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But you're an artist. Why a travel blog?
For two years I have loved creating photographic art; it fires my creative soul in a way that nothing else has, but all the time spent and sacrifices made barely cover the bills and I need to get smarter about how I use my talents. So why travel? Travel photography was my number one passion before I discovered I could create art, hence why the majority of my artworks are composed of photos from…
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Hayley Roberts Photography calendar for 2019
Hayley Roberts Photography calendar for 2019
Well folks another year has rolled on by so it’s time to announce my 2019 calendar!
This year’s calendar features 16 images from the dark ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed shoot I worked on earlier this year. You can read about the experience of shooting these images at this blog post. It was a wild ride!
My calendar sells out every year so if you’d love to give these dark fairy tales as a Christmas…
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Cedar Creek is a haven of babbling brooks, towering trees and granite sentinels at the foot of the D’Aguilar Range near Samford, Queensland (not to be confused with Cedar Creek at Tamborine Mountain). With so much natural beauty on offer it’s hard to believe how closely it nudges suburbia being merely 40 minutes north-west of Brisbane’s city centre. Speaking with born and bred Moreton Bay residents I was surprised to learn that everyone had a story from their youth of spending time at Cedar Creek; swimming at the waterfall, jumping off the cliffs, or swinging on the ropes.
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It’s believed land in the area was first inhabited at the start of the 1800s, became a cattle station in the mid-1850s, and was subdivided into saleable properties during the 1870s when a 200 acre block cost 200 pounds. Aborigines are known to have lived beside Cedar Creek in the early 1900s, but there is no documentation of its Indigenous history prior.
Despite the name ‘Cedar Creek’, there’s not a single Cedar tree to be found. Throughout the early 1900s Cedar Creek was recognised for its excellent timber, particularly pine and red cedar, and logging became a significant industry that eventually died out due to oversupply. Cedar has now completely disappeared but a number of Brisbane’s churches were built using timber from the area so it’s nice to think they still live on in a place of worship. Also notable is that Macarthur Chambers in Brisbane City was built with pink granite mined from Cedar Creek.
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During the 1920s dairying and pig farming became popular and the fertility of the region saw all manner of crops being farmed with pineapples and bananas being particularly successful, although Bunchy Top disease killed off the banana industry ten years later. The area has become no less fertile over time with rich soil and plentiful water allowing market gardens to prosper. Farmer’s markets were held locally every Sunday from 1980 but were moved to North Pine Country Park (now Petrie Town) in 1987 due to swelling visitor numbers; a market still popular today.
In the 1920s a school was built and named ‘Closeburn’ (‘burn’ being Scottish for ‘creek’) because a number of other schools in the state were already named Cedar Creek. In those days locals collected their mail from the train station and after complaints of their mail going astray, the train station and subsequently the area, were renamed Closeburn to avoid confusion. Residents wishing to travel by train to the city would leave their horses in a small paddock next to the local shop and if running late the shop-keep was kind enough to unsaddle their horse for the day.
Much of my research on the area came from the series of books ‘Samford Reminiscences’, stories collated from local families by the Samford District Historical Society. A few of these stories really took my fancy and were used as inspiration for my Cedar Creek artwork:
In the early 1900s local families would wash their clothes in the creek. Laundries were set up along the banks and kerosene tins were used to boil the clothes which were hung on lines further up the bank.
In 1925 Cedar Creek/Closeburn Hall was built with timber donated by local residents. Every Saturday night bands performed and popular dances and ‘card parties’ were held with supper provided. Interestingly the area didn’t receive power until the mid-1950s after World War II. Another popular form of entertainment, particularly for the region’s children was gathering wood to build a huge bonfire for Guy Fawkes night on November 5, held in Upper Cedar Creek.
In June 1913 11 year old Ivy Mitchell of Cedar Creek Road was murdered on her walk home from visiting a friend. Her body was found beside the bag of lollies and flowers she was carrying. Her murderer was the last man to be executed in Queensland in 1913. Other sad stories include the death of 13 year old Hattie Hunter in 1999 who jumped into flood waters to save her dog Belle. There is a plaque in the area erected in her honour. A young boy was also accidentally shot in the back by his best friend while hunting parrots in the creek bed (once a popular hobby because of their threat to local crops.)
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Faces in the rocks
If this isn’t called ‘Dog Rock’ it should be!
As for the creek itself, swimming parties and picnics were always a beloved pastime and Albert Eaton (of Eaton’s Crossing) made a portion of his land available to the public for a picnic ground. Visitors used to enjoy a ‘clear stream, busy with shoals of mullet, wild duck and water hens’ and the fresh water was ‘better than tank water to drink’. Children chased eels and catfish.
The waterfalls are located on the Upper Cedar Creek property once owned by Andy Williams and family. (These days the only recreational area devoted to the creek is ‘Andy Williams Park’ about half way up Cedar Creek Road.) The family had a kiosk to cater to tourists and a donation box to gain admission to the waterfalls.
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Written information about the area is sparse during the late 20th century but I’m sure every local has a story to tell. In the early 2000s locals began to complain loudly about “people pollution” causing degradation from overuse, litter and lack of toilet facilities. Exotic weeds also began to pollute the water. Reports of vandalism, theft, trespassing and pollution were on the rise and a police crackdown occurred although there was only one arrest for cannabis and none for drink driving but it did successfully reduce ‘anti-social behaviour’ for a time.
The roadway to the Cedar Creek waterfalls is now private property so you’ll need to park nearby and rock-hop along the creek bed approximately 20 minutes to reach them.
The area is a charming place to visit. Along Cedar Creek Road you might see a cockatoo or kookaburra, goat or llama with platypus sightings in the creek a possibility. Keep your eyes peeled and you may even spot a gargoyle topped stone bridge! There are plenty of places to paddle in and Andy Williams Park is a prime spot for a picnic. If you’re looking to buy your own private haven close to town, property sizes are large enough to provide a rural atmosphere but small enough to prevent isolation with shops a mere ten minutes away.
Inspiration for my Cedar Creek image – from ‘The Land and I’ series
The focus for this image was how visiting Cedar Creek makes you feel.
I dressed the model in formal dress to signify the popularity of community dances held in the Cedar Creek Hall. The dress is covered in flowers to portray the feeling of being revitalised and rejuvenated by spending time here. The woman’s dress blends with the waterfall to symbolise a connection or ‘oneness’ with the land as well as the flow on effect of visitors taking away feelings of nourishment to share within their own communities. I was also drawing on the stories of women washing their clothes in the creek by combining the water and fabric. The woman holds flowers as a tribute to Ivy Mitchell. I chose her reverent pose to portray how spending time in this beautiful, cavernous space is almost akin to worship, and to remember the original cedars that now live on in the form of churches. The flower texture over the rocks indicates the fertility of the region, both physically and spiritually.
I particularly like this quote about the region found in a newspaper article from 1929:
“If rosy-cheeked children are an indication of a healthy district then Cedar Creek, in addition to being unusually picturesque, must possess a very congenial climate.”
Learn how I created the feature image here.
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I invite you to share your own stories, photos and experiences of Cedar Creek in the comments below so we can create a living history of this moving place for future generations.
Further reading:
Samford Reminiscences Volumes 1-6, edited by the Samford District Historical Museum Society
Visit:
Samford District Historical Museum
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Moreton Bay Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
The Stories of Cedar Creek – from ‘The Land and I’ project Cedar Creek is a haven of babbling brooks, towering trees and granite sentinels at the foot of the D’Aguilar Range near Samford, Queensland (not to be confused with Cedar Creek at Tamborine Mountain).
A few months ago I saw a call out on Facebook looking for creatives to join a dark ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed shoot. It was like all my Christmases had come at once so I quickly applied and was stoked to be asked to join the team which included five models, three hair and make up artists, four photographers, a headpiece designer, and an effects specialist.
We all met one Sunday in the middle of a pine forest on the very outskirts of town. Digitaliss Demiwolf and her partner, Rob Nealson, had already spent hours setting up four mini locations as well as the main tea party table, which was laden with the most incredible treasures. I could have spent all day shooting the table alone. The amount of work they put into creating pieces, organising the shoot, transporting everything on site and setting up and packing down was just mind-blowing.
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Image courtesy of Mark Lynam
While the models were being styled I helped the incredibly talented Belinda, from Husk & Vine, collect pine cones to use in one of her marvellous horticouture creations. I’d been following her work for awhile and was just thrilled to meet her and assist in the creation of one of her pieces, even in the smallest way.
Image courtesy of Mark Lynam
Once the hair & make up artists were finished doing their thing the models and photographers split off into groups to start capturing the mini wonderland. I was super excited that the footwear designers, Pendragon Shoes, supplied shoes for the photo shoot. I’ve been a fan of their fairy tale creations for almost 20 years (they’ve even made shoes for Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer!) and I was so happy to have them share their shoes and creative suggestions. I tend to still get a wee bit overwhelmed on photo shoots and only wish I’d had more time documenting their shoes in the way they deserve.
I first teamed up with model Tiffany Lesley, made up by Ashlee Finnigan, in an area with a small table and an even smaller tea set, which had strong vibes of the scene where Alice grapples with her size and first meets the caterpillar. Tiffany has been recommended to me several times over the years and she was great fun to work with.
Tiffany and I- Image courtesy of Mark Lynam
Next I photographed Taylah Jay, made up by Mellissa Johnston, in a kind of outdoor living room set decorated with vintage props. Taylah looked a lot like the Red Queen so I tried to play up that vibe. There were several vintage furs included in the sets, which I grappled with morally to the point that I nearly pulled out of the shoot, but I tried to make these part of the story. In one image I photoshopped a bunny into Taylah’s lap while off to the side you can see a rabbit fur draped over the chest of drawers, giving the indication that perhaps the Red Queen isn’t so fond of rabbits. It’s a pretty dark concept but these are the places my mind goes …
Afterwards I got to work with the superstar of the day, Digitaliss Demiwolf, made up by Ashlee Finnigan, who posed at the end of a trail of teacups. She was great to work with, needing little direction, and able to pull off several poses and moods. In my head I gave each of the models characters and, although I can’t explain why, I had strong Cheshire Cat vibes from this set.
Perhaps it was this smile
By this time the sun was starting to set creating the perfect lighting for the group tea party scene. We all crowded around the table trying to snap what we could as the models played with the props. It was a tricky situation to shoot, especially trying to get the models to look the same way at the same time, but I ended up with several images I’m happy with. Husk & Vine did such a stellar job with the headpieces and Chloe’s worked perfectly for this scene as it resembled the Mad Hatter’s famous top hat. I’ve no idea if this was intentional!
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When I was 18 I had this dream about walking in a forest at night and stumbling upon the Luminaries (heavenly bodies) having a dinner party. I became obsessed with the idea and have since written both a short film and a short story based on the premise. Without having any creative input into conceiving this shoot I was shocked and moved to see it come to life for real.
With the sun disappearing fast I grabbed Chloe Vnt, made up by Mellissa Johnston, and we headed to the last mini set made of mirrors attached to trees. Although my flash started playing up (user error perhaps) the images I took during this small window of time were my favourites from the whole shoot, as Chloe is a natural and I really loved her look.
As we began to pack up I saw the final model, Jocelyn Lothian, made up by Mj Nolan, standing among some long grass looking divine while she waited for another photographer to grab their gear. I was fast running out of time and hadn’t had a chance to work with Jocelyn yet so I used the couple of minutes I had to capture Jocelyn’s regal look and posing.
Throughout this whole process Mark Lynam, assisted by Rob Nealson, was running between the sets creating special effects with his smoke machine and hot ice to add something extra to each scene, while also snapping behind the scenes images himself.
Rob Nealson holding levitating tea cups
Mark Lynam assisting with dry ice
Everyone was so professional and great to work with. My practice is fairly solitary so it’s always a joy to work with other creatives and while it wasn’t always easy with such a big team I’d happily do it again to capture a little piece of magic during an ordinary day.
Image courtesy of Warwick Davies
I’ve chosen 16 images from this shoot for my 2019 calendar, which you can learn more about here.
CREDITS:
Concept / Styling / Creative Directors:
Digitaliss Demiwolf, Rob Nealson
Photographers:
Hayley Roberts, Warwick Davies, Adrian Forster, JD Suarez
Models:
Taylah Jay, Jocelyn Lothian, Chloe Vnt, Tiffany Lesley, Digitaliss Demiwolf
Hair and Make Up:
Ashlee Finnigan, Mj Nolan, Mellissa Johnston
Headpiece Designers:
Husk & Vine, Digitaliss Demiwolf
Shoes:
Pendragon Shoes
Special Effects & Behind the Scenes Photography:
Mark Lynam
Alice in Wonderland – a dark ‘tea party’ themed group shoot A few months ago I saw a call out on Facebook looking for creatives to join a dark 'Alice in Wonderland' themed shoot.
Hayley Roberts Photography calendar for 2019
Hayley Roberts Photography calendar for 2019
Well folks another year has rolled on by so it’s time to announce my 2019 calendar!
This year’s calendar features 16 images from the dark ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed shoot I worked on earlier this year. You can read about the experience of shooting these images at this blog post. It was a wild ride!
My calendar sells out every year so if you’d love to give these dark fairy tales as a Christmas…
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I’ve mentioned in previous posts my desire to run away into the woods and how spending a few days at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Lamington National Park momentarily fulfilled that urge, but I’ve only really glossed over the actual experience. A luxury lodge was not quite the cabin in the woods I’d been dreaming of but it was a step closer than suburbia. My friends seem to have the mistaken impression that I’m far from the outdoor type anyway so this option seemed like a good compromise.
The prospect of being a woman wandering alone through the woods with expensive camera gear was admittedly quite daunting. But besides creepy crawlies and the weird creature I found mauled by the roadside there seemed little to fear. Each day I hiked 15km+ carrying my tripod, camera gear, and a backpack full of costume dresses and food. When I found a picturesque spot I would change into a dress, set up my camera, and climb into the scene. Afterwards while I packed everything away someone always walked by and I can only imagine what they would have thought had they arrived a moment earlier.
The drive to O’Reilly’s is a challenging, often one lane, winding mountain road made even more difficult because it had been raining non-stop for the past week. The slow and steady drive meant I arrived later than expected and so the first afternoon I did the short Booyong walk, including the Tree Top Walk over the forest via suspension bridges. When I returned to my room there were rosellas sitting on my balcony who barged into my room looking for food.
Booyong Walk
Rude!
The second day I walked part of the Border track with a short detour along the Albert River Circuit to admire the 3000 year old Antarctic Beech Trees. I was on the hunt for fairy tale spots and these trees certainly delivered. I then rejoined the Border Track having to detour from the path into the overgrown forest for a few minutes to avoid a massive fallen tree and walked as far as the NSW border before returning the same way. It’s amazing how easy it is to clear your mind in the bush when your focus is entirely on what’s directly in front of you.
Fairies?
The rock climb to Elebana Falls
The third day I again started on the Border Track but left after 3km to do the 11km Box Forest Circuit. Heading clockwise I walked along muddy paths down to the trail of waterfalls, rolling my ankle on the way which made things tricky for awhile. Most of the waterfalls I had completely to myself so I stayed for a long, peaceful time at Nugurun Falls and after a couple of creek crossings found the incredibly powerful Box Log Falls which felt oddly menacing so I was fearful to stay long. I headed back via Elebana Falls which is one of the more popular waterfalls in the area and involves a serious rock climb to reach the picture postcard spot. There I found a 70 year old man who’d been waiting since 7am for the right light. He said the soft, overcast light became perfect just as I arrived and I was amused to see the sun came out again just as I was leaving. Thanks nature!
The view after the climb!
Elebana Falls
Box Log Falls
The uphill walk back was slightly laborious so I took a short rest in my room and then went to visit my feathered friends at the designated bird feeding spot (in an attempt to stop them doing home visits).
On the last day I did the peaceful Wishing Tree walk, which is only accessible to O’Reilly’s guests, down to Glow Worm Gully and Moran’s Creek.
Wishing Tree
Moran’s Creek
Afterwards I drove to the Moran’s Falls walk entrance which is 1km away or you can take a path directly from O’Reilly’s. Either way the walk ends at the main lookout before looping back on itself. There’s a spot near Moran’s Falls which continually shows up on Instagram but after having trouble finding it I asked an O’Reilly’s tour guide for advice and he blatantly lied to me and told me it was a 6km walk away. Luckily someone on Instagram came to my rescue and told me it was only 10m away over a fence. Obviously, fence jumping is not advisable, but sitting at the top of an 80m waterfall with incredible valley views was certainly worth it!
Sitting a the top of Moran’s Falls
Moran’s Falls, can you spot where I was sitting at the top?
As I drove down the spirally hill away from the forest back to suburbia fatigue began to set in and I struggled to stay awake on the highway, so while I felt energised from my time in the forest, all the exercise wore me out completely.
COMPARISON – O’Reilly’s vs Binna Burra
Lamington National Park contains two lodges, one on either side of the mountain and having previously stayed at Binna Burra Lodge on the opposite side I thought it might be useful to outline the differences between the two accommodation options, O’Reilly’s and Binna Burra. When researching this trip I could find little about this topic and I’m sure others will find it helpful.
DRIVE
The drive to Binna Burra is far less stressful than the winding roads to O’Reilly’s and it’s slightly closer to Brisbane.
ACCOMMODATION
Both lodges offer a range of accommodation choices varying from camping to basic to ‘wedding party’. I stayed in the base room at each place and found that Binna Burra’s rooms were more rustic and slightly closer to a log cabin feel, while O’Reilly’s offers hotel room comfort. I get a strong impression that Binna Burra caters more to serious hikers while O’Reilly’s draws couples and the retired middle class. The price difference between the two reflects this. In truth Binna Burra could probably do with a refurb while O’Reilly’s has recently updated.
The views from my room at O’Reillys …
FOOD
Understandably food is limited only to what the accommodation provides and so both are pricey being your sole option. O’Reilly’s offers a bar for casual dining and a dining room for a fine dining experience although the same meals are available in both. I felt like a fish out of water among the overdressed couples in the dining room and eating in the bar felt like, well, eating in a bar. I wasn’t terribly impressed with either option. There’s also a breakfast buffet (which I didn’t try) and free morning and afternoon tea. A separate café and grocery store provides for in between meals. I took my own food for breakfast, lunch and snacks which is highly advisable.
Binna Burra offers an excellent buffet for breakfast and dinner in a cosy dining room where you generally share a long table with fellow guests who are often alone and clearly there for hiking rather than a lazy getaway. I preferred their food and down to earth approach. You can purchase a meal package when you check in. We took our own lunches, and morning and afternoon tea were free. There is a teahouse for in between meals.
The bar at O’Reilly’s and the dining hall at Binna Burra both offer spectacular views.
ACTIVITIES & AMENITIES
O’Reilly’s is a clear winner here offering bird and wildlife shows, Segway tours, a flying fox, glow worm experience and daily tours. The birds in the area are really tame and will happily climb all over you and fly into your room for the promise of a feed. It’s these experiences which has the place swarming with tourist buses during the day. Binna Burra’s activities are more adventure focused with abseiling, archery and orienteering but we found these only ran sporadically. I like that Binna Burra offers more relaxed activities such as journaling and yoga and enjoyed their range of free nightly get-togethers, talks and tours which are sadly lacking at O’Reilly’s. Both offer a day spa and O’Reilly’s has a couple of lovely pools.
WALKS
There are plenty of walks of different lengths offered at both. Personally I preferred the variety of the walks at Binna Burra but if it’s waterfalls you’re after O’Reilly’s is the favoured destination. Since O’Reilly’s caters more to tourists and families it’s pretty rare to bump into anyone on hikes over 5km although this makes the shorter tracks busy. The walks at both are similarly well maintained.
OVERALL
You won’t be disappointed by either option and it really just depends what kind of getaway you’re after. I would happily return to both but preferably Binna Burra for hiking and O’Reilly’s for a day trip or family holiday. If you’re really keen you can stay at both by hiking the 22km+ track which links them.
About ‘If Trees Could Talk’
When I found these gnarly, moss covered Antarctic Beech trees along the Albert River Circuit I knew immediately they had the fairy tale look I was after. The trees in this area are believed to be thousands of years old and I imagined all the stories they might tell if trees could talk. How incredible to be so resilient and how lucky we are to still have them! I was also struck by the idea that without human interference the things that move the slowest tend to live the longest.
The pose was shot on location so it’s not a composite although the image is a panorama made up of four shots edited together to get the full scope of the trees. In editing I tried to add a touch of magic – fireflies, fairies, butterflies – but I abandoned all these ideas because I really just wanted this image to be about the simple bond between the girl and the tree, as if it were telling her its secrets.
If Trees Could Talk – a visit to Lamington National Park I've mentioned in previous posts my desire to run away into the woods and how spending a few days at
Having worked there for three years, Bribie Island is close to my heart, and I’ve noticed how the local’s faces light up when they talk about its history. It was impossible not to include Bribie Island as part of ‘The Land and I’ project since it has experienced such pivotal historical moments and once I’d learned of the uniqueness of Red Beach I knew I had my location. If you haven’t seen the project already, please visit the ‘Stories of Bribie Island’ page at Visit Moreton Bay Region.
Red Beach
Like many I was quite taken with the story of Bribie the Basket Maker and initially wanted to portray the convict and his Indigenous lover on the beach but I was advised against it by the historical society who understandably are sick to death of the myth. As I was already pretty sold on the concept I decided to keep the idea but shift the focus to Welsby, the story’s creator. I think the notion of this enduring myth having been hotly contested and written about excessively for generations is just a captivating as the original story itself.
When studying the few existing photos of Welsby I realised he kind of looks like my dad, so that was my model sorted! We had to leave around 5am to make it to Bribie by sunrise so it’s lucky he’s an early riser (although not so lucky for me who needs my sleep). We walked for a few minutes in the dark to my chosen spot where I set up my camera and lights (which kept blowing over) while he shivered away in his secondhand suit. Thanks Dad. Eagles circled overhead to see what we were up to. I always envisioned him writing in the sky with an oversized fountain pen because a normal pen would be too difficult to see. I tracked down a historical looking font for the the text which was a challenge to make fit in a pleasing way.
Thomas Welsby
Dad
Me setting up
The koala was added from shots taken at Australia Zoo as many believe Bribie’s name actually came from the Indigenous word for koala, ‘Boorabee’ or ‘Borobi’ (which you may recognise from the Commonwealth Games’ mascot) but this word originates from the Gold Coast region so no one is sure. This is why I included the koala clutching at Welsby’s leg. The crab and basket are stock images and are explained further in the original post.
It was very difficult for me to get any form of Indigenous approval for this project as none of the elders I reached out to responded, which meant I had to be very careful including any Indigenous content. I decided to show the couple strictly as silhouettes which I created by finding stock images of an Aboriginal woman and colonial man and filling their shapes with black. I wanted to include other references to Indigenous culture of the time but could not do so without consent.
The final image:
(My website has a terrible habit of making images look fuzzy)
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between theQueensland Government and Moreton Bay Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
How I created ‘Bribie Island’ Having worked there for three years, Bribie Island is close to my heart, and I've noticed how the local's faces light up when they talk about its history.
Having worked there for three years, Bribie Island is close to my heart, and I’ve noticed how the local’s faces light up when they talk about its history. It was impossible not to include Bribie Island as part of ‘The Land and I’ project since it has experienced such pivotal historical moments and once I’d learned of the uniqueness of Red Beach I knew I had my location. If you haven’t seen the project already, please visit the ‘Stories of Bribie Island’ page at Visit Moreton Bay Region.
Red Beach
Like many I was quite taken with the story of Bribie the Basket Maker and initially wanted to portray the convict and his Indigenous lover on the beach but I was advised against it by the historical society who understandably are sick to death of the myth. As I was already pretty sold on the concept I decided to keep the idea but shift the focus to Welsby, the story’s creator. I think the notion of this enduring myth having been hotly contested and written about excessively for generations is just a captivating as the original story itself.
When studying the few existing photos of Welsby I realised he kind of looks like my dad, so that was my model sorted! We had to leave around 5am to make it to Bribie by sunrise so it’s lucky he’s an early riser (although not so lucky for me who needs my sleep). We walked for a few minutes in the dark to my chosen spot where I set up my camera and lights (which kept blowing over) while he shivered away in his secondhand suit. Thanks Dad. Eagles circled overhead to see what we were up to. I always envisioned him writing in the sky with an oversized fountain pen because a normal pen would be too difficult to see. I tracked down a historical looking font for the the text which was a challenge to make fit in a pleasing way.
Thomas Welsby
Dad
Me setting up
The koala was added from shots taken at Australia Zoo as many believe Bribie’s name actually came from the Indigenous word for koala, ‘Boorabee’ or ‘Borobi’ (which you may recognise from the Commonwealth Games’ mascot) but this word originates from the Gold Coast region so no one is sure. This is why I included the koala clutching at Welsby’s leg. The crab and basket are stock images and are explained further in the original post.
It was very difficult for me to get any form of Indigenous approval for this project as none of the elders I reached out to responded, which meant I had to be very careful including any Indigenous content. I decided to show the couple strictly as silhouettes which I created by finding stock images of an Aboriginal woman and colonial man and filling their shapes with black. I wanted to include other references to Indigenous culture of the time but could not do so without consent.
The final image:
(My website has a terrible habit of making images look fuzzy)
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between theQueensland Government and Moreton Bay Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
How I created ‘Bribie Island’ Having worked there for three years, Bribie Island is close to my heart, and I've noticed how the local's faces light up when they talk about its history.
The Stories of Bribie Island - from 'The Land and I' project
The Stories of Bribie Island – from ‘The Land and I’ project
I invite you to share your stories, images and experiences of Bribie Island so we can create a living history of this beautiful place for future generations.
For more information please see the related blog post at …
Or to learn more about this project visit The Land and I project
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between the…
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I chose Lake Samsonvale as a subject for my ‘The Land and I’ project because the history of Samsonvale has virtually been erased by the creation of North Pine Dam so I wanted to pay homage to the community that one stood there by compositing houses rising from the water. If you’ve not seen the project already, please visit the ‘Stories of Lake Samsonvale’ page at Visit Moreton Bay Region.
Lake Samsonvale provides a number of visitor areas so during my initial site recce I chose ‘Tukuwompa Park’ as the most picturesque to photograph. I came back one evening at sunset to photograph it as I wanted to use the symbolism of the ‘sun setting on the community’. I visited a second time on an overcast day to capture images for the travel blog and figured I might as well shoot the scene again with moody clouds just so I had some options. I also took some panoramas at Bullocky Rest because, as it’s the main visitor area, I figured it would also be the most recognisable. After much experimentation I ended up using the photos from Bullocky Rest in the final image because I liked the banks on either side.
Tukuwompa Park
Bullocky Rest
The houses were all photographed at Old Petrie Town as I really wanted to include authentic historical houses from around the region and felt it was important to include the few remaining houses that were moved from Samsonvale before the dam was built. It was extremely tough organising a time to shoot there as it’s a very busy place, complicated by weeks of rain which continually hampered my plans. As the deadline loomed I decided to shoot at 6am on Good Friday. It was raining as we drove to Old Petrie Town but thankfully it eased for the few hours I was shooting and began again just as I finished. Thank you weather gods! Each house was photographed from the top of a ladder because I needed to get the angles right. Many thanks to my assistant, Mum, who is always a trooper in these situations. And also to Nicholas Dodd for his help providing background information on Old Petrie Town.
Kriesch Slab Barn, built in Samsonvale in the 1870s
Yebri House from the Petrie family homestead
In Photoshop I stitched the panorama of Lake Samsonvale, cut out each of the houses and created their reflections, then added the fisherman, flying geese, trees and sunset sky. The colouring took weeks of experimentation to get right and I’m still not convinced (I even made three new colour variations today even though I “technically” finished this image weeks ago!).
The final(ish) result:
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between theQueensland Government and Moreton Bay Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
How I created ‘Lake Samsonvale’ I chose Lake Samsonvale as a subject for my 'The Land and I' project because the history of Samsonvale has virtually been erased by the creation of North Pine Dam so I wanted to pay homage to the community that one stood there by compositing houses rising from the water.
The Stories of Cedar Creek - from 'The Land and I' project
The Stories of Cedar Creek – from ‘The Land and I’ project
I invite you to share your stories, images and experiences of Cedar Creek here so we can create a living history of this moving place for future generations.
For more information please see the related blog post at …
Or to learn more about this project visit The Land and I project
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between the Queensland…
View On WordPress
I chose Lake Samsonvale as a subject for my ‘The Land and I’ project because the history of Samsonvale has virtually been erased by the creation of North Pine Dam so I wanted to pay homage to the community that one stood there by compositing houses rising from the water. If you’ve not seen the project already, please visit the ‘Stories of Lake Samsonvale’ page at Visit Moreton Bay Region.
Lake Samsonvale provides a number of visitor areas so during my initial site recce I chose ‘Tukuwompa Park’ as the most picturesque to photograph. I came back one evening at sunset to photograph it as I wanted to use the symbolism of the ‘sun setting on the community’. I visited a second time on an overcast day to capture images for the travel blog and figured I might as well shoot the scene again with moody clouds just so I had some options. I also took some panoramas at Bullocky Rest because, as it’s the main visitor area, I figured it would also be the most recognisable. After much experimentation I ended up using the photos from Bullocky Rest in the final image because I liked the banks on either side.
Tukuwompa Park
Bullocky Rest
The houses were all photographed at Old Petrie Town as I really wanted to include authentic historical houses from around the region and felt it was important to include the few remaining houses that were moved from Samsonvale before the dam was built. It was extremely tough organising a time to shoot there as it’s a very busy place, complicated by weeks of rain which continually hampered my plans. As the deadline loomed I decided to shoot at 6am on Good Friday. It was raining as we drove to Old Petrie Town but thankfully it eased for the few hours I was shooting and began again just as I finished. Thank you weather gods! Each house was photographed from the top of a ladder because I needed to get the angles right. Many thanks to my assistant, Mum, who is always a trooper in these situations. And also to Nicholas Dodd for his help providing background information on Old Petrie Town.
Kriesch Slab Barn, built in Samsonvale in the 1870s
Yebri House from the Petrie family homestead
In Photoshop I stitched the panorama of Lake Samsonvale, cut out each of the houses and created their reflections, then added the fisherman, flying geese, trees and sunset sky. The colouring took weeks of experimentation to get right and I’m still not convinced (I even made three new colour variations today even though I “technically” finished this image weeks ago!).
The final(ish) result:
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between theQueensland Government and Moreton Bay Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
How I created ‘Lake Samsonvale’ I chose Lake Samsonvale as a subject for my 'The Land and I' project because the history of Samsonvale has virtually been erased by the creation of North Pine Dam so I wanted to pay homage to the community that one stood there by compositing houses rising from the water.
The Stories of Lake Samsonvale - from 'The Land and I' project
The Stories of Lake Samsonvale – from ‘The Land and I’ project
I invite you to share your stories, photos and experiences of North Pine Dam and the Samsonvale community in the comments below so we can create a living history of this serene place for future generations.
For more information please see the related blog post at Visit Moreton Bay Region
Or to learn more about this project visit The Land and I project
This project is supported by…
View On WordPress
A visit to Lake Samsonvale offers tranquillity not always found at the region’s busier destinations making it an ideal spot to soak up some nature away from the crowds.
The area is accessible from sunrise to sunset with all the facilities you’ll need to celebrate a family occasion or merely enjoy an outdoor lunch. You’ll find BBQs, picnic tables and playgrounds at both McGavin View and Bullocky Rest (named as this was once a resting point for bullock teams travelling the Old North Road).
McGavin View
Bullocky Rest
Fishing in the lake is said to be world class provided you have the appropriate permit. Members of the Lake Samsonvale Water Sports Association are allowed to operate paddlecraft but there is strong talk that this will soon open up the public. Swimming is not permitted as Lake Samsonvale is the primary water supply for Moreton Bay and north Brisbane.
For hikers there’s a 4.2km (one way) bushwalking trail that links Bullocky Rest to Forgan Cove. Bird watchers and photographers will delight at the range of water birds.
Whatever activity you choose, as you gaze upon the calm waters of Lake Samsonvale, spare a thought for the once thriving community that called this land home.
Tukuwampa was originally home to the Garumngar people but was later given its official name, Samsonvale, by William Joyner who in 1845 leased approximately 400 square miles of land south of the North Pine River, extending from Moreton Bay to the D’Aguilar Range. Mr Joyner died two years later aboard the ‘Sovereign’ when it was wrecked near Stradbroke Island. His widow, Isabella, moved from Sydney to continue working the land. She later married John Griffin, owner of Whiteside, the adjoining run north of the river, and the two stations began to operate as one. Three generations of the Joyner family resided in Samsonvale for 104 years until 1945.
Home of the Joyner family at Samsonvale, photographed by Henry Gold. Image courtesy of Moreton Bay Regional Council, Image ID 375192.
These large runs were soon subdivided into 160 acre plots selling for the price of 2 shilling 6 pence bringing an influx of settlers consisting mainly of English, Scottish, Irish and German immigrants to work the land.
In 1870 Henry Gold established his property on the banks of Kobble Creek. Being centrally located he housed and operated the Samsonvale Post Office and the manual telephone exchange. He also provided land for the school, church and cemetery. The Gold family became one of the most prominent in the area occupying the region for 106 years.
During World War II an army camp and three airfields were established in the area. The Winn family volunteered 250 acres to the Women’s Land Army, whose purpose was to train women in farm work so they could continue the work of the men who had joined the services.
When Australian Paper Manufacturers selected Petrie as a proposed site for operations, their need for vast quantities of water, combined with population growth in the Redcliffe and Pine regions, inspired discussions about the region’s need for a dam. As a result Pine Rivers Shire Council dammed Sideling Creek to create Lake Kurwongbah and the Australian Paper Mill began operations in 1957. The mill eventually closed in 2013 and will soon become a university precinct.
It was quickly realised that Lake Kurwongbah would not meet the future demands of Brisbane’s water requirements and planners secretly undertook further surveying around the North Pine River with the view of creating a much larger dam.
In 1957 one of Samsonvale’s property owners discovered a caveat on his land title warning that the property was marked as a site for a future water storage scheme. Word spread among other land owners who checked their titles and found the same caveat. A public meeting was called and residents were advised that 98 properties would be affected by the proposed dam with construction estimated for 15 years’ time. Due to the long lead time and concern about the project’s effect on property values the State Government offered to buy the affected farms and half of the region’s pioneering families departed.
The Government eventually decided that the project was too big for the Pine Rivers Shire Council and brought in Brisbane City Council to manage it. BCC failed to honour previous agreements by refusing to acquire any remaining properties until the project was due to begin.
The families who chose to stay because their land was only going to be partially affected received their resumption notices in 1971 and found that their whole properties were to be resumed, in contradiction to what they were initially advised. Owners were offered inadequate pay outs (with the excuse that their land was not worth much since it was due to be resumed) which barely covered the costs of purchasing property elsewhere. Many families suffered through drawn out legal battles for some form of satisfactory resolution.
North Pine Dam (also known as Lake Samsonvale in memory of the community) opened in 1976 at a cost of $20 million. Sealed roads were built to provide easy access to the dam but an oversight caused Basin Road to cut in half a well preserved Aboriginal Bora Ring system. Later, Aboriginal groups lobbied to protect what remained but the water board rejected the proposal.
Back in the 1870s when Henry Gold was first clearing his land he had the foresight to conserve three acres of original Hoop Pine which he fenced to prevent damage from cattle. The BCC agreed to preserve this area which is one of the only surviving Hoop Pine forests in South-East Queensland. It is now called ‘Gold’s Scrub’ and is located near the lovingly maintained Samsonvale Cemetery on the opposite bank to Bullocky Rest. A persistent climbing plant, Cat’s Claw, began to spread among the native Hoop Pines but after several complaints the Commonwealth Government allocated $75,000 (more than the Golds were offered for their entire farm) for volunteers to clear the pest.
In the words of Ken Gold from his book A Boy from Samsonvale … “And so we can sum up this North Pine project as having a profound effect on a large area of land and the people who lived and worked on it. City people can bathe, wash clothes and cars, drink and cook, water their gardens and fill their swimming pools because a community profoundly disturbed made a significant sacrifice.”
Inspiration for my Lake Samsonvale image – from the ‘Land and I’ series
While North Pine Dam is a necessity for the region, I was deeply moved by the many stories I read of the people displaced by its creation. I’ve visited Lake Samsonvale a number of times without realising the history that lies beneath it and wanted to create an image to show people that there is much more to the lake than its calm surface. It’s a compelling thought that under the lake sits rusty remnants of generations of lives and that these treasures occasionally surface when water levels are low. I wanted to include the fisherman going about his pastime seemingly unfazed by the houses rising from the waters in front of him.
The houses in the image are all preserved historical houses photographed at Old Petrie Town. Included are notable properties such as the Kriesch family’s slab barn which was an original Samsonvale property, and Yebri House from the Petrie family’s homestead.
I invite you to share your own stories, photos and experiences of North Pine Dam and the Samsonvale community in the comments below so we can create a living history of this serene place for future generations.
Further reading:
Samsonvale : a history of the Samsonvale district by A. J. Gold
A boy from Samsonvale : an autobiographical account of the life and times of the community of Samsonvale from 1932 to 1980 as seen through the eyes of one of its citizens by Ken Gold
Visit:
Old Petrie Town
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) which is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Moreton Bay Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
The Stories of Lake Samsonvale – from ‘The Land and I’ project A visit to Lake Samsonvale offers tranquillity not always found at the region’s busier destinations making it an ideal spot to soak up some nature away from the crowds.