To stand in Deep Gorge, surrounded by deep red boulders etched with the world’s largest and most important collection of petroglyphs (Aboriginal rock carvings) dating back half to one million years, is breathtaking. It’s a quick-fire way to make you feel insignificant in the big picture. To turn 180 degrees and be confronted by millions of tons of metal structured into a huge industrial plant just a few hundred metres away is heartbreaking.

I’d first seen Paint Storm’s Phil Doncon at work the previous night at the big live music event for the Ningaloo Whale Shark Festival. He was mesmerising as he moved to the soundtrack being created by DJ Swami and friends, painting huge canvases with scenes inspired by Exmouth.

It was a stunning backdrop at Exmouth’s town beach for Gascoyne in May’s performance at the 2019 Ningaloo Whale Shark Festival. The ocean in the gulf was glassy and the sky was full of drama as the sun set and the show began.

While we were all having coffee in town one morning, we were introduced to a bloke by the name of Pancho. Pancho had been a prawn boat skipper for MG Kailis back in the day, and had recently written a book about that and a lifetime of other adventures (including a riotous weekend on Rottnest with Bob Hawke before he was PM)…

We’ve been wilderness camping at Warroora Station for years - it’s my happy place and a big part of our kids’ childhood memories. I’ve taken so many photos there over the years (including flying up specially to photograph shearing time), challenging myself to capture images that reflect how I feel as well as what I see... 

Over the years I’ve taken hundreds of photos at Warroora Station and each time I try to capture it differently. This year I photographed circus performers at sunset - that was unexpected and definitely gave me the opportunity to photograph Warroora in a different way! Gascoyne in May is a coordinated circuit of festivals held annually across the region, and the performers were staying at Warroora Station’s Dudley House for a week of rehearsals before the Ningaloo Whale Shark Festival in Exmouth…

There’s no grey nomads, individual TV satellite dishes or nighties hanging on the communal washing line here…Gnaraloo is not for the faint-hearted…

It turns out you don’t need to be old to be an Old Bastard. We’d been told that John Wheelock has been the president of Carnarvon’s Old Bastards since its inception in 1982. A quick google revealed that the Australasian Order of the Old Bastards is an Australia-wide organisation, far less organised than the Rotary Club or the Lions, but just as effective where fund-raising is concerned…

Penelope’s story, sadly, is one told far too often in Australia. She is part of the Stolen Generations. Her very early years were spent at the Moore River Native Settlement before she was shifted to New Norcia Mission. As with many in similar circumstances, Penny’s life descended into one of alcohol abuse with her own six children also being taken away from their family. In between photographs, Penny shared tales of ill-treatment as a child, including sexual abuse, and alcohol-induced floggings and sleeping in public toilets as an adult. But Penny’s tale is also one of resilience…

I met up with Ray and Macca at the Yacht Club for the Sunday Session, and they decided I need to meet Irish too. “He looks like a leprechaun” they told me.

“Karl Brandenberg, Carnarvon’s Shire President, dobbed his mate Peter in as a local, colourful character I ought to photograph. Karl told me that Peter was the roo shooter for the district for years. “He’s a laugh a minute…and tough. Cheeky as they bloody come”…

A morning spent with the senior citizens in Carnarvon, WA

Before any photographs were taken I sat down to enjoy a home-grown mango smoothie and a chat at the kitchen table with Carnarvon grower Rick Skender and his mum, Zarka…

Now in his 80s, Mick has spent a huge part of his life living in the beach shack his father built back in 1959, just north of Carnarvon. In fact he still spends a large part of each year there - having arrived in January he has no plans of heading back south until August. When I visit Mick, his mate Faye is there for a few weeks too.

I first met Ray and Merle when I was photographing their granddaughter Jamee-Lee’s wedding about five years ago, and remember thinking that I’d love to do a portrait shoot . I discovered that they lived in Carnarvon and filed that thought away for another day. This week I caught up with them at their home…

John McCloy originally came to Carnarvon as a teacher for the School of the Air. These days, in retirement, he can be found volunteering at the recently opened Museum down by the One Mile Jetty in Carnarvon’s Heritage Precinct.

There’s something so tropical about the bougainvillea - we started to see it everywhere once we reached Yalgoo and headed into station country. Whether it’s surrounding caravan parks in Carnarvon (especially the Capricorn Caravan Park) or brightening up run-down station yards and sheds, it puts on such a show. I think this is the first time I’ve ever tried to photograph them.