In 2024 I joined a Portfolio group with aim of producing a body of work where I hoped to find grand vistas capturing interesting light and mood in black and white. I found myself on a completely different journey.

Bingie Point on the NSW South Coast was my chosen coastal location to chase light and mood. I found my light and mood, what I didn’t count on was the incredible colour, geology of the point, or the fascination I would strike up with the history of a small piece of wreckage left behind from the SS Monaro, which to grief in 1879.

The wreckage from the SS Monaro presented quite a challenge, as I feel it doesn’t rest easy within the landscape. The attraction came from the rusting metal, particularly the nuts and bolts, welded plates, and stunning patina of the rust. There were so many colours to tease out in each image. I’m left wondering how long it will be before this remnant of the past fades into oblivion.

The ancient volcanic geology of the area was quite something else. There was such an interesting chemistry between the elements of weathering and algae endemic to the area. Bingie Point is a granite peninsular containing basalt intrusions in the form of dykes containing striking channels cut into their exposed surface. This and the orange algal growth amongst the rock formations set this location apart, as one well worth exploring and capturing with my camera.