The painting was my son Richard's idea and we sent Peter lots of photographs of Elliot and his beloved haunt, the Burdekin River, where he loves to canoe and fish and where we all spent many very happy camping holidays when the children were young.
In fact, my first book, Outback Wife and Mother, was set on a cattle property on the banks of the Burdekin.
We didn't want a portrait as such -- just a scene with Elliot in it. And we're just thrilled with the result. I confess, I cried when I saw it, just knowing how much he would love it, which he does.
