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When I was a kid, my family lived up in the Adelaide Hills. There’s a lot more trees and wildlife up there, a lot less concrete and housing. In most places you get a view of trees, or vineyards, or you can look down at the city on the plains. Living there had a big impact on my childhood, and features heavily in my memory. It's��where I came from.

I think the land we are from has an impact on us. I’ve been able to connect with people from similar areas because we share this sentimental attachment to gum trees. We have a similar appreciation of the importance of both avoiding snakes and catching lizards. There’s something in those memories, something in the land that shapes a part��of who we are.

Whenever I went past my old house, I would tell the other people in the car: “I used to live there, you know?” It was just a simple acknowledgement of the connection I had with that place.This childhood house was recently opened for inspection, and I couldn’t resist going back��to relive my memories.

Walking through the house, one of the first things I noticed was that everything seemed to have shrunk. ��This was because I was at least double the height. I walked around the house like it was some kind of temple. All the memories came flooding back. This lawn is where we used to jump around in the sprinkler. This room is where I saw a kangaroo jump past. These trees are the ones I used to walk past. These stairs are the ones we used to put mattresses under and jump from.

How much life had changed. That little kid had no idea what he was in for. I’d come so far, moved so far from those days. Was I happy with where I was now? Would I have been happy then with who I became?

One thing I felt really strongly, was that this was still my home. It’s like the feeling I get whenever I’ve flown back into Adelaide. This is where I’m from. This is the place that made me. I’m back home.
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