After having this vintage lens in my collection for over a year it was finally time to take it out for a proper spin.

June wrapped up with a family visit to Tamworth, with my parents coming down from the Northern Rivers to spend time together. I took far fewer photos than usual, but a golden hour walk through a newly developed estate offered a quiet moment to reflect on how much the area has changed. Where there were once rolling hills and kangaroos, construction now stands, a gentle reminder of time steadily moving on.

After a cold front passed, I took advantage of the warmer weather to explore a new walking route up to the university, camera in hand. While the trail itself wasn’t especially photogenic, being out in the sun, and finding a plastic chair scene that felt distinctly urban Australia, made it worthwhile. The day wrapped up at the Uralla winter solstice celebrations, arriving just in time to catch the lighting of an impressively massive bonfire.

It felt like the right time for a photo walk around town to see what had changed, and which new shopping trolleys had made an appearance. Shooting in black and white for the first time in a while added a fresh constraint, even if only a few images really stood out. Still, it was good to take a long walk with the camera again, with bonus points for discovering a few street couches along the way.

June’s first adventure took us to New England National Park, just ahead of a cold front that signalled the true start of winter. Arriving late and underprepared turned the shoot into a learning experience, quickly highlighting the need for a long-overdue ND filter. Mediocre photos aside, it was a reminder that the journey matters more than the results, and we still had a great half-day exploring the park together.

After a quiet month, we hit the road from Armidale to the Gold Coast for my mate Mark’s wedding, stopping at a roaring Ebor Falls and catching a cloud-covered sunrise along the way. The celebration atop Mount Tamborine was beautiful and meaningful—especially considering Mark played a big role in sparking my photography journey in the first place. A few scenic lookouts and long drives later, May wrapped up not with quantity, but with moments that felt big and significant.

The Big Chill Festival once again returns to Armidale, and while I was only able to make it to one night, it was a night to remember.

We had an absolute blast at The Great Nundle Dog Races this year, pure country chaos in the best possible way, even if George chose the exit over the finish line. On the way home, we stopped at Gostwyck Chapel just in time to catch the last of the autumn leaves (and, of course, the sheep). A spontaneous detour along a back road has now sparked a new project idea: walking the 27 km from Uralla to Armidale with a camera in spring.

A return visit to My Hippy Shop to capture the new arrivals for winter.