Accidental discovery
It was hidden under my feet and I stumbled on it walking the rocks. It was a square of rock, with raised edges where the bedrock had cracked over time. I looked closer. It had a crazy abstract pattern framed inside the rock, frozen in time. At the time, I didn’t realise its importance.
The abstract panel I stumbled over
No big deal, but when I looked around, there were squares and rectangles beside it, like racked picture frames laid out on the ground. Each had its own pattern, each unique, each exquisite.
More panels beside the first one.
The stone frames went on some metres more.
The panels went on and on, each with its own design
The Petrified Gallery
In fact the stone picture frames extended way along the beach, hundreds of them. It was like a long, petrified picture gallery.
The petrified gallery extends dozens of metres, parallel to the beach. The dog didn’t care!
Food for the imagination
I looked again at the frame I had stumbled on, and its abstract patterns. What are they? It played with my head. Here it is again:
The abstract panel.
Several figures slowly crystallised. This is what I saw. A duck chased by a dog. I know it’s a bit out there, but what’s art all about anyway?
A duck chased by a dog
A different tiny detail of abstraction became a baby deer.
See the baby deer?
Prancing baby deer.
From the animal world to something more macabre in this panel.
The macabre panel
This panel has a person from the underworld trying to escape its rock prison. Only its hand made it to the surface but that’s all! The tormented soul stays trapped below.
Just the hand and part of the arm made it to the surface
What do you see? Let your imagination run.
Location of the Petrified Gallery
The petrified gallery is located half way between Separation Ck and Wye River, where the rocks meet the beach, about a 10 minute walk from Sea Zen. It is near some rock pools.
Location of Petrified Gallery
The Petrified Gallery is accessible even at high tide, and will sometimes have a thin layer of sand on it after a storm, all adding to the effect!
It is also located in the middle of a long rocky barrier further out to sea, where gorgeous rock pools are also found at low tide. But that is another story!
Rex Brown, Sea Zen
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