Gympie photographer Bela Bakonyi provides a snapshot of 40 families in the Mary Valley in his new publication The Book of Imbil and Brooloo.

It took Bela six months to interview and photograph families in the two Mary Valley villages, building a picture of what makes this small community special.

The book will be launched at Art on Yabba fine art gallery in Imbil on Sunday October 1 at 2pm. Tickets are free, but bookings are required to assist with catering. Find the event on Eventbrite https://bit.ly/3KXufor

The project was made possible with funding from the Regional Arts Development Fund through Gympie Regional Council and is an historic record through the eyes of a photographer.

Bela carefully selected photos from thousands of images to truly represent each individual, couple and family.

“The words come from the participants – their stories are told in an unfiltered, honest way,” he said.

“The book is a time capsule reflecting a moment in a fast evolving and changing environment in the Mary Valley.

“It answers the question about what makes a town what it really is? It’s not just its buildings, its services, the roads … It really is the people who inhabit the town, the village, the city who make it what it is.

“Photographing and telling their story will tell you more about a town than any numbers, charts or statistics.

“The residents of these two small communities have been captured and preserved forever. Some may compare this book to a good red wine … as time goes by, with age, the true value of it will increase exponentially.”

Bela grew up in Hungary where he loved watching the adventures of The Bush Tucker Man (Les Hiddins) and dreamed of travelling around Australia in a four-wheel-drive.

It was a big dream for someone living in the old communist era where residents were not even allowed to have a passport, but Bela persisted, and in the past 22 years he has completed two full trips around Australia. He followed the footsteps of Les Hiddins in his first trip, with the icon’s book sitting on the dash of his vehicle as a travel guide.

“Australia has fascinated me ever since I was a child and my passion for this great country has never faded. I am a third generation (old school) photographer. My grandfather was a
very well-known, may I say famous photographer back in his day.”

Photography is Bela’s way of telling a story and while he shoots weddings, events, news and maternity photos, his main interest is the people involved.

Moving to Imbil as the so-called pandemic ran its chosen course, Bela found a Pandora’s box of opportunity. Taking part-time work at a rural supply shop he became immersed in the community.

“It was like a community hub. I met a lot of people while I worked there and the more people I met, the more I realised that Imbil and Brooloo were part of a very special community,” he said.

You can find Art on Yabba at 116 Yabba Road, Imbil. It is open 9am-2pm Thursday-Sunday. You can also follow the gallery on Facebook.