Read about this place in the notes following gallery images
Point Henry: A landscape in transition. Not far out of Geelong in Victoria is a small peninsular jutting into Corio bay. Point Henry has for decades carried heavy industry, principally an aluminium smelter and Cheetham Salt Works. Both have been decommissioned leaving the former industrial precinct in limbo, waiting for town planning decisions on its future. (if you want to find out more about the proposed development find the link at the bottom of this page). Meanwhile, the former salt works in particular has caught my attention as a photographic subject.
Not at all a dead landscape, its a fusion of man made with nature both in it's operational days and currently, set against a skyline of massive electrical infrastructure. When on the peninsular the other side of Corio bay is always visible, and it too is crammed with heavy industry. The oil refinery, Pivot fertilizer factory and shipping wharfs can be interesting on a clear day.
In some of the shots the water is red or orange, this indicates the presence salt tolerant algae in the trapped water. The intensity of the colour varies with organic concentration but also with incident light angle at the moment of photographic capture. I have made the one hour trip from Melbourne several times, however, I have not again seen the blood red coloured water found on the first visit. I love the details of landscapes considering them as important as the wide angle vista. This landscape was abundant with detail everywhere from the cracked mud, to the salt covered timbers used in the sluice gates.
This place keeps drawing me back its constantly changing and it always photographs differently, even from the same locations.
One thing I have learnt, is to stay on the somewhat indefinite boardwalks. Walking out onto the wet surface risks breaking through the crust and sinking many center-meters into a thick black mud. Extraction is fraught with struggle. That evening with the moon reflected in the blood red water, my boots and trousers wet with salty mud I was happy. I was more than just a visitor, there was little distinction between subject and photographer.
Government paper on development of Point Henry:
https://www.coastsandmarine.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/31705/Moolap-DiscussionPaper-2016-final-web.pdf
Please copy and paste, this URL is not hyperlinked.
Not at all a dead landscape, its a fusion of man made with nature both in it's operational days and currently, set against a skyline of massive electrical infrastructure. When on the peninsular the other side of Corio bay is always visible, and it too is crammed with heavy industry. The oil refinery, Pivot fertilizer factory and shipping wharfs can be interesting on a clear day.
In some of the shots the water is red or orange, this indicates the presence salt tolerant algae in the trapped water. The intensity of the colour varies with organic concentration but also with incident light angle at the moment of photographic capture. I have made the one hour trip from Melbourne several times, however, I have not again seen the blood red coloured water found on the first visit. I love the details of landscapes considering them as important as the wide angle vista. This landscape was abundant with detail everywhere from the cracked mud, to the salt covered timbers used in the sluice gates.
This place keeps drawing me back its constantly changing and it always photographs differently, even from the same locations.
One thing I have learnt, is to stay on the somewhat indefinite boardwalks. Walking out onto the wet surface risks breaking through the crust and sinking many center-meters into a thick black mud. Extraction is fraught with struggle. That evening with the moon reflected in the blood red water, my boots and trousers wet with salty mud I was happy. I was more than just a visitor, there was little distinction between subject and photographer.
Government paper on development of Point Henry:
https://www.coastsandmarine.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/31705/Moolap-DiscussionPaper-2016-final-web.pdf
Please copy and paste, this URL is not hyperlinked.