THE CROC POND

Lucinda | Queensland | Australia

Bush Nympheas/The Croc Pond | Scott Bennett | 2009 | Acrylic on canvas | 30″ x 20″ | Private Comission

About the painting

The following is an excerpt from my story about the trip north to Kuranda:

North Queensland, just like France with crocodiles!

I have a commission to paint water-lilies, and I’d past a lot of nice ponds along the way. At Lucinda not far from the Lion hotel I passed a good spot and thought I’d better take the opportunity to get some shots. I turned around and parked beside what was basically a ditch on the side of the road connected to a drainage canal beside a cane field.

It was beautiful in the morning light and I got some wonderful shots. At one point I actually went down ankle deep into the water, trying to find the “Monet” perspective! At that moment it did occur to me that this is also the exact opposite of the salt water crocodile ambush perspective. I was a little nervous but dismissed the thought as it seemed unlikely!

I got out of the water and moved along the bank on a track between the cane and water. I was thrilled at just how beautiful it was and how much it reminded me of Monet’s rural scenes. The difference was that here the lilies grow wild in the waterways.

I was really on a high thinking how amazing the north is. I’d taken 146 shots, many standing in the water, when I was shocked out of my reverie by the sight of a giant croc sitting on the bank opposite.

I suddenly felt really exposed, shouldn’t there be a fence between me and it, isn’t Steve Irwin supposed to jump out and dangle chickens in front of it! I felt pretty stupid as I retreated back to the van, but not before taking shots of the croc and more lilies! I heard strange noises and rustling in the cane behind, but again dismissed it.

As I got back to the van a farmer pulled up and got out for a chat. He explained that he’d driven passed earlier and had seen the motorbike on the trailer and the van and me taking photographs. He said that I looked like I knew what I was doing, I thought, yeah well I can ride a motor bike!!!

He was going to show me the croc and said, “by the way, there are two others that lie in the cane, which you got to watch out for because they come at you from behind”!

It was then that I noticed the warning sign, positioned parallel to the road facing the overgrown and uninviting side, where no one would think to go anyway!

I’m glad to be up here in the mountains and croc-less (Salt water that is) waterways. The gods are on my side it seems as I have survived my first, welcome to north Queensland, wake up call…