Photographing Coal Creek
About Coal Creek
Coal Creek is a museum just on the outskirts of Korumburra. (coalcreekcommunityparkandmuseum.com) Open Thursday to Monday, the museam is set up as a small villiage based around a railway station. The museum has lots of buildings, park lands and working historical exhibits. If you are interested in History, or are looking for an interesting background, this makes an ideal site.
Viewpoints
Coal Creek consists of perhaps 20 buildings with many of these having exhibits inside of them. In addition to the buildings, there are static exhibits across the park. This means that the viewpoints available number in the thousands. It is up to your own imagination.
How I photographed Coal Creek
What I took - what was in my kit
Coal Creek has a range of old buildings, and antiques exibits. For the old buildings lenses in the range of 35-100mm will be best, and for the exhibits 50-100mm. A flash is needed inside, or a sturdy tripod. You will want to be able to carry your equipment with you though as its a long way back to car to change out anything.
I took my LowePro Backpack loaded with Canon 5DSR body, Canon 24 mm TS, Canon 16-35mm and Canon 35-70mm zoom lenses, Manfrotto 190 Tripod, and of course a range of lens wipes, spare batteries, sunscreen and bug repellant.
Techniques
Nothing unusual is required to photograph Coal Creek. You merely need to seek pleasing compositions. I always expose to the right to maximise dynamic range.
Other things to look out for
Nearby to Coal Creek is Wilson's Prometry, and the beaches of places like Inverloch.
Location
Coal Creek (Korumburra) (-38.648 143.555)
Techniques used
Kit used
How to get there
Coal Creek is on the western edge of Korummburra, which is about 120km south west of Melbourne. The roads are sealed the entire way, and the last 20 mins or so is through the scenic South Gippsland hills. There are bus services to Korumburra in replacement of the old train service.
Best time to visit
Coal Creek is open all year round, but I would avoid it when it is raining. Apart from this, most of Gippsland looks better after some rain.
Accessability
There are paths around the park, but not all areas would be wheelchair or easily accessible for those that have difficulty walking. The park is spread across a gully, but it is neither steep nor large.
Where to stay
Being some 1.5 hours from Melbourne, it is reasonably to visit Coal Creek just for the day. However, there are plenty of hotel options in Korumburra, Leongatha, or just a little south in seaside places like Inverloch.