Young Volcanic Landscapes

Phil Ryan is exhibiting his paintings depicting the young volcanic landscapes of eastern Australia, the Young Volcanic Landscapes series.

Australia is often referred to as an ancient, stable continent. So many Australians are surprised to find out that there are two regions in eastern Australia that have had volcanic eruptions within the last 10,000 years. The first is situated in North Queensland and the second is found at the southern end of the continent in central-western parts of Victoria and south-eastern South Australia (see map).

These young volcanic landscapes have their origins in the most cataclysmic events in Australia's recent geological history so the resulting landscapes have many unique features; volcanic craters, lava tubes, distinct landforms, and colourful rock outcrops. Some of these features are shared between northern Queensland and southern Victoria but there are also differences. One of the aims of this series of landscapes is to juxtapose the beauty and serenity of the current landforms with their recent violent and dramatic origins.