ISSUE 5: Hills Hoist
Why I keep taking photos of Brisbane's clotheslines
There were few illicit pleasures in my childhood. One the few acts of pure hedonism - other than raiding the pantry for chips or lollies - was sneaking out into the back yard when Mum wasn’t around and swinging on the Hills Hoist.
What’s a Hills Hoist?
The Hills Hoist is a famous brand of rotary clothesline that appeared in almost every Australian back yard during the mid-20th century. It may seem odd, but yes, a humble washing line is a unique and iconic part of Australian identity. The Hills Hoist is even listed as a National Treasure by the National Library of Australia.
Like a lot of things, they’re slowly disappearing. As the gentrification of Brisbane’s old suburbs has increased in the last 20 years, there are fewer and fewer around. As developers demolish old houses to build new ones, the Hills Hoists are usually a casualty of progress. Two that I’ve recently photographed in Cleveland are already gone, and a third won’t be there much longer.
My flying career
I grew up in a timber house in Brisbane’s inner east side. Our back yard had a steep slope. The yard was fringed with exotic trees - palms, pines, an umbrella tree, and a macadamia tree in the corner (also called a Queensland nut tree back then). In the centre of the yard was a Hills Hoist.
From a young age I worked out that if I wound down the washing line down as far as it would go, I was just tall enough to grip the metal bar on the high side of the yard.
Holding on, I would sprint as fast as I could. Then, for a few precious seconds, I could fly. With my eyes closed and the wind in my face, I swung around in a semi-circle. By the time the arc was almost complete, my arms would start burning and I’d fall to the grass below crumpled in a heap. I’d get up and do it all over again.
Of course, if Mum caught you swinging on the washing line, you’d be roused on for sure. But it was worth the gamble.
My flying career didn’t last forever - there’s a sweet spot between the ages of 6 and 12. After this, you get to the stage where you’re too tall or too heavy for this activity to be fun anymore.
Why photograph Hills Hoists?
For many years I never thought about them, my childhood exploits were a distant memory. During the pandemic I’ve been walking and driving around the suburbs of Brisbane with film cameras looking for cool things to photograph. I started taking photos of Hills Hoists. Like all collections, it starts off with one, and then grows.
Whenever I’m in suburbia and I see a Hills Hoist, it brings a smile to my face. It’s like seeing an old friend in an unexpected place. Sometimes I’m able to take a good photo then and there, other times I will make a note of the location and return at a later date.
Sometimes logistical issues make it impossible to take the photo. Perhaps a family is in their yard relaxing, or the scene is not aesthetically pleasing, or it’s too far from the footpath. If that’s the case I walk away. There’s no need to photograph every single one. Part of the pleasure of the project is stumbling across the scene, like going back in time.
Photo collecting
In film photography circles there are plenty of memes about things that get photographed over and over again, like gas (petrol) stations and old cars.
What do you like to take photos of over and over again? Let me know in the comments.
Newsletter poll
Last week’s poll
A mixed reaction for cross-processed film! Soon I will be showcasing some of the fantastic images from the xpro competition I ran via my podcast.
Ricoh GRiii
For this week’s photo from my Ricoh GRiii I have a close-up of a Hills Hoist that will probably be gone soon.
You can find out more about my Ricoh GRiii in Issue 3.
That’s it for this week. I’d be chuffed if you liked this issue, left a comment, or sent it to a friend!
Cheers
Matt