Jimmy ‘Banjo’ MacKenzie sat in his wooden humpy at the back of the hotel in Gwalia. He was proud that in the incredible mess that was his kitchen everything was electric. That meant a lightbulb and a can opener. In another room was a fridge and an air-conditioner. The electricity for the small luxuries was donated by the managers of the local mine, Sons of Gwalia. Even with the air-conditioner on an old thermometer was recording 45°. Crouching as he did on a chair, with his knees under his chin, he proclaimed everything he needed was within easy reach. When … Continue reading ‘Spuds, Onions and a Treacle Tin With the Lid Off’

There are things money cannot buy. We have no real idea what they are but sometimes they nudge you when they’re least expected.  Travelling light on a small budget with no plans other than to enjoy sunshine, fresh air and cold beer, not necessarily in that order, leaves many doors open for aimless travellers. Booking a cheap flight at random can be fun. It’s how I discovered Marco Inn, a small hotel with eight rooms – four up, four down and less than a minute’s walk from the town’s beach if you take your time.  Marco’s is dead centre in … Continue reading Breakfast With A Hummingbird

To prove the point I had lunch with a few professional photographers a couple of weeks back. During a rare quiet moment between drinks and tall stories among the shooters one colleague, Mike Wearne, gave me a copy of the French Photo magazine which he’d bought it in Canada. The magazine was a blast from the past. I hadn’t seen this edition but it had a 10-12 page spread of the work Trish Ainslie and I did for our first book Off Like Flies which illustrated the lifestyle of Australian prospectors. The magazine, published in 1990, was an indication of … Continue reading Nothing Beats Lunch With a Few Mates