Happy and blessed holidays everyone!

Yesterday, I was perusing one of my dad’s old exercise books from way back, possibly the 1950’s. There, first page, neatly written in his handwriting, a poem. I had read this a few months back and didn’t think much of it. But yesterday, reading it again, it resonated with me about the beauty of God’s creation. Dad having taught at Hermannsburg Mission, Northern Territory in the 1950’s was particularly taken with the vibrant colours and striking formation of the land and mountains up there. He fell in love with the land and would make regular pilgrimages to the Centre, taking my brother and I, plus other family and friends, on safaris to explore his beloved part of the world.

Dad encouraged me to write about our adventures. So, these treks up the Centre, inspired me to write two travel memoirs, The T-Team with Mr. B: Central Australian Safari 1977, and Trekking with the T-Team: Central Australian Safari 1981.

In Memory of my dad, Clement David Trudinger 1928—2012

Rugged Beauty

by C.D. Trudinger

I strove to grasp the meaning of the beauty stretched before me,

The beauty of the mountain, fiery red against the sky,

It’s changing colour deepened, its colour changed once more,

The sun was slowly sinking sun about to die.

The mountain stood surrounded by a mighty mulga plain.

Green and brown and beautiful, as far as eye could see,

Not man nor beast, flood nor fire, had left its ugly stain,

The perfect beauty of the scene was God’s and his alone.

© C.D. Trudinger circa 1955

Feature Photo: Sunset on Petermann Ranges, Northern Territory © C.D. Trudinger 1981