Willunga Basin
PHOTOGRAPHY
I Hear & I forget .....I See & I remember .....I Do & I understand
Hello I'm John Rossi, Aldinga Beach resident and photographer and as such I'm an observer as well as story teller. On the surface the Willunga basin has great beaches and rolling hills covered by the world class vineyards of Mclaren Vale. It has been a popular holiday destination for many people. I myself had visited here since the 1980's until I met my now wife and we moved here in 2017 to raise a family.
There is an intangible spirit here that is hard to define because the beauty of the area goes way beyond the picturesque views and this website is an attempt to capture the spirit that has held my attention for decades.
To capture that spirit I'm focussing on 3 topics of conversation...
1: The Localities within the basin.
One Basin, Many Identities, One Heart Beat.
Each locale has it's own unique signature but all have a common love of
conservation and respect for what's come before us.
2: History. The numbers speak for themselves.
Landscapes 65 million years old.
Indigenous history 11000 years old
European built heritage 190+ years old
3: Conservation
Communities in the Basin recognise the need to conserve all aspects of the before mentioned history.
And here's where the intangible spirit comes in to effect because the basin could be seen as a contradiction.
Communities strive to conserve the history while world class business practices are progressing within it.
Progress is normally associated with leaving the past behind but instead of causing contradition or conflict, the communities have a juxaposition in which it takes two opposing mindsets and weaves them together seamlessly to produce a spirit that is undeniable.
Hidden in Plain Sight.
It's easy to miss if you don't slow down to observe what's happening here.
World class business practices being conducted within heritage listed buildings,
surrounded by nature millions of years old.
My words alone aren't enough to describe it,
so hopefully it will ring true that my pictures will say the thousand words that I can't find.
My friend, mentor and great photographer Barbara Martin, a long time resident of the famous Port Willunga, joins me on the site. Her knowledge of the area is second to none and the love of the area shows in her work.
It is all a labour of love for us both and it will improve and broaden my own photography skills so that one day, hopefully, I'll be able to make pictures available for purchase. Until then, it is completely free to access.
Aldinga's 1890's Post Office then and now, Hidden in Plain Sight
Confucious once said:
I Hear & I forget .....I See & I remember..... I Do & I understand
Hear
You will Hear about the Willunga Basin somewhere, somehow, and probably forget.
See
You will See the Willunga Basin here on WBP and you will remember.
Do
You should visit us and Do, then you too will understand.
I am John Rossi, welcome to Willunga Basin Photography.
Thanks for your visiting.