some signs have a sense of humour...

Some signs have a sense of humour...in some cases 'toilet humour'...

📷Dromana 2012 pic.twitter.com/rwUG8PGMMp

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) March 24, 2026

public art...

public art in unexpected places attracts attention #tanka This one is on a power box, by a main Dromana shopping strip, by Dromana beach - fringing Port Phillip Bay in Victoria. 📷My photo 1st March 2019

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— Gemma Wiseman (@gemma77.bsky.social) 1 March 2026 at 10:10

A not so common off-road sign at Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula Victoria...

📷My photo - 1st March, 2014 pic.twitter.com/MXFfNcPkTO

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) February 28, 2026

The above sign tends to appear to be a personal initiative...verging on public art???? 

a subtle kaleidoscope party...

a subtle kaleidoscope party a #monochrome palette of shadowy light over secret colours #tanka #vss365

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— Gemma Wiseman (@gemma77.bsky.social) 17 December 2024 at 22:59

Temora railway sign...

a staunch #travel sign remembers the wanders of passenger days but now only grain trains respect the memory #vss365 #tanka

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— Gemma Wiseman (@gemma77.bsky.social) 17 November 2024 at 11:14

steaming tea fragrance...

steaming tea fragrance
time to reflect on fresh dreams
from deep in the cup#haiku

📷 2018 - October - I am always drawn to creative signs. This one was captured through light rain in the Dromana Hub carpark pic.twitter.com/4WXV6Wo8fD

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) October 18, 2024

humming blades...

humming blades
sweeping casual grace
mower seeks its flow#haiku

📷2021 - October - Dromana - Love to see signs that cleverly twist/pun a known expression to suit their business... pic.twitter.com/j85rfb2Hjx

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) October 10, 2024

rain soaked black and white days...

rain soaked
black and white days
a lone green
way out sign
offers dry humour#tanka

📷 2020 - August - Safety Beach parking area outside Chemist Warehouse on a rainy day... pic.twitter.com/vw3ctsmrMB

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) August 20, 2024

view the world with your own lens...

view the world
with your own lens
in your own camera
paint the world
with your own brush#tanka

📷 2023 - August - Temora pic.twitter.com/HvTP5jolEz

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) August 16, 2024

a regional town...

a regional town
historical quirks
live on
a welcome sign
says so#tanka

📷2022 - June - I never tire of finding regional town signs splashed with a healthy dose of character...
Ariah Park has a 1920's preserved main street. The town is on the outskirts of my Temora in NSW... pic.twitter.com/fvY87yxYHM

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) June 28, 2024

a winged reading chair...

a winged reading chair
the sketchy illusion of being
somewhere else#haiku

📷Sign for a quirky, fascinating little shop that appeared in Dromana for awhile, then took flight to an unknown destination. pic.twitter.com/fjbUW3ymig

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) June 19, 2024

a welcome sign in a country town...

a welcome sign
in a country town
a brush-stroke glimpse of
special features
and a unique spirit#tanka

2022 - 2 years ago, I took a photo of Temora's welcoming sign... so engaging...
The horse represented is the legendary Paleface Adios who was born and raised in this town... pic.twitter.com/9sO1N3O8OV

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) June 17, 2024

aging with grace...

aging with grace
a fallen tree does not mean
a broken tree#haiku

📷Balnarring, Mornington Peninsula - in a small park near The Heritage - 19th April 2019 pic.twitter.com/pt4cIbneMH

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) April 2, 2024

map out your future...

Love the ever-changing, interesting signs outside shops in main street, Temora, NSW.
Today, I found this one outside Nel's Fabric Place - a quote from Jon Bon Jovi...
' Map out your future
but do it in pencil'... pic.twitter.com/nlMVgRfb5h

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) November 1, 2023

still life...

i definitely work at an art school pic.twitter.com/GUicbTGrpu

— alina pleskova/ alinapleskova.bsky.social (@nahhhlina) September 14, 2023

what's in a sign?...

Today, I drove to Ariah Park, still in the Temora Shire, and Barmedman in the Bland Shire of New South Wales...

Not only did the scenery enchant me, but the signs were quite interesting...

Notice the picture gallery of significant symbols for Temora Shire...

The Ariah Park sign, in Temora Shire, uses the same technique of significant and somewhat similar symbols...

The major difference appears below in metal...Birthplace of Australian Bulk Grain...

*Not till I uploaded this photo did I notice that a Tin Hut sign appeared to the left in the background...

I have no idea what that is all about...

Further, this stylised sign on an Ariah Park's building's side wall intrigued me...

The sign appears to suggest that Plume Motor Spirit was used for cars, but TROVE 26.8.1920 suggests it was being used for aeroplanes...

In 1916, the Vacuum Oil Company introduced its popular "Plume" (petrol) and "Laurel" (kerosene) brands to the Australian market...

Finally, the sign that appears when leaving Temora Shire needs a mention...

It represents a nod to Paleface Adios (1969–1989) who was an Australian harness-racing horse that competed as a pacer throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.

Paleface Adios was foaled in Temora...

more signs and buildings in main street Temora...

Something new...

Adore this little coffee nook in the wall in main street Temora...

Early morning coffee is a popular past-time here... 

Something old...

The John Meagher & Co Building is heritage-listed...

It was built as a general merchants store in 1892 (in the opening era of the Gold Rush) 

and it was the first brick store in Temora...

A large banquet was held in the upstairs part of the building to celebrate the opening of the building...

(John Meagher's first store was at Bathurst and then larger stores were later established at Temora, West Wyalong, Barmedman, Forbes, Cootamundra, Parkes and Yass.)

John Meagher was a larger-than-life figure in the 19th century...

He was not only a very successful storekeeper but a well-known politician...

More details HERE and  HERE...

Something borrowed?

When I first moved to Temora a couple of months ago, I was surprised to see no recycling bins...

There was just one large garbage bin collected weekly...

But at the back of IGA Temora is this very well-used recycling centre...

a couple of Temora signs...

 

In the main street of Temora today, I found the above sign...

It gave pause for reflection, enhanced by the glass reflecting a part of the street and sky, 

dependent on where you stand...

I also found the above 'sign' on the side of a corner main street shop...

Similar heritage images are scattered on main street windows...

I felt a gentle connection between the sign in the first photo and the 'signs' in the 2nd...

retired person sign...

I saw a sign in one of the old Stockinbingal shop windows today...
Very fitting connection with my stage in life...
Also could think of a few metaphors for the fact it seemed to be carefully wrapped in plastic... pic.twitter.com/Q9uFnuQDzA

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) June 17, 2022

special sign for mid-2022...

I guess this sign represents mid-2022...
It may be facing an honorable place in some future museum... https://t.co/reGiMrNghl

— 🇺🇦🌻Gemma Wiseman-on Wiradjuri land (@AuraGem) June 13, 2022

Cootamundra main street buildings + signs...

 

I was intrigued by the variety of heritage building styles in Cootamundra last weekend...

The Albion Hotel was established in the 1840's...

This version of the hotel still stands on the original site minus the verandah posts...

The Globe Hotel opened in 1879...

The Bottle Mart is part of the Olympic Hotel built in 1886...

The National Australia Bank was originally the CBC Bank...

The building was completed in 1887...

This was built in 1895...

Post Office tower...

The Post Office opened in 1881

Of course, I loved the wording of these signs...

I really feel that I have moved out to the country...