Scatterday X

Any three things starting with X

The very first thing that came to mind was X-rays. So into DH's old military medical records we descended. This was like a journey into the X-Files. The choice was enormous. It seemed that at one stage he must have set out to see how many parts of the human body could be X-rayed. There were X-rays of heads, hands, feet, chests, shoulders, backbones, knees, ankles and any other part that may or should have been rigid at some stage. Reading the records and reasons were entertainment in themselves, as well as a testament to the resilience of the human body and perhaps an eye opener as to what can be done with it. I have included photos of three of the most interesting X-rays. And the reasons for them? Well that's for another time.
We then went into Brisbane to photograph some of the beautiful clock faces in the city centre. With numbers such as IX, X, XI and XII, the clocks on the GPO and Brisbane Central Station stand out in stark contrast to the modern skyscrapers that frame them. No trip into Brisbane is complete without a visit to the Brewery. XXXX to be correct. In Milton Rd stands the Castlemaine Perkins Brewery where the world famous XXXX beer is brewed into a refreshing eliXer.

In 1857 the Castlemaine Brewery was established in Castlemaine Victoria as a successful enterprise. So successful that in 1866 the Perkins Brothers in Brisbane sold their brewery to the Castlemaine Brewery and the label Castlemaine Perkins was introduced as the entire enterprise moved to Brisbane. Ohhh the Queenslanders that would cry into their XXXX beer, if only they knew their famous Brisbane icon originated in Victoria - or is an eX-Victorian.

As an interesting historical anecdote - Did you know the first telephone line in Brisbane was installed in 1880 and it ran between the brewery and their city office?

In 1924 Mr FOUREX was introduced as an advertising logo. The MR FOUREX image photographed on the side of the brewery, was installed as a 7M tall neon sign in 1988 and has been lifting his beer in salute to passers by ever since.

Like everything else in Brisbane, the brewery was damaged in the 1974 floods, but that was a mere inconvenience compared to the fire that severely damaged the place later that year.

Such is Queenslanders' love for the brewery that in 1999, during renovations 5000 bricks from the original brewery were sold off and raised $20,000 for charity.In Big W Brisbane I was able to use some stealth skills and photograph a Xylophone with the camera in my phone. The perfect instrument for tapping out the theme tune to the X-Files.