testimonials

Hi Fiona
Back to work today to find your books on my desk.  I have had a quick flick thro & I'm thrilled.  My eldest son (working at Newry) called in & took them home, he won't be doing much this afternoon, I bet.

Love your work - great as presents (which I find hard to give away!).

Jo Pegler, Eromanga (Queensland)

 

Dear Fiona,
Many thanks for your book 'A Million Acre Masterpiece'. It has given me a far better view into what my son is doing as a ringer in Northern Queensland than I had hoped for. It is a beautiful book. The pictures are breathtaking.

I now enclose an order for a further two books. One for my son as a keepsake for him to look back on his time in Australia and one for the grandparents.

Regards, Mark Light, Dorset (England)

I recently took 2 of each book overseas with me to give to the relatives and friends I was staying with - they loved them!  I'm ordering more to send overseas as well.

Hi Fiona,

I purchased the book as a gift for my husband last Christmas, and it was very much appreciated (he is extremely hard to buy for).  Many visitors to our home have enjoyed looking through it as well, and my three year old daughter Matilda regularly requests that I get it down for her to look at.  Matilda loves the horses most.  I am desperately hanging out for a Victorian exhibition, and look forward to hearing when you may have one in the works.

Fiona,
Just letting you know my copy of "Life as an Australian Horseman' arrived in the mail today.  It is everything I was hoping for:  a well-balanced mixture of up-close and personal shots and broader landscape, scene-setting images.  I found the structure of the collection interesting.  It's like a diary, if you like, a record, hour-by-hour of the horseman's day--even the apparently insignificant moments, where the guys catch a bit of shade, or a swig from the water bottle.  I like the aerial shots of 'the mob' too--they have a very graphic quality--the dusty patterns of the outback.  I also like the way that you've resisted the cliches--you know, the lone horseman riding off into the sunset.  These characters have wind in their hair and dust under their fingernails--to borrow a phrase from the legendary American folk singer Woody Guthrie.  Good luck with whatever you do in the future.  I will leave this book on the coffee table in the loungeroom and wander through the pages when I need a bit of open space to clear my head.

Cheers, David Turnbull, Wamboin (New South Wales)

Fiona,
I returned from a very long trip and my books were on my desk. I have looked through it and I must say you are amazing. The photos are beautiful and the book will make a wonderful gift for customers and friends.

Thank you for your effort in developing this book and thank God for your talent.
All the best.

Wes E Klett’
Anipro/Xtraformance Feeds, Colorado (United States)

Dear Fiona
I thank you for your book on cattle stations, fantastic, and the postcards were sent straight to Germany for their views. The book has been a point of discussion since arriving and has also reignited the dream to travel the country to view these sights ourselves. Again thanks and continue your great work.

Regards, Nils Uellendahl, O’Hallorans Hill (South Australia)

Thank You. My partner and I spent a year (2006) working for friends of ours (the Murphys) on "Kalala" station near Daly Waters in the Territory. We also baled hay on Newcastle Waters, Brunette Downs and Anthony's Lagoon. The problem was, we were that flat out working that there was never any time to take any photos. When we came home and tried to explain what we did and what the country was like to friends we couldn't do it any justice. So thank you, the pictures and comments in your book helped explain to our friends what we could not.'

R Richards (North Queensland)

Thanks Fiona,
The book was for my wife who worked on VRD at Pigeon Hole and also as the Australian stock person on the livestock ships exporting beef into Asia. She absolutely loved the book which brought back so many great memories. The day she opened it she just sat down and read it cover to cover. I got home from work and the home looked like a wreck, no dinner cooked, kids not fed, bathed or anything. Her only excuse, “this bloody beautiful book” she told me. “I couldn't help myself. I just couldn’t put it down.” Don’t know what I am going to do now, she has grand plans of loading up the Cruiser and the kids and heading back up there.

Kind regards, Rohan Dendle, Winchelsea (Victoria)

I am a Townsville expat who went to school in Charters Towers, now living on a dairy farm in New Zealand and breeding Brahman x Friesians. LOVE your book 'tho it made me a little homesick! Our 'Brahmy's', as far as we know, are the only ones of their kind here and have aroused quite a bit of interest and your book shows the resilience and beauty of these animals and the stunning grandeur of Aus. Thank you Fiona.

Cheers, Dimittee Baldwin, Woodville (North Island, New Zealand)

Your pictures of Brunette Downs bring tears to my eyes, what a truly magnificent place, congratulations on your perfect portrayal of such a special and unique piece of our amazing country.

Regards, Kim Grambeau, Bunbury (Western Australia) (Former employee of Brunette Downs Station)

I gave your book to my mum for Christmas. Mum was a farm girl born and bred. Looking at the photos literally made her cry. This book was the best present she has ever received. Keep up the wonderful work.

Keren Doughty, Raymond Terrace (New South Wales)

G'day Fiona,
I received your wonderful book last Friday along with the cards, bookmark, and bookbag, all very nice. Thank you!
After spending a peaceful weekend enjoying your book these are my thoughts. The design of the book is very nice and well thought out, in keeping with the theme of the project. From the inside cover image to the glossary, it was a pleasure to page through.
The themes explored as outlined in the Table of Contents, and expressed in the photography, were a compliment to the lifestyle of the people and animals experiencing this remote part of Australia. Every chapter had a story told through a photographic journey that wonderfully expressed the people, land, and lifestyle. Really! I enjoyed each chapter, but being an architect I would have liked to have seen more on the homesteads and the lifestyle around them. Saying that, the overall selection is carefully balanced and works well.
All the images from the landscapes to people show the skill in dealing with various subjects. The colors and quality of light were artistic and technically expressive, and a joy to experience. For me this color light, and composition were the best part of the book, and a compliment to the story and land.
I feel you have done a very professional and artistic job of photography, story telling, and publishing design that is a joy to experience. I am looking forward to the promise at the end of the book about more cattle stations to discover, and your next book.

Kind regards, William Brace, California (United States)

Photo was superb and framed just the way it should be. Thank you so much for the effort on my late order.

Cheers, Bernadette Burke, Brunette Downs (Northern Territory)

Hi Fiona,

Just to let you know the books arrived today (just picked them up from the mail room).  I should be working, but instead, I am captivated by the pictures in 'A Million Acre Masterpiece' and the attached inscriptions.  Having been born in Wagga Wagga, and my father transferred to Sydney when I was 5 - the yearning to be on the land has never left me.  My father was a jackeroo, and my biggest regret is that I didn't do jillerooing - although I must admit I did learn to ride a horse when I turned 40!  I have spent many happy times on properties and your beautiful pictures have transported me back into 'my world'....Thank you so much.

Hi Fiona
The book “A Million Acre Masterpiece” is fabulous... can’t wait to take it home to my farming family in the UK.

Charmain Raw, North Yorkshire (United Kingdom)

We have just received your books in the mail and wanted to let you know that they are great. We owned a property in the N.T. for a number of years and your photos just brought back so many memories. Of course when we were mustering and doing yard work, I didn’t think to take photos and I wish I had now. Thanks for portraying how it really is. My mum dreamed of coming to visit us on the station to see how we lived but she lives in Melbourne and never got the chance. We bought this book for her for Christmas so now I can tell her that what she sees in the book is pretty close to what it was really like for us on the station. Thanks.
Good luck with the book and hope to see more in the future.

Sue & Simon Mattsson, Mackay (Queensland)

Hi Fiona,
Brilliant. The book arrived this afternoon, (could not believe it would arrive so quickly) and my wife and I were very impressed by it, and I am sure my brother will love it. Thank you so much also for the way you endorsed it, could not have been better. I am more interested in the photography, and the colours you were able to get in the outback were great. Good luck for the future.

Regards, Guy Nugent, Towradgi (New South Wales)

Fiona – thank you for your quick reply.
You know, I just happened upon your web site, briefly glanced at what you have done, and couldn’t believe my eyes.
Thank you thank you and thank you for what you have conceived, appreciated, and pulled together in capturing the beauty and magic of the Australian Outback through these stations. You couldn’t have targeted this piece of work more accurately to someone like me. I live in Boston – have been here for 20+ years and am a 51 year old expatriate – if that is the right word.
But I grew up in Brisbane and spent from the age of 8 through to 17 spending all my vacation time on outback stations basically mustering, fencing, castrating, and tree lopping for feed. As I went off to Uni, got a job in engineering, then in banking, my life on the land unfortunately faded in reality but never in my memories.
I am sending the first copy to my mother who lives on the Gold Coast who grew up on a sheep station – I know she will love it too.”
And…
I received my copy of your book a week ago and have been pawing through it ever since. It has exceeded my expectations – terrific – I hope you sell a million of them. Every Australian should have a copy.

Best wishes, Rob McDougall, Boston (United States)

Fiona, I love your book “A Million Acre Masterpiece”. The images show the true spirit of Outback Australia, and it shows how rewarding the Outback lifestyle can be without romanticising it.
Congratulations!!

Selena Seng, Mt Isa (Queensland)

Dear Fiona,
Just wanted to let you know, I went to see your photos in the Sofitel Melbourne reception six times while they were here. Loved all of them and still can’t decide which one to buy.
And...
Thank you so much for my picture. I absolutely love it!! I’ve gone on about it so much to my friends so I’ve had them all around to see it. I think you might have a few of my friends wanting to buy one. Thank you once again, I love the frame also.

Kind regards, Lindsey Nairn, Melbourne (Victoria)

Dear Fiona
I grabbed a quick view through the gallery this morning, so I could show hubby more pics when ready to brave the computer again. And I knew what he would like to see, WOW they are bloody beautiful. Can’t wait for the book. I just had to comment, they were xxxxxxxxxspecial…
I had an appointment at a specialist and I took the book with me 2 read, cause u ever read the rot they have in waiting rooms, u know the type I mean. And of course then I got into his room and u guessed it, someone rang him, so I took my book out again, and started hiking through the pages while he was talking 2 who ever, when he finished he of course had been drawn 2 the cover of your fab book, what’s that you’re reading he enquired, like he cared – very sarcastically, I looked up at the old geezer, and meekly replied, it’s a picture book doc, u know, one that u don’t have to read, thinking he might get the message, about talking on the bloody phone when I’m paying him a gazillion dollars. He really thought I was serious, he asked why I couldn’t read, which made me angrier, I can read I just can’t bloody spell can I!
Anyway he asked if he could have a look, the result was he is off on holidays now for 8 weeks and asked if I could write your web addie 4 him 2 look you up. He was very very interested in a big print 4 his waiting room, can you believe you’re costing me money down here – I was charged 4 a double appointment, when all he did was look at your book, now 2 the book review.
Well I thought I was there in some of your pics, that’s how great they were, words cannot define a true artist’s angle of their subject, whether it be an oil painting or a charcoal sketch or a frozen image as yours are, if taken at the right moment in that time, they’re worth a million words to the critic. I could smell the dust, looking at the cattle. I’m really happy in knowing there’s someone out there in the bush still telling the story, through wonderful images, may you never tire of it, because I haven’t seen such beauty in an Australian book on Australia 4 such a long time.

Thanks for sending the books – one was for my son who was absolutely rapt and they arrived very promptly.

Regards, Rhonda Holmes, Mt Macedon (Victoria)

I have received my order of your wonderful book; it arrived the day before our election of Barack Obama as next president. Two exciting events at once! Now that things are starting to settle down in America, I can turn my anxious attention to your book. What a marvellous creation! I can hardly wait until the movie 'Australia' arrives. I think it will be very popular with the public, and if the people also know about your book, I would think it would sell very well... I will certainly pass the word to my small collection of family and friends, and wish I could help more. Thank you also for the extras that came with the book; the neat cattle station tote bag, the Christmas and note cards I ordered (and the extras - thank you), the information sheet, the bookmarks. Thank you for everything. I appreciate being entered in your drawings, and I will enter the 'futures' drawing after I've had time to digest the book and send you my comments. I wish I could go to the events, but there's a matter of a few miles to travel.
Not to bore you...but I love your country. I am 65 and grew up hearing about its wonderful charms from my mother, who had a rich uncle/station owner who paid her way over on a ship in the late 1930's. She was a violin player and she went there to study at the famous music conservatorium in Sydney. So when I married in 2002, we honeymooned with an astronomy group and saw the eclipse in the Outback (and visited her school). I returned on my own in '06 for 6 weeks of wandering solo, and plan to return very soon. Most of my time has been across the south...from Sydney to Alice Springs to Perth, Melbourne and Tasmania. We did honeymoon in part of your Lizard Island. I want to spend more time in the outback, in Queensland. I also want to get to Darwin, the Kimberleys, and slowly down each coast. I plan soon to look at your artwork online and explore more of your website. It was great serendipity to find it. It's terrific. Thanks again for the book. I am going to get into it right this minute.

Best regards, Mike Grant, Grand Rapids (Michigan, USA)

Fiona,
My first copy of your book has just turned up this morning. It’s truly magnificent and I’m particularly pleased that I ordered a second copy. I love the descriptions and explanations with the photos, and little things I’d entirely forgotten about came back to me as I looked through it – like sitting in the shade of your horse when there’s no other shade anywhere. My grandfather used to do that. The glossary is excellent too. That photo of cattle crossing the Cooper is magnificent.
And...
Your book continues to give me great pleasure, and a number of visitors who have picked it up to pass the time have become engrossed and not wanted to put it down. What pleases them all is the explanations and comments – they really give extra life and meaning to the whole enterprise.

Thanks again, D.S., (Australian Capital Territory)

I received my copy of “A Million Acre Masterpiece” in the mail yesterday. It was a birthday present for my husband and he loves it! Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures of your Australian outback experience with us.

Giselle Lindley, Yarramalong (New South Wales)

Hi Fiona, I received the book yesterday and just love it. I am passionate about our bush and until recently have always lived in the bush. My sons know all the country in your book as one does contract mustering and the other is working to be a mustering helicopter pilot and also does all the horsebreaking on Nockatunga. He has just about finished there for the year, and has also broken in at Delta Downs and around Kynuna, among other places.

Best wishes, LW, Barcaldine (Queensland)

Your dedication at the beginning of 'A Million Acre Masterpiece' says it all for I truly would rather be living in the bush.  Many thanks for you and your work I will be a frequent visitor to your website/blog.

Dear Fiona
I am writing to tell you of the great pleasure I am getting from your marvellous book.
For nearly 20 years I worked for King Ranch Australia and spent time at both Brunette Downs and Mount House. During this time I also visited many other properties in Queensland, the Territory and the Kimberleys whilst Santa Gertrudis Cattle and Quarter Horses were being classified for their respective Breed Societies.
One of the many interesting projects I was involved in was to take the photographer Douglas Baglin to Brunette to compile a record of life at the Station. You photos remind me of this fascinating time of my life and of how difficult it is to ' Capture the Moment’ when photographing stock and wildlife. A flick of the eye and often the magic has vanished, particularly the wonderful patterns cattle make when on the move.
Your photos have achieved this to a remarkable degree and have brought back many vivid memories of a marvellous period of my life from 1959.
Thank you and again, congratulations on a great book.

Regards, M. L., Bowral (New South Wales)

Fiona, I have your book in my hand and it is absolutely wonderful; quite beautiful and superbly done.  I felt so nostalgic looking at it, it quite brought tears to my eyes.  Just fantastic.  Well done on a truly wonderful work of art.  I will treasure it.

Deborah Blackie, Gloucestershire (U.K.)

Absolutely fabulous book of which you should be very proud, and an edition which one will be able to pass down to future generations. I have planned to give one of the copies to one of my sons and I know he will feel as I do about it, and be thrilled with this years present.

Sincerely, Jan Stone, Highfields (Queensland)

I was visiting a friend in London whose daughter is in Australia, and had sent her the book (A Million Acre Masterpiece). I loved it! Wanted one for myself and as a gift for another friend of mine. Thank you for putting it all together – very lovely!

Paula Peters, California (United States)

Brilliant and just what I have been looking for. It certainly lives up to all my expectations of capturing and recording all facets of station life in Northern Australia.

Cheers, Jack King, Geelong (Victoria)

Gidday Fiona

Thanks very much I have received your book.  It is very nice - you have a lot of lovely photos.  I'm very happy that I purchased it, just to see those photos, brings back so many great memories.  I was working mainly up in the Northern Territory and the Kimberleys.  Since leaving Aus, have flown all over the world - Guam, Micronesian Islands, Scotland, Tassie, Canada, Alaska, America, Laos...I was mustering wild cattle in Alaska.  I was out in the Aleutian Islands, out past Dutch Harbour, where they do all that King Crab fishing - you know, the one on the Discovery Channel.

Anyway...I went out there for a few months.  An American chap wanted all of the cattle mustered and slaughtered, leaving some breeding cows.  We were to be working on an island called Umnak.  The cattle hadn't been manhandled since the sixties...they were very wild...there were a lot of bulls.  The island was 70 miles long and 30 miles wide, but full of mountains, and tricky gullies and gorges, with soft swampy country.  There was never an easy route when following them along with the heli.  So always had to fly ahead and pick routes that had some hard ground.  It was very slow going and the weather was horrendous - 70 mile-an-hour winds, with blizzards, and white-out, and temperatures dropping to mus 15 degrees celcius.

We had a slaughter house on the island and had 15 Mexicans working there, butchering the cattle.  It was all to be hamburger meat and was going down to Seattle.  We had an old DC4 aeroplane there and when the beef was boxed and chilled to a certain temp it was flown into Dutch harbour and boated down to Seattle.

Some of the cowboys wanted to bring the horses out and help me.  When I was a day away from the ranch and they turned up, the bulls were flat out chasing the horses.  LOL...very funny aye...it was just hard to explain how wild they actually were.  I've seen quite a few wildies in my time but jingoes these fellas took the cake.'

Congratulations on “A Million Acre Masterpiece”. It is truly a captivating book – haven’t been able to put it down since I received it as a gift! Well done – can’t wait for the next one.

Kamilla Stuart, Gunnedah (New South Wales)

Hi Fiona
The book arrived yesterday, however due to only just getting home from the gym, then having to cook dinner only to then bolt down my feed and head out the door to dog obedience, I was too exhausted to have a chance to look at it last night. So this morning after I woke my youngest for work at 6am, I took the time to lay in bed and start looking it over. What can I say, it is wonderful, I struggled to put it down, however as I had to get my other boys out of bed for work (just wait til you have a 20yr old and a 21 yr old, waking them up is a task of its own ha ha) and myself ready for work, I did manage to put it down and now can't wait til tonight when I can pick it up again...So far I have two thoughts about the outback lifestyle, one is that it is hard work, and secondly oh how free it makes me feel even just looking at the pictures. As I manage 10 staff around Australia, the thought of just being out bush with nature (as harsh as it can be) really appeals to me...Thanks again, and I will give you a further update when I'm finished...

Cheers, Gail Bates, Darwin (Northern Territory)

Absolutely wonderful book! I'm so delighted with 'A Million Acre Masterpiece' that I plan to order a copy for my sister who lives in Cody, Wyoming (we grew up on a small dairy farm in Kansas). I know it will make a fantastic birthday gift for Jan. I knew from what I saw on the net this was going to be a great book, but it exceeded my expectations & I was especially delighted to receive it in a nice tote bag. This brought back many delightful memories of my 25 months in Exmouth, WA in the mid-80s. A million THANKS!

Donna Flannery, Pennsylvania (United States)