Duck Reach is a short walk from my childhood home on the hill in West Launceston. It was less visited than the popular First Basin with its swimming pool, kiosks and social gatherings. Duck Reach was less hospitable, a place for the more adventurous.

For much of the year it can be a cold, dark place, in constant threat of flooding. I’m still a regular visitor to this area decades later and remain drawn to that panoramic and distinctive focal point in the river where the old Duck Reach Power Station sits so stoically. Its dark foliage, deep shadows and wintery weather sets the scene for the drama; shapes, tones and lines come into focus then disappear, forms and orientations become familiar then fade away. The experience of vertigo is often just around the corner.

Since the mid 1980’s, I’ve made pictures on site in and around Duck Reach. This series focuses on recent works since 2023, some painted onsite, some painted back in the studio in Adelaide or at home in West Launceston.