Thread: Advice for wood needed please - newbie

This will be my first attempt at anything wood!

Im starting extremely simple, dont laugh!!

I have always had an interest in wood, so thought that this was a way to start and then I can go from there.

I want to make a hanging set of carved pictures...simple, as they are just lovely arty pictures carved into a block of wood, then as I get better I want to get more and more ornate, so ending up with a full moutains scene carved into a huge block of wood! I want to start with carving out the "picture" (so it is set into the wood) then later develop and progress to the ?more normal method of carving out the background so the picture is coming "out" of the wood IYKWIM?

I want the picture to be around 1.2 tall x 40wide x ?depth of 5cm? (x3 so its a "set") or maybe a touch less to ensure I can carve properly without going through the wood. I will be starting with carving inset into the wood but later may move to 3D type pictures.

Now considering Im new to all this, what is a nice soft light wood, easy for carving with hand tools only, and that can be hung as a picture of this size without weighing too much?

Obviously having no clue all I can think of is balsa wood
Help pretty please!! Assist me put my creative skills to good use.

Oh Im located in Perth, so if anyone knows any good wood places I can source the wood that would be great! Im South of the river too.

thankyou!!