Innholdsfortegnelse for May - June 2022 i Australian Geographic

VETERAN AUSTRALIAN adventure filmmaker Michael Dillon AM has been awarded the Grand Prize of the International Alliance for Mountain Film (IAMF), for a lifetime of work that’s included more than 100 mountain and adventure film projects during half a century. It’s the first time this prestigious award has been won by someone from the Southern Hemisphere. Born in Sydney and now living in Victoria, Michael began filmmaking aged 11 using coloured pencils to create stories on long paper strips wound frame by frame through a cinema he built from Meccano. His extraordinary career went on to include 25 years as Sir Edmund Hillary’s filmmaker. He’s also filmed three Australian Everest expeditions, including the first (and still only) sea-to-summit climb, which he both conceived and filmed. The result, Everest: Sea to…

THE ORANGE-BELLIED PARROT is among Australia’s most endangered birds. Until recently, fewer than 50 adults survived in the wild, making this photo of 11 taken by Cameron Blake at Melaleuca, in south-western Tasmania, remarkable and a sign of hope for the species. It supports another indicator of a slight comeback: volunteers have so far sighted 70 individuals this season. Pressures on these parrots include predation by feral foxes and cats. But the biggest threat is the loss and modification of habitat near where it breeds. Its migratory lifestyle, highly unusual for a parrot, makes it particularly vulnerable to these pressures. It breeds only in Tassie’s south-west, where this photo was taken. Here it feeds on buttongrass seeds and nests in tree hollows in forest dominated by a eucalypt endemic to…

A WAY TO communicate with dolphins may have been found by Australian National University (ANU) researchers. In experiments in Port Stephens, north of Newcastle, they identified that dolphins were attracted to music played on high-pitched instruments such as flutes and piccolos. They were also drawn to high-pitched singing. The research team’s experiments included the production of live music from a boat. ANU School of Music flautist Sally Walker, who played as part of the experiment, said bottlenose dolphins appeared around the boat within minutes of her beginning to play. “One dolphin glided directly underneath me at the same speed as the boat, and the rest of the pod danced around it,” she said. “High frequencies and [certain intervals between notes] seemed to draw the dolphins in and excite them.” Sounds…

WHY IS MOST bird poo white, even though birds eat food of many different colours? The answer has two parts. One is that birds have to get rid of excess nitrogen in their diet. The other is that bird poo does actually come in different colours. Nitrogen is an element in all proteins. Sometimes there is too much of it in what you eat, meaning you need to get rid of unwanted nitrogen. Evolution has settled on three main ways to do this and each links to how much water there is in the local environment. First: in a lake, river, ocean or other body of water, fish and turtles will add three atoms of hydrogen to every one atom of nitrogen. That gives you ammonia, which dissolves easily in…

IF YOU STAND still, alone, inside the gallery of the Bundanon Art Museum you’ll experience a special kind of silence. There’s no tooting of car horns or raindrops on rooftops, not even white noise. That’s because this building is embedded in the side of a hill and perfectly soundproofed by great sods of earth. The gallery houses some of the nation’s most precious artworks, produced by Arthur Boyd during the mid to latter part of the 20th century when he lived and painted in his two-storey sandstone homestead and nearby studio. In 1993 Boyd and his wife, Yvonne, gifted the 1000ha property and artwork to the public, driven by a vision to create a cultural institution for artistic enjoyment and learning in the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales. Before…

IN FLOOD, MARTUWARRA (known also as the Fitzroy River) becomes one of the planet’s highest volume rivers. Together with its tributaries, it drains much of Western Australia’s Kimberley region as it winds through steepsided gorges and across savannah floodplains before reaching its delta. From there, as a maze of crocodile-infested tidal mangroves at King Sound, it meets the Indian Ocean. Heritage-listed nationally because of its extensive cultural and environmental values, Martuwarra, at 735km long, is also WA’s largest listed Aboriginal cultural heritage site. The River and its 20 tributaries flow over the lands of at least nine Indigenous nations, crossing Ngarinyin, Worla, Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Kija, Walmajarri, Mangala, Warrwa and Nyikina countries. Culture is strong in these parts and Martuwarra is central to identity, law and legend. It is revered as…

FROM THE RUGGED Great Australian Bight coastline to where it ends abruptly 5614km later in a paddock near Roma in Queensland, the Dog Fence is the longest human-made structure on Earth – although locals living nearby weren’t aware of this when I mentioned it to them. And why would they be? As I travelled along its New South Wales section, which is administered by the Border Fence Maintenance Board, I witnessed a montage of outback history where mulga fence posts handcut for the original NSW rabbit fence stood superseded among new steel star pickets. A patchwork of wire told a decades-long story of the battle to keep dingoes and wild dogs trapped on one side, so pastoralists could raise sheep and cattle on the other. The NSW section is maintained…

WHETHER IT’S the arrival of bogong moths, the discovery of gold or a modern mining boom that gets bags packed and feet walking, Australians have always been on the move. According to the RAI’s Kim Houghton, Aussies tend to relocate more than their European counterparts. This is not new. First Nations people engaged in seasonal migrations and, later, when Europeans arrived, bustling townships could materialise seemingly overnight and just as quickly become deserted. This boom–bust cycle is evidenced by towns such as Victoria’s Walhalla. Once home to almost 4000, the former goldmining community now has a population of about 20. These deserted townships usually feature a few ramshackle buildings and a neglected graveyard. Yet other settlements, with similar histories, seem to endure. In Trentham, at the top of the Great…

EXPERIENCE THE UNTOUCHED and remote beauty of Eyre Peninsula, SA. From the wildly beautiful outback to the spectacular coastal landscapes, and the wildlife that call them home, you’ll revel in the diversity of this tour. Each day you’ll enjoy memorable and unique wildlife, and geological, culinary, photographic and educational experiences. Take a 4WD safari through massive sand dunes, swim with Australian sea lions and dolphins (the only place in Australia where you can do this) and visit, arguably, Australia’s best native koala experience. Departures & fares •9 days, 8 nights 9–17 September 2022 7–15 October 2022 4–12 November 2022 We can also tailor dates to your needs, including private tours. Email travel@australiangeographic.com or call 1300 241 141 for available dates. •Prices From $6715 twin share per person From $890 single…

AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC and Hurtigruten Expeditions have partnered to offer you this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Join us on a journey of ecological discovery as we go from Quito, Ecuador, in Charles Darwin’s footsteps to experience the natural wonders of the Galápagos Islands. All Hurtigruten Expeditions cruises to the Galápagos are carbon neutral; guests will contribute directly to the protection of biodiverse forests in north-western Ecuador, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Hosted by Chrissie Goldrick, Editor-in-chief of Australian Geographic. Departures & fares 10 days Departs 31 August 2022 aboard small ship MS Santa Cruz II From $9989pp twin share Expedition highlights •Hosted by Chrissie Goldrick, Editor-in-chief of Australian Geographic and member of the Advisory Council of the Australian Geographic Society. •Additional inclusions and exclusives for Australian Geographic travellers. •Full-day nature tour to Cotopaxi National…

The Macleay Valley Coast, situated on the NSW Mid North Coast, is a nature lover’s paradise. With an appealing mix of beautiful coastline and stunning hinterland, the region features an abundance of picturesque trails just itching to be experienced. From walking tracks in the coastal national parks, to mountain-bike riding in South Kempsey, to four-wheel-drive trails in the hinterland and everything in between, there’s an adventure to suit everyone. Plan your escape today and soak in all the Macleay has to offer. Walk, ride, drive •Korogoro Walking Track •Big Hill Rainforest Walking Track •Kalateenee Mountain Bike Trails •George’s Junction 4WD Trail Contact us today macleayvalleycoast.com.au/naturetrails Phone 02 6566 6692…

SNAPPED by Australian Museum fish researcher Dr Kerryn Parkinson in 2003, this infamous portrait (far left) is of a fish brought up from depths by the NORFANZ Cruise, which trawled deep-sea habitats between Australia and New Zealand to discover more about what lurks at our ocean depths. The expedition yielded more than 100 species new to science. But “Mr Blobby” became the expedition’s viral star – he’s been printed on phone cases, T-shirts, doonas and tote bags. So where is he now? Preserved (left) in the dry lab of the museum’s ichthyology department, looking far more reflective of what blobfish actually look like in their natural habitat.…

NEARLY ONE IN three Aussies use much more energy at home than the global average, mostly to heat and cool homes or to heat water for showers. We emit 24 per cent of our personal greenhouse gases in the process. As we saw last issue, in Melbourne and Canberra gas is the preferred heating fuel, while in Tasmania they burn a lot of wood. It takes much less energy to cool our homes than to heat them. Appliances are pretty efficient these days and are responsible for another 5 per cent of emissions. Installing solar panels is an effective way to reduce emissions further; buying green electricity from your provider is the second-best option. If you’re choosing a new hot water service, stove or heating, investigate electricity rather than gas…

I’M TRACKING THE Dog Fence from above in the front passenger seat of a Cessna 206. We took off in the tiny plane a couple of hours ago from the sandy airstrip that services the Wilpena Pound Resort and Old Wilpena Station Historic Precinct situated in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park in South Australia. From up here, the fence looks like a hairline fracture as it traces a path over dunes, up breakaways and across stony downs before spearing away into the far distance towards rust-hued gibber plains. For graziers, this fine silver line represents the lifeblood of their industry. However, it also poses an immense obstacle to restoring Australia’s arid zone, which has suffered catastrophic biodiversity loss and is highly vulnerable to ecological collapse. The United Nations Decade on…

“NEVER HAS A BODILY organ been so adored as the brain – not since Narcissus looked at his face reflected in water and fell in love with it,” Professor George Paxinos says. “And never was there so little justification for it.” It’s a surprising comment from a man who’s spent his life mapping every nook and cranny of the brain, studying its every structure and cell type. George, born in Ithaca in Greece, has authored or co-authored 57 scientific books on the organ, including what for three decades was the third most cited scientific book ever published. He’s also identified and named more brain areas than anyone. George isn’t a fan of what he sees as almost cult worship of the organ, which is made up of some 1.2–1.4kg of…

THE REGIONAL MOVERS INDEX tracks population flows from capital cities to regional Australia. Developed through a partnership between the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Commbank) and the Regional Australia Institute (RAI), it’s powered by analysis of proprietary data to create an up-to-date and granular picture of a large sample of relocations. The index is powered by CommBank data from relocations among its 10 million customers. Two years into the pandemic, migration to regional areas remains elevated. Population flows from capital cities to regional Australia THE PANDEMIC’S FIRST two years saw quarterly migration from capitals to regional areas average at 15% higher than the previous two years (1). This elevated migration continued through to 2021’s end, despite a fall in the last quarter (2), which was largely seasonal (typical of the December…

THE POWERHOUSE BEHIND Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours, Janine Duffy, credits her mate Scruffy with igniting her passion for and conservation of a humble Aussie icon, the koala. “I met a koala, who I named Scruffy, in a picnic ground that we visited often, and after seeing him a few times, he became a highlight of my visits,” Janine says. “If I couldn’t find him at first, I would search until I did, and I realised that koala’s home ranges are much larger than I expected. I was also interested in his social life: did he have regular mates? I started reading books and scientific literature about koalas in the wild, and in the early 1990s there wasn’t a lot available. So, I started to write down what I observed. “…

In partnership with Australian Geographic, embark on an immersive scientific expedition aboard Coral Discoverer exploring the outer reefs and unique marine ecosystems of the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef. Travel with a community of conservation-minded explorers and onboard special guest lecturer Adam Smith of Reef Ecologic, who will share his extensive scientific and ecological knowledge along the way. Gain access to remote and rarely visited atolls while contributing to conservation programs including species’ surveys, wildlife rehabilitation and coral science. Departures & fares 14 nights Cairns to Cairns Departing 23 October 2023 From $11,550pp twin share Expedition highlights •Venture to the otherwise inaccessible tropical cays, islands and reefs of the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef that are havens for seabirds and a vast array of marine wildlife. •Gain valuable…

Explore Australia’s whale watching capital with Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures Australia; the only tour operator to have conducted more than 35 years of local humpback whale research. Aboard the custom-built Ocean Defender, enjoy unobstructed 360-degree views at eye level with the whales. Learn firsthand about historical and latest whale findings from marine biologists as they collect data for ongoing research studies. You will also have the opportunity to use underwater hydrophones to listen to live whale songs. Dates and prices July – October 2022 $99 per person pacificwhale.com.au Phone 1800 454 310 Email herveybay@pacificwhale.org…

1 ADAMINABY HERITAGE TRAIL This provides a great overview of the town and its history. It’s a self-guided walk and drive, beginning at the Big Trout; the walk takes about 40 minutes and tells the town’s story through storyboards. Of particular interest are: St John’s Anglican Church, which was originally built in 1906 and relocated in 1956, and St Andrew’s Church (now a private residence, formerly the Uniting church and, before that, the Presbyterian church), which was built in 1888 and also moved in 1956. The trail also takes in Old Adaminaby, including the old town’s cemetery, on a 20-minute return drive. 2 THE BIG TROUT This 10m-high rainbow trout, just off the Snowy Mountains Highway, was designed and built by local artist and angler Andy Lomnici from steel, mesh…

Mount Mulligan mine tragedy remembered MY PARTNER, Carolyn Rayner, and I attended the centenary of the Mount Mulligan mine disaster in September 2021. Carolyn’s grandfather was a victim of that blast that killed so many. I was touched by her grandfather’s story and Carolyn’s determination to attend and show that after all these years someone still cared. She had never met her grandfather, but her dad was a small boy at the school there and he experienced the blast and endured the subsequent traumas. On our long drive home to the Sunshine Coast I became determined to write a commemorative poem for and about Carolyn, and wondered if your readers might like to read it. JOHN LINDSELL, PARREARR, QLD Mount Mulligan It’s a long drive in on a red-dirt road…

QUEENSLAND Celebrate World Turtle Day LOW ISLES What better place to mark World Turtle Day on 23 May than the coral cays of the Low Isles, 15km off Port Douglas in far north Queensland. Snorkellers – and even those who choose to observe from a glass-bottomed boat – are almost guaranteed sightings here of green turtles, which feed on seagrass in the intertidal flats. MORE INFO: Find eco-certified tour providers at visitportdouglasdaintree.com/low-isles VICTORIA Bathe in ghost fungus glow GREAT OTWAY NATIONAL PARK Late autumn to early winter is the best time to spot a glow-in-the-dark ghost fungus. In Victoria, one spot particularly rich in all kinds of fungus is Great Otway NP on the state’s southern coastline. Look at the base of trees for the pale green glow of this…

IF YOU’VE TRAVELLED across Australia’s inland plains, you’ve probably noticed light patches in the arid landscape that look like distant stretches of water. These are mirages caused by heated air near the dry ground bending the sky’s light towards us. It’s a common phenomenon that needs no water. Could there be mirages on Mars? Perhaps, but it’s completely different from what beguiles the eyes of desert travellers on Earth. In 2018 results from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) ground-penetrating radar system aboard the European Space Agency’s Mars Express spacecraft led to the exciting conclusion there were large bodies of liquid water below the planet’s southern icecap. Bright radar reflections from a layer about 1.5km below the ice surface were interpreted as coming from lakes up…

BALL LIGHTNING IS a rare occurrence that few people have seen with their own eyes. Thought for many years to be a myth, scientists now recognise it as a genuine phenomenon, but remain baffled about its cause. Following a call in my column in AG 165 for eyewitnesses to these mystery balls of fire, many readers submitted accounts of their own close encounters. While some of these could be dismissed as aberrations associated with standard lightning strikes, there were several reports that clearly were out of the ordinary. Among the sources for these was Kevin Franklin of Brisbane, who believes he witnessed ball lightning not once but twice. “The first time was in 2004 when I was standing in my lounge room in Westlake, a south-west suburb of Brisbane,” he…

THE AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC Society Gala Awards are back after a three-year hiatus due to COVID. The event will take place on Thursday 27 October 2022 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney’s Rocks district. We look forward to gathering in a spirit of celebration and friendship with our heroes from conservation and adventure, past award winners and you, our valued members and subscribers. We’ll be presenting awards in seven categories, which are now open for nominations. We have a unique opportunity to look back through three years of achievements since we last held an awards event in October 2019. While COVID lockdowns and border closures clipped many an adventurer’s wing during the past three years, the aftermath of the Black Summer bushfires produced many heroic efforts in wildlife and landscape rehabilitation.…

THE DIFFICULTIES OF finding a shipwreck in the depths of the ocean are formidable enough. Add constantly shifting pack ice, strong currents and the capricious and brutal weather of Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, and any such search would have to be conducted in what explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton described as the “worst sea in the world”. In early 2019, a British-led expedition rose to the challenge of marine archaeology, Antarctic-style, and set out to scour the Weddell’s depths in the hope of finding Shackleton’s famed ship, Endurance. The wreck was known to lie somewhere off the Larsen C ice shelf on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, and on this dual-purpose expedition, the ice shelf was also to be the focus of intensive scientific study. An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)…

THESE are areas that experience great water scarcity. Covering 41.3 per cent of Earth’s land surface, they are home to 2 billion people. They are extremely vulnerable to climatic variation and human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing and unsustainable agricultural practices. The consequences of such actions include soil erosion, loss of soil nutrients, changes to soil salt levels and disruptions to carbon, nitrogen and water cycles. Drylands are described by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FOA) of the United Nations as vital to the stability of Earth’s environment, playing a key role in the balance of atmospheric elements, and in the reflection and absorption of solar radiation. These regions support a uniquely adapted ecology as well as desert peoples and cultures. With climate change these areas and communities are increasingly…

At just 19 years of age,Meg Rees is driving her ute across the 1800ha property she calls home in Moonie, on the Darling Downs in southern Queensland, more than 330km west of Brisbane. As we rattle along, she points out wild dogs sheltering in scrub and emus traversing the open plains. The vehicle’s tyres flick up red dirt as she navigates to the oversized shed that houses the farm’s store of machinery. She’s still on her P plates but that doesn’t stop Meg from manoeuvring her truck and other large farm vehicles with confidence to get her work done. On any given day you’ll find her at the helm of huge tractors, pulling sprayers, ploughs and chaser bins, or seated astride one of the farm horses if the job calls…

ABOARD CORAL GEOGRAPHER, join us on an epic crossing of the Great Australian Bight to explore the hard-to-reach islands and iconic national parks along the rugged shorelines of Australia’s south coast. Discover remote breeding grounds of sea lions among scattered islands and outcrops as we venture across the Archipelago of Recherche and follow Shearwater Bay’s snorkel trail in search of the elusive leafy seadragon with your Australian Geographic Society host Micheline Jenner. Departures & fares 13 nights Adelaide to Fremantle Departs 16 November 2022 From $8,540pp twin share Expedition highlights •Cruise past the Bunda Cliffs, the world’s longest stretch of sea cliffs, then explore the scattered outcrops and sea lion breeding grounds of the Archipelago of the Recherche. •Explore the pristine wilderness and secluded beaches of Cape Arid, home to…

YOU’LL BE guided by expert local naturalist guides to explore the hidden treasures of the Gnaala Karla Booja region, 1.5 hours south of Perth’s CBD. This often overlooked and spectacular region is home to internationally recognised Ramsar-listed wetlands, and the geological wonder of Lake Clifton’s living rocks, the Thrombolites. Your guides share the amazing diversity of flora and fauna in this region – more than 130 species of birds and the iconic numbat. Departures & fares 5 days, 4 nights 11–15 September 2022 16–20 October 2022 7–11 May 2023 10–14 September 2023 8–12 October 2023 From $3,968 per person twin share From $688 single supplement Group Size Minimum 4, maximum 6 Trip highlights •By kayak, enjoy a tour of internationally recognised wetlands with 100-plus species of birds. •Join nocturnal tours…

Kings Canyon, 440 million years in the making, in Watarrka National Park stands a magnificent 270 metres above sea level in the heart of Australia’s Red Centre. Discovery Kings Canyon is the closest accommodation to the mesmerising natural phenonemnon. With luxurious modern rooms and spacious glamping tents complementing its Red Centre surrounds, the resort provides a true oasis in the desert. Skilled guides will take you on a journey to discover the spellbinding views of the iconic hike to the top of Kings Canyon, a 6km circuit wending down into the Garden of Eden and back to the top to marvel at the 360-degree views. Offer dates Exclusive offer for AG readers: Free guided Kings Canyon Rim Walk for two when you book two nights at Discovery Kings Canyon*. Book…

8 The calves of which mammals whisper to their mothers to avoid detection? 9 The koala is the faunal emblem of which state or territory? 10 In which state or territory is the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum? 11 Karta Pintingga, Australia’s third-largest island, is also called what? 12 Seen as the ultimate ‘jerk bird’ or as the genius parrot, what bird, mainly residing in flocks of 50 to 100, has recently been seen to be capable of opening bins? 13 What was the pioneering achievement of Robert O’Hara Burke and William Wills? 14 What is a female swan called? 15 Which sailor, surveyor, navigator and scientist charted most of Australia’s coastline in 1802–03? 16 Which is the highest, permanent single-drop waterfall in Australia? 17 What is the name of the…

ADELAIDE’S CONSTRUCTION boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries created demand for the raw materials needed to build the civic, religious and commercial buildings that define its elegant city centre. One of those materials was lime, a key component in high-quality mortar and plaster for thousands of years. Lime, or “quicklime”, is produced by burning limestone, or similarly calcium-rich substances like seashells or coral, in open pits or kilns. In simple terms, the calcium carbonate in the limestone breaks down into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide, and the resulting white powdery residue can be mixed with water and sand to make a strong and enduring type of mortar. Lime also has applications in other industries, including agriculture. In colonial times, lime kilns and pits sprang up wherever a…