Today's ABC Open photos

The calm before the storm

By mattwellerphotography ·  · From Pic of the Week

This was the result of last night’s trip to Observatory Hill. Right before mother nature put on quite a spectacular lightning show.

Published 13 Apr 2017.  The Rocks NSW 2000

The reward for hiking

By adventureguidesaustralia ·  · From Pic of the Week

                             The reward for hiking to the top of Mount Cobbler                    Published 13 Apr 2017  Wabonga VIC 3678

The old stone hut

By adventureguidesaustralia ·  · From Pic of the Week

The old stone hut in The Gorge Carpark on Mount Buffalo! This little hut is our saviour on many a cold, rainy day! But today there's nothing but SUNSHINE!   Published 13 Dec 2016.  Mount Buffalo VIC 3740

Is this real life?

By caras_camera ·  · From Pic of the Week

Melbourne,Victoria.     Published 13 Apr 2017.  Melbourne VIC 3004

Up the wrong creek

By Ian Inverarity ·  · From Stargazing

I had planned a shoot in Blacks Gap but the creek had run over the road and I wasn't able to cross at night, so I had to make do with shots in the creek. This creek does not have water in it often and is a very scenic area, day or night! Just south of Wilpena Pound, this photo has the Milky Way over gum trees and native pie trees, with a self portrait holding a small torch.                  Published 27 Mar 2017.  Flinders Ranges SA 5434

Through the slot

By Kevin Parsons ·  · From Pic of the Week

After photographing another area, I discovered this old fencing that once surrounded a paddock. This is the view when you look through the slot made for the fence rails.                                                  Published 27 Nov 2015.  Goorangoola NSW 2330

Today's ABC Open photos

Little lonely church on a hill

By watermark.photography ·  · From Stargazing

Cool bit of history in the south east of SA  Published 11 Apr 2017.  Wangolina SA 5275

Upstream at The Drip

By cherrie hughes ·  · From Pic of the Week

So much to see when you really look and take the time to wander a little..with spots like this no wonder I wander.        Published 16 Jan 2017.  Mudgee NSW 2850

Weather rolling over Great Ocean Road

By tassiegrammer ·  · From Pic of the Week

Yesterday my companion and I made a quick decision to leave Second Valley and head to the Great Ocean Road a couple of days early due to the weather not being suitable for what we wanted to do. We arrived late last night and got up first thing this morning and headed straight to Loch Ard Gorge.  I have been here a couple of times on previous trips and it always looks awesome. It was super windy so it took me a while to capture an image for the foreground without the plants moving around. Some days Mother Nature just isn't as considerate as she should be.

Canon 5Ds Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II 17mm f/16 39secs + 0.8secs ISO100 @nisifiltersaustralia 6 stop + 1.2SG.                                                                              Published 12 Apr 2017.  Peterborough VIC 3270

Visiting farmers across the Scenic Rim

By genwindley ·  · From Pic of the Week

The last stop on a long but fabulous day visiting farmers across the Scenic Rim with awesome chefs and food ambassadors.  As I was taking this pic I thought how much you would have enjoyed the scene.     Published 12 Apr 2017.  Cannon Creek QLD 4310

Just Swimming Around with the Tadpoles

By jesbarbz ·  · From Pic of the Week

Maybe that's why there is so many weird freshwater bugs and froglets around?      Published 13 Apr 2017. 

In full flow

By Brian Tolagson ·  · From Pic of the Week

The U3A group finally lucked in with the weather on our trip on Wednesday morning to Ellenborough Falls with it in full flow. They are the longest single-drop falls in NSW. Published 13 Apr 2017.  Elands NSW 2429

Today's ABC Open photos

Beautiful blossoms

By tendollartownmotel ·  · From Pic of the Week

                                       Somewhere in Mayfield.                                                     Published 05 Apr 2017.  Mayfield NSW 2304

Kosciuszko National Park

By lukehasaart ·  · From Pic of the Week  Published 05 Apr 2017

.  Kosciuszko National Park NSW 2627

Wesleyan Methodist Church

By pontian69 ·  · From Stargazing

The church has a seating capacity of 300 people, and is in the town of Tarnagulla, not far from Bendigo, central Victoria.   Badly damaged by a fire in 2000 and now privately owned.   The aim of this shot was to get the Milky Way through the gothic window where stained glass once sat. Bingo!   Very quiet town, with no people around, s**t loads of Roos jumping around and keeping me on my toes, no phone reception either.  Lots of fun at 1am!   The light on the Church is from the street lights 30 metres away!             Published 11 Apr 2017.  Bendigo VIC 3550

Dark Road Ahead

By Evan Burman ·  · From Stargazing

Another example of clouds making night photography interesting and unpredictablePublished 11 Apr 2017.  Price SA 5570

House under the stars

By Evan Burman ·  · From Stargazing

A recent expedition to Nulla Vale showed how light pollution can make for interesting landscapes whilst still being able to capture thousands of stars in the night sky.  And of course my favourite, the Large Magellanic Cloud. Published 03 Apr 2017.  Nulla Vale VIC 3435

Richmond Bridge aurora

By Tim Clark ·  · From Stargazing

This image shows beams of the Aurora Australis over Australia's oldest still used bridge, the Richmond Bridge in Tasmania. This display was photographed on 8th November           Published 11 Apr 2017.  Richmond TAS 7025

Today's ABC Open photos

My best frozen moment of a Grey fantail

                                                      By honeycut ·  · From Pic of the Week                                                         Published 24 Mar 2017. 

Camping under the stars

By Wayne Gibson ·  · From Stargazing

Gazing up at the billions of stars and far away galaxies is nothing short of awe inspiring, but brings home the reality that we are tiny specks in this huge universe around us.   Published 06 Apr 2017.  Timor NSW 2338

The view for the horse drawn tram ride

By Bill ·  · From Pic of the Week

The view for the horse drawn tram ride. $9 return trip - what more could you want 👍😊. Published 06 Apr 2017.  Victor Harbor - Goolwa SA

Granite Island

By Bill ·  · From Pic of the Week

Granite Island, a short horse drawn tram ride from Victor Harbor. Some great waves and magnificent looking rocks.         Published 06 Apr 2017.  Victor Harbor - Goolwa SA

Exploring the Kalbarri Gorges with the family

By Wondrous World Images ·  · From Pic of the Week

Published 05 Apr 2017.  Kalbarri National Park WA 6536

The Sentinel

By lukehasaart ·  · From Pic of the Week

The Sentinel. Although not one of the highest peaks in the Australian Alps, it surely is one the most spectacular.  As it stands at only 1905 metres, it is dwarfed by the 2000-plus metre peaks that are scattered across the National Park.  You can see the Sentinel whilst on the Main Range loop track from the saddle between Blue Lake and Carruthers and also on the peak of Carruthers.     Published 05 Apr 2017.  Kosciuszko National Park NSW 2627

Cardinal George Pell charged with sexual abuse

This picture of George Pell walking to court with fellow housemate Gerald Ridsdale in 1993 did him an enormous amount of damage.

Ridsdale turned out to be Australia’s worst paedophile priest and as they walked to court together, it cemented the idea that Pell was supporting Ridsdale and therefore complicit in covering up child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

In the minds of many, Pell was seen to be more concerned with protecting the church’s reputation than giving any sympathy to the countless children whose lives were ruined by paedophile priests.

He later made a comment about the picture.  “I intended no disrespect to the victims. I understand now that they perceived it — and probably rightly — as such, but I did not at the time.”

George Pell was always destined for better things.  He was tall, handsome, very bright, and an all-round sportsman.  He ran, rowed and played Aussie Rules football so well that Richmond offered him a contract in his final year.

He was born in Ballarat, Victoria to George Arthur and Margaret Lillian (nee Burke) Pell.  His father, a non-practising Anglican whose ancestors were from Leicestershire, England was a heavyweight boxing champion and his mother was a devout Catholic of Irish descent.

His parents owned the Royal Oak hotel in Ballarat.  George Snr was a huge, down-to-earth and Protestant.  Lil was fierce, gentle and made all the decisions that mattered in her son’s life and was devoted to the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Pell rose so high through the ranks of the Catholic Church that he became Pope Francis’ chief financial adviser and moved to the Vatican.  But two days ago, Australian police charged him with “historic sexual assault offences” and demanded he come home, charges charges he vehemently denies.

He was one of the first bishops in the world to create a compensation program for church sex abuse victims when he was Archbishop of Melbourne.  However, victims later criticised the scheme as a way to keep them from suing the church.

In a statement on Thursday, Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher said the archdiocese would support him with accommodation upon his return.

“The George Pell I know is a man of integrity in his dealings with others, a man of faith and high ideals, a thoroughly decent man,” Fisher said.

So we wait to see what happens.  Many believe he will never return  - his doctor will say he is too sick to travel, or some other excuse will be put forward – but whether he comes home or not, it’s a tragic end to a brilliant career.