, Australia

  Instead of organised rides in groups and having lunch etc at a cafe, most road cyclists are riding alone. This photo shows a lunch of muesli bars etc on a solo ride. Not shown is the hand sanitiser used to disinfect the tap used to fill water bottles.
• 
  2020-03-25

  Noisy neighbours

  We were out for a walk and heard a housebound resident in a local apartment banging out on the drums — more people confined to home might suggest taking up a quieter musical instrument! Neighbourly protocols might be tested.
• 
  2020-03-18

  RMIT Design Archives Instagram Post 18 March 2020 Cancellation of Melbourne Design Week events

  On the week beginning Monday 16 March cultural organisations across Victoria began to make the difficult decision to close their doors to the public as a precautionary measure. In terms of the RDA, our programs for Melbourne Design Week, the Australian Heritage Festival, and Melbourne Rare Books Week were postponed until further notice. One of the themes of Melbourne Design Week was Communication Design and Health Promotion. The 'Life Be In It' poster designed by Alex Stitt seemed pertinent to the unfolding situation where potentially people might not be able to participate in physical activity outside of their homes. My gym closed last week!
• 
  2020-03-21

  Diary LM

  CV diary Saturday 19 March 2020 I went to the walk today. Have missed the last two and the world has changed so much that I wasn't sure anyone was coming. But there were 5 of us, all keeping our distance. Three did not come because they are self isolating or fearful of having coffee with us ?? A lot of the discussion as we walked about the past two weeks - the virus , restrictions, shopping, toilet rolls, family situations, what is going to happen... G has just come out of two weeks isolation after her holiday in Egypt. D is under pressure from her daughter to change her life - e.g. Not to walk this morning. But she came. We all need the exercise and I/we need to see my friends. When we got to the coffee shop we were able to snag two tables outside. But that wasn't enough for M who moved her seat even further away. Each to their own. But hard not to feel the inherent rejection. G shared her hand sanitizer. During the walk I got a phone call from a friend, cancelling our plans for a film tomorrow. She was amazed that I was outside walking with friends and had stopped for a coffee. Said she and her husband have been in isolation since last Sunday. Cautioned me to do the same. When I got home I thought about my plans. I will go to church tomorrow (it was confirmed late today that the Diocese has belatedly decided to ban all services from Monday). Should I go to the gym on Monday? They seemed well organised last week. Should I cancel my lunch with Susan on Tuesday? Have not seen her since her mother died, I could not go to the funeral or the wake. And she seems quite distressed and needs support. On Wednesday I am expected to present at an important Board presentation to Club members. It is being taped and uploaded to our website for those who cannot get to the meeting. Should I cancel everything after that? LM