Heysen Trail, Section 6: Dump Road to Inman Valley

There's something special about walking a section of the Heysen Trail solo. No one to talk to but the landscape, no pace to match but your own, just you, the track, and whatever the day decides to throw at you. On this particular walk, the day decided to be a stunner!

Section 6 takes you from Dump Road through to Inman Valley, and it's a stretch unlike the coastal cliffs and forested climbs further along the trail. Here, it's all country roads and open farmland, rolling paddocks, fence lines, the occasional farm dog barking a greeting, and long views across the land. It's quieter, gentler walking, but no less beautiful for it. Under a clear sun, with nothing but birdsong and my own footsteps for company.

Meeting the Locals

Of course, I wasn't entirely alone out there.

Not far off the road, I came across a kangaroo and her joey, sitting quietly in the grass, watching me as I watched them. I knew straight away it was one I wanted to paint. That encounter became the first of my small paintings from this section.

Kangaroos, it turned out, were the theme of the day. Further along, I watched a big mob of them moving across the paddocks together.

But it wasn't just kangaroos. Somewhere along those country roads, I fell in with a mob of sheep, curious, a little wary, but friendly enough to let me linger. They became the subject of my second small painting from the walk.

Choosing the Feature Painting

With two small paintings done, I turned to social media to help decide which subject deserved a larger, more considered piece. The vote came back almost dead even. Truthfully, I loved the kangaroos, but something about the sheep kept pulling at me.

So I went with the mob. I brought one sheep forward into the foreground, the one with the most character, the one that seemed to be looking straight at me, and let the rest of the mob soften into the background behind him.

That sheep now has a name: Hans. And Hans turned out to be a bit of a star. Within moments of posting the finished piece, I had multiple enquiries about purchasing it. He's since found his new home, where I'm told he's hanging proudly.

A Successful Section, All Round

Between the walk itself, the wildlife encounters, and the response to the paintings, Section 6 has easily been one of the most rewarding stretches of the Heysen Trail.

The two smaller paintings from this section, the kangaroo and joey, and the mob of sheep, are both still available to purchase. Check out my smaller works here.