What Those Protests Really Made Me Think About Being Australian
"As someone who’s half Australian and half New Zealander, I’ve always felt caught between two cultural conflicts.
Me: “hmm, to throw my Australian flag fridge magnet in the bin or not…”
Proud to Be Part of Multicultural Canberra
This weekend's events have left me reflecting on what it truly means to call Australia home. Watching the news coverage and footage from the protests has stirred up questions I've wrestled with before: "What does it mean to be Australian?" "Why do I sometimes feel conflicted about our national identity?"
As someone who's half Australian and half New Zealander, I've always felt caught between cultures. Learning about the rich Indigenous histories of both countries and the ongoing injustices our First Nations peoples face adds another layer to that complexity. let alone anything to do with migration (Which is kind of ironic to me) loving our country whilst acknowledging its flaws and working toward something better.
But here's what I've learnt through genuine conversations and experiences I’ve had.
The Real Stories That Matter
Through friendships and my church community, I've had the privilege of sitting down with people who've come to Australia for reasons that would break your heart. I've heard stories of fleeing war, escaping terrorism, surviving famine, and searching desperately for work to support families back home. When you hear these real experiences - not the headlines or the political rhetoric, but actual human stories - it puts everything into perspective.
These conversations have shaped my understanding of what Australia can be: a warm welcome, a safe home from home, a place of genuine opportunity and connection. Yes, some people experience the complete opposite, and that's something we must continue addressing. But for many of the people I've been fortunate to meet, Australia has offered them something their weren’t able to at the time.
Why Canberra Gets It Right
I can't speak for other cities, but living in Canberra fills me with gratitude every day. We're not just multicultural in name - we live it. Our embassies aren't just buildings; they're symbols of the world coming together in our backyard. Our year-round cultural events aren't just festivals; they're celebrations of the vibrant multicultural vibes we come to love.
And then there's the Multicultural Festival The colours, the food, the music, the languages all mixing together in one incredible space. It's Australia at its absolute best, and it happens right here in our city.
Building Bridges Through Authentic Connection
What strikes me most is how connection happens in the most unexpected ways. Some of my Instagram followers have told me that my content - yes, even the silly memes - has helped them understand Canberra's unique character and cultural quirks (and errrks). For people who've just arrived after escaping difficult circumstances, or coming for work etc whatever it is, these small insights into local life can be surprisingly meaningful.
It reminds me that authentic storytelling - whether through photography, social media, or just genuine conversation - has the power to build understanding. Every authentic moment we capture and share contributes to a broader narrative about who we are as a community.
Moving Forward with Purpose
This weekend's events were deeply troubling. Seeing extremist rhetoric wrapped in our national symbols feels like a betrayal of everything our flag could represent. But I refuse to let those voices define what it means to be Australian.
Instead, I choose to focus on the Canberra I know: diverse, welcoming, and constantly growing stronger through our differences. I'm proud to call this multicultural city home,.
To everyone who follows along with my work and shares in this community: thank you for being part of something bigger. Whether you've lived here your whole life or arrived yesterday, you contribute to what makes Canberra special.
Our strength isn't in spite of our multiculturalism - it's because of it.
Turn off the news, talk to someone, be kind, have a laugh and make memories - life is too short to be divided and against one another, there’s so much to be learnt from one another, including myself, and I know personally that I can and need to be better at this.
And. if anything, we can all come together under a green banner after the massive canberra minor premiership win… now that, is special :P
Ready to share your authentic story?
Business owners: Let's document the real heart of your business - your team, your community connections, your genuine impact
Event organisers: Planning a cultural celebration or community gathering? Let's capture those authentic moments that truly matter
Community groups: Your work building bridges in our city deserves to be seen and celebrated
I'm currently booking for autumn shoots, and I'm particularly excited to work with businesses and organisations that share these values of inclusivity and authentic community building.
Get in touch: Send me a DM or visit www.themotzmedia.com/contact to chat about how we can tell your story in a way that celebrates the multicultural spirit that makes Canberra special.
Blog was written by Daniel Morton-Jones with the assistance of AI for the purposes of SEO and formatting
The Accidental Influencer: When Your Photography Side Hustle Turns Into Laughs and Giggles for all.
First of all, that title was very click bait. I don’t see myself as an influencer, nor do I even like the term Influencer. I prefer the term “A person of influence” or even better “Hey, you’re that guy with the funny videos”.
It’s been a wild ride over the past 3 years since I first started to post random videos that I thought was hilarious in and among my passion of taking photos of our wonderful city and beyond.
During that time, I’ve since became a father of twins and what a wild adventure that has been thus far. (I salute the parents of multiples, ya’ll are MVPS)
And with that my priorities have changed from being able to take photos to now taking photos of my kids are they achieve multiple milestones each month it seems which is certainly enjoyable!
I’ve still been creating content, just a little different and not as frequent as I’d like to, but I thought I’d share a bit about how these ideas come to me.
More recently I’ve had a lot of friendly interactions with people as I’ve been walking in the shops or out at events about my videos that made them laugh and that is so strange yet enjoyable to hear from others. Because it’s what I’ve wanted to do - to make people laugh, distract them from the drudgery of what life is sometimes and take a serious situation into a not so serious, funny 10 second clip that’s relatable.
“Do you work for the APS?”
The answer to this question is no. But, as most people who have been in canberra long enough, you will always find yourself having a friend or family member who’s in the APS.
And listening to their conversations about work provide me enough insight and key terms to understand how funny some situations are that they go through.
And honestly, that is kind of how a lot of my ideas come to me - things that are painful, annoying, challenging, or even personal and painful experiences I’ve been through, they are often translated from real life experiences to 10 second “LOL THATS SO TRUE” clips.
Given how our city is so small, it’s quiet easy to relate to them, especially for those of us who have acclimatised to the “Canberra bubble”
The Canberra Bubble Is Real (AI Generated Picture)
Personally, I love making fun of myself and also some aspects of our city. I only did it because everyone in Australia makes fun of this city, and if there’s anyone that’s going to do it well. It’s someone who lives here.
Equally, I want to show that living here is not just a government infested, questacon-sliding roundabout driving city. We’ve got so much good going for us and we should be shouting it from the roof top! Weather, scenery, multicultural aspects, great food scenes etc. What’s not to like! (Some comments and aggressive DM’s will say otherwise but poo poo to them.)
The Real MVPs: You Beautiful Legends
But here's the thing – none of this would exist without you absolute legends who decided my random brain dumps were worth your time. When I started posting these silly videos, I genuinely thought, “I think that’s hilarious and i’m going to post it because its just funny, and if someone likes it, great.”
To all those who follow along – you're not just numbers on a screen. You're the new Canberran that says “I thought I was the only one that thought this about canberra”. You're the public servant who nearly choked on coffee laughing at the "APS 6 vs Action EL1" video. You're the Canberran who moved interstate and said my content makes you homesick for our “boring” city.
Every view, like, and comment means something real. When life gets heavy and adulting is hard, knowing a 10-second video can brighten someone's day keeps me going. You've turned my procrastination into purpose.
The fact that I can walk through Civic and have someone say "Hey, you're that guy with the funny videos!" still feels surreal. But what gets me is when they follow up with "Thanks for the laughs, mate. I really needed that."
So this isn't just my journey – it's ours. Thanks for letting this slightly unhinged dad with a camera be part of your day.
Keep being legends, Canberra. The algorithm might be unpredictable, but you mob are absolute gold.
How a coffee shop makes a canberra suburb %100 better.
Ok, so this blog post is from personal experience and I hope to share this with any future house hunters or rental prospects as you find a home in the canberra suburbs.
My wife and I when we first got married had a very small two bedroom apartment rental spot in a 1980s-1990s built design which for the most part was very cozy yet freezing in winter due to the solid brick / air gaps.
Though it was older, we loved it and it was perfect for us at the time. It was a quiet suburb, not much happening other than the occasional speeding commodore or screaming neighbours and the occasional street cat fight (Actual cats, not people).
But one thing we always found frustrating was that the local shop we had which was a 5 minute walk, had zero purpose.
“There was a local shop on the street corner, it looked normal at first, until you realise the fridge section is full of ugg boots. I went to get milk and it was 9 days out of date. The alcohol section was literally half of the store.”
That’s exactly what we found. A suss as store, a takeaway spot (Which was decent) but it was clear that once was a thriving spot in the 90s was clearly dead and lifeless.
This was even more so the case when Covid hit, and with that, came a lovely surprise. A coffee van.
I’m not exactly sure how it started, or how it came to be. But when it came, it was a light in a dark place, a glimpse of community that arose from the depths of a quiet dead suburb.
Not only did the coffee van bring a sense of community, it was actually something you could look forward to in COVID. To go outside, explore your own suburb and get a nice sweet treat and coffee to make the day a bit better.
Sadly, the coffee van didn’t last. But it did spawn a community project to restore the shops as the suss as shop owners seem to have been closed down and now was to be refurbished into a fancy yoga place.
We’ve since left that suburb, but after visiting a couple of times, there’s a wonderful brand new coffee shop called “Sweet Bones Cafe” which is very popular and made us slightly jealous because of how much foot traffic there was.
But it got me thinking. Can a simple coffee shop make a difference in a suburb? Short answer. Yes.
Hospitality has done it tough over the past few years, and some have Innovated to survive and thrive, and opportunities have arisen for new ventures to pop up and some of those ventures appear in the middle of suburbs.
These key spots are such good community builders. It’s like a fresh pulse in a suburb. A place to walk to, a place to stop in on the way to work, a friendly face to see before you get to the office for example.
I think if a suburb doesn’t have a coffee place or some sort of morning stall / shop. It’s a massive missed opportunity.
When house hunting or looking for a rental property, I highly recommend doing a quick check to see what’s near by. For us, it’s a nicely little family activity to go and get a coffee together at our local. Even if we can make one at home, it’s just nice to get some sun and have a chat with the lovely owners. (They look after us well.)
So it left me with this question. Are you in a suburb that has a coffee place? Does it make a difference? Maybe have you lived in a boring canberra suburb, but then a new coffee shop or something like it popped up and it’s no longer boring? I’d love to hear from you! DM ME @themortz
My top 3 Canberra walking tracks
1 - Oxley Hill
Oxley hill, my old stomping ground.
There has been many a time I’ve found myself on this hill as a kid but even now as a little nostalgic trip down memory lane.
This little spot doesn’t seem like much, but for those that know, the location actually is quite nice and is situated with a view point that overlooks Tuggeranong lake and the hyper dome area.
There are multiple starting points where you can start this walk and most of them are just off various streets which you can find on the map.
I’d say its a light 10 minute walk from the bottom to the top if you come from McKibbin Place that goes on the path straight up from the car park / playground area.
It’s also a really nice Mt Bike track from top to bottom but also all around the whole hill.
Definitely worth a visit, but during summer be careful of the snakes because there’s plenty.
2 - The Pinnacle
The Pinnacle is situated in Hawker and is very subtle but a very nice walk with a great view point (especially for a photographer like myself)
This was one of those lockdown finds when we were all looking for fresh air.
The walk from the car park situated off Springvale dr is approximately 20 minute walk from the bottom to the top and there’s a couple of other options that don’t include the pinnacle (more of just around the block type walks).
It’s an underrated walk in my opinion - there’s been a couple of times where we’ve seen the endangered Gang Gangs and plenty of grey kangaroos which love to just lay and chill and observe as you walk around.
This walk would also be great for the family as there’s plenty of rocks and tree stumps to jump off (of course being careful of the path and what not.)
As a photographer, there’s plenty of textures and colours and “golden hour” spots that are great for family photos or just hitting that golden glow on our city landscape.
Highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already!
3 - Cotter Caves
Now this one is one of my personal favourites and admittedly I haven’t been able to do it in a long time, but a light walk to the cotter caves is seriously a fantastic and not well known spot I think anyone in Canberra should seriously check out.
Here’s a Parks ACT information link to get a better idea of the overall walk (as it can be hard to find if you aren’t using the offical tracks”.
It’s so memorable to me because of the sounds and visuals such as the cotter river flowing, the wind flowing through the branches and the shade covering most of the track.
There’s a very well built set up stairs up to the caves (Which has been sealed off for obvious reasons) however when I lasted visited there’s a small
little cavern you can go in if you dare (heavily graffitied and creepy)
There’s a great vantage point from the top and makes for some great photos, this would take probably about 30-45 minutes tops from the car park.
A lot of people are surprised to know that there’s caves just around the cotter bend so if you haven’t seen this or looked at the map, take this as a sign to go on an adventure to find this spot.
Sadly I’ve lost all my photos of this wonderful location which means I’m due for another visit soon.!
These are just my top 3 and aren’t overly special but to me they are because of certain photos and moments spent here.
Let us know if you checked out any of these spots :)
CanBRUH Influencer or Canberran With Influence
The perceived power of clicks and views
Ok, this blog is a for real blog about a tough conversation (not really) but an important conversation about creatives and creative work in Canberra the “Capital of Art in Australia”
An article published by the canberra times titled “Why the ACT Gov paying influencers to make instagram posts about the city” really caught my attention.
Winter In The City, Genuinely, I think it’s a great event as we’ve been lacking in the winter events in canberra simply because its 1) Canberra and 2) It’s cold and I want to stay inside and eat nachos and watch the footy.
After reading the article and seeing that this was the similar event I attended, I was kind of shocked but not really shocked at what has occurred in that some people were paid to promote these events.
Firstly, well done for securing a pay packet, secondly, where’s mine?
I believe anyone who’s creating content on behalf of someone should absolutely be paid because exposure unfortunately won’t feed my kids.
But at the same time, those with what is perceived as “influencer status” should and more than likely do disclose that they are actually being paid for this to be promoted.
It’s just amazing what people will ask for just for a few views and clicks (Yes, I’ve been asked plenty to promote products and businesses, but that’s not really what I’m about,)
.
“I don’t see myself as an influencer, but a person of influence, and that is why I do what I do. If it’s genuine and for a good cause, I’m more than happy to attend and show off something to help out.”
The Value Paradox
As a photographer and a content creator, there have been plenty of times where I’ve been asked to share imagery or posts for free and in some circumstances I’m more than happy to because (I don’t mean for this to sound like a brag) but I do try to be genuine and nice and supportive. And If I can’t I explain why.
But for the post part, the views and exposure you get in exchange for a service is good for some, but for me, I know my worth and value, but I also have a family I need to feed and in my world, that is the #1 priority.
Here's where things get a bit mental though. The same businesses/services that I'm encouraged to support by spending my hard-earned cash are often the ones hitting me up for freebies. Last month alone I had three different people offering services for exposure and that’s totally fine I get it, and I’m quiet upfront to say that I either don’t do it, I can do it at a charge, or I just don’t have the time. (And I often follow them to support their local business after our conversations :) )
But there’s still this weird tension with how creative work is perceived in that when you mention anything of a quote or invoice, you suddenly get ghosted like your last date in the city.
This creates a proper mess. Creatives who can't afford to work for free either leave town or leave the industry altogether. The ones who stay often struggle financially, and we end up with a creative brain drain that makes our "arts capital" status feel more like wishful thinking than reality.
The Bigger Picture
The reality is businesses and especially canberra businesses are doing it tough right now.
Hospitality especially seems to be affected and not to mention the ones dealing with the tram construction (I’ve already addressed this with a cheeky AI song)
My big picture is that I’m %100 for being paid to do exposure creative work, but I’m also %100 for the local business / person and am more than
happy to jump in if I think its appropriate to and I have the time.
Please know that If we knock back an offer, It’s not that we don’t like what you’re offering - It’s just we as creatives genuinely value our work and what we do and thus should be recognised for that.
This isn't just about money (though let's be honest, money matters when you've got mouths to feed). It's about respect. It's about understanding that the person behind the camera or the keyboard has invested years developing their skills, thousands in equipment, and ongoing costs for insurance, software, and business overheads.
Where to from here?
I'm not having a whinge here (well, maybe a little bit), but this is bigger than just photographers getting paid. If Canberra wants to maintain its reputation as Australia's arts capital, we need to start actually valuing our creatives properly.
For businesses: if you want professional creative work, budget for it. If you can't afford it, be upfront about that rather than trying to convince creatives that exposure pays the bills. And if you genuinely want to support local talent, put your money where your mouth is.
For creatives: know your worth and stick to it. Every time we work for free, we're not just undervaluing ourselves - we're making it harder for the next creative to charge properly. It's ok to be selective about when you donate your time and skills.
For everyone else: understand that supporting local businesses means supporting all local businesses, including creative ones. When you see quality content promoting local spots, remember there's probably a professional behind it who deserves to be compensated for their work.
The Winter in the City event was brilliant, and I genuinely loved being there to support local businesses and document something great happening in our city. But let's make sure we're supporting all the talent that makes these events special - including the ones behind the cameras and keyboards who help tell these stories.
Because at the end of the day, exposure doesn't feed families, pay mortgages, or keep the lights on. But fair compensation for quality work? That's how we build a creative community worth celebrating.
And that's how we make Canberra's "arts capital" status something more than just a nice hashtag on a tourism brochure.
This blog contains summarised thoughts and assisted writing with AI
How to solve Canberra bad driving behaviours.
Canberra has a driving problem.
By a local who’s seen some things… and have been shared numerous amounts of complaints.
The Morning Commute Nightmare
Picture this – you live on the south side and have the fortune of having a job somewhere in the vicinity of "Civic" or "Canberra City."
Your job starts at 9am, and you have the dreaded task of needing to drive on the parkway. You're normally an early morning person and love getting coffee prior to starting work.
But that cold has settled in overnight, the frost is on your car, and you decided to sleep in for 10 minutes. Because of that slight luxury and inconvenience, you have now been selected to join the Tuggeranong Parkway Speedway – where the race is to see who can get into the city the fastest with no care for lines or merge signs, let alone personal space.
As you get closer and closer to your destination, you can't help but feel like you're being followed as you see a glimpse of high beams riding up your backside (even though you're in the left lane and going the speed limit).
The aim is to win the race to get a parking spot, but if you're late and lose, don't worry, because you get to do it all over again in the afternoon heading home.
This is a typical scenario of the average drive in Canberra.
I asked the question "What is an annoyance in Canberra that only a Canberran would understand?" and the overwhelming majority of responses were car-related.
So how do we solve these problems?
I'm not an expert, but I'm going to share some observations that perhaps we can examine as a collective community – and maybe we can reward some good behaviors too.
1) The Art of the Canberra Merge
How do you know it's going to be a rough drive to work? If there's a merge lane anywhere between your home and destination.
Canberrans somehow have collectively defined merging lanes as:
Spot a merge lane ending 300 metres ahead
Immediately panic as though the road behind is turning into lava
Disregard everyone around you
Swerve violently or extremely slowly into the continuing lane, preferably without checking mirrors
Create a traffic jam that extends back to the previous suburb
Heaven forbid we use the entire merging lane that was built specifically for merging at its end point.
"But what would I do with all that extra road?" asks the average Canberra driver, while simultaneously complaining on Facebook's Canberra Notice Board about the traffic congestion.
How do we solve this? Perhaps with a bit of patience and a collective understanding of how zippers and long lanes work. We often see those signs with smiley faces on the LED display when you're going the speed limit – perhaps we can place these at merge lanes and give a thumbs up to people who merge correctly and thumbs down to those who don't?
2) Tailgating: So Close I Can Smell You
Now, this is an ongoing argument about slow drivers in the right "fast" lane, but I'm talking just in general on this one.
The logic seems to be: "If I drive six centimeters from this person's bumper, surely they will recognize my superior importance and my need to be in front."
Reality check – sorry, you're not superior, and it's not just you on the road. With that attitude, you'll more than likely end up being mentioned on ABC radio at 6:50am or 4:45pm when they're indicating that there's been "A crash on XYZ road."
For this issue, I think we need again to exercise a bit of patience and kindness, as well as learning to stick to your lane (slow, go in the left; fast, go in the right). What's the rush anyway? It's not like we're too far from anywhere in Canberra.
3) Roundabout Roulette
I'm going to be open and honest here and say I don't want to talk about this one too much because if there's any city that should have experience with roundabouts, it should be us.
Please keep your eyes open, but also – how scary is the roundabout on Anzac Parade? I think we all can say that we've been caught out on that one a couple of times. No? Maybe it's just me.
A Modest Proposal
Since our city planners insist on building roads (or the lack thereof) that bring out our inner Mad Max, I have proposed a few solutions:
1 Replace all merging signs with: "USE THE ENTIRE LANE, KAREN. THE WHOLE THING."
2 Install eject-o-seato-cuz seats which are activated by tailgating. Too close for too long? WHOOSH – Up you go with the hot air balloons.
3 Install special sensors that detect when a driver fails to indicate at a roundabout and automatically play "Cotton Eye Joe" at maximum volume through their car speakers for the next 24 hours. (That suggestion came from my AI assistant – I legitimately laughed.)
4 A formal letter of embarrassment should be sent to you if your car is posted on Aus Dash Cams – The letter gives you a direct link to the video and advises you that in 10 days it will be shared to the Canberra Notice Board.
5 Bring back car rego stickers – only the colors represent your driving habits. Green – good as gold; yellow – you tailgate every so often; red – you probably own a Hilux and need to aim to do better.
In Conclusion
In all seriousness – Canberra is a wonderful city to drive around in – wide roads, stunning scenery, and though traffic does get bad sometimes, it's nothing in comparison to other major cities in Australia.
We could all benefit from having a bit more patience and empathy on the roads. (Who knows what someone has had to endure in the morning or at work?) Let's be the good example and do what's right, and not post on social media when you've experienced something wrong. (Unless you send it to AUS DASH CAMS, of course.)
I'd love to connect with you – follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or check out my website.
The election is over…
The ACT election results mark a turning point for our capital city, transforming Canberra's political landscape from a "solid red" stronghold to a more diverse representation including passionate independents. As a local Canberran, I see potential for our city to evolve beyond its "APS Jobs" reputation, imagining a future where various industries thrive in our unique city-country culture. While electoral promises deserve our scrutiny, this shift could bring fresh energy to addressing Canberra's challenges and opportunities. Join me as I share my thoughts on what this political change might mean for our community's future.
We can now all breathe the fresh air.
Well, the election is now over bar some seats still being considered, but you can't help but notice a slight change, with what was a solid red capital to now the rise of independents.
I for one think that's good because, from what I've seen, they are quite passionate and vocal for the locals of Canberra.
I'm not a political person nor will I be, despite some fans commenting for me to run (lol, can you imagine? Because I can't).
But I am a Canberran that cares about how we're treated and represented.
I think it's important for us locals to hold accountable those who gave electoral promises to obtain the votes they received but also have a hint of doubt. Like the kind of doubt you have going to McDonald's on a 40-degree day hoping the ice cream machine is working, but it is indeed not working or someone who says they love Kingsley’s but they only order the chips.
After all, they are only promises, and those promises are made by people, and people are heavily flawed and aren't without error and mistakes.
My personal experience on election day was there wasn’t really optimism, it was more like that feeling you get when you have someone coming over and your house is messy… you want the person over, but you don’t really want to clean, but you kinda have to avoid a fine.
Mind you, I didn’t get to pre-poll so voting date was the only option for us – and based on my local suburb group, it seems election times are slowly becoming a “Who has the best food stalls, because that’s were I’m voting” which is comical but also, where are you and why didn’t you post on social media that you were doing fancy cupcakes???.
Our city has great potential, even potential to go beyond just being an "APS Jobs" type city. I can imagine a bright future of various industries coming here, provided they can endure the weather and avoid copping speeding tickets on Northbourne Avenue.
I see Canberra one day finally being acknowledged in the local weather reports on the major morning news shows on boomer network stations and actually being spoken about without a reporter in front of a green-screened Parliament House.
I can also see Canberra having a great sense of fun and adventure with the city-country culture that still exists and can be expanded on.
But alas, we wait and see what happens here with the many great things, but also the various problems and challenges that is Canberra.
I will miss the democracy sausage anticipation and the petty midnight corflute bandits fighting for territory.
Here's to hoping our representatives represent Canberra well, and here's to not hearing anymore "authorised by bla bla bla Canberra."
What are your thoughts? Drop us a message or tag me in a story and let us know!
