After a week of soaking rain, Mallacoota emerged into light — not the harsh heat of summer, but the crisp, golden gentleness only winter can offer. We captured this moment in our latest video project: Sunny Winter’s Daughter — a blend of original folk ballad and immersive 4K cinematography set along the waterways and coastlines of Mallacoota.
From pelicans gathering like lunchroom comedians at the wharf, to a fishing boat gliding past Gabo Island’s watchful eye, this film is a love letter to our town’s rhythm — post-rain, mid-winter, utterly alive.
What began as drone footage quickly evolved into something more: a story told in music and movement. The accompanying ballad was written to match the mood of the light and water. It’s playful and poetic, with a dash of humour — a reflection of how even our most ordinary moments here carry beauty.
Watch the full video here:
Captured on a clear winter’s day, these three 360° images reveal the full sweep of Mallacoota’s lake system in stunning detail. From above, the stillness tells its own story — tannin-stained waters reflecting the sky, islands scattered like stepping stones, and the Southern Ocean just beyond the sandspit. The township hugs the shoreline, surrounded by forest and framed by distant ranges. After days of rain, the lake is high, the light is clean, and every direction holds a different kind of magic. These images aren’t just views — they’re moments you can step inside.
She came with light on silver heels
through puddled streets and salty fields
mmm-hmm... I saw her smile in the mirror lake
like the sky forgot it ever could break
--
The lake lay flat, a whispered glass
pelicans watching every boat that passed
they know the story, they know the game
when fishermen dock, they’re callin’ names
--
they’re not just birds, they’re lunchroom spies
I swear they place their orders with their eyes
--
a boat slips in, the engine sighs
seagulls taking notes as they circle the skies
I saw one nod, then flap and dash
they’re smarter than your average splash
--
oh sunny winter’s daughter
you dance across the water
with nothing but the breeze in tow
you turn the flood to gold, you know
--
she dried the decks with a breath so light
painted the rooftops silver-white
the wharf stood tall, the town stood still
like the clouds themselves had bent to will
--
Gabo shimmered on the edge of blue
with a freighter drifting slowly through
mmm... there’s something quiet in the air
like even time forgot to care
--
just listen to it breathe
--
now every storm must leave its trace
but look what blooms in its embrace
I saw laughter in the mangrove shade
where the flood had danced and the sun had stayed
--
pelicans lining up like kings
watchin’ for boats and fishy things
the old man tosses scraps their way
and they bow like it’s gourmet
--
you’ve never seen a queue with so much grace
--
oh sunny winter’s daughter
you’re laughter after water
you’re the hush between the waves
you’re the light we try to save
--
she hums in gum and riverbend
in every place the clouds descend
so take this hour and take it slow
there’s nowhere else we need to go
--
mmm-hmm... let the tide tell us what’s next
I’m done with the maps, I’m followin’ rest
