Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2023 i Australian Geographic

KIMBERLEY PHOTOGRAPHER Ben Broady loves wild weather. If there’s a storm brewing, he’ll more than likely grab his camera gear, jump in the car and get among it. You may also spot him on the darkest of nights shooting the Milky Way in the region’s clear skies. Ben’s talents were harnessed for Australian Geographic Our Country: Immersive Experience. His superb boab tree adorns the promotional materials, and his drone footage is woven throughout the 48-minute multi-sensory spectacular that showcases Australia’s unique natural beauty. Ben was able to see his work fully realised during a recent visit to Our Country in Sydney. “On the first day my mind was really analysing it all, the concept, the edit, the sound design, the people involved. On the second day I was able to…

Entomologists have long suspected that Christmas beetle populations are declining, but without a formal monitoring program there hasn’t been sufficient data to test this theory – until now. Citizen scientists are invited to join the inaugural Christmas Beetle Count. Simply download the iNaturalist app from your app store to capture a picture and the location of each Christmas beetle you see. The data will allow scientists to better understand the current distribution of Christmas beetles and compare this data against historical records to determine if there is a population decline.…

QLD Seek out Australia’s largest butterfly CAIRNS Summer is the time to look out for the largest of our butterflies, the spectacular Cairns birdwing, which has a wingspan of 15cm; the males have black wings with flashes of green, yellow and red. Find them flitting about the bush and the rainforest in far north Queensland. For a more guaranteed sighting, head to the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda. MORE INFO: australianbutterflies.com WA Get up close with stingrays NGARI CAPES MARINE PARK Hamelin Bay between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin in south-western WA has sociable resident stingrays of several species that glide into the shallows on summer days, where tourists can wade out among them. Remember, these are wild animals with stinging barbs; they should not be touched. MORE INFO: hamelinbayholidaypark.com.au…

THE HEADLINE IN Sydney’s Daily Mirror on 14 March 1985 screamed: “Great mysteries of the world… Flying Rabbit hunt is on”. According to the front-page exposé, Hawkesbury River councillor Roy Rotherham had discovered several strange unidentified creatures in a remote swathe of wilderness in Wollemi National Park in New South Wales. “I have seen them flap their wings and fly over little rocks like a quail,” Rotherham told the tabloid. The cryptic creature was promptly nicknamed the “flabbit”. Not surprisingly, the discovery was met with widespread scepticism, which Rotherham combated by releasing several photos of said creature. Sure enough, it looked just like a rabbit with wings. International media and tourists immediately flocked to the area, desperate to catch a glimpse of the elusive creature. But there was a reason…

THE BAW BAW PLATEAU is home to one of Australia’s most remarkable ecosystems. Here, in Baw Baw National Park in Victoria’s High Country, dense, lush vegetation intertwines with bright green moss so thick that only outcrops of granite rock can break through. Dragonflies hover above crystal-clear pools of water, daisies reach for the sun, and if you listen closely, you might hear the call of a certain endemic frog species that’s one of the world’s rarest. Known simply as Baw Baw bog, the remarkable natural system is protected within Australia’s highest national park. For most of us, the word bog doesn’t usually evoke pleasant mental imagery. And yet bogs are idyllic places. A bog is a specific type of ecosystem that’s often referred to as peatland or alpine peatland. And…

DOUBLE TROUBLE (1951) – directed at a domestic Australian audience, this was one of the few films made to help people understand “new Australians”. In an interview in 1987, director Lee Robinson (who also produced Skippy the Bush Kangaroo) said, “The message was: Have a thought about the problems of people who have a language barrier. Be more prepared to help.” The film used professional actors, which was rare for that time. The story centred around two Aussies, Stan and Bob, who criticise immigrants who can’t speak English. The two men then find themselves “magically transported to a foreign country” where they can’t speak the local language. The film was shown at the Edinburgh International Festival and is regarded as showing the beginnings of multiculturalism as government policy. THE MELBOURNE…

ALARGE-SCALE MAP is spread out on 90-year-old Bill Golding’s kitchen table. Beside him sits Sarah Sharp, a fellow member of the Friends of the Great South West Walk (GSWW) volunteer group, a not-for-profit organisation that maintains Victoria’s GSWW tracks. We’re all transfixed by the map. I listen carefully as Bill and Sarah describe the main sections of the track and point out must-see sites. Sarah encourages Bill to tell the story of how the track was created. “I grew up in Mildura and was a teacher all my working life,” says Bill. “In early 1978, I moved to Portland with my wife after I won the headmaster role at Portland High School. Initially, I had no intention of coming here and had no particular interest in the area. But, boy,…

“On misty winter mornings when all was damp and dripping, and fragrant as imagination with the sharp sweet tang of the dead leaves, when other creatures were still, then the lyre-bird’s notes rang full and clear through the eucalypt aisles.”FROM ALL THAT SWAGGER, BY MILES FRANKLIN THE BIG, BOLD and beautiful Brindabella Range – known affectionately and simply as “the Brindabellas” – forms the western boundary between the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. Just beyond it, in NSW, lies the picturesque Brindabella Valley. I’ve roamed this area’s moist eucalypt forests, lush creekbeds and rugged escarpments for more than three decades, revelling in its beautiful imagery, which is often so vividly recalled in the writings of famed author Miles Franklin. Miles spent part of her childhood at Brindabella, and…

JOIN US FOR an unmissable, once-in-a-lifetime experience at Aussie Ark! Get up-close and personal with some of Australia’s most endangered wildlife. You’ll get to see devils as you assist with feeding and monitoring individuals. In addition to working with the animals, there’ll be opportunities to explore the region’s natural treasures and spot local wildlife at night. Don’t miss your chance to get involved in this important conservation effort and experience that’s like no other you’ll find in Australia. Departures & accommodation costs Dates 7–9 March 2023 or 19–21 September 2023 Single room (single bed) Price $1600 One room available per trip Double room (queen bed) Price $3200 Four rooms available per trip Double room (queen bed – private ensuite) Price $3500 One room available per trip Triple room (single bed…

JOIN US ON an extraordinary island adventure as we journey through the rarely explored islands of Micronesia. Aboard Coral Adventurer, sail from Manila through the Philippines, Palau and around the remote islands of the Federated States of Micronesia. Share in the spirit of local islanders and partake in centuries-old cultural traditions including dance, weaving and carving. Visit historical sites with expert historian guide and experienced seafarer Alasdair McGregor. Across the archipelago, learn about the endeavours of early Portuguese explorers and the Austronesian peoples and their seafaring culture. Departures & fares 25 nights Manila to Kavieng Departs 9 November 2023 From $22,960pp twin share Highlights • Explore the remote and rarely visited Sohoton Cove, with its limestone karst island hills and lakes of harmless golden jellyfish. • Visit all four of…

You could spend months exploring Western Australia and just scratch the surface. In the right company (wink wink), you can see a lot in two weeks. Think limestone pinnacles, pink lakes, powdery white beaches, friendly dolphins at Monkey Mia, quokkas on Rottnest Island, world-class wineries at Margaret River and beautiful national parks. Phew! Dates and prices Departures through 4 June 2023 – 31 March 2024 If booked before 1 March 2023 WAS $7,150 NOW FROM $7050 pp, twin share* Save up to $200 per couple if you book by 1 March 2023! Please quote promocode AUSGEOWA100 at the time of booking. *Visit our website for terms and conditions Contact us today aatkings.com/waausgeo Phone 1300 228 546…

The contents of the oldest meal on record have been discovered in large organisms from the Ediacaran period. Researchers at Australian National University (ANU) analysed fossils that contained preserved phytosterol minerals, a type of fat found in plants, from 550 million years ago (mya). With a mouth and gut, the now-extinct Kimberella was one of the most advanced animals of the Ediacaran period (see Life’s first flourish, AG 149). The findings, published in Current Biology in November 2022, reveal the flattened, slug-like organism digested food in the same way modern animals do. “Scientists already knew Kimberella left feeding marks by scraping off algae covering the sea floor, which suggested the animal had a gut. But it was only after analysing the molecules of Kimberella’s gut that we were able to…

This eerie photograph of dead trees silhouetted by the Milky Way has been voted the People’s Choice winner in the 2022 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition at the South Australian Museum. It was captured in Lake Toolondo, Victoria, by Jason Perry and was a finalist in the new Astrophotography category. It took Jason less than five minutes to snap this scene which was taken right before the Milky Way disappeared on a silent foggy morning. “I only had about 30 minutes until the Milky Way would be too far below the horizon to get this shot and the morning light was already fast approaching, so I had to work quickly,” Jason recalled. The 2023 competition is open for entries until 27 January. samuseum.sa.gov.au/c/npoty/…

HERE’S A NEAT physics experiment you can do at home. Hold an empty wineglass by the bowl so you can look through its base. When you view a compact source of light, such as a lamp or an unshaded light globe, you’ll find it stretched into an arc centred on the stem of the wineglass. The base is acting as a lens, albeit an unusual one with a raised cusp in the centre. What you’re holding in your hand is a glass analogue of the distortion of space around a massive object caused by its gravity – a prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. This extraordinary phenomenon has been observed in deep space since the 1970s, and you might not be surprised to hear it’s known as a “gravitational…

8 issues for the price of 6! OFFERS WITH THE BONUS ISSUES $62.99 for 8 issues via annual automatic renewal (credit card or direct debit) then $62.99 every 6 issues thereafter SAVE over $56 – 47% discount every 6 issues OR $67.50 for 8 issues SAVE over $52 – 44% discount AUSTRALIANGEOGRAPHIC.COM.AU/M172AG 1300 555 176 AND QUOTE M172AG For Terms and Conditions visit australiangeographic.com.au/ag172. Our privacy policy can be viewed at australiangeographic.com.au/privacy-policy. If you do not want your information provided to any organisation not associated with this offer, please indicate this clearly at time of offer or notify the promoter in writing. Two bonus issues are applicable to 6-issue subscription for $62.99 via annual automatic renewal then $62.99 every 6 issues thereafter and 6-issue subscription for $67.50. Savings are based…

BEN MCDONALD LEANS on a weathered wooden bar overlooking rows of grapevines that wouldn’t be here if not for his love story. He cracks a macadamia nut plucked from trees he planted 17 years ago and tells me he built this bar from planks upcycled from the old Bunbury jetty. Sheep graze nearby, tasked with vineyard weed-picking and flanked by a crack team of bug-busting chickens, while pigs destined for the farm restaurant snuffle inquisitively on the fence line. Formerly a traditional wheat-and-livestock property, Glenarty Road was worked by three generations of McDonalds before its current custodian, Ben, and his winemaker wife, Sasha, changed gears. They met in the property’s driveway in 2014 when she came to buy what Ben had planned to be his last grape crop before he…

Australia has two crocodile species: the freshwater (Crocodylus johnsoni), found only in northern Australia; and the saltwater, or estuarine (Crocodylus porosus), found throughout tidal rivers and estuaries in WA, the NT, Queensland and the Indo-Pacific. Freshies (freshwater crocodiles) are restricted to freshwater streams, rivers and waterholes. Salties prefer brackish and fresh water but have a high tolerance to salt water due to oral glands excreting excessive salt from their bodies. Although usually associated with tidal waterways, salties can enter fresh water far from the coast, particularly after big wet seasons. But they can also swim hundreds of kilometres out to sea. When attacks on humans rose early this century in Timor-Leste, there were concerns large crocs from northern Australia were responsible. And so NT wildlife scientist Yusuke Fukuda, who regularly…

This 251km (beach route) or 262km (Mount Richmond route) loop track is located approximately 370km by road west of Melbourne and 540km by road south-east of Adelaide, in Victoria’s south-western corner. Portland is the most popular place to start and finish. The town was Victoria’s first permanent European settlement and contains more than 200 historic buildings classified by the National Trust, many of which are constructed from bluestone. The GSWW is relatively flat, clearly marked and well maintained, making it suitable for all ages and levels of experience. Parts of the track can be experienced via short walks, day walks or longer multi-day walks. The route contains 14 campsites, spaced 10-20km apart. Each campsite has a water supply, firepit, toilet and shelter. The water cannot be guaranteed safe for drinking,…

TASMANIA’S OVERLAND TRACK is famous the world over and this signature trip is the way to experience it in classic style. Across six days, our most popular Overland experience completes the full journey from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. The fully guided walk begins at Waldheim in Cradle Valley and journeys some 65km to Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest natural lake. This trip does not include multiple side trips, but there is the opportunity on day four to climb to the summit of Mt Ossa. Autumn puts on an incredible show. The contrast in colours during the turning of the deciduous beech, Nothofagus gunnii, is set against a backdrop of dramatic dolerite mountains, and is complemented by the vast collection of ancient Gondwana species. Departures & fares 6 days,…

AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC TRAVEL has teamed up with the Narrows Escape Rainforest retreat to exclusively offer four days of expertly guided walks, along with some unique rainforest luxury and relaxation, at the edge of Kondalilla National Park, Queensland. The Sunshine Coast hinterland is a natural wonderland that holds special significance to the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Jinibara and Kabi Kabi people. This old volcanic land is a paradise with an abundance of wildlife Walk through ancient forests, winding creeks and old logging trails, home to more than 300 species of bird, pademelon, koala, wombat and echidna, as well as diverse flora, rainforest and waterfalls. Departures & fares 6 days, 5 nights Dates 5–10 February 2023 19–24 March 2023 23–28 April 2023 14–19 May 2023 11–16 June 2023 10–15 September…

As a city flanked by two World Heritage sites, it should come as no surprise that Cairns is just a stone’s throw away from an abundance of natural and cultural attractions. From swimming in wild waterfalls to exploring hidden coves and outback tracks, it’s time to hit the road to enjoy the adventure of a lifetime on a road trip from Cairns. Head north on the scenic Great Barrier Reef Drive to Cape Tribulation and discover where the ancient rainforest meets the reef. Swimming-hole-hop your way to Mission Beach and search for the endemic Southern cassowary. Drive inland to the Atherton Tableland for local produce, volcanic crater lakes and historic villages. All you have to do is choose which direction to drive… Discover more cairnsgreatbarrierreef.com/roadtrips…

1 Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) is located in which Australian state or territory? 2 This Aboriginal preacher, author and inventor features on the $50 note. Can you name him? 3 What is the common name of the orchid Caleana major, found in eastern and southern Australia? 4 Name this Tasmanian tourist attraction. 5 In a honeypot ant colony, what is the name of the worker that stores sugary liquid in its abdomen to later regurgitate it into the mandibles of other ants? 6 Platycercus elegans is more commonly known by what name? 7 Believed to be the world’s longest unbroken cliff line, what is the name of this cliff line on the southern edge of the Nullarbor Plain? 8 Does Uluru rise more or less than 300m above the ground? 9 What bird…

BEST SELLING AUTHOR Peter FitzSimons, in his 2021 biography of Sir Hubert Wilkins, describes his subject as Australia’s greatest explorer. However, Wilkins’ name – which has so many “firsts” attached to it – is not as well known as it should be. His extraordinary adventures included the first crewed plane flights across both Antarctica and the Arctic, and the first person to pilot a submarine under the Arctic pack ice. He was one of Australia’s first official war photograwphers, working with Frank Hurley on the Western Front during World War I, for which he twice earned the Military Cross for bravery. He was also a talented cinematographer, ornithologist, geographer and pioneering climatologist. His record-breaking global adventures unfolded a long way from his humble beginnings in the marginal farmlands of South…

I read with interest the Traces article (AG 171) about the Channel Island Leprosarium. In 2017 a Lismore-based author, the late Pat Studdy-Clift, published a novel, Touch Me Not, about that leprosarium. The young non-Indigenous girl mentioned in the article, Madge Gaden, was sent there in the 1930s, along with her father, a Northern Territory buffalo hunter. The leprosy was possibly contracted from one of the many Aboriginal people who suffered with the disease in the remote areas where her father operated his business. Madge had been at boarding school in Darwin, where she was an accomplished pianist. She desperately missed having a piano while living in the leprosarium. While on leave in Sydney, the island’s matron Elsie Jones publicised Madge’s plight and two pianos were donated and sent to…

On 12 November 2022 Australia’s first offshore coral nursery spawned for the first time. The Reef Restoration Foundation planted the acropora corals in 2017 within Fitzroy Island’s Welcome Bay, part of the Great Barrier Reef. Planted on a series of underwater frames, this site was part of a pilot program testing the benefits of of shore coral nurseries. The eruption of thousands of tiny pink bundles of eggs and sperm in November signalled the program’s success. “Watching our coral babies reproduce for the first time to create the next generation of corals was a beautiful and humbling experience,” says marine biologist and Master Reef Guide Azri Saparwan. The design of the of shore nursery was modelled on techniques first used at reef restoration sites in Florida, USA. “We planted coral…

THE NATIONAL FINALISTS for the Australian of the Year Award in 2023 represent the best of human endeavour and achievement. These inspiring individuals, one from each state or territory, include humanitarians, paediatricians, sustainability advocates, First Nations leaders, musicians, community leaders, athletes making a difference, social workers and volunteers. Among those nominated is Queensland’s Aussie of the Year, William Barton. The multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and didgeridoo (yidaki) player is one of Australia’s leading and most in-demand classical composers and performers. William grew up on Kalkadungu Country near Mount Isa, where he learnt didgeridoo from his uncle, Arthur Peterson, a Wannyi, Lardil and Kalkadunga Elder. He left school at 12 to concentrate on music and by age 17 he had performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. William holds honorary doctorates from Griffith University…

THE JONI MITCHELL song “Woodstock” has the following, surprisingly accurate, lines: “We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion-year-old carbon”. It’s true that: about 86 per cent of our mass is “stardust”; almost certainly we each carry at least a few million atoms of gold inside us; and yes, the carbon atoms we carry are mostly many billions of years old. As of 2022, there are 118 different elements in the Periodic Table, and there are seven main ways these have been created. Hydrogen and helium are not stardust; they formed first, before stars came into existence. These two elements were created just 380,000 years after the Big Bang of 13.8 billion years ago, once things had cooled down enough for atoms to condense out of pure super-hot energy.…

HOW DO YOU persuade a community to support the protection of a killer predator that silently waits in murky recreational waterways to occasionally ambush and tear apart people? That was the dilemma facing ecologists in the Northern Territory in the late 1970s and early ’80s. After almost a decade of legal protection, the number of saltwater crocodiles around the 2m bracket was rising across northern Australia – as were attacks on people. Suddenly, after years of barely a sighting of the reptiles near Darwin, people were being killed or hideously injured in the jaws of crocs near the northern capital, and a 5.1m male, known ironically as Sweetheart, hit the headlines for terrorising tourists at a popular fishing hole, knocking them out of boats. Politicians, community leaders and tourism operators…

THIS IS A STORY of three Aussie environmental activists and their pathways into caring. It’s about where they started and how they’ve grown, the work they’ve done and the changes they’ve made to their patch of the world. It’s about environment and community – helping to protect one and build the other. And, most of all, it’s about connection and action, about how caring for the world and people transforms helplessness into power and builds skills, purpose and community. The diversity of activism covers everything from direct-action blockades to High Court challenges and grass-roots education. But although the backgrounds and skillsets of those involved vary, their passion doesn’t. SALLY HUNTER, A farmer from Narrabri in New South Wales, established Geni.Energy, a community-energy company, after approval was given for a coal-seam…

SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S GULF waters boast 5000km of deserted shoreline and more than 300 islands. There’s a huge diversity of natural wilderness to explore, including spectacular bays and beaches, remote islands and stunning sea cliffs. Best of all, most of it is wild and unspoilt. That means there’s a real sense of adventure, seclusion and a vast array of wildlife. Many of the islands are important sanctuaries for birds, kangaroos, wallabies, seals and sea lions. Along the way, there are many opportunities to indulge in the tastes of SA, with fresh local seafood and hand-selected local wines from the renowned SA vineyards. Departures & fares 13 nights Adelaide to Adelaide Departs 4, 14, 24 November 2023; 4 December 2023 From $6710 pp twin share Highlights • Visit some of South Australia’s…

JOIN AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC Travel on an exclusive experience of a lifetime. Take 15 fun-filled days to explore the best that the Kimberley region has to offer. From Gibb River Road gorges and El Questro Wilderness Park to Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles), you will see an abundant array of wildlife, stunning views and historic sites. You will travel for the entire trip in air-conditioned comfort in a well-appointed four-wheel-drive coach, and enjoy fully guided walks along the way. Departures & fares 15 days, 14 nights (four nights hotel accommodation, 10 nights camping) Dates 20 June–4 July 2023 From $7299pp twin share $7824 for single occupancy Activity level This trip is for almost anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and competent swimming ability Group size Maximum 15 participants Highlights •…

1 GOLD MILL RUINS The Adelong Falls Gold Mill Ruins, which are located off Grahamstown Road to the north of the town, offer a combination of walks, falls and pools where it’s possible to pan for gold. View the ruins of Ritchie’s Gold Battery, which was built by David Wilson and William Ritchie in 1870. The area is clearly signposted and many of the ruins are easy to recognise, including the gold battery, the water wheels that were used to drive the battery, and the old brick chimney. If you want to try your luck prospecting, it’s possible to buy panning dishes from some of the stores in town. 2 WALK ALONG HISTORIC TUMUT STREET This delightful walk along the main street takes in most of the town’s historic buildings.…