Essence of Place

Visiting Mount Alexander in May 2026, I was struck by the starkness of the damage left by the January fires. Much of the undergrowth has gone, leaving the bare bones of the trees exposed — yet after the autumn rains, quiet signs of regeneration are beginning to appear. I found myself drawn to the bare, leafless trees twisted together, still standing gracefully, entangled with one another. I have always been attracted to blackened trees, but my intrigue is now amplified — having been personally touched by the 2009 Black Saturday fires, this landscape carries a deeper weight for me.