Experience the magnificence, the colour, the beauty and the originality . . .
Through their lenses, “The Wimmera – A Journey through western Victoria.”
The creative team that brought you the best-selling book ‘The Mallee’ has continued its travels through western Victoria, taking hundreds of images, meeting remarkable people and collecting their stories. These images and tales have now been turned into another stunning book, ‘The Wimmera – a journey through Western Victoria’, released this month.
The Mallee edges the Wimmera to the north, the Western District to South Australia, and the goldfields to the east. To capture the essence of the region, award-winning photojournalists Noel Butcher, David Callow, Andrew Chapman, Melanie Faith Dove, Erin Jonasson and Jaime Murcia followed sections of a 1950s railway map, journeying along some lines that are still in use and others that have been closed for the best part of 40 years.
They discovered a host of tiny towns and districts off the beaten track, some deserted, some with vibrant communities and some with surprising and quirky landmarks.
Author Adam McNicol, who grew up in the tiny town of Manangatang in western Victoria, oversaw the project and wrote the words. He remarks, “The Wimmera is a land full of contrasts, from dryland scrub in the north to stately trees and rolling green hills in the south, and our journey takes you to every corner of this most interesting region. There has never been a better time to celebrate what’s in our backyard, and the Wimmera is such an interesting place. We learned about the region’s Indigenous history on our travels, including the celebrated cricket team that toured England in the 1860s. We met fifth- and sixth-generation farmers and came across many people proud to call the Wimmera home. Plus, we were lucky to walk away from Warracknabeal with a prized scone recipe!
Check out the images https://www.instagram.com/thewimmerabook/ and television coverage on the ABC TV News and more
The book is available through publishers www.tenbagpress.com.au;
