Roll on 2022 with my first landscape and fifth collectible calendar!
Complete your collection or purchase a unique gift for friends or family while supporting a small business and artist (happy dance included with every order).
Featuring 12 moody landscape images photographed around the magical South Island of New Zealand.
The calendar is printed on 200gsm paper, is wire bound and measures 21 x 28cm when closed.
Available for $20 AUD (plus $10 for postage Australia or worldwide). Postage is free for orders of 4 and over.
To purchase, please use this link. If you'd like more than one, please email me directly.
Merry Christmas! I am so thankful for your support. ❤️
Celebrate 2021 with my fourth collectible calendar! These sell out every year and make unique gifts for your friends or yourself with prints that can be torn out and displayed forever.
Featuring 12 original storytelling images created during 2020 by me, fine art photographer, Hayley Roberts.
The calendar is printed on 200gsm paper, is wire bound and measures 21 x 28cm when closed.
Available for $20 Australian (plus $10 for postage Australia or worldwide). Free postage for orders of 5 and over.
You can purchase from me directly (via my contact page or send me a message on Facebook). I accept PayPal, bank deposit or cash. Please feel free to use the PayPal button below for Australian purchases.
There’s something strange that happens as you drive over Bribie Island bridge to the smallest of Moreton Bay’s three major sand islands. As your eyes take in the endless water views, the pelicans perched on the light poles and the Glasshouse Mountains shimmering away in the distance you breathe a sigh of relief as you enter island time. Your concerns become limited to whether to laze the day away at Woorim’s Surf Beaches or take a soothing dip in the still waters of Pumicestone Passage. For the more adventurous there’s the option of visiting the island’s 55km of national park explorable only by 4WD or boating down the passage in search of dolphins or seagrass-grazing dugongs.
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This laidback lifestyle gets under your skin and has inspired generations of tourists to seek solace at Bribie Island. Even Bribie’s most prolific historians have been so touched by the surrounding beauty that they have a tendency to romanticise and embellish the island’s history.
Documented history of Yarun (the name for Bribie Island in local dialect) began in 1799 when a fateful encounter took place between Matthew Flinders and the island’s native Joondoburri people. Flinders and his crew, including the Aboriginal explorer Bungaree, sailed into the area and came ashore where they met with the island’s inhabitants. Flinders offered a cap as a gesture of friendship but the cheeky natives were more interested in his cabbage tree hat which they tried to hook from his head with a stick. Feeling threatened, Flinders returned to the boat and began to row away when a spear whistled past them. In return Flinders fired back, wounding the spear thrower. Flinders appropriately named this spot, ‘Point Skirmish’.
At this time it was estimated there were over 600 Joondoburri people on the island living off the plentiful sea life, having cleverly trained the dolphin population to herd fish toward them. Their next notable encounter took place in 1823 with the arrival of three castaways, Thomas Pamphlett, John Finnegan and Richard Parsons, who had set out from Parramatta searching for timber and were blown wildly off course to become wrecked on Moreton Island. Moreton’s Ngugi people guided the castaways to Bribie Island where they stayed with the Joondoburri. Seven months later John Oxley sailed by searching for an inland river when he spotted an excitable white man on the beach and learned the tale of the castaways. Pamphlett and Finnegan offered to guide Oxley to the Brisbane River and it’s this discovery which convinced Oxley to recommend Redcliffe as the location of a penal colony. Ironically Pamphlett later stole some flour which saw him sentenced to seven years at this same prison.
After the closure of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement in 1842 the area was opened to free settlement which saw the Aboriginal people become dispossessed and their numbers rapidly decline due to drink and disease. In 1877 a reserve for Aboriginal people was established at the Bribie Island suburb of White Patch, overseen by Tom Petrie. They were supplied with a boat, fishing nets and harpoons and those who worked, as well as the elderly, were given rations of sugar and flour. Two years later the reserve was deemed a failure and closed, much to the dismay of the Aboriginal women and elders who felt safe there from the drunken brawling of the younger tribesmen.
By the 1890s oystering in Pumicestone Passage was Queensland’s largest industry supplying roughly 300 bags per week, but this ended abruptly in 1909 when black worm destroyed most of the oyster banks.
In 1897, less than 100 years after the arrival of Europeans on Bribie Island, the last full blood member of Bribie’s native Joondoburri people, Kal-Ma-Kuta (also known as Alma Turner) passed away. One day, while gathering oysters she saved a drowning man, Fred Turner, who she later married and bore seven children. Her death was a great loss to the community and today a monument in her honour stands at Sandstone Point.
Bribie Island’s reputation as a tourist destination began in 1883 when the SS Mavis commenced weekly ferry trips to Scarborough, Woody Point and Bribie Island. Early tourists were collected by Artie Bestmann in a punt and transferred to shore. As popularity grew the Brisbane Tug and Steamship Company built the SS Koopa (Aboriginal word for flying fish) which arrived from Scotland in 1911 licensed to carry 1153 passengers. The Koopa left Brisbane at 9am, stopping at Woody Point and Redcliffe, arriving at Bribie at noon and departing at 3pm. The trip was a lavish experience with guests entertained by an orchestra, casino, dances, gourmet food and bar. In 1912 the Brisbane Tug and Steamship Company built a jetty for passengers to disembark safely. They also established a camping ground and holiday huts nicknamed ‘The Twelve Apostles’ located in front of the present library. In 1915 the Government gazetted Bribie Island a township and in 1921 Hall & Bestmann opened the island’s first store.
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Koopa. Image courtesy of Moreton Bay Regional Council, Image ID 001\001019. [Photograph taken ca. 1920][/caption]
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Waiting for the Koopa. Image courtesy of Moreton Bay Regional Council, Image ID P1307.[/caption]
To cater to the thousands of weekly tourists a second steamer, the SS Doomba, carried a further 1500 passengers, but offered a less grand experience. A dance hall was transported from Moreton Island to where the water tower now stands, becoming the hub of Bribie’s social life.
Reportedly, boat days were always chaotic. Three short horn blasts announced the arrival of the ferries in the passage and locals would appear out of nowhere with boats, horses and carts to peddle their wares to tourists, that’s if they weren’t heading aboard to drink at the bar. In 1927 Caboolture Shire Council conducted a health inspection of the camping area and discovered over 1000 people residing in the 135 tents and huts.
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Camping grounds. Image courtesy of Moreton Bay Regional Council, Image ID P0766.[/caption]
Shortly after the Great Depression hit killing off tourism and leaving the ferries virtually without passengers. In 1937 author and historian Thomas Welsby wrote a book called ‘Bribie the Basket Maker’ reportedly in an effort to re-invigorate tourism but with the added effect of bringing a legend to life. The book claims that Bribie Island was named after a convict whose basket weaving and fishing abilities won over Government officials allowing him to go where he pleased. While at Bribie he fell in love with an Aboriginal woman who he ran away with shortly before the end of his sentence. He later returned to Brisbane and was pardoned. It was said that whenever anyone went missing from Brisbane they were ‘Down with Bribie’ and hence the island got its name. You can read the story here.
Historians have long pored over the facts of ‘Bribie the Basket Maker’ but have found little evidence to prove its credibility. Even Welsby himself admitted it was based on a couple of vague references to a man named ‘Bribie’ in ‘Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences’. However this has never stopped it from being widely reported as historical fact. Most historians prefer to believe it was named after an Aboriginal word for the koala, Boorabee (which is complicated because this was not the Joondoburri word for koala).
In 1939 there was a brief resurgence in tourism but it was cut short by World War II in 1942 when the island was closed to non-essential civilians and taken over by US and Australian troops. Fortifications, some of which still stand today, were constructed as part of SE Queensland’s defence. It is said that Red Beach inherited its name from the military’s use of colours as code names. Both the Koopa and Doomba were put into service by the Royal Australian Navy.
In 1946 the Koopa resumed its tourist run (featuring a family-friendly milk bar to replace the hotel) but by then Bribie Island no longer held its allure with holiday makers driving past in favour of other destinations and many of the residents failing to return after the war. The Koopa made her final run in 1953 and was scrapped in 1961. In the meantime a barge ferried cars onto the island until 1963 when the Bribie Island bridge opened and settlement of the island proceeded at a rapid rate.
Bribie’s claim to fame arrived in 1953 in the form of famous artist Ian Fairweather. At 62 he came to live on Bribie in an isolated grass hut where he created his most renowned paintings until his death in 1974. The council banned camping from 1974 onwards. The National Park was declared in 1989.
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Today Bribie Island is a popular spot for retirees and family gatherings. It exudes a sleepy charm although a sunny summer day certainly draws the crowds. There are plenty of water sports to enjoy on Pumicestone Passage while landlubbers may prefer to visit the Bribie Island Seaside Museum, the Butterfly House, the Community Arts Centre, or the weekly Sunday markets. Enjoy a meal or concert at Sandstone Point Hotel or choose from one of the many beaches to set up your picnic spot. There’s also a choice of walking tracks and more bird species than Kakadu with Buckley’s Hole Conservation Park being the best place to spot some.
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With all this on offer, if you happen to disappear from everyday life, we’ll just assume you’re ‘Down with Bribie’.
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I’ve included a traditionally woven crab basket to allude to the island’s Aboriginal name ‘Yarun’ (meaning either crab or hunting ground) as well as being the primary tool of Bribie the Basket Maker, enabling his escape to the island. I’ve included Bribie and his island ‘Cleopatra’ come to life from the pen of Welsby in the background.
The koala is a reference to the unproven belief that the island was actually named after an Aboriginal word for koala, Boorabee. There are no longer any koalas on the island as they were driven to extinction by hunting during the 1920s.
During low tide you can walk 8km via Red Beach from Bongaree to Woorim, but keep in mind there are no amenities in this area. Most of the beach is dog friendly and it’s a great place to spot sea creatures and birds of prey. The beach is ringed by trees and covered in interesting driftwood. There are four unpaved access roads to Red Beach with the road from Tully Street getting you closest to the area featured in the photo.
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.
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[/caption]
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.
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Image courtesy of Mark Lynam[/caption]
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.
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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.
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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 ...
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Image courtesy of Warwick Davies[/caption]
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
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 gift or keep one for yourself, get in quick! These images will only be featured in this calendar and never released as prints or products so it's the only way to collect the images from this series.
The calendar is printed on glossy 200gsm paper, is wire bound and measures 21 x 28cm when closed.
It's available for $20 Australian (plus $10 for Australian postage or $25 to ship worldwide) and can be purchased from me directly (via my contact page or send me a message on Facebook). I accept PayPal, bank deposit or cash. Please feel free to use the PayPal button below which will charge $30 with local postage already applied.
Thank you so much for supporting my art business for another year! x
Please note the 2019 calendar is now out of stock.
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.
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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.
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Fairies?[/caption]
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The rock climb to Elebana Falls[/caption]
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!
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The view after the climb![/caption]
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Elebana Falls[/caption]
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Box Log Falls[/caption]
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).
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Thomas Petrie <3[/caption]
Throughout the history of Moreton Bay there is one person who shines more than most, and that is Thomas Petrie. I read all I could about his life but I couldn't find the right story to portray for this project, mainly because he was so heavily involved with the Aboriginal communities and I'm unable to tell their stories without specific consent. Instead I went searching for locations that were important to him which still exist in a natural form today and that's when I found Sweeney Reserve and was immediately taken by its incredible trees. When I learned that it was once THE weekend destination for Brisbane residents I knew I had to include it in 'The Land and I' project which you can see at the 'Stories of Sweeney Reserve' page.
I decided that I wanted to photograph a picnic scene as a throwback to the time when it was a popular picnic destination, by including as many picnic baskets as possible, but with no one around, to show the transience of recreational spaces. I studied what picnics looked like during the 1920s and set about collecting as many picnic baskets as I could from op shops and friends, as well as sheets, historical looking hats and crockery. It was a costly process.
This image was my problem child and I ended up shooting it EIGHT TIMES.
The first was to test what angle I should shoot it from.
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My darling Koda, may she RIP.[/caption]
The second was to test if I'd have enough baskets.
The third was in my backyard to see how it would all look.
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Say hi to Fudge who we were dog-sitting.[/caption]
The fourth was to test various spots at Sweeney Reserve to find the right location.
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The fifth was to shoot my chosen location thinking I could then photograph the picnic baskets at home and composite them together. But I decided during this shoot I'd need to photograph everything in the one place.
The sixth was on Anzac Day. I spent the evening before buying picnic food. I watched the overcast weather all morning and when I decided there was the perfect amount of cloud cover to diffuse the light my Mum and I drove to Sweeney Reserve to set up. Immediately the sun came out and refused to go away again. We set everything up and then I realised I'd left the food at home and had to go back and get it, leaving Mum stranded with a sea of picnic baskets for 40 minutes. We set up the food and waited and waited for the sun to go away. We were stared at A LOT. Despite all this, when I got home I decided the images were too busy and I'd need to shoot it again.
The seventh was in my backyard. I changed the shooting angle. Recreated the basket setting from my first image and waited patiently for the sun to dip behind the clouds. I decided to simplify the scene by using no food.
The eighth was during pouring rain when I had to go back to Sweeney's and find a less busy scene. I sat in the car and waited for the rain to stop and then ducked out and shot panoramas of my chosen areas as quickly as I could.
Then I spent weeks combining the baskets from the seventh shoot and the scene from the eighth into one final image. I was amused by these flying carpets as I added in extra baskets at the back.
The process was a pain as I had to cut out each picnic basket individually, replace the grass underneath which I cobbled together from many different shots, and then painted in shadows under each setting. I added the emu and kangaroo from different zoo photos and the rainbow was created within Photoshop. I spent even more weeks massaging the colour and then at the last minute decided to fade the edges to black and white to give it a historical aspect.
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As you can imagine I am really glad this one is over.
The final image:
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.
Sweeney Reserve is a delightful park rich in cultural heritage tucked away behind Gympie and Dayboro Roads. Unless you’re a local you may not even know it was there. It’s an expansive reserve containing large shady trees and walking tracks that hug the North Pine River. This, along with the sizeable off leash dog-park, makes it a popular spot for dogs and their humans. But there’s something for all the family with electric BBQs and picnic tables, playgrounds, gym equipment, a basketball court, skate park, recreational lakes and plenty of river access for canoeing and fishing. The Petrie parkrun takes place here every Saturday from 7am with a 5km return course. The reserve also contains a koala habitat area maintained by Bushcare.
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The parkland was first protected from habitation around 1862 when it was preserved for Government purposes and today its calm, sleepy atmosphere gives little indication of all that has taken place here to qualify it as a protected space in the Queensland Heritage Register.
The North Pine River which weaves through the park was ‘discovered’ by Lieutenant John Oxley in 1823 while assessing the area as a potential site for a convict settlement. He rowed up the river guided by the well-known convict castaways Thomas Pamphlett and John Finnegan who he’d rescued from Bribie Island the day before. Oxley reported that the area surrounding the river was occupied by a large number of Aboriginal people.
These Aboriginal people were from the North Pine Clan of the Turrbal people who used the area as a fishing hole. Around the 1840s an elder and rainmaker of the Turrbal clan, Dalaipi, was the custodian of several significant Indigenous sites including the Petrie Bora Ring, which was roughly located near Petrie’s roundabout, the ‘Mandin’ fishing hole witnessed by Oxley, and a rain-making site where the end of the rainbow is said to go down into the North Pine River indicating the presence of a precious stone. It was Dalaipi who, knowing Thomas Petrie as a friend to Aboriginal people, suggested the renowned pioneer choose land in the North Pine area to establish a cattle run, knowing that Petrie would ensure the protection of the sacred Indigenous sites. Petrie established a ford which became an important route for prospectors after the discovery of gold in Gympie and later as a route for Cobb and Co who used Thomas Petrie’s Murrumba Homestead as a coach stop. It was shortly after that the land now known as Sweeney Reserve was obtained by the government for the purposes of being a road and water reserve.
The North Pine River played a crucial role in the area’s timber history as a means to transport logs to market as well as providing valuable softwoods.
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Bullock teams carting pine logs to the rafting ground on the North Pine River, ca. 1890, photographed by Henry Gold. Image courtesy of Moreton Bay Regional Council, Image ID LHP710.[/caption]
In 1875 Edgar Foreman built a small school on the site of Sweeney Reserve because the main school was across the river making it difficult to reach at high tide. The teacher travelled between the school buildings by horse or boat.
In 1877 a bridge was constructed over the river (next to the ford) forming part of the main road from Brisbane to Gympie. The support posts for this bridge are still visible in the North Pine River at low tide. This allowed the two schools to amalgamate and the second school building was then used as a meeting place and later a courthouse.
When the railway opened in 1888 Sweeney Reserve, being an easy walk from the station, became a popular picnic spot, known for good fishing, rowing and swimming. It was also used as a rest spot for travelling stock. By the 1920s it was so regularly frequented that over 1000 people were counted attending the area each Sunday during the Christmas holidays. It was used for annual company picnics, school break-ups and swimming lessons and races. Occasionally a band played on Sundays. By 1924 the Government gazetted the land as a recreational reserve controlled by the Pine Shire Council.
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North Pine River Reserve, 1923. Image courtesy of Moreton Bay Regional Council, Image ID P0775.[/caption]
In 1926 Patrick Sweeney, after whom the area became known, took over operations of the local kiosk, selling refreshments and hiring out boats. The Sweeney family added bathing sheds, toilets, a slippery slide and tyre and rope swings. They lived on the site in a house made from wooden car crates and were known to keep kangaroos and emus as pets.
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In 1927 Sweeney’s house was flooded and the kiosk swept away so both were moved to higher ground. Due to the ongoing cost of repairing the amenities destroyed by flood, Pine Rivers Council relinquished control and Sweeney was appointed caretaker of the reserve. The area was declared a sanctuary for the protection of birds and animals in 1929.
With an increase of vehicle usage and improved roads, the destination declined in popularity by the 1950s with people preferring to visit the coast. The kiosk closed in 1960 when Sweeney was in his seventies but the Sweeney family continued to live in their house by the river until 1994 when the last family resident passed away and the house was demolished.
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If you’d like to know more about the area’s history it’s included as part of the North Pine River Heritage Trail available here.
Learn how I created the feature image here.
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.
It was an experience I had at Cedar Creek during an artist retreat that really inspired 'The Land and I' project so I decided to use it as my test location. If you haven't seen the project already, please visit the 'Stories of Cedar Creek' page.
After researching the historical history of the Cedar Creek area I knew I wanted to portray the fertility of the region by covering a dress with flowers and scattering flowers around the rocks. I scoured all my nearby op shops and finally found a tattered wedding dress for $20. I have a supply of fake flowers I planned to pin to the dress but I noticed that if they didn't have distinguishable centres (like daisies) it was hard to tell what they were, so after spending more money on fake flowers than I care to mention I safety pinned flowers all over the dress as you can see in the time-lapse below. I created the headpiece by carefully pinning flowers to a hairnet.
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The dress[/caption]
I was unable to get permission from the land owners to access the Cedar Creek waterfalls and I wasn't prepared to cart this massive dress 20 minutes up the creek bed so I visited a number of times to find another spot to use, eventually settling for a small waterfall to the left of the private property gate. To get the right angle I had to climb down some tall rocks and rock hop over to the other bank which I must have done 40 times on shoot day!
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Shoot location near last bridge - I was standing on the light grey rock in the middle, looking back at the waterfall[/caption]
None of this would have been possible as a self-portrait so I recruited a friend to model the dress but because I was about 20 metres from her and with the noise of a waterfall between us there was lots of yelling and hand signals to direct her poses. We shot between 3-5pm on a somewhat overcast weekday as weekends see an influx of visitors and I wanted as much privacy as possible. There was a small softbox with a Speedlite to the model's right just to spill some light onto her face. I shot long exposures to get the flowing waterfall, expanded the frame to show more of the scene, and replaced the background to include the creek bed extending into the distance.
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I took along some fabric to try and make the dress blend into the waterfall.
My mum kindly acted as assistant, stretching fabric, flicking hair and taking behind the scenes video.
Model: Aliesha Kissener
Assistant: Jennifer Roberts
The final image:
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.
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. [gallery columns="2" size="large" link="none" ids="4544,4549"] 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. [gallery size="large" link="none" columns="2" ids="4556,4546"] 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:
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.
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. [gallery size="large" link="none" columns="2" ids="4550,4551"]
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.
Roll on 2022 with my first landscape and fifth collectible calendar! Complete your collection or purchase a unique gift for friends or family while supporting a small business and artist (happy dance included with every order). Featuring 12 moody landscape images photographed around the magical South Island of New Zealand. The calendar is printed on […]
Celebrate 2021 with my fourth collectible calendar! These sell out every year and make unique gifts for your friends or yourself with prints that can be torn out and displayed forever. Featuring 12 original storytelling images created during 2020 by me, fine art photographer, Hayley Roberts. The calendar is printed on 200gsm paper, is wire […]
There’s something strange that happens as you drive over Bribie Island bridge to the smallest of Moreton Bay’s three major sand islands. As your eyes take in the endless water views, the pelicans perched on the light poles and the Glasshouse Mountains shimmering away in the distance you breathe a sigh of relief as you […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Throughout the history of Moreton Bay there is one person who shines more than most, and that is Thomas Petrie. I read all I could about his life but I couldn’t find the right story to portray for this project, mainly because he was so heavily involved with the Aboriginal communities and I’m unable to […]
Sweeney Reserve is a delightful park rich in cultural heritage tucked away behind Gympie and Dayboro Roads. Unless you’re a local you may not even know it was there. It’s an expansive reserve containing large shady trees and walking tracks that hug the North Pine River. This, along with the sizeable off leash dog-park, makes […]
It was an experience I had at Cedar Creek during an artist retreat that really inspired ‘The Land and I’ project so I decided to use it as my test location. If you haven’t seen the project already, please visit the ‘Stories of Cedar Creek’ page. After researching the historical history of the Cedar Creek […]
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 […]
