Boyd River Dragon

Many years ago I woke up in Canarvon Gorge in Queensland on my birthday. It had been a very strange night. I had walked the 15 kms in to camp at a remote campsite. I was sitting in the creek staying cool when a huge boar walked through my campsite. Half an hour later a dog walked passed soon followed by another with someone with a gun.

It really didn’t sit right with me. An hour later as I was cooking dinner the man came back with his dogs and gun. Up close I was relieved to see he was wearing a national parks uniform and was a contract hunter exterminating the wild pigs. We chatted a bit and I mentioned he had missed the boar by half an hour or so. The damage in the area from these animals was immense and extensive. It really rattled me though.

So the next morning on waking I decided to go to Daintree. I packed up camp and with my usual determination I set off instantly for Cairns. First I had to walk the fifteen kms out in the rediculous Queensland summer heat, drive back to my car campsite and then pack it up too. Eventually I was driving north. I hadn’t figured that was still days away from Cairns. Anyway I drove for a few days to get there.

One of my explorations at Cairns was in Mossman Gorge. I wandered around the rainforest with my 4 x 5 inch view camera photographing the beautiful huge fig trees.

I had been leap frogging a lovely English couple having short but interesting interactions with them. I came around a corner and they signaled with a finger to their lips to be quiet. As I came closer they pointed out this beautiful Boyd River Dragon in the rainforest. It had run in front of them and had settled still in the bushes pretending to be invisible. They left me there.

Photographing wildlife with large format is always risky. Ten to fifteen minutes I need to set up my camera. First the tripod, then the camera gets attached, then the lens. You then have to compose and focus the thing with a loupe. Then you put one sheet of film in and prepare the shutter. It’s not until it closes that you can feel like you were successful. I did so slowly and gently and finally took this beautiful lizards portrait.

I feel thankful for the forest for being so supportive, and to my patient subject, and to the lovely couple who took the time to share their joy. It’s so lovely when so many things come together and such a memorable image arrives.

This last one is from another lovely shoot I had whilst I was in Cairns. I hope to return one day soon and really explore and photograph the place.

I think it was 1998. Half a lifetime ago.

Photography and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2021