Early morning near Sir John Falls

Unhurried is the passage into the lower section of Gordon Rivers’ serpentine channels. An unbefitting rubber duck is ever-present as it is strapped to the boats bow rail enduring the trip across Macquarie Harbour. Now into deeply reflective, slow-moving waters of this paradisiacal Tasmanian World Heritage area. Living within it are Gondwanan ancestry; such as tall Myrtle and Sassafras trees, rare and exotic Huon Pines. Stained bronze water from tannins that flow from the buttongrass growing upland. The boat disturbs the silence of the otherwise mirrored stillness. The exploring duck floats on the undisturbed reflective depths. The duck is duct taped to the rail because it represents the boat owner’s inability to catch a fish unlike his fellow fisherman. The duck remains in his possession until he catches. Thoughts lead to the presence of this mass-produced synthetic vinyl polymer plastic-based product amongst the contrast of the irreplaceable natural and ancient beauty. Inclusion of the rubber duck is tribute to my couple of days on the Gordon River, which evokes feelings of positivity, happiness, joy and at times a reminder of innocence. A transparent layer of whitewash reveals plywood grain of wood veneer, a nod to the source of material, symbolic of a topographical map, the cartography contour line that mimic gentleness of slopes.