Contrast - Pastor's Pen for 8th November 2026

Travelling around Tasmania, one is struck by the contrast of things that your mind has to deal with.

The beauty of the grand sandstone buildings grates against the knowledge that they were built, along with so many other items of early European infrastructure, by convict labour.

There is a contrast between the fates of various convicts; some descending to lives of misery and drunken ignominy and others rising to become respected landowners and community leaders.

I've been struck by the contrasting landscapes, both rugged and gentle. Standing in the wind atop kunanyi (Mt Wellington) this morning, I felt like I could see most of Tasmania (I probably couldn't).

On the Tasman Peninsula, gentle Stewart's Bay contrasts with the rugged coast on the other side with features like the Devil's Kitchen and the Remarkable Cave.

God's creation is so rich and full of contrasts. There is so much to pomder and see. What a blessing.