Environmental photography show explores connection to Country

An exhibition showcasing breathtaking images of Dja Dja Wurrung Country is captivating visitors at The Old Church on the Hill in Quarry Hill until April.

Photographer Shane Carey’s Eye and Awe environmental exhibition features seven large-format framed photographs in the venue’s Feast Space, alongside an online gallery offering additional works for purchase

The collection captures fleeting moments of the local landscape, from the winter stillness of Expedition Pass Reservoir to the granite outcrops of Mount Kooyoora bathed in sunlight. Carey’s work has sparked emotional responses from many visitors, often tied to their personal connections with the places depicted.

“It’s illuminating to see these beautiful environmental images where we live. It makes me appreciate the importance of what we have here,” one viewer said.

Carey, who has spent a decade living on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, described the privilege of hearing visitors’ stories about the significance of these landscapes in their lives.

“It has been a privilege to hear these stories and the reasons why people have purchased images,” he said.

“I wanted to share the connection I am developing over ten years of living on Dja Dja Wurrung Country.

“There are many smaller stories of the experiences that went into making each print, like the Superb fairy wren that led me to a Tawny frogmouth along Sheepwash Creek.

“These areas, if well preserved, will continue to provide vital habitat, and preserve a multitude of endemic flora and fauna.”

The exhibition is open on Tuesdays, Fridays, and the first and third Sundays of each month, from 10am to 2pm. The Old Church on the Hill will close for the summer break from December 21 and reopen on February 11. Entry is free.

For more details or to purchase images, head to thesensitiveshuttershanecare.shootproof.com/gallery/25548267