“if you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development”
When I learned that a blood moon and a lunar eclipse would occur in may 2021, I made plans to journey to Mungo. It had been over a year of living with Covid restrictions and I was keen to see the colours of the Gol Gol Layer in the hope of concluding my research practice.
The extraordinary photographs of the blood moon were taken by my son, Jack O’Connor on his first visit to mungo. His visit to Mungo fulfilled a request from one of the elders of the 3TTG’s to make sure I bring my children to see this country of ancient lakes. My younger son sam had already made two visits with me and if he could have got out of work I have no doubt he would have accompanied me again. He loved driving on the open red dirt road, the air, light and space as much as his mother does.
The darkness of the night captures the Mungo Lunettes. Photographs by Jack O’Connor May 2021
The following images and text are directly from my sketch book.
There was a blood moon last night. It was my excuse for coming out to Mungo again but not really the reason. I needed to feel and hear this place again.
The air and wind breathe differently here. The light falls from a different angle and the shadows have a life of their own.
Colours have intensity but are also subdued simultaneously.
The blood moon last night exemplifies this. I had imagined what our blood moon might look like before I travelled out here, as I’d seen many doctored images of red blood moons. I thought our moon might be huge and glow of deep sanguine red but of course, it wasn't like that at all.
Its undertone was a diluted version of that blood colour.... just a hint.... barely a smear of blood red. Just a suggestion of warmth that looked more like the hammer stone that was emerging from the ancient layers as we walked up to the top of the lunettes. We witnessed the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon.
I'm so challenged to describe the connections I feel when I’m standing in this place and I struggle to identify a colour to represent it. Not just what I see but what I feel beneath my feet and what voices I hear in the wind.
This place is ever changing, what I saw yesterday is not there today, it is gone.
Even my memories of it have altered but the emotions and the feeling that the people and place that I've shared this time with is everlasting and ever present by the sun and the moon.
From the Diary of Natalie O'Connor 25.05.21 written at Mungo National Park, N.S.W. Australia
