RED Hill artist Michael Leeworthy is pleased to see his books “walking out the door”.
A keen bushwalker, Leeworthy has self-published a book detaining 12 walking trails that he says have previously gone undocumented.
Each of the tracks has a starting point at the Red Hill Post Office (based inside the red Hill Wine Cellars at the corner of Point Leo and Shoreham roads) and individual times and distances have been measured by Leeworthy.
The book also includes 20 of his illustrations, including paintings of what has become known as the Mornington Peninsula’s hinterland area.
“The book is already on sale at the post office and is walking out the door, which I’m very pleased to see” Leeworthy said after its official launch by Cr David Gill of Wednesday 28 April.
“Although it has been a labour of love, it has taken me a lot of time.
“I have always been heavily involved with bushwalking and while living in Red Hill for 36 years, I have discovered many tracks that have never been documented. This came about simply by walking out my front door.”
Leeworthy said he was grateful to publisher and poet Jai Thoolen, of Picklepoetry, “who waved a magic wand over the book and made it look very appealing”.
Encouragement for him to publish the book of lesser known tracks also came from members of Red Hill Lions Walking Club.
Leeworthy’s time spent in lockdown also resulted in him making 10 short “how to paint” videos which are available free on YouTube.
His 12 Walks From Red Hill South Post Office is the first in a trilogy covering the peninsula’s coastal and wetland walks and “hidden walks”.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 4 May 2021
