THE EMU ROAD

Heading South from Broken Hill along the Silver City Highway towards Mildura provided a change in scenery. The dry clumps of knee high grasses sitting amongst the red desert sands gradually grew closer together until they became a blanket of greyish green, with no more sand to be seen. A few straggly goats grazed about the sides of the road, along with the ever present dead roos with the mobs of crows feasting upon their rotting carcasses, flying away to the nearest tree on our approach, and straight back to their meal once we are past. We saw many families of emus prancing about in their search for food, with their cute babies tagging along behind. They are a strange looking bird, their greyish, ruffled, feathered bodies blending into the colours of the fields behind them and their long, swan like necks with the bright blue flash poking up out of the feathery mass. They are an impressive creature, standing as tall as a man, on long poky legs, and it is always a thrill to spot them in the distance as they watch us trundelling by. Every adult seems to have a baby or two with them, like a mother duck with her ducklings. So we have finally crossed the Murray River, back to Victoria the Garden State, the place to be. Before leaving The Hill we went along to Howard William Steer’s gallery, we had seen some of his work around the town. A prolific painter, completing 812 paintings last year, he is quite a character, very friendly and happy to chat. He gave me a few ideas for my work and was quite inspirational. He has quite a bent sense of humour, a bit like myself, and this comes out in his work. My meeting at the Regional Gallery went ok, they have exhibitions booked in for the next two years but are interested in me sending in a proposal.