Matthew Coleman, Where the River Runs Wild (LANDSCAPE 2026)

Deep in the Cathedral Ranges, I followed the sound of Little River through steep, dense bush until the forest opened onto a series of powerful cascades surrounded by towering gums, tree ferns, moss-covered rock and fallen timber. The river was running hard after wet weather, transforming the normally quiet bush into something raw and energetic. I spent time moving carefully along the river, photographing different perspectives as the water surged through the granite and disappeared deeper into the forest. What drew me most to these scenes was how distinctly Australian they felt. The pale trunks of the gums, the tree ferns, wet rock, tangled vegetation and rushing water all came together in a landscape that felt wild, ancient and largely untouched. These images are my attempt to capture not only the beauty of the place, but the feeling of being immersed in the Australian bush — surrounded by movement, texture, sound and the quiet sense of discovery that comes from finding somewhere unexpected.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.