For the past two million years ocean currents and waves have swept sand north from the continental shelf off Australia’s east coast. Onshore winds then blew the sand inland to form some of the oldest evolving dune systems on the planet. This giant sand mass is the Carlo sand blow named by Captain Cook the guy who supposedly discovered Australia.
This magical moonscape moves across the land at rate of about a meter each year, engulfing all obstacles in its way. When thinking of a place to shoot the night sky this spectacular location was an obvious first choice being so close to my home.
I was struggling for motivation to leave the house late on a relatively cool night but also eager to test out my new panoramic skills before the moon showed his face again. I had visited this place on countless occasions and had actually worked as a guide here a few years back, but never alone in the middle of the night.

When first arriving at these remote locations, I quite often first experience a natural fear of being alone in the dark and not being able to see what is around me. I push past that initial uneasiness, I usually find myself feeling the very opposite of loneliness and fear and instead experiencing a great connection to something, to everything really, and too a greater version of myself. Although not always in a state of comfort I love the excitement of leaving my comfort zone followed by an even greater sense of belonging. Although I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little freaked out whilst walking through the pitch black forest as my crappy batteries began to fade on my head lamp.

I was expecting to go up to the blow, get a shot and head back to the warmth of my bed, but instead found myself wandering around, staring into space awestruck by the atmosphere and scenery for hours.
I wanted to capture some of the solitude and vastness of the space, whilst highlighting the amazing night skies we get in this part of the world at this time of year. As i took a few breaths to calm my mind and soak up my surroundings, I remembered that towards the ocean side of the blow remnants of ancient forests poked their sand blasted canopies free from the moving dunes and these trees could provide the unique foreground for an epic nights shoot.