Content by Cam
Mornington Peninsula Film & Photo
Central Australia
At the end of June, 2025, I spent a week on the road driving home from Karijini to the Mornington Peninsula, only stopping for some rocks and some budgies. 3 Days spent at Uluru/Kata Tjuṯan and 1 night spent in Alice Springs and the surrounding Gaps/Gorges completely changed my appreciation for this country. I’ll let the images do the talking.
Not far from Ulura lies another (much less know but just as spectacular) rock-formation/s known as Kata Tjuṯa. Made up of over 30 individual rock formations similar to that of Uluru, I spent 3 hours hiking around the ‘Valley of the Winds’ in pure awe.
Being the only natural water source at Uluru, I figured if I waited I long enough, some opportunities would present themselves to get some special photographs. I spent 4 hours at this one spot watching the crowds, the wildlife and the locals come and go.
Hearing Budgies surrounding the waterhole, I assumed that early in the morning some of them would be looking for a drink. The thing about Budgies is that they are very vulnerable and therefore very alert to potential threats, so I had to sit quietly and wait (close to half-an-hour) in hopes of gaining enough trust to watch & photograph them drinking.
Budgies only drink a few small sips of water each day and it only takes a matter of seconds, so I was quite lucky to get an image this special before they flew away.
Being the one source of water at Uluru (in late-June, 2025), I figured if I waited long enough (over 4 hours) that the water source would attract some opportunities for me to photograph.
Listening in to one of the tours that came by in this time, I learnt that in Aboriginal Culture, Willie Wagtails can symbolise both communication and mischief; both things I witnessed in my time there.
These two Wagtails had been hanging around the entire time, scourging around the waters edge and singling out the tourists they trusted or dis-liked, opting to either swoop at or land on.
At the very second I was taking this image this Wagtail in particular started making a piercing, alarming sound right next to my ear. I turned around to spot a pack of dogs that some Indigenous children had brought for a swim, and quickly realised it was alerting its family to the threat. The look on its face in this image captures that exact moment.
The constantly shifting sand dune landscape surrounding the base of Uluru. Taken from a helicopter at sunset.
A Ghost Gum, whose white glowing bark is evidence of living spirits; the marking on the bark resembling a unique fingerprint.
Remnants of Desert Oak Trees at the base of Uluru. These trees can live for more than 1,000 years.
Driving around Uluru is the early morning, I spotted a dingo wondering along the road. I quickly pulled over and made the most of what I had to work with.
Remnants of Desert Oak Trees at the base of Uluru. These trees can live for more than 1,000 years.
