I had my eye on Bungonia for a while — more specifically, Christ Church, the old Anglican church perched on the edge of town. The forecast wasn’t exactly promising: cold, windy, and a slight chance of rain. But with the camera packed and a small window of time after school drop-off, I took a chance and hit the road.

The drive up the Federal Highway started bleak — low clouds, occasional rain, and not much sign of it lifting. I was starting to think I might be photographing mist and mood instead of sandstone and sun. But just past Goulburn, the clouds began to break apart and scatter, and the light started to shift. Things were looking up.
As I turned off onto Mountain Ash Road, I got my first glimpses of blue sky and a few golden breaks in the cloud. It was still misting here and there, but the light was changing — fast.
Driving into Bungonia for the first time, I passed St. Michael’s Catholic Church on the hill. Beautiful location, but not quite right for the time of day or year — I logged it as a "return later" spot. The rest of the town was a surprise. So many of the buildings carry their history proudly — the old 1882 Public School and former Police Station are now homes, but still marked with signs telling their stories. I could easily spend a day here just photographing heritage buildings alone.

At the far end of town, Christ Church finally came into view — a solid sandstone presence, slightly elevated, with views back over the township. The gate was closed but not locked. I slipped through, parked carefully, and took a moment to read the history sign before unpacking the gear.

While setting up the tripod, the break I’d been hoping for arrived — the clouds parted just enough to let a wash of sunlight hit the church façade. Warm light against cold stone. Exactly the contrast I’d come chasing.

I spent a solid hour working the angles — wide shots, close details, and a few different perspectives around the grounds. I even turned the camera toward the car, now wearing its new tyres — the light was too nice to pass up a quick automotive snap or two.
On the way home, I circled back to St. Michael’s. Took a few reference shots and captured the info signs. Based on the sun angle, it’s one for the warmer months — late spring or early summer should be perfect. I’ll be back.
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And here it is — the first images of the church from the shoot and a couple of the car. The light didn’t last long, but it arrived at just the right moment.

I was recently away on a two-week work trip. This trip started with me flying to Brisbane with a work compatriot, catching a taxi to Yamanto to meet up with two others and driving to Tenterfield for the first 5 days of working at Jennings.

As part of my job, I’m fortunate to have time allocated for physical training, which helps me maintain my fitness. With clear blue skies overhead, it was the perfect opportunity to get outside and enjoy some exercise.

I'm also lucky to live close to Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve and Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, which means I have easy access to dirt trails right on my doorstep. The route I took winds through both areas and happens to form part of the Canberra Centenary Trail—a loop that encircles the main residential areas, cultural precincts, and rural landscapes of the ACT.

I entered via the Wilay Gate (Wilay, In the Ngunawal language, it means "possum"), and followed the fenceline track running parallel to Horse Park Drive, leading me to the start of the Centenary Trail. Riding along this dirt track meant I could avoid traffic entirely—a definite bonus.

Once on the Centenary Trail, I continued through the nature reserve and into the woodland sanctuary. I was surprised by how many people were out and about—I passed numerous cyclists, runners, and walkers. It felt like Pitt Street in Sydney! I even encountered an ACT Parks worker heading the other way on a tractor.

Along the route, I took a few short breaks to soak in the scenery and snap some photos.

Eventually, I reached the gate of the predator-proof fence at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary and passed through to continue along the Centenary Trail. Unlike my last ride, where I turned off onto Old Coach Road, this time I stayed the course. As I rode on, I passed more walkers and paused briefly at the Woolshed, only to find eight prams lined up outside—clearly not the best time to interrupt a mothers' group gathering.

A few hundred metres beyond the Woolshed lies the main gate of the predator-proof fence, which most people use to enter the sanctuary. From there, you can either duck into Forde or continue along the trail up and over the hill for about 500 metres to reach the sanctuary’s car park.

I chose the latter, climbing the hill and joining the shared path, where I passed some impressively large kangaroos lounging beside the trail. Once on the shared path, I followed it into the heart of Forde and continued all the way home. On the return leg, I passed Yerrabi Pond before heading east towards Harrison.

Eventually, I followed the shared path to Gungaderra Homestead, passing between the old farm shed and the main house. On the far side, I noticed something I’d never paid much attention to before—the shed has now been repurposed as "The Recyclery." It's run by volunteers who take in donated bicycles, restore them to a saleable condition, and give them a new lease on life.
From there, I continued along the old Well Station Road—a historic track dating back to the late 1800s that once linked the farms at Well Station and Gungaderra Homestead.
In total, the ride was 20 kilometres—a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend time outdoors, surrounded by nature.

Map of my ride.

Today, in what turned out to be the worst weather of the week, I led a team-building walk through Namadgi National Park.
Despite the conditions, we took on the Settler’s Track—a loop that showcases three historic huts: Brayshaws, Waterhole, and Westermans.
The wild weather added a rugged charm to the experience, and the team powered through with good spirits. A proper taste of the high country and a great way to connect outside the usual work setting.

​Walk map.