Damselfly

We had a lovely walk today at Emerald Lake Park (in the Dandenongs), along side the Puffing Billy track. We have been here many times, as dogs are allowed (on lead and they aren't supposed to go in the lake, but it was hot and Lucy is a dark brown dog who gets easily overheated...)

She actually goes in the smaller top lake, not the main lake, which is full of day trippers on pedal boats. That definitely would not be allowed!

There were lots of dragonflies and damselflies flying around the water, but the dragonflies were too fast for me. The water was a horrid muddy reddish brown (algae I expect). I had one shot where the water looked more interesting in a ripply way, but the fly was not quite as sharp.

LARGE Damselfly with muddy water

The park was originally a nursery during the 1880s, the lake(s) were constructed in the late 1930s and it was finally opened as a public park in 1941. Many imported trees and shrubs were planted and it has quite a European feel to it.
There is a very small patch of beech forest in one area, that I really like, as well as lots of chestnut trees. (I prefer this photo by the way, but I was outvoted again by my children, who liked the damselfly - look at the blipfolio one if you prefer trees to insects!)