New Trees and Bridge

NEW TREES........
A  couple of years ago the large, old, Banksia tree which stood at the back of our replica lighthouse died. Then we had the Big Wind of 2016 and dead branches started falling. The dead tree had become something of a hazard and it was finally cut down and the remains removed late last year.

(ALL PHOTOS ENLARGE WHEN CLICKED)

Some months ago, after a chat with our benefactor, John Ibbotson, we decided to plant a new tree. Not a replacement Banksia, but one of these.........

..........a Poinciana - the tree which has spectacular flowers in springtime and in summer acts like a leafy, shady umbrella.

So yesterday John and I dug holes and planted not one, but two of these trees; one will bear red flowers and the other, yellow.
Yes, yellow! I have never seen a yellow-flowering Poinciana but here's a photo of one:-

So we now have the red one planted a few metres away from where the Banksia stood.........

  ......and, on the other side of the building, the yellow one.

Hopefully they will flourish and grow to maturity.
If so, then the view of the lighthouse from down the grassy slope will be spectacular in springtime.

.....and NEW BRIDGE
Work on the new bridge at Grafton, which will provide a replacement for the old "bendy bridge" across the mighty Clarence, is starting to get underway.

The week following Easter saw the arrival off the mouth of the river at Yamba of a very large (48 metres in length) barge carrying equipment, including a very large crane, that will be used as a work platform for the construction of the pilings and the bridge itself.

The photo, which I took with my little Panasonic Lumix, shows the barge under the control of two tugs...one towing and the other (tucked right at the corner of the barge) assisting at the rear...as it arrived off the mouth of the river.

After negotiating the bar the trio proceeded up river to Grafton.
Only another year or so and the new bridge will be in use.