Susan Stubbins has been traveling with her husband and sent these amazing pictures, inspiration and story about one specific “town” in Australia. She took inspiration from the trees while sitting on a train, proving that inspiration can strike anywhere if you let it! This is the watercolor sketch she created from the view outside her window.
Water color sketch of Cook, Australia.
Cook, Australia scene that inspired Susan’s watercolor sketch.
“A trip between Sydney and Perth gives perspective of the enormous size and diversity of Australia. The Indian Pacific train trip is approximately the same distance in miles as Zanesville to Los Angeles. Although, because of timing and scheduling we flew the two hour flight from Sydney to Adelaide and boarded the train there.
A half way stop was in Cook, Australia. Cook is a small town with a population of 4 (yes, four). It is now considered a ghost town. It has lost status as a town but we soon realized Australians enjoyed telling tourist the population. Some even said three or four!
Cook was established in 1917. It was a railway provision stop. In 1997 the railroad was privatized and the new owners no longer used Cook as a main stop. Although today it is still used as refueling and water stop for the Indian Pacific, explaining the reason for any population.
Cook still has several dozen buildings but we were warned not to trespass as some were inhabited and some condemned. Others had been hauled to the coast and are now being used as holiday houses.
A most notable thing about the town is it’s trees. In 1982, 600 trees were donated (from Sydney and Adelaide) and planted with the help of the local school children. The trees were to celebrate “The Year of the Tree” and initiate “The Greening of Australia”.
The surviving trees are outstanding as Cook is in the middle of flat desert situated within the worlds longest stretch of straight railway, 297 miles.” ~Susan Stubbins
Indian Pacific train in Cook, Australia
Cook, Australia
Trees in Cook, Australia