Week 23 – Rifle butts Road.
What – Walking four roads near Noradjuha
Where – 35km from Horsham off the Noradjuha Tooan East Road
How long 6.6km
Do you ever drive past a somewhere and think it might be worth inspecting on foot one day?
Today I am going to do the block.
A walk through agriculture, through history and along much-driven roads – Rifle Butts Road, the extension of Fergusons Sandhill Road, Noradjuha Tooan East Road and HH Scotts Road.
I hit Rifle Butts Road just before dawn, hoping to get to the peak on Ferguson Sandhill Road track right when the sun is ready to shine.
It is cold with just a mango glow in the east and now sound or movement from the sheep or the birds.
A misty layer hangs over the lowest point in the paddocks with a fair bit of stubbles burning yesterday it is hard to tell if it’s smoke or fog. It looks awesome.
The sky is filled with wispy pale pink lines and in the dim light Arapiles or Dyuritte looks like its covered in frost.
It painfully dry for May and a water trough sits absurdly on bubbles of sand in an empty paddock.
A dead tree provides an eery silhouette against the growing mess pink cloud which starts to look like a giant hand waving from on high.
I reach a small creek and start to head up Ferguson’s sandhill road.
Out in the paddock is a large gum with a big scar. Perhaps this little creek was a handy water supply back in the day.
The trees thin out as I leave creek and things get sandy as the I move up the hill where there seems to be a mini forest of gums.
The sky changes by the minute, with vast differences of colours and light in every direction
Then, on cue, at the top it is sun rise. Banksias and lichen glow, a dead tree comes to life with natural back lighting, stubbles look amazing and bulokes sing – with sunshine.
It is a focus on Arapiles- Dyuritte once I hit Noradjuha Tooan East Road and the frosty look has thawed.
There is also the exploding cotton ball look happening in the east and the wide angle lens just loves it.
Down HH Scotts Road I invent the bend and shoot style which I won’t explain and re-discover roadside vegetation I have flash passed dozens of times in the car.
Golden moss grows in front of the bulokes and combines magically with the sun. Even the limestone road ruts contrast dramatically in morning light.
Back at the block, I know the day has started as the sheep run away as soon as they see me.
Hello Sunday you have arrived.
52 weeks 52 walks 