We called into the CRC as soon as we reached The Junction, to see if they could suggest a great local character to perhaps photograph. “Spags! Go over the bridge, you can’t miss his house…it’s got a boat on the roof”…
All in Living Life Well
Camping at Wooleen Station
We set off on our meander through WA with no set time frame and no planned route. There was however a couple of places we knew we wanted to go which gave us a rough skeleton of a plan when we left home on the south coast of WA. Wooleen Station was one of those places. We’ve visited Wooleen a few times before, in fact we photographed Frances and David’s wedding a couple of years ago…
Stan at the Yalgoo Hotel
The pub at Yalgoo is quite spectacular when seen for the first time hot pink and glowing in the late afternoon sun. However, it’s the paint job inside that’s the show stealer - the liberal use of a garish green the likes of which I’ve never seen before, certainly not in nature, but somehow, in this setting, it actually works. The walls are largely bare except for a couple of jokey 80s-style alcohol-related posters, a collection of old Yalgoo number plates, and an upside-down Exit sign.
Wheatbelt mother and son
Neighbours to Robin and Robert, Margaret Scally lives in Goodlands, on the northern edge of the Wheatbelt in Western Australia with her two sons. It’s not the easiest place to find but we spotted their ‘mailboxes’ next to the road sign bearing their name. Standing at her back door with views across to ‘the hills’, Mt Singleton and Mt Gibson, Margaret told us of her earliest memory - aged around five, being given the last rites by the priest when she had “the black measles”.
Wheatbelt father and son portraits
Now 77, Robin’s life has not always been easy but it’s been full of love. Emerging from the school principal’s office after getting “the cuts” for wolf-whistling at her, Robin first saw his “Princess”, Kaye as she walked across the schoolyard. “You know when you’ve seen an angel” he told me. Knowing he’d got a keeper, Robin asked her father if he could marry her six times before he gained approval…
Koorda farmer, Les McNee
Lesley McNee was our local contact in Koorda. Thanks to Les I got to spend a morning with the CWA ladies, and she also invited us to camp out on her farm, next to the beautiful old homestead…
At home with Mick and Judy in Muka
If ever there’s a man who seizes the day it’s Mick, and his wife Judy seems more than happy to be going along for the ride…
Living life differently in the Wheatbelt
“You’ve got to meet Ann and Three” we were told. “They’re living their life differently.” School teacher Ann and retired firefighter Three realising life was short, made the decision to sell up, buy a caravan and head off on an adventure around Australia. They left Bunbury, had a night in Narrogin and then drove to Mukinbudin, a tiny Wheatbelt town, three and a half hours drive from Perth. That was nine months ago. They’re still in Mukinbudin.
Artist and designer Robert McCaffrey
It’s a week ago today we found ourselves in the small country town of Kellerberrin on the Great Eastern Highway. One moment we were standing on the dusty pavement as a road train trundled past on its way to Kalgoorlie, the next we were in a room, grand in its scale, and opulent in its contents, with warm hues, 14ft high ceilings and Mary and Joseph towering above us either side of the antique sideboard. We were in the home of artist, menswear designer and TAFE lecturer Robert McCaffrey. His home is a work of art in its own right - eclectic and diverse, it was an outward expression of all that is Robert.