How Jarred Palanca Got his Mt Buffalo Highlining Shot

Where the granite glows

Mount Buffalo is a landscape carved by time, erosion, and wild weather. Perched high above Victoria’s alpine valleys, the Buffalo plateau is a world of granite giants; sheer cliffs, massive boulders, and sculpted tors rise like ancient monuments from the bush. This place is part of the living Country of the Taungurung and Dhudhuroa peoples: a landscape of ceremony, travel, and deep cultural connection. It’s an environment where it can be sunny one moment and snowing the next; it’s unpredictable, powerful, and constantly shifting.

A group of friends had rigged a highline from the summit of the Hump to the towering face of the Cathedral, spanning a distance of 230 metres. The highline hung in the saddle of the granite giants hovering 90 metres above the ground. The first sight of the highline felt mesmerising, inspiring and terrifying. I was definitely too scared to jump on and happy to be behind the camera this time! 

Referred to as ‘Happy New BBQ’ by the locals, the line offers crazy exposure and panoramic views of the northeast mountain ranges of Victoria. It’s one of the longest lines rigged in the region, and certainly one of the most scenic. It requires experience, skill and composure.

The highline hung in the saddle of the granite giants hovering 90

We spent the afternoon as a group sitting by the granite boulders. The skies were clear and the wind was still. The atmosphere felt calm and unrushed. One at a time a highliner would do their checks and roll onto the line. Once on the line they removed their hangers, and made the calm attempt to stand up and make their first steps along the webbing. I watched in awe of the beauty of the highliners, moving with elegance like dancers.

Left: Lew Highlining Right: Kim Browning takes a turn

I moved around trying to find the perfect location to capture the highline during sunset. I scrambled up some granite boulders and found a vantage point with an unobstructed view of the whole highline and the Cathedral. I sat there experimenting with different focal lengths and settings. The goal was to capture a highliner walking during sunset, and emphasise the scale of the large boulders of the Cathedral and the highliner alongside it. I wanted to show the feeling of the vast space and the stillness of the surrounding landscape.

With each step it looked like he was floating on the clouds, with nothing but air and granite glowing beneath him.

Golden hour began to settle in and Pauly Mackrell rolled himself onto the line, he unclipped his roller and sat there for a few seconds feeling the bounce of the line beneath him. With calm and steady movements, he stood up onto the line taking slow controlled steps forward. His body settled into the rhythm of the line, moving in sync with the wobbles of the webbing. With each step it looked like he was floating on the clouds, with nothing but air and granite glowing beneath him. It was absolutely magical to watch; I had goosebumps! 

The Cathedral at sunset is something else. Its granite face catches light like a mirror to the sun. The stone turns orange, golden and deep red. I knew that if I timed it right, I could capture Pauly mid-line, his silhouette suspended in space, with the Cathedral lit up next to him.

Both Shots: Elise Highlining

Photographing a highline is always a bit of a waiting game. The walker needs to find their rhythm. The light needs to do its thing. And in this case, I needed the composition to line up; arms out, stepping forward, background glowing. I sat in position watching through the lens, waiting for that one frame where everything aligned. 

Sometimes the best shots happen from stillness and waiting for the right moment.

And then it happened. Pauly calm and centered, moving with such grace. The Cathedral glowing like fire next to him. The highline floating like a thread in the air. Click.

That was the shot.

It’s capturing these kinds of moments that energises me about adventure photography. Sometimes the best shots happen from stillness and waiting for the right moment. The stillness, the golden granite boulders, the fairy-floss clouds and Pauly floating in the sky.

I have much respect for the highlining community and the dedication it takes in being able to walk such a long line. The efforts it takes to rig a line is hard work in itself—hauling, tensioning and multiple checks. And for a highliner to walk this kind of line would have taken such dedication in trusting the process—the multiple falls, attempts to stand and mental barriers it takes to overcome fear. 

Both Shots: Pauly Mackrell floats above it all

This moment in this image represents the highline community and the team it takes to make something like this possible. It’s not everyday that you get to see someone walking 90 metres high in the air, with nothing but a leash and courage holding them up.

Location: The Hump and the Cathedral, Mt Buffalo, VIC

Camera settings:

• Sony a7r3
• Sony FE 24-70mm, f/2.8
• 1/100, f/9.0, iso 125, 52mm 

BIO Jarred Palanca is an outdoor educator and adventure photographer based in the small town of Mt Beauty, Victoria. He’s a lover of the mountains and enjoys white water kayaking, telemark skiing, climbing and surfing. Follow his adventures on Insta @jarredpalanca