Jindabyne, October 29 to 31, 2023

The Team; Carmen, David, Margo, Mark, Peita, Simone, Tracy, Val & Vic

Sunday (strong light, Sirius cloud)

  • An 8.30 start from Sydney and a quiet run to Goulbourn, coffee at The Grit or Track’s Bakery, then on to Cooma or the Bredbo Pie Shop for lunch. Arrived at the Lodge about 2.30pm within minutes of each other including Tracy & Simone who had been in Jindabyne for nearly a week already.
  • Simone recounted her lone trek to the Rams Head peak (2,190m above sea level) and an overnight camp alone to capture the peak in the dawn light. All of us in awe of her gutsy achievement. Crazy brave we decided!
  • Wollondibby Creek mouth scouting for a moon shoot location with reflections on the lake. The area is a moonscape of granite boulders and bare earth.

  • Then off for a drive into the Alpine Way to photograph emus in the roadside paddocks. They are wary of cars that dare to stop – it is a busy road!
  • Returning along the Alpine Way we find a place to stop and photo some wind twisted trees against the skyline. Which tree they ask?

  • Then it was time to adjourn to the pub for dinner before a moonrise at 8.08pm. A table of nine was a welcome sight for the pub on a quiet Sunday night.
  • We arrived at Wollondibby Ck a bit after sunset for the Moon shoot and arranged ourselves along the creek bank like a press pack of photographers awaiting the arrival of a great Presence. The moon also had a sense of drama, rising later than expected because of the range of hills on the east side of the lake and casting a golden glow over the landscape. A very bright moon and clear atmosphere presented the usual exposure challenges.

  • We then adjourned to the lodge and a planning meeting for the sunrise shoot over a glass of red wine before retiring.

    • Monday (strong light, Sirius cloud and strong winds)

  • A five o’clock alarm has us ready for a dawn shoot at Widow’s Point lookout in the Jindabyne township, a 15 min drive from our lodge. A faint sun glow faded to nothing behind dark cloud…

    … but we were treated to the sight of one lone young female swimmer braving the freezing water of the lake.
  • Disappointed but undaunted we packed up to seek a coffee but had to wait until 7.00am for the café to open.
  • On the way back to the lodge we took a detour to the East Jindabyne pump station and time for a group shot.
  • After about half an hour we were treated to a surprise rainbow over the lake which was sustained for quite a while.
  • Breakfast at the lodge at the long table and a discussion of what to do next given the strong winds and harsh light.
  • It was decided to head for the Rainbow Lake near Perisher as a possible site for the next sunrise. This entails a 1.3km trek into and back from the lake. Some decided that this was not for everybody and yours truly decided after doing it that a return was not something his old knees would suffer again! The strong winds persisted and became an additional challenge while photographing at the lake.
  • We then went on to Charlotte’s Pass (freezing with rain & strong winds) and braved the conditions for a few snaps of the Charlottes Pass lodge, Snow Gums and the still snowcapped peaks to the west.
  • Then it was back to a sunny Jindabyne and lunch at Trader Joe’s Garage café featuring fresh crusty baguettes with filling of your choice.
  • An afternoon rest followed as the winds rose and any thoughts of further photography that day dwindled.
  • A Lodge self catered supper was the bookend for the day and much discussion about forecast fog and subjects to match. Simone, Tracy and Carmen decided they would return to Rainbow Lake with fog forecast and the rest would head for the Thredbo village. A group photo at the long table marked the end of the day (blowing a gale outside).

    • Tuesday (Strong light, more cloud and no wind).

  • Tracy, Simone & Carmen set out at 5.00am for their Rainbow Lake for sunrise (no fog). They were to later describe the pleasure of the sunrise over the lake and satisfaction of a worthwhile effort to hike back to this spot.
  • The rest of us took the road to Thredbo first stopping off at Crackenback and some bemused Kangaroos who had decided that a vast empty carpark should have them offered peace and quiet. We also walked to the Thredbo riverside and a sight of the rail bridge leading to the perisher tunnel.
  • Then it was time to head for the Thredbo village and riverside walk while some of us ascended a scenic walking track loop above the valley for an hour.
  • On the way back to Jindabyne we could not resist dropping in on the Wildbrumby distillery – too early for most of us for tasting though.
  • It was then time for breakfast at the Birchwood Café in Jindabyne (Turkish eggs popular). A busy, noisy and friendly place.
  • Then it was back to the lodge and fresh fruit lunch later.
  • David and Vic set off after lunch to shoot the Jindabyne A-frame churches in strong early afternoon light.
  • At 5.00 pm we set off eastwards for the 30 min drive to the Berridale granite rocks landscape for a sunset shoot. The sun sank slowly in the sky. We waited and waited…
  • Our Apps told us that it would be a fair sunset and it was barely that; just a faint pink after-glow (little or no wind).
  • It was then time head back to the lodge for another self-catered supper and a thank-you toast for our hosts Peita and Mark. The lodge has been a wonderful place to stay and perhaps we will be back again next year?
  • Around 9.30 someone remembered that the Galactic Core should be visible about then. Luck was with us because the moon had not yet risen so the sky was black and clear. There was a rush to get out on the west facing deck with hurriedly assembled tripods and wide angle lens’. So, the end of the day was capped off by an unexpected bonus. We all then toddled off to bed for a final night before the morning clean up and departure.

And so it was…

VB