May. June 17Horse Head
Rock
“A last-minute change in
plans due to bad weather in
Kosciuszko saw us head for
the amazing rock formations
near Bermagui, NSW. Waking
up before sunrise, we walked
along rugged rock shelves
by torchlight to be greeted
by the red glow of the pre-
dawn sky. I’ve been here many
times – and I run photography
workshops here – but still find
it hard to believe this rock has
been carved out to form such
a recognisable shape. Needless
to say, we were happy with
our backup plan.”Big picture
by Luke Tscharke
The long paddock
THIS IS THE colloquial term for the
great network of stock routes that
crisscross the Aussie bush and outback.
These are distinguished from regular
tracks by being wider, with grass verges
lining the edges. In times of drought,
once all the home paddocks had
turned to dust, stockmen and drovers
would drive their cattle or sheep out
along these stock routes and other
roads to graze on the available green
pick. The stock was said to be “on the
long paddock”. It’s a practice that
persists today.