Journeys in photographs and words.
EpisodesSomerset Region, Queensland

A TRAVEL ESSAY

Somerset Region, Queensland

Country Life in Australia

Borrowing a small housein the Australian countryside

Sheep, a pub, alpacas, and country life in Australia.

Film published 97 photos

Read the journey
Hanging lanterns and a silhouette against the sunset
Hanging lanterns and a silhouette against the sunsetSOMERSET REGION, QUEENSLAND

ABOUT THIS JOURNEY

On a farm west of Brisbane, I borrowed a small hut built of weathered timber. I fried bacon and eggs with eggs fresh from the owner's hens, drank a midday beer at the town pub, and ate the local meat pie. In the evening I fed the sheep, the alpacas and the pig, and once the sun had set I grilled kangaroo steak beside a campfire. A day in the countryside of the southern hemisphere, where time rolls by slowly.

A little more about the food and the land

01TRAVEL JOURNAL

A hut with sheep and alpacas

I came to Australia, in the southern hemisphere, to try country life abroad. The place I borrowed is a small hut of weathered timber on a farm west of Brisbane. An old sign advertising fresh fruit, vegetables, milk and bread stands by the fence, and sheep and alpacas graze in the yard.

The veranda is lined with shelves and old tools, and a wanted poster hangs on the wall. Inside: a radio in a wooden case, a brass kettle, an old mixer, and a kitchen sign that reads "Fresh eggs, 25 cents a dozen."

Watch this scene on YouTube0:22
A hut of weathered timber and an old sign for fruit, vegetables and milk
01A hut of weathered timber and an old sign for fruit, vegetables and milk
A sheep by the fence, with an alpaca behind
02A sheep by the fence, with an alpaca behind
The veranda of the hut, lined with shelves and old tools
03The veranda of the hut, lined with shelves and old tools
An old radio in a wooden case
04An old radio in a wooden case
A brass kettle, an old mixer and a sign for fresh eggs
05A brass kettle, an old mixer and a sign for fresh eggs
Tongs reaching into an iron frying pan
06Tongs reaching into an iron frying pan
The kitchen seen past an old poster, with me at the counter
07The kitchen seen past an old poster, with me at the counter

02TRAVEL JOURNAL

Bacon and eggs from the owner's hens

Morning in a country town in Australia. The owner gave me some eggs fresh from the hens, so I cooked them the simplest way, with bacon. I fried the bacon in an iron pan and cracked the eggs into the fat.

A black wood stove still stands in the corrugated-iron kitchen. I ate breakfast in the wood-panelled room, with a glass of berries on the side and a view of the sheds through the window. The eggs were rich and really good.

Beyond the rocking chair at the door, the morning pasture stretched away. On a shelf sat an old sewing machine.

Watch this scene on YouTube0:42
Bacon frying in an iron pan
08Bacon frying in an iron pan
The sink and hotplate in the corrugated-iron kitchen
09The sink and hotplate in the corrugated-iron kitchen
Cracking an egg over the bacon
10Cracking an egg over the bacon
An egg frying beside the bacon
11An egg frying beside the bacon
A black wood stove and light through the door
12A black wood stove and light through the door
A wood-panelled room with a shed visible through the window
13A wood-panelled room with a shed visible through the window
Sitting down to bacon, eggs and berries
14Sitting down to bacon, eggs and berries
Bacon and fried eggs on the plate
15Bacon and fried eggs on the plate
The breakfast table with flowers and a cup
16The breakfast table with flowers and a cup
A rocking chair at the door and the pasture outside
17A rocking chair at the door and the pasture outside
An old sewing machine, with me in the background
18An old sewing machine, with me in the background

03TRAVEL JOURNAL

A herd of cattle and a straight road

I left the hut in the morning sun and headed for town. A treehouse stands among the trees in the yard, with an old truck parked beneath it. On the wall hangs an old map of Australia.

Walking along a straight road lined with power poles, I came to a herd of cattle in a pasture under the eucalyptus trees. When I stopped at the fence, they looked back at me. Two of them were resting in the shade.

Watch this scene on YouTube1:18
The hut and the produce sign in the morning sun
19The hut and the produce sign in the morning sun
A treehouse among the trees and an old truck
20A treehouse among the trees and an old truck
An old map of Australia on the wall
21An old map of Australia on the wall
Walking down a straight road lined with power poles
22Walking down a straight road lined with power poles
Eucalyptus trees and cattle in the pasture
23Eucalyptus trees and cattle in the pasture
Looking at the herd over the fence
24Looking at the herd over the fence
Two cows resting in the shade of a tree
25Two cows resting in the shade of a tree

04TRAVEL JOURNAL

A beer at the town pub

Every town in Australia has at least one pub. I walked into a cream-coloured one with a XXXX sign out front. Along the bar ran a row of taps: Coopers, Hahn SuperDry, ginger beer, Great Northern, XXXX Gold.

Out on the deck, I opened a bottle of Great Northern. Beer in Australia, where the sunlight is strong. It permeated my body and brought me back to life. Beyond the windows stretched a paddock with a great tree and a farm shed.

Through the glass I could see the regulars chatting at the bar. I like the atmosphere of a pub.

Watch this scene on YouTube1:40
A cream-coloured pub with a XXXX sign
26A cream-coloured pub with a XXXX sign
A row of beer taps on the bar
27A row of beer taps on the bar
A can in a stubby holder on the deck table
28A can in a stubby holder on the deck table
Holding a bottle of Great Northern
29Holding a bottle of Great Northern
Looking out from the deck
30Looking out from the deck
A paddock with a great tree and a farm shed
31A paddock with a great tree and a farm shed
The bar seen through the pub windows
32The bar seen through the pub windows
Regulars chatting at the bar
33Regulars chatting at the bar
Taking in the room, bottle in hand
34Taking in the room, bottle in hand

05TRAVEL JOURNAL

The town's famous meat pie

For lunch, the town's famous meat pie. I went to the bakery cafe with the big red signs on the main street. Old tools hang from the timber beams inside, and the pie arrived in a bowl.

When I pushed my fork in, juicy meat sauce spilled out. Crisp pastry, tender beef. It goes even better with mashed green peas. It was a big size, but I gobbled it up in no time.

The walls were lined with old photographs, a horse and cart, a group portrait. Outside the window, trucks rolled past.

Watch this scene on YouTube2:15
The main street with the bakery cafe's red signs
35The main street with the bakery cafe's red signs
Inside the cafe, old tools hanging from the beams
36Inside the cafe, old tools hanging from the beams
A close-up of the meat pie broken open with a fork
37A close-up of the meat pie broken open with a fork
Meat sauce showing through the pastry
38Meat sauce showing through the pastry
Cutting into the meat pie at the table
39Cutting into the meat pie at the table
The meat pie on a bed of mashed green peas
40The meat pie on a bed of mashed green peas
Eating at a table by the window
41Eating at a table by the window
Iron chairs and the street outside the window
42Iron chairs and the street outside the window
A table number and old photographs on the wall
43A table number and old photographs on the wall

06TRAVEL JOURNAL

The bakery next door

It was so good that I stopped by the bakery next door. The sign out front boasts twenty-five medals. Inside, the shelves and display cases were packed with bread, pies and cakes. I ordered over the counter and stepped back out, past an old truck parked in the garden.

Watch this scene on YouTube2:48
The bakery's red sign and entrance
44The bakery's red sign and entrance
Bread shelves and the display case
45Bread shelves and the display case
A red sauce bottle and framed pictures on the wall
46A red sauce bottle and framed pictures on the wall
Ordering at the display case
47Ordering at the display case
An old truck parked in the garden
48An old truck parked in the garden

07TRAVEL JOURNAL

Meat for dinner from the butcher

I bought the makings of dinner at the butcher, a red-roofed weatherboard shop with a sign of a cow against the blue sky. Meat lay in the chilled cases, and on the shelves were barbecue rubs and recipe booklets for lamb and beef. I picked up the meat for tonight's main dish.

Watch this scene on YouTube3:00
The red-roofed butcher shop under a blue sky
49The red-roofed butcher shop under a blue sky
The butcher's signs and shopfront
50The butcher's signs and shopfront
The chilled meat case and a lamb advertisement
51The chilled meat case and a lamb advertisement
Barbecue rubs lined up on a shelf
52Barbecue rubs lined up on a shelf

08TRAVEL JOURNAL

Back at the hut

I walked back under the big trees, opened the gate in the fence, and I was home. Old machinery sits beside the shed, and a windmill stands in the yard. Under the produce sign, an old tricycle.

I set the shopping bag down on the veranda, where lanterns hang from the beams. Under a tin roof, the pig was taking a nap. In the kitchen, an old refrigerator and a black stove against the corrugated-iron wall, with green hills outside the window.

Watch this scene on YouTube3:14
Walking home along a road under big trees
53Walking home along a road under big trees
Opening the gate, an old mailbox beside it
54Opening the gate, an old mailbox beside it
Old machinery beside the timber shed
55Old machinery beside the timber shed
The hut and the yard with its windmill
56The hut and the yard with its windmill
The produce sign and an old tricycle
57The produce sign and an old tricycle
The veranda with lanterns hanging from the beams
58The veranda with lanterns hanging from the beams
A pig sleeping under a tin roof
59A pig sleeping under a tin roof
A shopping bag and the hills outside the window
60A shopping bag and the hills outside the window
An old refrigerator and shelves in the kitchen
61An old refrigerator and shelves in the kitchen
A black stove against the corrugated-iron wall
62A black stove against the corrugated-iron wall

09TRAVEL JOURNAL

Lamington for afternoon tea

In the yard, two alpacas and a sheep were grazing. For afternoon tea, a lamington, the traditional Australian cake: sponge coated in chocolate sauce and rolled in fine coconut.

I ate it at the old wooden table on the veranda with a cup of coffee. The chocolate and the coconut go well together. Sitting on the bench looking out over the farm, I watched the sky begin to turn evening colours beyond the roof and the windmill.

Watch this scene on YouTube3:47
Two alpacas and a sheep grazing
63Two alpacas and a sheep grazing
Cutting into a lamington with a fork
64Cutting into a lamington with a fork
A cut lamington with berries and a pale blue cup
65A cut lamington with berries and a pale blue cup
Eating the lamington at the veranda table
66Eating the lamington at the veranda table
Sitting on a bench, looking out over the farm
67Sitting on a bench, looking out over the farm
The evening sky beyond the roof and the windmill
68The evening sky beyond the roof and the windmill

10TRAVEL JOURNAL

Snack time for you too

It's snack time for you guys too. I held a carrot through the fence for the pig, and a sheep poked its head out as well. For the alpacas and the sheep, hay. The two alpacas buried their faces in the bundle. I went in through the gate and spent a while with them.

Watch this scene on YouTube4:11
Feeding the pig a carrot through the fence
69Feeding the pig a carrot through the fence
A pig and a sheep poking their heads through the fence
70A pig and a sheep poking their heads through the fence
An alpaca eating hay
71An alpaca eating hay
Feeding hay to the sheep
72Feeding hay to the sheep
Two alpacas and a sheep crowding around the hay
73Two alpacas and a sheep crowding around the hay
In the pen with the sheep and the alpacas
74In the pen with the sheep and the alpacas

11TRAVEL JOURNAL

Living on the planet Earth

Back on the veranda, I poured a can of kombucha into a wine glass, the pale red of raspberry lemonade. Beyond the hanging lanterns, the sun was going down. A sunset so big it seemed about to swallow me.

The red sun dropped behind the ridge. I sat in a chair in the yard and watched the hills through the glass. "I live on the planet Earth." Those were the words that came to mind.

As it grew dark, I lit a fire in the yard. The flames rose and lit up the hut, its lamps now glowing.

Watch this scene on YouTube4:31
Reaching for a can on the table
75Reaching for a can on the table
Pouring a canned drink into a wine glass
76Pouring a canned drink into a wine glass
Relaxing on the veranda, glass in hand
77Relaxing on the veranda, glass in hand
Hanging lanterns and a silhouette against the sunset
78Hanging lanterns and a silhouette against the sunset
The red sun sinking behind the ridge
79The red sun sinking behind the ridge
The sunset sky and two chairs in the yard
80The sunset sky and two chairs in the yard
The hills at sunset, seen past the glass
81The hills at sunset, seen past the glass
Lighting the campfire
82Lighting the campfire
The campfire blazing
83The campfire blazing
The hut at dusk, with the campfire
84The hut at dusk, with the campfire
Flames of the campfire at night
85Flames of the campfire at night
The hut at night, its lamps lit
86The hut at night, its lamps lit

12TRAVEL JOURNAL

A barbecue with kangaroo steak

For dinner, a barbecue, the Australian way. I laid broccolini on the hotplate and grilled the main dish, kangaroo steak, over the grate, turning it with tongs so as not to overcook it. When I sliced it, the inside was a deep red.

Clean-tasting, delicious, and good for you as well. On the plate: the steak topped with rosemary, broccolini, berries and salad, with an alcohol-free XXXX Zero on the side. A luxurious evening, enjoyed slowly from the cooking onward.

Dinner under the wanted poster. This is how time rolls by, in a way unique to Australia. Then my eye fell on a jar on the table. Oh, I forgot to try the Vegemite.

Watch this scene on YouTube5:41
Laying broccolini on the hotplate
87Laying broccolini on the hotplate
Broccolini grilling on the hotplate
88Broccolini grilling on the hotplate
The veranda at night, lit by lanterns
89The veranda at night, lit by lanterns
Kangaroo steak on the grill
90Kangaroo steak on the grill
Turning the steak with tongs
91Turning the steak with tongs
The red interior of the sliced steak
92The red interior of the sliced steak
A bottle of XXXX Zero beside the plate of steak
93A bottle of XXXX Zero beside the plate of steak
Steak topped with rosemary, with broccolini
94Steak topped with rosemary, with broccolini
The dinner table with steak, berries and salad
95The dinner table with steak, berries and salad
Eating dinner beneath the wanted poster
96Eating dinner beneath the wanted poster
A jar on the table, with the dinner table beyond
97A jar on the table, with the dinner table beyond

THE JOURNEY IN FILM

The wind. The sounds of a kitchen.

Spend a little more time inside the journey, on film.

Watch the video7 min

THE BORROWER’S NOTES

The Borrower's Notes: Australia

Places we stopped, dishes we made, and stories of the land. A few things to keep from the journey.

01Where I ate and shopped

  • Bottletree Hotel

    Bottletree Hotel

    664 Glamorgan Vale Road, Glamorgan Vale QLD 4306

    The pub of Glamorgan Vale, the locality next to Fernvale. The old hotel was redeveloped and now trades under this name. On tap: Coopers, Hahn SuperDry 3.5, ginger beer, Great Northern Super Crisp 3.5 and XXXX Gold. I drank a bottle of Great Northern on the deck, looking out over the paddocks.

    Sources: clubsandpubsnearme.com.au en.wikipedia.org experiencesomerset.com.au

  • Old Fernvale Bakery & Cafe

    Old Fernvale Bakery & Cafe

    1492 Brisbane Valley Highway, Fernvale QLD 4306

    A bakery and licensed cafe with big red signs on Fernvale's main street. It has served the town for nearly forty years and bakes more than a hundred kinds of pie; in 2019 its seafood pie took the top gourmet prize at Australia's national pie competition. I ate a meat pie with mashed green peas in the cafe, then stopped by the bakery.

    Sources: experiencesomerset.com.au wanderlog.com bakingbusiness.com.au

  • Fernvale Butchery

    Fernvale Butchery

    1510 Brisbane Valley Highway, Fernvale QLD 4306

    A red-roofed weatherboard butcher on Fernvale's main road, with a "Last Country Killed BEEF" sign out front. Meat fills the chilled cases, and barbecue rubs and recipe booklets sit on the shelves. I bought the kangaroo for dinner here.

    Sources: wordofmouth.com.au waymarking.com

02What I cooked

  • Bacon and eggs with the owner's fresh eggs

    Bacon and eggs with the owner's fresh eggs

    Eggs fresh from the farm owner's hens, fried in an iron pan alongside bacon. An old sign in the kitchen reads "Fresh eggs, 25 cents a dozen," a reminder of the days when this house sold its eggs. The yolks were deep in colour and rich in flavour. I ate them for breakfast with a glass of berries.

    IngredientsFresh eggs, Bacon

    1. Fry the bacon in an iron pan
    2. Crack the eggs into the bacon fat and fry them sunny side up
  • Barbecued kangaroo steak

    Barbecued kangaroo steak

    Kangaroo from the town butcher, grilled on the barbecue in the yard. Kangaroo meat is very high in protein (23.2%) and very low in fat (2.6%), compared with 19.0% and 15.8% for beef, and has about 116 kilocalories per 100 grams, roughly half that of beef. Because it is so lean, it is best not overcooked. In New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria it could only be sold as pet food until 1993.

    IngredientsKangaroo steak, Broccolini, Rosemary, Salt

    1. Grill the broccolini on the hotplate
    2. Grill the kangaroo over the grate, turning it with tongs so as not to overcook it
    3. Slice, plate, and top with rosemary

    Sources: en.wikipedia.org

03About the area

  • Fernvale and the Somerset Region

    Fernvale and the Somerset Region

    Fernvale is a town in the Somerset Region, about 61 kilometres west of central Brisbane, with a population of 3,629 at the 2021 census. The bakery on the Brisbane Valley Highway is a local landmark, and the old butcher shop still looks much as it always has. The Somerset Region, also called the Brisbane Valley after the river that runs through it, is mainly agricultural, and holds Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam, which supply water to South East Queensland.

    Sources: en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

  • The Australian meat pie

    The Australian meat pie

    A hand-sized pie of minced or diced meat in gravy, baked in pastry. Each one weighs about 230 grams and is usually eaten by hand with tomato sauce on top. The minced-beef version is the classic; in 2003 the Premier of New South Wales called it the national dish. Australians are said to eat 270 million pies a year. I had mine with mashed green peas.

    Sources: en.wikipedia.org

  • Lamington

    Lamington

    Squares of sponge or butter cake dipped in chocolate sauce and rolled in coconut. The cake is most likely named after Lord Lamington, Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901; one story says his French chef made it for unexpected guests. The earliest known recipe appeared in a Queensland newspaper in 1900, and 21 July is National Lamington Day.

    Sources: en.wikipedia.org

  • XXXX and Great Northern, the beers of Queensland

    XXXX and Great Northern, the beers of Queensland

    XXXX is the beer of Castlemaine Perkins, a brewery founded in Brisbane in 1878; the XXXX brand dates from 1924 and is still brewed at Milton in Brisbane. The brewer was acquired by Lion Nathan in 1992 and passed to Kirin in 2009. Besides the XXXX Gold on the pub taps, the XXXX Zero I drank with dinner is 0.0% alcohol. Great Northern, launched by Carlton & United Breweries in 2010 and brewed at Yatala, Queensland, was Australia's best-selling beer from 2021 to 2025.

    Sources: en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

  • Vegemite

    Vegemite

    A thick, dark brown spread made from leftover brewers' yeast extract with vegetable and spice additives: salty, slightly bitter and malty. It was developed in Melbourne in 1922 by the chemist Cyril Callister and first sold on 25 October 1923. After decades under American ownership, the brand returned to Australian hands when the Bega Group bought it in 2017. Because the flavour is so strong, it is spread very thinly on buttered toast. This time I forgot to try it.

    Sources: en.wikipedia.org

  • The Ned Kelly wanted poster

    The Ned Kelly wanted poster

    On the veranda wall hung a poster reading "WANTED NED KELLY £2000." Ned Kelly (1854-1880) was one of the last of Australia's bushrangers. After his gang killed police officers and raided banks, Victoria raised its reward to £2,000, which with New South Wales's offer brought the total to £8,000. He was captured at Glenrowan in June 1880 and hanged in Melbourne that November. He remains a legendary and divisive figure, folk hero to some, murderer to others.

    Sources: en.wikipedia.org

  • A small hut on a farm

    A small hut on a farm

    This time I borrowed a hut of weathered timber on a working farm. Lanterns hang from the veranda, and inside are an old radio, a sewing machine and a wanted poster. A windmill stands in the yard, where sheep, alpacas and a pig live, and the owner gave me eggs fresh from the hens.

See notes from other journeys

PHOTO ALBUMPhoto album97Open all photographsClose the photo album

Select a photograph to explore the journey one frame at a time.

01A hut with sheep and alpacas

A hut of weathered timber and an old sign for fruit, vegetables and milk01A sheep by the fence, with an alpaca behind02The veranda of the hut, lined with shelves and old tools03An old radio in a wooden case04A brass kettle, an old mixer and a sign for fresh eggs05Tongs reaching into an iron frying pan06The kitchen seen past an old poster, with me at the counter07

02Bacon and eggs from the owner's hens

Bacon frying in an iron pan08The sink and hotplate in the corrugated-iron kitchen09Cracking an egg over the bacon10An egg frying beside the bacon11A black wood stove and light through the door12A wood-panelled room with a shed visible through the window13Sitting down to bacon, eggs and berries14Bacon and fried eggs on the plate15The breakfast table with flowers and a cup16A rocking chair at the door and the pasture outside17An old sewing machine, with me in the background18

03A herd of cattle and a straight road

The hut and the produce sign in the morning sun19A treehouse among the trees and an old truck20An old map of Australia on the wall21Walking down a straight road lined with power poles22Eucalyptus trees and cattle in the pasture23Looking at the herd over the fence24Two cows resting in the shade of a tree25

04A beer at the town pub

A cream-coloured pub with a XXXX sign26A row of beer taps on the bar27A can in a stubby holder on the deck table28Holding a bottle of Great Northern29Looking out from the deck30A paddock with a great tree and a farm shed31The bar seen through the pub windows32Regulars chatting at the bar33Taking in the room, bottle in hand34

05The town's famous meat pie

The main street with the bakery cafe's red signs35Inside the cafe, old tools hanging from the beams36A close-up of the meat pie broken open with a fork37Meat sauce showing through the pastry38Cutting into the meat pie at the table39The meat pie on a bed of mashed green peas40Eating at a table by the window41Iron chairs and the street outside the window42A table number and old photographs on the wall43

06The bakery next door

The bakery's red sign and entrance44Bread shelves and the display case45A red sauce bottle and framed pictures on the wall46Ordering at the display case47An old truck parked in the garden48

07Meat for dinner from the butcher

The red-roofed butcher shop under a blue sky49The butcher's signs and shopfront50The chilled meat case and a lamb advertisement51Barbecue rubs lined up on a shelf52

08Back at the hut

Walking home along a road under big trees53Opening the gate, an old mailbox beside it54Old machinery beside the timber shed55The hut and the yard with its windmill56The produce sign and an old tricycle57The veranda with lanterns hanging from the beams58A pig sleeping under a tin roof59A shopping bag and the hills outside the window60An old refrigerator and shelves in the kitchen61A black stove against the corrugated-iron wall62

09Lamington for afternoon tea

Two alpacas and a sheep grazing63Cutting into a lamington with a fork64A cut lamington with berries and a pale blue cup65Eating the lamington at the veranda table66Sitting on a bench, looking out over the farm67The evening sky beyond the roof and the windmill68

10Snack time for you too

Feeding the pig a carrot through the fence69A pig and a sheep poking their heads through the fence70An alpaca eating hay71Feeding hay to the sheep72Two alpacas and a sheep crowding around the hay73In the pen with the sheep and the alpacas74

11Living on the planet Earth

Reaching for a can on the table75Pouring a canned drink into a wine glass76Relaxing on the veranda, glass in hand77Hanging lanterns and a silhouette against the sunset78The red sun sinking behind the ridge79The sunset sky and two chairs in the yard80The hills at sunset, seen past the glass81Lighting the campfire82The campfire blazing83The hut at dusk, with the campfire84Flames of the campfire at night85The hut at night, its lamps lit86

12A barbecue with kangaroo steak

Laying broccolini on the hotplate87Broccolini grilling on the hotplate88The veranda at night, lit by lanterns89Kangaroo steak on the grill90Turning the steak with tongs91The red interior of the sliced steak92A bottle of XXXX Zero beside the plate of steak93Steak topped with rosemary, with broccolini94The dinner table with steak, berries and salad95Eating dinner beneath the wanted poster96A jar on the table, with the dinner table beyond97

← All episodes

Open original photo