After nine days of rain and cold my mantra “bloom wherever you are planted’’ was wearing a bit thin. I needed to creatively visualize some clear, warm, sunny weather!!!

Wollaaah!!! Sonia arrived, the sun did shine and it was so fabulous catching up with my mentor and good friend to go on an arty farty adventure. My dream of driving the amazing, tunneled and spectacular scenic back road to Wombeyan from Mittagong was dashed because of the storms. The road, already known as treacherous, was suddenly a ‘No Go Zone’ with washouts and accidents. We decided to head down the Hume highway, and then up through Taralga to get to the caves. Big Safety queens!!

Love the little stone structures ~ the fairies dunny!

We did the tourist drive up to Mt Gibraltar, visited the Milk Factory Gallery in Bowral, and lunched in historic Berrimah before headed into Gouburn to stock up on the essentials, wine and diesel.

The road out to Taralga was absolutely stunning! I just LOVE these back bush roads that weave through farmlands and gorgeous little villages with their old country pubs and historical reference. This pub had a bullet-riddled bit of art on the wall with a story of the Publican dodging that bullet, so to speak.

Their local craft brew wasn’t bad either, or so we thought until we met these awesome local, lasses, who after some hilarious banter, told us it was simply NOT that great! Maybe we were real thirsty.

Road into Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve

Driving into the Wombeyan Karst Reserve was again a totally inspirational drive. I know I seem to say this AAAALLLLL the time, but it really IS always exciting and blows me away! With Sonia there on the same bent, we practically ooooooed and ahhhhhhhed all the 30 odd kms down the mountain into the campground…. which was, I might add, simply stunning! Poplar lined little roads that take you into massive grassed parkland areas. The campground was empty, except for big mobs of kangaroos grazing, and complete with fire pits, access to a massive camp kitchen plus a dining room with a huge fireplace, toilets and HOT showers!!! What more could you want.

We set up camp post haste, got the fire going and had afternoon delights with the Wombeyan cave guide. I wish I could remember her name!! (if you’re reading this please message me, it was a fabulous night) .

Spent five days there in the reserve painting and drawing, eating, laughing, wining, talking art and dodging intermittent showers with our deadly raincoats! DelightFULL!!! The kangaroos were awesome they’d bound in across the parkland in the mornings, graze, lounge about, bound off to another area, graze, lounge.. Why two of them even broke out into a huge punch up!! Hilarious.

The weekend came and the park filled up with loads of people (and seriously I could tell a few funny stories there*) then the week started again and we had it back to ourselves again… perfect formula man!

*Topics for discussion so I do not forget:

‘I just saw a mystical white hooved beast’

‘Their setting up for a big night, like 1am… I know, because we have done that’

‘Look with your eyes’

‘‘The ‘girl’ with the red rubber boots’ The conversation about the politics of using cultural identity to distinguish one from the other.

‘Look at the pie shaped fog’

One day I ran a little drawing workshop with some kids in the campground … The Work….LOVEX