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Snow Gums in the Mist

I have to admit to being severly Hobart-bound lately (more on that later) but something that has been in the back of my mind for quite a while was a visit to Mt Wellington, to photograph the snow gums and rocky dolerite boulder fields on a calm, misty day.

Snow Gums and mist, Mt Wellington

Detail – Misty Snow Gum forest on Mt Wellington

Obviously the mountain top attracts people in droves on clear days for the panoramic views from the top, but the alpine area covered in mist, with the snow gums standing starkly against the white light is a photographic delight (something to keep in mind if you find yourself  in Hobart for only one day, and the mountain is wearing its winter whites!). The tree below drew me from right across the boulderfield. I could see this tree in the distance (in the centre of the panorama at the end of this post) and knew the misty conditions were perfect. The dolerite boulders below the tree are positioned almost like steps, giving a really nice flow that the eye can follow right through the image, from those rocks in the bottom half of the image, up through the lifeless grey gum in the top right, and through its stark and leafless branches opening to the white sky above in the top centre. (I have a feeling this image will be gracing the front window of the gallery before long as the next “Photo of the Month” – you heard it here first!)

Snow Gum and Dolerite Boulders

Snow Gum and Dolerite Boulders

The bigger picture – you can see the gum above right in the middle of the panoramic scene below. The dolerite rocks are worth a mention here too. These boulder fields are mountain evolution “in action”. Anyone familiar with the Tasmanian dolerite mountains (see Mt Ossa panorama or my post on Cape Hauy) would know that the striking columnar appearance is a major feature of the Tasmanian mountains and sea cliffs. The Organ Pipes on Mt Wellington are another example, and below them in “rock rivers” such as this, is the debris of past columns which have broken into smaller rocks, and are moving slowly down the mountain. Here endeth the lesson…

Snow Gums and mist, Mt Wellington

Mt Wellington Panorama

Apologies for the lack of new posts lately. Been plenty busy around Hobart the past couple of months, and will post some of those images shortly too. I have been commissioned to provide photographs for a local business directory, but unfortunately they werent after mountain sunsets or macro lichens – so my tripod and I have been running all over Hobart and suburbs lately. I even managed to damage my tripod by bending one of the legs between the metal bars of a seat – it has survived multiple overnight trips deep in the mountains but couldn’t survive one day in the Elizabeth St Mall!

Will post again soon, thanks again to everyone who is in touch, and visiting the gallery. And of course we are hoping everyday that the nuclear situation in Fukushima settles down as fast as possible. Today (Friday March 18) seems to have been the most positive day so far, and we really hope things improve drastically over the weekend.

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About Luke

Luke O'Brien runs a stall at Hobart's popular Salamanca Market every Saturday where his prints and cards are available for purchase. Follow Luke's photographic adventures on Twitter at @lukeobrienphoto, at his Facebook page or by subscribing to his email newsletter.

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