I was 14 years old and living in South America when I had a vision of a place.

My sister had previously migrated to Australia, and in 1984, I replayed that earlier vision in my mind. Everywhere I looked, Australia kept appearing. As someone who follows omens, I thought to myself at the time, “Don’t think, just do it,” so I got a permit and came to Australia too. Marysville was the first place I stopped, and I knew straight away that this was the place I would now call home.

Marysville is an isolated place in some ways – kind of like a version of Middle Earth. Going through the Black Spur makes you feel like you’ve been taken through a portal to a fantastical land. If you go south, you hit the suburbia of Melbourne then the city, so you’re never too far away from the big smoke if you need to go back. Marysville is such a unique place, unparalleled in its pristine natural beauty, and so untouched by man that you can drink directly from the rivers. It is a place where you feel completely relaxed. It’s like you’re on holiday every day.

The previous owners of our property had been trying to sell it for two years. I took it as a sign that it was calling for me to take it over. I told the authorities that we would set up a sculpture garden – luckily the property already had a gallery, garden, the river, and water features. Unfortunately on the 7th of February 2009 a bushfire raged through the township, decimating everything in its path. My home and art gallery were completely destroyed in the blaze, but I chose to stay in Marysville to rebuild my home and restore the gardens. My passion to share my love of art and the story of life was not damaged by the fires. In fact you could almost say it has been forged anew by the flames that nearly took it all away.

Nestled amongst the luscious rainforest setting now live my hand-crafted characters made from clay which are fired onsite.

I’ve created a fantasy world from my imagination, inspired by my journeys to some the world’s most intriguing and remote regions. We were able to shape it to the vision I originally had. As a professional artist, I had to believe that the universe supports you when you follow your passion. A big part of our journey was that people actually cared what we were doing – they said we should “do it all over again” and come back bigger and better than before. People that visit are so happy to see what we’ve created. We even had a couple from Queensland who came to help us rebuild. It is important to show others how passion can deliver miracles.

The town was upside down after the fires, but I tried to see the uniqueness of the damage. It was so beautiful in a strange way. The fires were devastating, but in a sense, it was a form of cleansing and rebirth for the environment. For us, it’s become about the journey back to green – I have learnt so much from building something bit by bit from the ashes. It is certainly not about the destination, but the creation along the way. I use it as a creative inspiration and in an expressive way. I bring in my real experiences and challenge myself. There is always so much to organise, but at a certain point I’ll be able to sit back and relax a little, and take in what we’ve achieved.

The way Marysville evolves is out of our hands, so who knows what will happen next.

But we do know that people still love to come here to experience nature in all its glory. However, it is the people who really make Marysville what it is. Locals are grounded and have a deeper understanding what it most important in life. We were all so supportive of each other after the fires, and that continues to this day. We were important to each other, and we still rely on each other are share our struggles.

The area might be a little different than before the fires, but it certainly is something special, and something that people want to seek out. In my opinion, it’s all going beautifully – we are seeing the transformation from destruction to something renewed, and it will get even better over time. I am one of the new pioneers of the area, and I see this whole process of rebuilding as a journey. The place is regrowing and has a particular energy to it. This is far from the end of anything – it is just the beginning of something even more special.

Marysville – Wish You Were Here

For more information: http://www.brunosart.com/