January–February 2014 129WR ITER FLEUR BAINGER , above, grew up in
South Australia and moved to Perth in 2006.
Until a couple of years ago, her visits to Rottnest
Island were only daytrips. “I just didn’t get
it,” she says. “People raved about Rotto but I
couldn’t understand what was so special.”
Then Fleur took a short holiday, staying
on the island for two nights. “It’s a completely
dif erent place after the last ferry leaves. So
tranquil. And the residents are so happy – they
think they’re the luckiest people in the world...
Some of them hardly ever go to the mainland.
‘Why bother?’ they say.”
Photographer Andrew Gregory has been
interested in Rottnest for a long time and Fleur
became just as enthusiastic. The pair ventured
out to a small rocky island just of Rottnest to
go snorkelling. “Those seals were so playful,”
she says, “and it looks as though I was mirroring
their wacky antics!” According to the locals,
Fleur says, most of the good snorkelling spots on
Rottnest are safe as they’re not very deep; sharks
are usually only a problem beyond the outer reef.Wa c k y a n t i c s
THE GOOD LIFEThe anti-fan
L AT/ L ON GTHOMAS WIELECKI, left, is not
really a Summernats fan. He’s
not a great lover of cars, although
many of his jobs are for car
magazines. “People and travel,
that’s what I’m good at. All that
technical car stuf is a bit boring,”
says the photographer.
Thomas admits that when Summernats
started, in 1998, he was excited. “It was one
massive riot – drunks, sweat, screaming, fi ghts.
It was the closest I knew I’d get to being a war
photographer and I loved it.” He’s attended about
nine since then. “It’s less of a war zone [now],
with the security and everything.” But when
of ered the AUSTR ALIANGEOGR APHIC job, he
jumped at the chance to document the crowd.
Thomas isn’t sure why he “can go up to
anyone and ask them to do just about anything
for a shot and they will”. A friend says he has “a
disarming manner”, but Thomas claims he’s a
shy person. Put a camera in his hands, however,
ANDREW GREGORY; CHRIS THOROGOOD and he changes – he’s willing to front anyone.
FROM THE FIELD
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