At the beginning of this year I was living in Melbourne and set this task for myself: To travel (by train, no cheating) to every single end of the line in Melbourne’s metropolitan train network and take a photo on medium format film. There are prized destinations amongst them, and there are places where the houses just start running out.

Most of the people I know in Melbourne live, work and play in the very central suburbs. Riding for hours on trains showed me the scope of the city in real time. When you see people get off and on in arbitrary stops like Fawkner and Gowrie you realise how much life is going on in these outer suburbs.

Some places I spent a whole day or afternoon. Some places I spent maximum one hour and took maximum two photos. Some of the time I just wasn’t really inspired by anything I saw and most of the time I was trying to save money on film developing costs. In the end, I’m just happy to have done them all.

The words are my immediate reactions to the places and scrawled down as I sat on a park bench, in a food court or on the train home. Being relatively new to the city it was curiosity that led me which turned into grim determination near the end.

Frankston

The air was thick with heat and lust and people everywhere filling up the green sea and golden sand. Eyebrow manicured, muscled types in wife beaters strut down the pier calling out “Ciao bellissimo ragazze!” to girl’s in bikinis. Polynesian teens jump off the end of the pier to the bass heavy hip hop blasting from their portable iPod speakers. At a restaurant called Silvia’s we ate overpriced lemon pepper battered fish, chips and a weird tasting tartare.

Hurstbridge

A village rich with gum trees and birdsong. Community notices on the Heart and Soul cafe window read: Zumba with Zoe; Eternal Energy Yoga; and, Let’s Blow away Fossil Fuels. Outside the Hurstbridge Bowling Club I asked a man holding a plastic bag full of mandarins if I could come inside. I spoke to Bob and his friend as they drank frosty pints of Carlton Draught and watched the afternoon’s game between two women. It was a club competition. Bob invited me to bring along three friends to form a team for Monday night ‘Barefoot Bowling.’ “It’s a very casual and fun night.” They could teach us how to bowl in no time.

South Morang

The Plenty Valley Westfield Mall was a vast, squat beacon amongst dusty carparks, dry fields and pylons. On the outer edge of these fields were fresh, compact brick houses and hedges set into cul de sacs. The fields seemed like a place the parents from the brick houses would forbid their children to go at night. A torn apart couch cushion, puffs of cotton wool clouds on the scratchy grass.

Empty shopping trolleys left behind on the edges. In the distance a trolley boy in highlighter green came to collect them. Everything was in the distance. Inside the mall I saw a photographer jingle a bell at a fat baby screaming and squirming off Santa’s lap.

Sandringham

We left the city under a steady bout of pouring rain that didn’t look like it would let up but I knew it would. It was 40 degrees and muggy as hell. Flinders station was spouting leaks. By the time we got to Sandringham it was all brilliant blue skies. We clambered down rocks the colour of burnt honeycomb and the texture of moon craters to the sweet ocean, clear and cold. Later that afternoon we sat on the hot sand in a row drinking cans and watching the storm arrive across the horizon. Electric pink lightning shot through tempestuous greyblue skies. The greatest light show on earth.

Cranbourne

The IGA had blinds pulled down over the entire dairy section – not in use. The lady at the checkout was gossiping with a local about local happenings as she slowly scanned her groceries. A queue formed behind her. “There’s not many shops here but there’s so much drama it’s ridiculous!” said the customer to both the checkout lady and all of us in the queue with an apologetic smile.

Pakenham

The smell of fried chicken followed me down the quiet and provincial main street. So many open fields just ripe for so many new housing developments. Urban sprawl creeping towards the end of the line.

Alamein

On a sleepy residential street the rain lazily came and went. A dog tracked its red lead back and forth, back and forth, on the railing outside a cafe. Its tail was curiously twisted into a tight curl like a new fern. When its owner came outside the fisted tail unfurled and shook heavily from side to side.

Werribee

A pregnancy test had been placed on top of a Sanitary Disposal bin in the train station toilets. It was negative. There was a school holidays’ bluster about the place. A hot dry wind caused leaves to drift over pavements and collect in corners. A pool of leaves whirled next to a man passed out on a bench. As I got closer I saw his genitals displayed. Four hairdressers shuddered, giggled and cringed behind the glass wall of their salon. I walked away fast towards a young Indian girl picking a deep red flower from the war memorial and giving it to her father.

Sunbury

I appreciate when a town has put some thought into its colour scheme. In early autumn the deciduous trees that line the streets are accompanied by rust red park benches on every corner. History is important. Old Bluestone churches are conserved on village greens. old guns are conserved in glass boxes. And old gaols are moved stone by stone to sit beside the present day police headquarters. All around is a ring of dirt dry hills.

Belgrave

In this quaint tourist destination that is just sleepy enough, there were murals everywhere: wrapped around electricity poles, on storefronts and across the ample sides of supermarkets. All nestled in the green mountains and covered in fog. The steam from Puffing Billy, Australia’s premiere preserved steam train, rose in picturesque twirling clouds.

Williamstown

The air was so calm as a giant container ship came gently into the harbour. There was a boy walking on the shore’s edge singing what sounded like a Broadway tune in a loud clear voice. Dogs ran on the open grasslands of the Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve, which the visitor guide said is for ‘passive recreation.’ I heard that Blue Heelers was filmed here.

Glen Waverly

The train line ran right smack into Ikon, a new ten storey apartment block. The shop names were a multi-cultural medley: Hair Creations by Jeff. Happy Cup. Alibaba Karaoke. Delicate Sizchuan. XJ Hot Pot House. East West Hair Studio. An guy with bleached hair walked past with a shopping trolley containing three giant watermelons only. High schoolers in red checked uniforms lingered with drawn out goodbyes at traffic light corners. The girls got hugs and the boys got high fives.

Upfield

The sky was overcast a purple grey blush. The afternoon was so dark some of the street lights were on in the grounds of the immense Ford Car factory. This particular plant makes these models: Ford Falcon, Ford Falcon Ute and Ford Territory. When I was young we had a Ford Falcon and its bucket seat between the driver’s and passenger’s seats meant it could fit all six members of our family. Men in high vis were popping over the road for lunch at Panic Pizza or Super Chicken.

Craigieburn

I followed a sign to the Town Centre and I found the Craigieburn Plaza, Craigieburn Central and the Craigieburn Leisure Centre, home to the Craigieburn Eagles. The park behind the Leisure Centre was peacefully deserted. I used my coat as a blanket and had a picnic of cheese, crackers and fruit.

Words and images by Sarah Burton (Instagram @throwsomelight)