Imagine my excitement when I discovered so many ruined buildings on the road to Alice Springs during my recent study tour, particularly as the theme of the tour was the interaction between the built and natural environments.
I was fortunate that my travelling companion was well versed in the history behind these ruins and of course he had plenty of time to give me the background.
Introduction
Although not the type of facility to visit through choice, the abandoned leprosarium at Bungarun near Derby in WA featured on the itinerary of my recent photographic study tour to the Kimberley.
Located 10 km to the east of Derby and north of the Gibb River Road, the visit to this site was a brief diversion on the Windjana Gorge to Derby leg of our journey. It was however a visit that immediately captured my attention, not only because it was totally aligned with the theme of my study tour, but also because of the stories that were evidently hidden behind the deserted buildings.
Back home after 36 Days, 12,500 kilometres, 1725 litres of diesel, more than 1800 photographs and too many new experiences to mention.
This tour has been an education in many respects: geography, geology, wildlife, climate, history and relationships. It will therefore take some time to assimilate and sort out my thoughts and photographs.
With reference to my previous blog post, the instances of derelict examples of the built environment have been very few and, when there is a potentially a good example, it is inaccessible. For example, I write this at Charnley River Station campground, approximately 40 km north of the Gibb River Road. The property includes a ruined homestead at Old Beverly Springs, a further 20 km up the track, but it is totally inaccessible on account of the track being in such a state of disrepair. I felt it a bit unreasonable, but the station management wouldn’t even lend me their chopper of half an hour!
Sitting in the morning moonlight at a bush camp next to Jasper Creek on the way from Dunmarra to Kununurra, I had time to reflect on the first few days of my study tour.
From Alice Springs to where I am currently located there has been little in terms the built environment, but it has given me the opportunity to practice my skills at landscapes. However having now arrived in Kununurra, it is surprising what can be found if you look hard enough.
Setting out on this study tour, I thought I would have plenty of time to process my images, to write about my travels and to upload an assortment of images. However the reality is that when I have time, which is not that often due to driving, camp duties, etc, there is no internet connection. So, I will not be posting as often as I had hoped.
On a recent break in Bonny Doon, my wife and I stayed on a farm property belonging to the family of a friend that used to run sheep and cattle. Apart from being in an idyllic setting the farm outbuildings offered some interesting photographic opportunities, including the abandoned shearing shed.
The last time the shed was used for the purpose it was intended for was 1999 when 117 sheep were shorn, according to the tally on one of the posts. Since then it has been left to its own destiny, which you will see from this photograph is