Bushfires and smoke haze in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 2019-2020, photographs by John Janson-Moore.

fonds

4 December 2019-5 January 2020

Graphic Materials, Photographs

9650471

16 photographs - digital, TIFFs, colour

The 2019-2020 'Black Summer' bushfires were unprecedented in Australia. Smoke from the fires blanketed many Australian cities, causing harmful levels of air pollution that far exceeded national air quality standards, and contributed to hundreds of deaths. In Sydney, the air quality in some areas reached 12 times the level deemed hazardous.

John Janson-Moore is a Sydney-based photographer, filmmaker and visual artist with an interest in social justice. His work has won numerous awards including the Moran Prize for Contemporary Photography (2013) and an ATOM Award (2012).

References:
Noyes, Jenny, 'No safe level: pollution labelled a public health emergency', The Sydney Morning Herald, 16 December 2019.
'The size of Australia’s bushfires', ABC News, 5 March 2020
Library acquisitions file

TIFF file edited from raw file

16 digital photographs documenting the effects of bushfire smoke in the city of Sydney and at popular tourist destinations in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales.

Item 01: The sun sets behind a veil of bushfire smoke hanging over the city during the worst bushfire season on record, Sydney, New South Wales, 4 December 2019

Item 02: A panoramic view of Sydney Harbour from Milsons Point as toxic bushfire smoke descends on the city, Sydney, New South Wales, 6 December 2019

Item 03: The sun sets behind a cloud of smoke at Town Hall, Sydney, New South Wales, 6 December 2019

Item 04: A panoramic view of the city from The Domain as the sun sets and toxic smoke descends during the bushfires, Sydney, New South Wales, 7 December 2019

Item 05: Tourists at Echo Point look out across the valley at the huge smoke plume from bushfires, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 8 December 2019

Item 06: NSW Rural Fire Service crew spot a fire from Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 8 December 2019

Item 07: A water-bombing helicopter flies over the tree canopy during bushfires, Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 8 December 2019

Item 08: A family poses for a photograph in front of a hoarding showing the view that would be seen if not for the thick bushfire smoke, Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 8 December 2019

Item 09: A view of the Three Sisters in the foreground as smoke from bushfires fills the valley at Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 8 December 2019

Item 10: An old ferry passes in front of the Sydney Opera House shrouded in thick bushfire smoke, Sydney, New South Wales, 10 December 2019

Item 11: A view from Milsons Point of the Sydney Harbour Bridge shrouded in thick bushfire smoke, Sydney, New South Wales, 10 December 2019

Item 12: A commuter wearing a P2 respirator mask crosses George Street at Railway Square during peak hour as toxic smoke descends on Sydney, New South Wales, 20 December 2019

Item 13: Two young women with face masks walk down The Goods Line, a shared pedestrian path in Ultimo, as toxic bushfire smoke covers Sydney, New South Wales, 20 December 2019

Item 14: A couple wearing face masks walks past the Dental Hospital, Elizabeth Street at Central Station, as bushfire smoke covers Sydney, New South Wales, 20 December 2019

Item 15: The view from Milsons point showing a ferry passing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge as the city is shrouded in bushfire smoke, Sydney, New South Wales, 20 December 2019

Item 16: Another wave of toxic smoke descends on the city during the bushfires, Sydney, New South Wales, 5 January 2020

In copyright:
Copyright holder:: John Janson-Moore
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy John Janson-Moore

Titles and dates based on information supplied by the photographer