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The Story Behind the Illustrations of Mystery Plants & Trees

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Entering the Bushblock — The Girl on the Cover

The girl on the cover of Mystery Plants & Trees is inspired by a photograph of me taken when I was about eight years old. In the photo I have the same hairstyle I wore throughout childhood — two piggy tails and a fringe. I used this photograph as the starting point for the illustrations of the girl in the book.

Although the character represents a child, she also represents the adult version of myself returning to the bushblock. The illustration blends these two perspectives — the child who first experienced the bushblock and the adult who later returned to observe and document it.

In the cover illustration, the girl stands at the entrance to the bushblock, looking into the landscape. When I was a child there was always a path from the houses into the bushland. It felt natural to walk in and out of it. The bushblock was not a distant wilderness; it was simply part of everyday life.

The girl carries a small backpack and binoculars. These objects are symbolic. As a child I never owned binoculars, and I did not carry equipment when I entered the bushblock. I simply used my eyes and senses to observe what was around me. Later in life, when I returned as an adult with a camera to photograph the plants, trees, and wildlife, I became more aware of observation as a conscious act. The binoculars represent that idea of looking closely.

You may also notice that the girl is not wearing a hat. When I was growing up, children did not always wear hats the way they do today. I wanted the illustration to remain true to that childhood memory, and also to show the piggy tails clearly, which are an important part of the character.

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Why Some Plants in Mystery Plants & Trees Are Imagined

Not every plant in the book comes directly from the Ludmilla bushblock. Some are inspired by plants I remember seeing there, while others come from my imagination.

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When I was a child, I did not know the scientific names of the plants and trees around me. Sometimes I invented my own names for them — names based on how they looked or how they made me feel. I remember thinking of certain trees as “the curly one” or “the dancing tree.” The names were not botanical, but they helped me form a personal relationship with the landscape.

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As an adult I later tried to identify many of the plants by asking neighbours, friends, and specialist groups online. But I also began to realise something important: the relationship with nature can exist even before we know the names.

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Because of this, the illustrations in the book combine:

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  • real plants I remember from the bushblock

  • plants inspired by memory

  • plants that simply felt right within the environment of the story​
     

The aim was not to create a scientific guide, but to create a sense of exploration. Children reading the book can imagine their own plants and trees as part of the adventure.

A Child and an Adult in the Same Story

The girl in Mystery Plants & Trees represents both my childhood self and my adult self returning to the bushblock. As a child, I entered the bushland simply to explore and experience it.

Later in life, I returned with a camera and began documenting the plants, animals, and landscape more carefully. The illustrations combine these two perspectives — memory and observation.

In this way, the story reflects a lifelong relationship with the Ludmilla bushblock. It is a place that shaped my childhood, inspired my creative work, and continues to influence the way I think about nature today.

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