A Long Time Coming

It seems like ages since I've ventured out for an early morning shoot. I thought it would become an ingrained habit, now living a few minutes away from the ocean. There you go. Great news to hear the Focus Photography Group will be commencing some weekend shoots around Port Macquarie with the plan for some workshops in the future. 

My first group shoot was at Oxley beach on a less than exciting morning skywise, however, walking along the waterline accompanied only by a few dog walkers and a few friends never fails to invigorate the spirit.

There is so much to observe other than the sun rising.

Bridge Over The Hastings

A visit to the Kindee suspension bridge has been on the drawing board for some time. Notably the oldest suspension bridge in Australia, it was opened in 1936 and crosses the Hastings River.The height of the bridge was apparently due to the likelihood of flooding in the area. It was difficult to find an interesting position for photographs as the bases on each side of the river are on fenced private land.

 

Nevertheless, there was an unexpected bonus. Adjacent to the bridge on the Kindee side of the river were two blossom trees in flower. Not only were they laden with pretty pink blossoms but they were deluged with intermittent waves of hungry bees and monarch (wanderer) butterflies. 

The butterflies generally eat milkweed whose poison is carried through the various stages of their life cycle, making them toxic to most predators, however they seemed particularly pleased with this alternate pink feast. 

 The following image clearly shows the curled proboscis silhouetted against the background.

With their bright orange black and white colouring serving as a warning to hungry birds, these colourful delicate creatures provided me with hours of amusement. 

Another bonus for the day was the appearance of two white breasted sea eagles circling overhead as smaller birds squealed their warnings. 

The life cycle of a Monarch Butterfly

The Three Brothers

Forests, and rainforests in particular have always entranced me since hearing the fairytale "Hansel and Gretel" as a young child. Fittingly, my new home is now deliciously shadowed by a mountain affectionately named North Brother, situated within the Dooragan National Park

image: the view from North Brother

The three Brothers are three separate mountains of the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales and situated approximately 360 kilometres north of Sydney. South Brother lies within the Greater Taree local government area, while the Middle and North Brothers are located with the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council area.  The North and Middle Brothers have been declared national parks. Part of the Dooragan National Park and Middle Brother National Park respectively.

 image: low cloud on North Brother 

There are two versions of the naming of the Brothers. The Australian Aboriginal people relate a dreamtime story of three brothers who were killed by a witch called Widjirriejuggi and were buried where the mountains stand. The youngest of the three was Dooragan the National Park which is home to North Brother mountain .When Captain James Cook passed the area on 12 May 1770 he named the mountains Three Brothers, since "the Hills bore a resemblance to each other".

Bird Tree and Benaroon, two of the biggest blackbutt trees in New South Wales are situated in the Middle Brother National Park. Scientists estimate these trees predate the arrival of Captain Cook to Australia.
Burrawan State Forest located off Bago Road on the way to Wauchope is home to 'Old Bottlebutt', an ancient Red Bloodwood . Unique in its shape, and over 200 years old, it has a large flared 'butt' with a massive girth of more than 16 metres just above the base. The access is via a 600 metre loop walk through a shady and lush rainforest.

image: the 'butt' of Old Bottlebutt"

image: "Old Bottlebutt" base to top

A Shared Obsession

Photography is great for generating self challenges and my friend Carolyn has become somewhat obsessed with tracking predatory birds and aiming for that perfect shot.  In an endeavour to assist her on her quest I admit to developing a more than passing interest in the subject. Somewhat serendipitously I was heading home to Laurieton the other day when the most magnificent cloud bank materialised so I pulled into Northaven to see what shots I could capture.

I was immediately distracted by observing a few small birds worrying what appeared to be a flying kite. 

 

 I was approached by a friendy local who asked if I'd like him to set up a shot. He admitted to spending over $40 a week on mince for the local birds and his aim was to have them eventually feed from his hand. The smaller birds he identified as speckled drongos and they were flying towards him to catch the remnants of mince he threw. 

Unfortunately I only had my Powershot with me which is not perfect for capturing action shots but I could hardly ignore the opportunity. I spent the next two hours observing the kite circling, with intermittent sweeps down towards the mince which my new friend had placed on top of a monument. 

 

As the kite approached the monument it lowered its legs akin to a plane landing and once the mince was secure in its talons it transferred the meat to its beak on the fly. 

 

Another bird appeared in the sky overhead and we initially thought they were mates, however on closer inspection it appears to be a different bird altogether. The photo is quite blurry as by now the setting sun was creating glare but there is enough detail to see the birds are not the same species. I have it on good authority that it is a Brahminy Kite.

 

All good things must come to an end and with the end of the mince supplies, both birds disappeared from view. The shots are grainy, but something to share with Carolyn, and a record of an enjoyable afternoon. 

 This feeding of the birds is a daily occurrence with my new acquaintance, so I'm looking forward to returning with my DSLR and hopefully capturing some interesting shots in the future. 
As for that cloud bank - I still had enough time to head towards Washouse beach at Dunbogan to grab a shot as the last rays of colour festooned the foreshore sand with a pearly pink glow. 

Shrouded In Cloud

One aspect of Sydney life I knew I would miss would be the opportunity to explore foggy locations. I was thrilled to discover that much loved rainy days produce low lying clouds which shroud North Brother Mountain situated right behind my villa. I've always loved venturing out in the wet weather to search for photographic opportunities. The absence of people and the transformational lighting effect produced by leaden skies and falling rain is a difficult partnership to improve upon.

Apart from being targetted by a few hardy leeches, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the lookout. There are some scenic forest trails to follow and I'm keen to return and spend more time in this nearby location. Knowing there was on one else braving the weather I was free to stop many times on the return trip down the side of the mountain to capture shots of the trees shrouded in cloud.

Spoilt For Choice

Living in a photographer's paradise was a completely unexpected bonus of moving from the ratrace that is Sydney to the quiet little town of Laurieton on the North Coast. Nestled securely in the shadow of North Brother Mountain, which is frequently shrouded in cloud, provides a deliciously foggy atmosphere.  The mountain is my new landform of addiction, whether wandering in the rainforest atop the mountain or the fern forests festooning the base. Its imposing presence is easily discernible from most locations in the Hastings  and its moods are countless which makes it a never ending source of photographic opportunities.

image: Looking towards the Fishermans Co op at Laurieton from Dunbogan bridge
Five to 30 minutes driving distance from so many peaceful locations and walking trails, some of them even walking distance away, I am spoilt by serene surroundings accessible from every direction.    

Diamond Head, only 10 minutes away from home, boasts a most imposing rock formation comparable to Cathedral Rocks and is one location I cant wait to explore at low tide.

The Port Macquarie Hastings area boasts "more than a stunning coastline", with quiet waterways and quaint little towns within easy travelling distance. Although forests would generally be my preference for atmosphere over beaches any day, it's taken me a while to track down the accurate names for the plethora of beaches also available in my local area. Most of the beaches have magnificent rock formations and there are so many composition options. Thankfully most of them are also easily accessible. A very helpful beach guide is accessible from the  Greater-Port-Macquarie website at http://www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au along with many other useful snippets of information. The Council run website sings the praises of not only Port Macquarie but Camden Haven, Wauchope, quaint towns and villages and day trip destinations.

 Laurieton sits right in the middle of the Camden Haven area which stems from the Camden Haven River which flows from the Comboyne Plateau, and Queens Lake, a paradise for water lovers.  

The Authentic Self

No journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within. Lillian Smith

 


Essentially I am an unapologetic introvert,  a lover of solitude, of rain and mists and forests. Traits perfectly suited to photography.

 

 

Not a purist by any means, everywhere I travel my eye is captured by not only the reality, but the possibilities.That's not to say that I always process an image to create an illusion. I frequently process an image simply to reproduce a memory. On other occasions I choose to alter the reality and create a dream.

This new blog is a receptacle for a selection of images which will document my exploration of my new home on the North Coast. My travels are not to premier locations such as the Greek Islands or The Black Forest, but simply to locations accessible by car from my home. Australia is a land of great beauty and Nature is a Master so it is an easy task to find inspiration just around the corner.

Valuable lessons are frequently learnt during these sojourns, not only about photography, but about life.  I have often spoken to my friend Carolyn of "The Gift" received from Mother Nature each time I venture forth with my camera . It may be as simple as the unexpected appearance of an unusual bird, or frost clinging to the hairs of a dandelion. But it reminds me that there is beauty in even the most inauspicious of locations

My previous photo journal prior to my move can be found at Photog-art. While my collated photography reference blog is located at Pandora's Perspective. 

The Valley Of Villages

Camden Haven is my new local area, a small harbour in the Mid North Coast approximately 30 km south of Port Macquarie. Appropriately named, it indeed represents a haven, a refuge from the previous fast paced lifestyle. A lifestyle comprised of people jostling, crowds encroaching and traffic stalling.

The harbour is located where the Camden Haven River empties into the Tasman Sea. It is also the name given to a group of settlements located on the shores and in the rural surrounds. Laurieton where I choose to live is the largest town and other communities in the immediate vicinity include North Haven and Dunbogan.The  region is bordered on the west by the Comboyne plateau.  The scenic valleys are punctuated by several large mountains, notably the Three Brothers.   

image taken from North Brother Mountain overlooking Laurieton and looking towards Dunbogan on the right and North Haven in the distance.

  The area is referred to by some as "The Graveyard"- the place where people come to die. No doubt this is due to the abundance of retirees who now call Camden Haven home. Disputing this pessimistic description, for me it represents a haven, the place where people come alive. There are so many scenic places, many of them isolated except for perhaps dog walkers or the occasional fisherman. There is a refreshing absence of middle aged men in lycra or stroller pushing yummy mummies sporting ear phones zooming past on walking tracks. 

Camden Haven is situated within the Port Macquarie - Hastings local Government area.