Just past Warburton, in the Yarra Ranges east of Melbourne, there is a very special and unique place that I can't believe I took so long to go and see. The Sequoia Forest (or Redwood Forest) has about 1,500 enormous California Redwoods (SEQUIOA SEMPERVIRENS) and is an artist/photographer's heaven.
I went on a summer morning when low cloud had just cleared away, and whilst the sunshine through the trees and glimpses of blue sky through the canopy was great for photography, I can only drool at how incredibly mystical this place would be in a fog.
The other thing I loved about this place is that artists have taken the time to use fallen branches and twigs to create natural sculptures that compliment the landscape. With UK artist/sculptor Andy Goldsworthy being one of my favourite artists growing up (click here to check out some of his amazing work), this place got me a bit inspired.
I was initially just going to take photos of the forest, but after seeing others' work I thought I'd get a bit creative and let my repressed inner Goldsworthy loose for a few hours. I made a cairn with sticks on top of a stump that was sitting in the middle of a row of trees, and also some leading lines to and around the cairn, and around the bases of the trees.
Below is a timelapse of the construction, and a photo of the finished product. Be sure to check out my Sequoia Forest photo collection as well. This is a magical place, and I'll definitely be back. If you're looking for a nice daytrip from Melbourne I highly recommend it. You can find a bit more information on the Warburton area here and more information on the Yarra Ranges (there are plenty of other great spots to see in the area) here.