For my love

Blackdown tablelands has always held a special place in my heart. When I first moved to Central Queensland, I had been told it was one of the hidden treasures that needed to be explored. Having expressed my longing to visit this beautiful landscape that was so frequently praised by every local I met, my new boyfriend (now husband) blindfolded me for my 24th birthday as he picked me up from my share-house in the early hours of the morning, and drove the three hours to the Tablelands with a picnic lunch and a cosy blanket to protect me against the chill in the crisp winter air. It didn't take me long to work out where he secretly planned to take me, but that just added to my excitement. This view - a vibrant blue sky, sheer cliffs of deep reds and oranges and yellows, and a blanket of green trees in the vally below, with that iconic single tree in the middle of the sweeping landscape - was the first lookout we drove to... and it absolutely took my breath away! Hugging my jacket around me, feeling the warm presence of my new adventure buddy beside me, and watching the incredible array of the colours of the tablelands dance before me as the winter breeze ruffled the trees and cut through the stillness of the early morning air... everything felt perfect and right in the world. This piece tries to encapsulate those feelings - of wonder at the beauty and colour of creation, the excitement of a new place to explore, and the warmth of new love.