In April 2005, I was canoeing along an uninhabited stretch of north Bruny Island shoreline following a heron when I came around a headland and saw a humble wooden off-grid house overlooking a stunning bay. A hand-made For Sale sign was nailed to a tree. The place somehow spoke to me, and as my son had married and I just had sold our English family home, I impulsively found the owner of 'Blackstone' and shook hands on the purchase of the house, 55 acres of land and three sheds that I turned into art studios. Living remotely and reclusively immersed in sublime natural beauty with remarkable wildlife brought dramatic changes to my life and artwork. I soon was making more sculpture than paintings, and writing books of illustrated poetry. I lived simply, relied solely on wind and solar power that I installed, collected rainwater from the roof, had composting toilets, and made a vegetable garden that wildlife adored. Originally most of the 55 acres were over-grazed paddocks so I began an ecological restoration project, and with the help of volunteers planted over 4000 native trees and understory plants. I lost Blackstone in 2018 in an unnecessarily cruel divorce. I had fulfilled my ambition to create a wildlife sanctuary and restore the land, but the grief of losing a place I loved still lingers. My heart will always be there.

'Blackstone', Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia

© Photographs and text copyright Dr. Victoria King 2024.

vkblackstone@gmail.com