Soldier settlement captured in photographs

Greg Branson began shooting photos on film at age 10.

After training in the Royal Australian Air Force, this was amplified, and a life in film led to him becoming one of the leading photography teachers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, in his field.

Now, the Perth-born artist has brought his work to Gippsland, and his latest exhibition, Blockies: The Failure of the Soldier Settlement Scheme, is on on display at the Warragul Art Studios (WAS) gallery.
His third solo exhibition (after six group contributions), takes shape in the form of hand printed photographs depicting images of dated buildings which resemble the history of World War I soldier settlements, something that had a profound effect on returned servicemen across Gippsland and the rest of the country.
Featuring a collection of powerful, black and white, hand printed images that explore the devastating impact of the scheme that Branson, now Melbourne-based, holds a family link with.
His images were inspired by the buildings he saw in Walpole, Western Australia, where his grandfather took up a soldier settler property. "I've shot images of buildings that reminded me of those I saw in Walpole. Since then I have researched the history of the Soldier Settlement scheme to tell the story behind these images," Greg said.
A particular emphasis is put on the localised examples, with some of the region's more prominent soldier settlements having been established in the great pastoral areas of Sale. Unfortunately, it was plagued by poor planning and inadequate support, leaving many soldiers struggling to make a living and ultimately leading to its failure.
"I wanted to shine a light on the forgotten soldiers who returned home from WW1 and were failed by the very system that was supposed to support them," Greg explained. Blockies features a collection of haunting images that capture the beauty and starkness of the Australian landscape, while also revealing the struggles and hardships faced by those soldiers affected by war and trying to make a life in a harsh environment.
Blockies runs until September 5. WAS Gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm, at 37 Latrobe Street, Warragul. Copies of photos also are listed for sale at the Gallery. For details visit - wasgallery.com.a