Impossible to 'take it all in' in a single visit to Shunka-en Bonsai Museum. So many high quality bonsai in the one place.  It was an absolute overload to the senses.

The hospitality shown by its owner, Kunio Kobayashi, ..... just as impressive and humbling. 

I was naive enough to think that I had some large Goyo Matsu..... then I saw these at Kato san's nursery in Omiya village.

Open to all Australian bonsai artists, the Bonsai Open is an annual premier “Australian” bonsai competition. To ensure exceptional bonsai are exhibited alongside the Central Coast Bonsai Club’s annual show, a significant prize pool is being offered:
1st Place $3,000  |  2nd Place $1,000  |  3rd Place $ 500  |  Best Australian native tree bonsai $ 500 + $200 Native yamadori voucher from “Tree Makers”
The competition will be judged by Tony Bebb (Qld), one of Australia’s top bonsai artists.   Contact the Central Coast Bonsai Society for further info.  Entries close 15-Jun-2019.

My entries:

This is an old image of the Australian Bonsai Gallery's contribution to a local arts exhibition.  We called it our 'Detached Forest', firstly in an attempt to offer something unique, and secondly to try to appeal to the general public (and to those who may not like bonsai all that much).  It was, to our surprise, a real success.!!!

Resukyū (レスキュー ) has been 're-worked' this Autumn. Needle plucked, bud select, and re-shape this White Pine is a real pleasure.

Second flush on this old AkaMatsu just starting to harden off. Will resume fertiliser programme soon. Looking forward to needle plucking and bud selection over the cooler months. Some wiring to refine the shape and to reduce and soften the crown also in the cooler months ahead.

I have been developing this old Ficus for decades.  Finally in it's first bonsai pot.  Lots of refinement to be done now.

This very large, Hachi-Uye, bonsai has just been candle pruned.  Looking forward to the 'second flush' of many smaller candles.

I have been working on this trident maple from a cutting struck in the early 80's.  It should be more advanced, by now, but it has been a victim of my limited time.  It is finally getting some attention.  The final stage of (initial) development is to thicken the lower branch with these sacrificial growth.  The rest of the tree is being refined and the leaves and inter-nodes are reducing nicely.  See what is for sale in the Gallery Bonsai For Sale.

Just completed some initial 're-design' on this old Sequoia.  I started this bonsai as 'tube stock' from a local nursery in the late 70's.  It was field grown for a few years and spend ~5yrs in a large training pot before finally beint transfered to a bonsai pot.

The bonsai is shown here with one of the cuttings I took from this bonsai ~19yrs ago.  The 'cutting' has been in our garden for ~18yrs.  Quite a contrast!