Welcome to my new blog! I’ve been meaning to launch this new website and blog for eons, ever since 2013 really when I wrapped up my previous projects, 52 Suburbs Sydney and 52 Suburbs Around the World. Not long after that I started getting regular work as a freelance photographer and, together with bringing up my now 15 year old daughter Coco, have been flat chat ever since. It’s shocking that five years have passed since then so this year I made a promise to myself to just bloody do it and here we are.

So what’s the new blog about? Well, whereas my past blogs were dedicated to one project only, this blog will be a place to share a variety of things.

The first ‘thing’ I’m kicking off with, however, is a new project – 52 Journeys, Australia.

If you’ve followed me in the past you’ll know that cities are my beat, and that I’m endlessly curious about the mad mix of people, culture, religion, architecture and everything else that constitute a big smoke.

I love all that and I’ll continue to explore cities but I also want to explore the bits beyond the built up – from the bush, outback, high country and coastline to regional centres and small towns. Because just as my first Sydney project was inspired by the realisation that I didn’t know my own city, this project is inspired by the fact I’ve barely seen any of my own country.

Now, unlike my previous projects this one won’t be a weekly blog installment. In fact, far from it. With my first two projects I dedicated an entire year to each and did very little else. This time around I won’t have that luxury; I’m going to have to fit this new project in between my photography jobs as well as being a mum. And there’s also the issue of distance – Australia is vast.

I’ll be honest, not only do I have no idea where this new project is going to take me or how long it’s going to take, I also don’t really know how I’m going to do it, between the logistics of getting around such a huge country and the expense of doing so. But what would life be without a challenge to rub up against?

Anyway, I really hope you can join me on this new adventure. I absolutely loved my ‘virtual’ travelling companions on my last two projects. They were the most positive, generous bunch you could wish for. Self-initiated projects are wonderful but they’re also challenging in many ways, and having people who appreciate the work and can cheer you on when you need it is almost vital. Are you in? I hope so (and given the posts will be irregular, please subscribe if you haven’t already so you won’t miss any new installments).