A Picture Poetry Walk around Beechworth, Victoria

A Lake Sambell Walk is a picture poetry collection and a walking meditation around the beautiful Lake Sambell in the historic township of Beechworth, Victoria.

With camera and notebook in hand, Frank Prem captures moments en plein air (in the open air), inviting readers to join him on a poetic ramble through natural beauty, town history, and quiet reflection.

Where Gold Left Scars — and Water Healed Them

Lake Sambell began as a scar. Carved from the land by high-pressure water hoses during Beechworth’s gold rush frenzy in the 1800s, the site was left barren and devastated. But in the 1920s, a lake was created to heal the wound — repurposing the mined land into a place of beauty and serenity.

Today, Lake Sambell is both a local icon and a memory basin — holding echoes of prosperity, ruin, and rebirth.

A Personal Picture Poetry Journey in Short-Form Verse

Frank Prem grew up in Beechworth, with Lake Sambell as part of his backyard. In A Lake Sambell Walk, he returns to the water’s edge with poet’s eyes, offering short-form free verse paired with images taken on location.

This book invites you to walk slowly, notice more, and reflect deeply — through the lens of a poet rooted in the very ground he describes.

If you enjoy this collection, explore other Picture Poetry books by Frank Prem — where image and verse meet in beautiful conversation.