THE young mum taking her youngster for a walk in a stroller saw Christine Fitzell being posed for a photo, asked if she was the book lady and the questions started.
“Are you the book lady, my friend has a copy and it’s wonderful, where can I get a copy?” the mother asked.
And that’s not an isolated reaction according to Christine, whose Cornubia Forest Park photobook has been a huge hit with locals since it was launched last month.
Christine has lived near the park for 20 years and the book is the culmination of two decades spent with camera in hand.
“I had thousands of photos and it was time to do something with them,” she said.
“It took two years to select which shots to use in the book.
“Then I wrote the text, laid it out and I found a printer.”
The park was set aside in the early 1990s and it is a wonderful resource for wildlife and people as they share the space.
California Creek runs through the park and many birds and animals rely on it.
Living across the road gave Christine the perfect opportunity to observe all the seasons and moods of the forest.
“I started taking videos in 2002 and photos after I received a digital camera,” Christine said.
“The photos of our wanderings over the years through the forest were taken for my family’s enjoyment.”
A4 landscape in size and perfect bound, the book has 60 pages on top quality paper and it contains 297 beautiful images with explanatory text.
The volume encompasses most of the 92 bird species and many animals that can be found without venturing far from the paved track through the forest.
An English and history teacher before retiring Christine comes from a long line of photographers, with her parents and grandparents keen snappers for around a century.
The book has been a labour of love with the aim of documenting the diverse forest occupants which include birds, animals, plants and reptiles, all detailed in an index.
The $40 price tag is a steal and it’s the type of book that will be cherished down the ages as well as being a terrific special occasion gift for friends and family.
