Outback South Australia Archives - Peter MacDonald Photo

Summer Rain?

Peter MacDonald — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:00:12 +0000

It’s been a long hard battle with a particularly bad drought for many people in South Australia’s outback these last few years.

Fortunately some rains came a few weeks back but despite some brief appearances of wildflower and ground cover things look grim if there are no follow up rains this summer.

This picture is a somewhat picturesque view of a drought ravaged land….not a blade of grass, a bush or a tree as far as the eye can see.

Hope the forecasts have some good news

Frozen Waves

Peter MacDonald — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 21:30:44 +0000

Lake Frome, Outback South Australia

Interesting backstory to this image. I was working over outback salt lakes that had recent rains.

We’d been shooting at high altitudes but were finished and descending as we headed for base.

Sitting in the back with the door open I was watching the waves in the water below.

I would pick a wave and watch if for some time when almost instantly it would stop moving. The pilot saw this too so we turned and it soon became obvious all the waves were doing the same thing.

Frozen Waves in a salt lake. It didn’t seem real

We took many photos. There were beautiful shapes and colours all over the lake.

How come?

The water in the lake was super saline, it was summer and the temperatures were 50C plus with a strong wind blowing.

The evaporation was so great that while the wind was blowing the waves it was also sucking it dry.

The purple/mauve colour in the frozen wave was algae that just accentuated what was happening.

On The Way To The Beach

Peter MacDonald — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 05:01:00 +0000

Moving House…one of those stressful things in life. So much to pack, so many items that have passed their used-by date.

Enter the room where all my framed work is stored. So much that’s been in a gallery somewhere and not sold, others damaged but you could not bear the part with them. There were plenty more attachments too.

I remember reading about the famous fashion photographer David Bailey, who took all his work into the backyard of his London home and set it on fire.

It sounded like a good idea.

Like Attila the Hun I cut a swathe through the collected works. Few survived. The rest were thrown in the car, taken to the dump, doused in diesel and set alight.

It was a very satisfying feeling.

Apparently it’s not uncommon in the art world. Many painters have followed the path, painting over their work and starting again.

I had stepped back, looked at my work with a different perspective. It was indeed a reality check

I can recommend it.

Photos: Dalhousie Hot Springs, Witjira National Park, far north South Australia. Despite waters ranging in temperature from 38 to 43 C its a welcome oasis in the middle of a vast desert.

“The Bloke” on Instagram

Peter MacDonald — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 07:05:30 +0000

Although the pictures posted on the Sentimental Bloke website have always been randomly selected there has always been an underlying theme.

For more than a decade I have been recording the ever changing cycles of nature. These cycles have included drought, flood, dust storms, good weather and bad, the four seasons, the flora, the wildlife and lots more.

Perhaps the biggest cycle of nature that I have followed is the flooding of the salt lakes in South Australia’s outback.

Watching this epic phenomenon unfold brought with it a realisation there is true natural art occurring almost everywhere, the trick being to see it.

The Sentimental Bloke is now on Instagram with the intention of focusing on the these natural events in a more orderly fashion and to showcase a truly amazing part of the world to an international audience.

Follow on Instagram – @thesentimentalbloke

From the Air – Day One

Peter MacDonald — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 09:00:59 +0000

Fresh rainwater surrounding islands of pristine white salt…so beautiful.
Unable to get to Lake Eyre after some very heavy rainfalls a couple of months back the opportunity to fly over Lake Frome in South Australia’s vast outback was something of a surprise.
After all the images of Lake Eyre that have been posted here previously, it would easy to think, just another desert salt lake. Not so.
The Salt Lake project continues…..

Legends of the North – Akurra, the Snake

Peter MacDonald — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 05:46:57 +0000

Exploring the edges of Lake Frome in northern South Australia, an amazing mixture of textures and formations, even aboriginal culture.

The lake is part of the local Dreaming story told by the Adnyamathanha people explaining how the region’s geology and species originated.

According to this Dreaming story, Lake Frome was emptied of its water by the Rainbow Serpent Akurra when he ventured down Arkaroola Creek (which flows onto Lake Frome) to drink.

The snake drank all the water in the lake and returned to the ranges where it still sleeps.

Because of its significance the Adnyamathanha do not venture onto the lake’s surface.

From the air over the edges of the lake, its easy to relate to this legend when rain has recently fallen in the area.

The Spectacular Flinders Ranges…No 6

Peter MacDonald — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 07:30:59 +0000

Experimenting with angles and light.

The window is about 5 minutes before there is a dramatic change in the landscape.

The Ridgetop track, Arkaroola as not often seen.

The Desert and Winter Rains

Peter MacDonald — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 08:30:00 +0000

The effects of passing showers on the desert landscape in far north South Australia.

A Sense of Space

Peter MacDonald — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 08:30:01 +0000

The Birdsville Track gives a sense of never-ending space as it passes Dulkaninna Station homestead.

The Photograph was taken while shooting an article on the Bell family for the “Best of Outback Stations” publication back in April.

The Bell’s can trace their heritage back to the first European establishment of pastoral properties on the Birdsville Track in the 1890s.

Best of Outback Stations, featuring an in-depth look at life on 11 pastoral properties is now out at newsagents around the country.

Regarding the query on the technical details of the photo in the earlier post entitled Outback Station, the answer is in the comments section of that post.

Summer Storm

Peter MacDonald — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 08:30:22 +0000

Over a number of years from time to time, I have passed this lonely skeleton standing in a tree-less plain and thought it needed a dust devil to complete the picture.

Dust devils are quite common here but none came close anytime when I was there ..until by chance the God of summer storms smiled on me.

Outback Station

Peter MacDonald — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 08:30:20 +0000

Pre-dawn, the calm before the start of another busy day on Commonwealth Hill sheep station, Great Victoria Desert, far western South Australia.

Last Job of the Day

Peter MacDonald — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 08:30:59 +0000

I had the good fortune recently to shoot an extended article on Commonwealth Hill station for the R. M. Williams publication “Best of Outback Stations”.
Commonwealth Hill is a vast 10,000 square kilometre sheep station in South Australia, north of Tarcoola.
It is in the Woomera rocket testing zone.
While I was there they were shearing 25,000 sheep.
This is a portrait of one of the shearers sharpening the combs of his shears at the end of a long day in the shed.
Best of Outback Stations will be out in early July and you can read the full story there.

Maree

Peter MacDonald — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 06:30:37 +0000

Arguably the major landmark in Marree, South Australia – the trruck driven by the late Tom Kruze, the famous Birdsville Track mailman.
©Copyright 2014 Peter MacDonald Photography. All Rights Reserved

I have been through Maree many times on my way to somewhere.

It was the same a couple of weeks ago when I passed through Marree to do a feature for the upcoming R M Wiliams “Best of Outback Stations” magazine.

Maree is the beginning ( or the end ) of the Oodnadatta and Birdsville Tracks – both legendary Outback stock routes and it was up the Birdsville Track this time.

Maree isn’t quite the bustling town it was when it was a cattle railhead …. or more recently when thousands of tourists flocked north to see flooded Lake Eyre.

It must have been quite a sight seeing Tom Kruze pull out of town at the start of his many epic journey’s up the Birdsville track.

A movie of his fortnightly journey called “Back of Beyond” was filmed back in the early 1950s. It is still for sale and an excerpt from the movie can be seen by clicking on the highlighted title.

In the back streets of Marree, the skeletons of less famous vehicles can be found. These too most likely had plenty of tales to tell.

The sign on the door of this old wreck gives a clue to its working history. Allandale Station is up the Oodnadatta Track at the top of Lake Eyre . It would have spend its life carting supplies along the rocky track.

What was even more intriguing was its current location – right next to the bones of an old petrol bowser.

It is as though the old Chevrolet rolled into the garage and the two died together

I am sure there was more to this story but time wasn’t on my side this time.

Cold Beer Please

Peter MacDonald — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 08:37:04 +0000

A new owner and a new website for the famous William Creek pub.

I had a bit of fun shooting this shot recently for the webiste.

Norm Simms, manager of Anna Creek Station and head stockman Gordon Warren – that’s him on the horse – heading for a cold beer at the end of a day’s work.

Norm and Gordie are more used to rolling up in a Toyota ute but Gordie, who is a great horseman will always find an excuse to get up in the saddle.

Like the gallery at Arkaroola, the William Creek pub now has a number of my prints hanging on the walls – pictures taken around William Creek and Anna Creek station.

William Creek would be one of the most isolated towns in Australia, a country known for isolation but it is well worth dropping in for a cold beer, a hearty meal and a look at my pictures.

Sunrise at the Peake

Peter MacDonald — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 07:30:47 +0000

The Peake is the Anna Creek outstation.

Because of the size of Anna Creek the Peake, which is about 70 kilometres south of Ooodnadatta has its own staff although ringers come and go between the two centres.

This photo was taken not far from the old Telegraph Station. Details about the station and what it looks like today cane be seen here

Aerial Ops 3

Peter MacDonald — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:30:46 +0000

This picture best illustrates for me the vastness of Anna Creek Station.

The KIdman station is the largest in the world. The statistics say it is 6 million acres or 24,000 square kilometres and as big or bigger than some countries, but that is hard to imagine.

This scene, with the Margaret Range in the background is just a tiny part of it.

Aerial Ops 2

Peter MacDonald — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:30:06 +0000

Anna Creek station’s Cessna 172 in action spotting cattle for the ringers on motorbikes below.

Without the flying experience of my friend Trevor Wright from William Creek, shots like this would be impossible to achieve.

Aerial Ops 1

Peter MacDonald — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:30:20 +0000

Working cattle from the air is an essential part of cattle production these days.

On a vast property like Anna Creek Station in South Australia’s far north, using an aircraft to spot cattle spread out over big distances saves time, money and the efforts of the stockmen on the ground.

A Splash of Rain

Peter MacDonald — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:54:19 +0000

It is a fallacy the Australian Outback is a vast, flat featureless plain.

Granted, at times the gems may seem far apart but in reality it is an ever-changing landscape of colour…almost chameleon like.

Take for instance the Margaret Range, about 70 kilometres south of Oodnadatta on the Oodnadatta Track not long after a brief shower of rain and a cloudy sky.