I think we all know what it is like when a plan does not turn out as expected. That happened to me on a weekend in March 2021 but I had a whole new experience so I was not that upset. I found myself photographing beside Mount Franklin Road when I should have been following it to my planned destination. Canberra had experienced some heavy rain the weekend before so I checked the ACT service page to see if there was any news on the status of Mount Franklin Road, was it open or closed. Unfortunately, there was no information so I had to take my chances. That Sunday, 28 March, I drove towards my objective to the south-west of Canberra, ever hopeful that the dry weather over most of the week would mean that the roads were safe and open. The first, and clearest, indication that was not the case was when I turned onto Brindabella Road where a sign post gave the status of the surrounding dirt roads and Mount Franklin Road was closed. Being incredibly optimistic, and having already traveled half-way to the destination, I pushed on, only to find that the Mount Franklin Road was indeed closed, with a locked steel gate across it to emphasise that point. However, there was still bush around and the closed road meant that I could walk along its dirt surface without fear of being run-over by a car, so I grabbed my camera bag to go for a hike in order to see what subjects there were. I ended up having a fantastic morning, mainly with macro subjects. At times I found myself lying in dewy grass, my head buried in a shrub trying to get the right angle for a shot and thoroughly enjoying the experience. I also had a chance to use my drone to shoot some pictures of the Murrumbidgee River in flood. I hope that you like the pictures below.
Acacia Tree Hopper climbing up a wattle stalk
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/10 and 1/200 SEC])
Fern
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 160, 100mm, f/10 and 1/200 SEC])
Hairy caterpillar with dew droplets
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/16 and 1/180 SEC])
Scale insect on a Eucalyptus sapling
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 640, 100mm, f/10 and 1/200 SEC])
Acacia Tree Hopper with attendant ants on a sapling
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/16 and 1/180 SEC])
Red-necked Wallaby in the long grass
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Gall wasp galls on a dew-dampened leaf
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/10 and 1/250 SEC])
The underside of the leaf
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 1000, 100mm, f/10 and 1/250 SEC])
Crane Fly
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/10 and 1/250 SEC])
Grey Fantail
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/320 SEC])
Sawfly larvae
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/11 and 1/320 SEC])
Detail of the group
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 320, 100mm, f/10 and 1/160 SEC])
Termite mound
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/10 and 1/320 SEC])
Conflux of the Murrumbidgee River (left) and the Cotter River (right)
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/1250 SEC]
Bridge over it at Cotter Crossing
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/1000 SEC]
Casuarina tree knocked over by the river
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 100, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/1600 SEC]
