Afterlife dinnermint : Quarry 1 am

I initially planned to visit the quarry around 8 pm this evening. I obviously changed my mind and decided that 1 am would be a little more interesting (particularly on a Friday/Saturday). I wasn't too wrong in assuming this. Upon arriving, I noticed a white car parked next to the dead-end street barrier closest to the quarry lake, and some mysterious person in a white shirt roaming around. They almost immediately went back to their car and left which was a little odd. My initial thoughts drifted to two things: someone being dodgy, and someone there for an official reason. In the case of the latter, I figured they'd probably drive over to me ASAP and demand to know why I, girl in a Saab 900i, have chosen to visit RVE at 1 am on a Saturday morning. This didn't immediately occur, but after about 15 minutes, I saw headlights come towards me around the corner. It turned out to be a security guard, so I wasn't too wrong - they seemed relatively wary and didn't want to get out of their own car. He explained he had to make a report to his superiors about anyone he comes across in RVE but was relatively sympathetic because he had also recently completed his Masters and understood that research involves this kind of tedious stuff (he actually told me to revise my methodology). I asked if he'd like to be interviewed and he said yes pending the approval of his employer (note to David: apparently you will be getting an email from this person [I offered him my email but he really wanted to email you? I dont know but OK]).

This is where it gets interesting (well, more so): he went on to tell me what kind of things happen at RVE and it's actually a lot worse than what I imagined (and what tends to be portrayed in the few Herald Sun/Brimbank Leader articles published about the issue). Aggressive hoons are a huge issue, and the security guard warned me to stay away on this basis - he demonstrated how they tend to block/ram cars in the area which interrupt/surveil their activity, and said I probably wouldn't be as lucky as him in the same situation because at least he has a CB radio and can call for help. He had encountered a few 4WDs only minutes earlier driving around Solomon Heights which bothered him. He also kept repeating the fact that, if anything happened, nobody would find me until morning (this doesn't inspire a lot of confidence). I can't help but wonder if this is mere speculation or based on an actual incident. Aside from that, apparently a lot of drug deals happen there (a totally moronic idea given all the CCTV cameras) and it's some kind of hookup spot and generally a magnet for freaks. He recommended that RVE should be totally avoided after 7 pm. I left soon after, having only observed RVE for 30 minutes.

I am too tired to write properly hence the strangely robotic nature of the two rambling paragraphs above.

From my visit to the VU library today - if you can't tell, SH, RVE and the northern section of Sunshine North are all marked as public open space as late as 1984.