The adventure artist
Melbourne painter Brock Q. Piper takes a road trip into wild Tasmania with Avis to lose himself and find a creative spark.
DAY ONE Cradle Mountain
Landing in Launceston late last night, I drove west, straight for Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. The roads were dark, rugged and, as I got closer, crowded with wildlife, meaning it took longer than expected. But adventure is what I love about Tasmania. Waking up to the sunrise over Lake St Clair, as the water turned purple with first light, was phenomenal. I’m doing 20 kilometres of the epic Overland Track hike, passing eucalypts, through ancient rainforests and alpine meadows with views of the peak. On the fourhour walk, I’ve spotted only two other people. I love the sensation of losing and finding myself in this remoteness; it’s like time slows right down. I feel connected as the wind rushes through the trees and the light changes quickly with the sun.
DAY TWO Wineglass Bay
I drive east for four hours to the coast, discovering the holiday town of Coles Bay – a lovely little place I’d happily stop at for longer – before continuing on to Wineglass Bay. This curve of blinding white sand and clear water ringed by pink granite mountains is so iconic I have to trek to the famous lookout. Onward to Hazards Beach – the track is steep and rocky but the effort sharpens my appreciation of the icy swim. Sitting on the sand, I’m mindful of the Indigenous, mining and pioneering history here and the many generations who’ve seen this place. It’s humbling. I take hundreds of photos and notes, thinking about how to do it justice within my painting.
DAY THREE Bay of Fires
While you can drive right up to Binalong Bay, this stunning nook of the Bay of Fires Conservation Area still feels secluded. People come to snorkel or watch for seals, whales and dolphins. The elements are powerful, the colours amazing. Turquoise water slaps grey boulders splashed with the bright orange lichen that makes this place so dramatic. I’m told the lichen is receding with global warming and I hate to imagine it dulling. I lose so much time sketching that I find myself stuck out on rocks as the tide comes in and have to pick my way back to the beach. I catch the sunset making the lichen blaze before I head back home. How lucky am I to have seen that?