I was recently invited to shoot and appear in a nature story for the iconic Australian brand Country Road.
They asked me to share my favourite sights and sounds of where I live and talk about the connection to the landscape and where I feel most at home. I really loved shooting this story and spending the afternoon in nature.
Photography by Kara Rosenlund, portraits by Clare Lancaster and assisted by Mollie Buckley.
Above left: Walking the mangrove corridor just before sunset / Above right: Watching the sun dip beyond the mangroves and the intense sunlight filter through the branches.
Can you tell us about the spot you’ve chosen today, why is it special?
The spot I have choosen is Capembah Creek, an ancient mangrove corridor on Quandamooka Country.
It’s here the saltwater of Moreton Bay meets the crystal clear freshwater of the spring. I come here once a week. I find it connects me to the landscape and calms my mind through sound, touch and scent.
When you arrive at the start of the rainforest the temperature drops and cools your skin from the heat fo the sun. Then when you start to walk through the mangrove corridor the freshwater is always so cold from the spring that it jolts you into being present.
The scene changes with the daily rise and fall of the tides and the mangroves act as a nursery for fish, so as you walk the corridor through the silt baby fish are darting in and out of the mangrove pegs under your feet.
For thousands of years Quandamooka people have camped here to fish, hunt and gather food. The atmosphere here feels very soothing and calm.
Above: Feel the cool water on the skin, from where the salt and fresh water meet.
Where do you feel most at home?
I feel most at home here on the island.
The landscape changes from classic Australian beach scenes to paperbark forests and rainforests and to this mangrove corridor, It’s so diverse and very precious.
When I travel from the mainland over on the ferry all of life pressures seems to disappear by the time I reach the shores of the island and hear the curlews call out near where the ferry come in.
That’s when I know I’m home.
Above: This spot in one of my favourites to visit, it always has a way of lifting my spirits and washing away any stress I may be feeling.
What sights/sounds/smells/textures remind you of home?
Walking through a shaded cool bush track to the beach and hearing the fizz of the waves in the distance, then coming through the shaded trees and having to run to the waters edge as the scorching Australian heat burns your feet.
Hearing the high pitched whistle of whistlng kites and eagles soaring above reminds me of home, and hearing mopokes and curlews call out from the bushes.
When it’s whale season you can hear mother whales singing to their new calves guiding them south, as they come in very close to the coastline. I can actually hear one right now. Their songs echo on the rock cliffs and the sound travels, it’s one of the most emotional sounds, you can’t help but cry.
The smell of flowering bottlebrush and frangipani on the air as the sun hits it is such a favourite scent. And the texture of many layers of paperbark.
Above left: The mangrove pegs in the afternoon light / Above right: Standing on the banks of the spring and watching the fast rush of fresh water travel over the rocks.
What do you love most about the town you live in?
I love the connection to the landscape and that everything I need is here on the island.
I don’t wish for anything else when I’m here. This island has a wildness to it and time here is dictated by nature and the seasons. I love the connection to Country and the richness of the Quandamooka culture.
It’s a haven for wildlife and those seeking a stronger connection to nature.
Above: I love the colours of the landscape here, the khakis, browns, bronzes and sepia, all complimenting each other.
