Photo essay by Chris Rees.

In the foreground, an electronic scoreboard. A device. In the background, a manual scoreboard. A shed, a shelter, a home.

This was a very spontaneous trip . It’s a very winding drive of about four hours from Hobart. and at late notice I couldn’t get anyone to come with me. I have two close mates Rob and Joe who were both born in QT (as was my grandmother!) and I hoped I could rope them in but I don’t think they thought I was serious.

A few months back I read a book from the library called Mud & Gravel; a history of West Coast footy. And it fired me with enthusiasm to get over to see a game played on the gravel oval.

A mis-match if ever there was, the home team reserves winning by more than 40 goals. Anyone reckon these games should be called off at half-time?

No rest for the goal umpires. Note the orange flag for behinds.

I assume the orange flag for behinds was adopted due to poor visibility. Not today, but it does rain 2400mm a year here (four or five times Hobart’s average) so it must be hard to see when that kicks in.

There is a wonderful sports room at the Galley Museum. It’s 98% a football room. There are drawers full of photos. This is the most amazing footy team photo I have seen. Smelters FC (the Robins) in 1968. The colourlessness of the entire backdrop is stunning. The bush has grown back now on the nearer lower hills. (The backdrop is the same as that of the two pics above.)

The ground is known as the gravel oval but between you and me, it’s more like sand.