Close to 25 years ago I sat up on Mt McKay at sunrise and created an image very similar to the one below. You can see the original image in my Instagram feed. I often wondered if I should leave it at that with this particular image – another pretty mountain landscape posted online for people to enjoy. Nothing wrong with that at all really, apart from the ‘why’ of the photo remaining unknown.

Years ago I shot the image with a Bronica medium format camera loaded with Fujichrome Velvia, sitting on a large tripod. Nowadays I just use my smartphone!

So why recreate an image?

The reason is that all those years ago my son’s ashes were scattered on Mt McKay, pretty much at that very spot, overlooking the Bogong High Plains and Kiewa Valley.

I return to that spot to find comfort, to rest, to recharge, to feel the southerly winds tear through my body, to see how the snow daisies that briefly flower early each December have spread across the mountainside over the years.

But mostly I return to remind myself to be grateful, to live with intent and celebrate life.