Jerusha McDowell, Four Mile Ride (LANDSCAPE 2025)

The mountains have a way of connecting you to both the past and the present moment. They make you focus on what’s important. They remind you how small you are, how little you really need, and how precious the things you do need really are. This image is part of and ongoing project exploring a world beyond the comfort and complexity of modern life and celebrating the heritage and history of mountain horsemanship in the Australian high country. Taken as we rode into Four Mile Hut in the Snowy Mountains. Four Mile hut, was built by Robert Hughes in 1937, and used as a mining residence for gold prospectors. It was the oldest surviving hut on the old Kiandra gold fields until it was destroyed the 2019/20 bushfires. The hut was faithfully rebuilt and now sits alongside the charred ruins of the old hut.

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