Friday, August 31, 2007

Muster And Commander

Nuthin's Cooler Than A Stubby Cooler

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


This is one of my favourite pictures from yesterday afternoon (see my post Ute Tube). Why is the shot a favourite? Because it says so much about the casual Australian lifestyle. A bare, brawny left arm casually thrown over the back of a "ute", or utility vehicle. A plaid all-purpose shirt. And the right hand, with honest farming dust under the fingernails, grasping a can ("stubby", we call 'em) in that wonderful Aussie invention, the stubby cooler - designed to keep the beer as cold as possible. And further along the frame, there is a pair of denim-clad legs thrown over the side of the ute. Doesn't get better than that, does it?


And here's the face that goes with the arms in the first shot. The farmers from Deniliquin ("Deni", in true abbreviated Aussie style) were here in Melbourne yesterday to promote the 2007 Deniliquin World Record Ute Muster, where they need more than 6211 utes to break the existing record.


And here (above) is another symbol of Australian culture - the blue singlet. This woman was sitting near a row of utes and I asked her permission to photograph her from behind. She readily agreed and after I showed her the image on the screen of my Pentax K100D, I told her that I'd be posting it on my blog. She laughed when I told her that people would be talking about her back behind her!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

An interesting series of photos and the explanation about them is easy reading. I don't know much about your country except what I hear on blogs and we had an English teacher, years ago who would take his vacation in Australia. And he would hitchhike across the country (honest). This was back in 1967 and again in 1968. In those days he could get a lift because he had sewn on the American flag patch on his back pack. Nowadays he might get shot.

I enjoyed your post and I came to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I am happy that you liked my reflection photo. I went back today and looked at the same spot and it just isn't the same.

I also spent all day setting up and then taking photographs of our Ruby-throated Hummingbird. I guess I just deleted over 100 but still have about 400 or 500 images. I got so tired that I had to move the setup and forget it.

The same kind of thing happened a couple of weeks ago, or was it last week, with a Coopers Hawk. I still got 290 photos of that to do through. I did post one part of one on my birdblog this morning.

Thanks again.

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

I have a shirt like that (not the t-shirt, the plaid one). Used to belong to hubby, until I grew too fond of it. Sure is comfy.

Jules said...

Hi David - wow this is so Australian I can smell the gum leaves. I was born and raised in western Queensland and these photos just scream "Home"!!!

I am having trouble downloading all the photos on your page as I am working on speeds of less than 30 kb per second - a carrier pigeon would be quicker!!!!

Thanks for calling in at Rabaul - so nice to get your comments.

CaBaCuRl said...

That first photo says it all I reckon. Good one!

Anonymous said...

Here in Canada we used to use the term "stubby" to describe our old, idiosyncratic beer-bottle design.

Though (for a number of reasons) I don't drink myself, I still feel like we lost part of our national identity when we switched to American-style long neck bottles.

Bring back the stubby, eh!

Annie said...

That man looks just like I'd expect an Australian MAN to look like.

Lin said...

Nice to see that Oz has some good ol' boys, too! I've noticed, though, that the cowboys out here don't put airbrushed murals on their trucks and they put livestock tags in livestock ears, never ever on their hats. They are a serious lot when it comes to such things, I suppose.

Been catching up on your blog - LOVED your story about chasing the car downhill, breakfast still in hand!

david mcmahon said...

Hi abelincoln,

What a great way to hitch-hike. It;d still work in getting him around the country, even if he tried it now!

Sounds like you have your picture selection tasks cut out for you.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Carol,

I thought you meant the blue singlet!

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Jules,

You're a Queensland girl? That's wonderful.

I'm glad that post made you smell the gum leaves. Welcome aboard and do keep in touch.

I've already added you to my blogroll.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi cabacurl,

Thank you. I also liked the shot.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Allan,

In Darwin, up in the Territory, a stubby is about 10 times that size!

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Annie,

I must have picked the right one!

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Lin,

Subtle differences there! Thanks for pointing it out.

So glad you liked the ``breakfast plate'' post ...

Keep smiling

David

FHB said...

There's nothin' cooler, happier, or more fun to be around than a bunch of easy goin' rednecks. Would like to think that I've got as bit of that in my character.

Anonymous said...

G'day mate -- I'd like to use the pic of the Ute Muster singlet on my blog where I write about utes, cars and other stuff -- anyway, let's know, cheers Charles Bayer.
http://www.bayer12.blogspot.com
bayercharles@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...
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