Whenever I’m in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, I try to make time to explore one or more of the many walking tracks that venture down from the populated tablelands into the densely forested valleys below. The last time I was there it was raining, and that didn’t stop me … but earlier last year I was there on a sunny day and took on the “Grand Canyon” walk.
I do wish they hadn’t named it that, as it invites comparisons with the famous canyon in the United States which is nothing alike. This one is far smaller, but is an absolute gem – the track descending steeply down until it’s following a trickling stream, until it reaches the bottom of the valley where another stream joins it. You then follow the second stream steadily upwards, through a narrow gorge, until eventually you’ve climbed back onto the ridge again.
This was a memory from midway through the walk, a typical rocky sandstone outcrop overgrown with ferns, the stream forming a still pond surrounded by tree ferns, tall gum trees on both sides reaching skywards and filtered green/gold light filtering down from above.
“Butterflies” is acrylic, acrylic ink and collage on a 61x81cm hardboard.
