AusBiz – February-March 2023

80. LOSING THEIR VOICE

A new study has found that the Albert’s lyrebird could be losing its song if more isn’t done to protect its precious habitat.

Image by Imogen Warren

Bee vaccination approved to fight deadly disease

The US Department of Agriculture has approved a vaccine to protect honeybees from American foulbrood (AFB), and it has positive implications for the future of Australian bees. AFB is a fatal disease found all over Australia. Legally, all hives infected with AFB must be destroyed to prevent further spreading, making it a big problem for bees and beekeepers. AFB is often spread due to poor beekeeping habits, or by the bees themselves. It infects and kills baby bees, leaving spores that can continue to infect the hive for 40 to 80 years. Once it reaches a bee community, there’s not much that can be done.

The new vaccine was developed by the biotech company Dalan Animal Health, which uses dead cells from Paenibacillus larvae bacteria, the primary cause of AFB, to develop immunity. Expected to be released into the market later this year, the vaccine will be fed to worker bees, who will then transfer it to the jelly they feed to the queen. Once the queen is protected, she can pass on immunity to her young. This simple and effective vaccine is giving scientists hope for a solution against this deadly disease: a means of protecting bees and ensuring their long-term survival.

NEW METHOD FOR STOPPING “FISHY” SEAFOOD FRAUD

Scientists can now use fish ear bones to distinguish between fish species, and in turn, stop seafood fraud. The ear bones, known as otoliths, of every species of fish are unique in size and shape. Analysing trace elements found in otoliths, as well as water residue, can determine whether a fish is migratory or resident of different areas. By collecting samples from fish markets and looking at the fish provenance, experts can determine if the fish are really from where the merchants claim, or if they’re involved in seafood fraud.

This is possible thanks to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, that has compiled over 350,000 otoliths in a library after more than three decades of studying fish ear bones. While scientists previously used scales to determine the age and health of fish, otoliths offer a more accurate measurement. Through the study of these bones, fisheries can also determine the health of a fish species, and the spread of ages within a community. Ear bones found in the stomachs of other fish and birds can also lead to a greater understanding of the food chain.

Cheriton Valley: A PICTURESQUE HAVEN AND THE PERFECT CITY ESCAPE

Nestled in the beautiful Cheriton Valley just minutes north of the town of Gingin, an exclusive country address with an idyllic lifestyle in a safe, close-knit community awaits. It offers the best of countryside living while being on the fringes of Perth.

Country Heights Estate has been developed to an exceptional standard with fast-speed internet, scheme water, power and sealed roads, whilst retaining its rural charm and natural beauty – with stands of mature gum trees and untouched bush adding to its appeal.

The stunning estate is home to 313 exclusive 1-hectare lots, plus rural residential homesites with utterly breathtaking views of rolling hills and sweeping valleys.

Claymont Chairman Jerry Goh says fully serviced large hectarage home sites having scheme water in such close proximity to metro areas are a rarity, with the homesites being 25 times larger than the average suburban home site, for a better price.

The enchanting estate aims to deliver an improved quality of life with plenty of fresh air and wide-open country spaces for the whole family to enjoy, while also offering enough space for large pets to roam and play.

ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, WITH THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Country Heights Estate is easily accessible via the completed NorthLink Tonkin Highway extension. With this new development, travel times to myriad metro areas with high-density work places and shopping centres have been significantly slashed.

Joondalup, Wangara, Malaga, Morley, Balcatta, Ellenbrook and Midlands are between 30 minutes to 45 minutes from the estate, and the airport and Perth CBD are an hour or less away.

“With its excellent accessibility, Country Heights Estate offers a unique opportunity to live the ultimate lifestyle with the best of both worlds – healthy living in a safe country community on large hectarage home sites, and the ability to work in metro areas with an easy commute,” says Jerry.

As a result of the lockdown experienced during the pandemic, there is a growing popularity with city-dwellers seeking a lifestyle change to regional areas which are within easy commutable distance to the city. It gives them more room and space to spend quality time at home, with more flexible work-fromhome lifestyles.

“The availability of high-speed internet here is perfect for those who desire a rural work-from-home lifestyle, making Country Heights Estate an ideal place to live and work partly or fully from home,” Jerry says.

The nearby Gingin town has every a tree-changer could possibly want – including great schools, a medical centre, post office, bank, hotel, cafes, shops, and numerous recreational and sporting facilities.

Ideal for the building of a family home, retirement, an investment, or to claim your own weekender on the edge of the Darling Scarp, the estate is also within easy reach of coastal communities such as Lancelin, Seabird and Guilderton on the pristine Moore River.

WHAT’S ON OFFER

Stage 1 included 45 homesites that were well received, as it is now sold out. The next 61 homesites will be released in Stage 2 comprising Stage 2A, 2B and 2C with titles expected early in 2023. Selling prices start from $215,000 to $305,000 for premium elevated homesites with stunning panoramic valley views.

Take a scenic drive to Country Heights Estate to see it for yourself.

For more information, please visit countryheightsestate.com.au (or use the QR code below). Alternatively, contact our agents Tom Cabassi: 0429 095 864 or Rob French: 0401 970 997.

THIS PAGE AND RIGHT: KIM IN VEJRØ, DENMARK; KIM FOUNDED SAXO IN 1992 AND NOW HAS 16 GLOBAL OFFICES, INCLUDING ONE IN SYDNEY.

A DANISH LARRIKIN ON LIVING A MEANINGFUL LIFE

words: Melody Morgan Sorensen

As soon as you meet Kim Fournais, it is easy to understand why some Australians have referred to him as “The Danish Larrikin.” With an unquenchable thirst for adventure and a steadfast refusal to take no for an answer, the Danish entrepreneur has solidified his legacy as a bold pioneer in the international fin-tech industry as CEO and founder of the global investment firm, Saxo.

Kim’s wanderlust began with childhood trips to Spain, and later he was inspired to fully embrace his curiosity of the world by learning to fly aerorplanes. “I like flying so much that I became a fully licensed commercial pilot,” he says, “I think the freedom it gives, the ability to change the scene, see new cultures, meet new people and observe new behaviours, all of this influences me. Curiosity, to me, is the basis for mankind to evolve.”

Kim grew up in Denmark, a country famous for taking care of its own, which, according to him has been a good primer for his insatiable appetite for risk. “I believe in a kind of yin and yang,” he says, “The fact that you need to have one leg planted in stability, and you need another one in adventure, exploration, and making new things happen.” As Kim continues talking, his bright blue eyes seem to glow with excitement. “I think sometimes taking a jump can be scary, but I think not jumping can create a dull life. Of course, you need to be thoughtful and careful, but in the end, you may regret not doing all the stuff that you really wanted to do.”

When he was just 26, Kim began wondering if there could be a more efficient and accessible way for people to invest in the financial markets. “I always think about how to improve things, how to make things better, whether it’s something big or small, it’s a drive that’s been in me since I was a child,” he says.

In 1992, he founded Saxo, one of the first brokerages to develop online trading platforms to provide

everyday investors with the same tools and market access as professionals. In 2001, Saxo acquired a banking license, and in 2006, Saxo began expanding beyond its Copenhagen headquarters, starting in London and Singapore. Kim says, “I’ve never wanted to live my life in the comfort zone. We had to take the business global.”

After 30 years in business, Saxo now has more than 2,500 employees in 16 global offices, including Sydney. Despite the distance, Kim makes it a priority to travel to meet with his colleagues and clients around the world. “You can do so much more if you create great relationships. Together we can help each other, and then it becomes much more fun. People and culture are everything.”

Recently, Kim visited the Sydney office and found himself comparing Australia to Denmark. “They are two countries pretty much on opposite

sides of the globe, but with a lot of similarities in terms of human behaviour. I think Australians are easygoing and easy to talk to, and I think the Danes are the same. Both cultures have an appreciation for nature, and sophisticated design and high-quality products.” Then, he adds with a smile – “I also think that both Australians and Danes like the good life, for sure.”

So, what is Saxo doing for Australian investors? “My vision is to give all Australians direct access to the world’s markets, so that anyone – no matter their background – can discover opportunities and reach financial goals that they maybe once considered impossible,” says Kim.

Opening the Sydney office has also given him a chance to explore Australia more. “I think Australia is such a beautiful, awesome country. I love the nature and climate. I love that the Pacific Ocean is just on the other side of the bay, and I especially love the seafood you can get at Sydney Harbour.”

And how does Kim feel about being called the Danish Larrikin? “I’m happy and proud to be thought of like that. When people say, ‘You can’t do something,’ I always think, ‘Well why can’t you?’ In the end, time is the only resource we’re given, and since we don’t how much of it we have –and it’s probably not enough – we shouldn’t waste it. I believe if you’re thinking of going down a new path, making a change, taking a jump – I say do it. Go, and live an authentic, curious life. In the end, it’s all about living a meaningful life and having meaningful relationships.”

“I think sometimes taking a jump can be scary, but I think not jumping can create a dull life. Of course, you need to be thoughtful and careful, but in the end, you may regret not doing all the stuff that you really wanted to do.”

MEET HIDDUP

The Australian company offering members relief amidst the rising cost of living.

generate returns as there are always transactions that need verification. In its simplest form, we’re a middleman that helps process blockchain transactions.”

With record increases in interest rates and the cost-of-living surging in almost every sector, consumer confidence has plummeted heading in early 2023. With the pessimistic outlook for market performance growing across many industries, many Australians are reassessing their strategies to generate and grow wealth.

“We’ve really seen a major shift in the mindset of many Australians over the past year or so," says Adam. "They’re worried about losing purchasing power, their property values have significantly decreased and they’re really concerned about their retirement. Fortunately, we have strategies and solutions that can cater to almost anyone.”

Australians have recently endured some of the toughest financial conditions we’ve ever seen.

With rampant inflation eroding the purchasing power of households, teamed with skyrocketing interest rates, more and more families are feeling the pinch.

With 2022 being one of the most turbulent years for investors since the Global Financial Crisis, now more than ever, many Australians feel they’re falling behind financially.

However, amidst this global economic uncertainty, one Gold Coast-based company is providing

an alternative solution to growing wealth, thanks to its unique market offering.

The company attributes its innovation to blockchain mining – the underlying method used to generate fixed-rate returns, which range from 6 to 16 per cent per annum.

“Most people haven’t heard about blockchain mining, but in layman’s terms, we derive revenue based on people trading assets around the world," says Founder Adam Lane.

“Whether the market is going up, down, or sideways, it doesn’t neccessarily impact our ability to

Hiddup’s subscriptions operate on varying life cycles of two, three, five, seven, and ten years, with returns varying based on subscription term and initial amount. Returns are generated passively and are paid out on a daily basis. With no management or subscription feeds, it’s easy to see why this model is grabbing the attention of many Australians.

The company underpins consumer confidence by returning members' initial subscription amount in full, at the end of their term. It’s clear that this alternative wealth creation solution is captivating the attention of many Australians as they look to create a new passive income stream.

Whether you’re looking for a way to diversify income, save for retirement, or hedge against rising economic uncertainty, Hiddup is pioneering an innovative way for Australians to reach their goals. For more information, please visit hiddup.com

“Whether the market is going up, down or sideways, it doesn’t really impact our ability to generate returns as there are always transactions that need verification.”

Supporting regional Queensland’s construction and resource sectors

engineers, and surveyors to accurately make designs a reality in the built environment. The mining business supports leading mine operators with fleet management systems, high precision machine guidance, Rajant Kinetic Mesh networks, condition monitoring platforms, survey drones and more. Complementing the company’s range of products are services designed and developed by Position Partners to help customers manage projects and positioning requirements.

For instance, Tokara is a remote access, support gateway and file management platform that gives surveyors, project managers and business owners the ability to manage all machines and survey assets on site working to a design.

AllDayRTK is the leading GNSS network solution, giving users access to accurate, repeatable, survey-grade positioning data through a range of flexible subscription options.

Position Partners has expanded its operations in Queensland with offices in Townsville and Rockhampton, to offer sales, hire and services for civil, building construction, mining and surveying customers.

With more than 350 people throughout branches in every state and territory of Australia, as well as operations in New Zealand, Indonesia and Singapore, the company supplies and supports a range of GPS, machine guidance, mapping and monitoring instruments sourced from leading suppliers around the world.

“Our customers are based and/or win work throughout the state of Queensland, so we are committed to being there to support them whenever and wherever they need us to be,” said Harry Katsanevas, Queensland Region Manager.

“There’s a strong pipeline of work in central and northern areas of the state, and now, with bases in Brisbane, Townsville and Rockhampton, we’re ready to help customers with leading technology backed by great service.”

Position Partners specialises in the distribution and support of positioning and machine control technology used by civil contractors,

“Whether you’re after a quick clean and calibration for your laser, or would like to discuss safety, machine control or GNSS requirements on an upcoming project, drop in to see us for a coffee and a chat,” Harry said.

Teri Humphreys, Director of Townsville Earthmoving, along with Peter Murphy, Survey Discipline Manager and Director at Brazier Motti, helped to officially open the branch.

“It’s great to have the support of a local branch for our machine control equipment and service needs,” Teri said.

Peter Murphy agreed, saying, “Although we’ve always been supported by the Brisbane office and wider Position Partners group, having a full-time team dedicated to local customers is very positive.”

For more information about Position Partners and its range of solutions, visit positionpartners.com.au.

POSITION PARTNERS OPENS ITS NEW TOWNSVILLE BRANCH WITH CUSTOMERS PETER MURPHY OF BRAZIER MOTTI AND TERI HUMPHREYS OF TOWNSVILLE EARTHMOVING CUTTING THE RIBBON.

L-R: DAVID IRONS (POSITION PARTNERS TERRITORY MANAGER) WITH RYAN DOYLE (CONSTRUCTION SALES MANAGER QLD) AT THE ROCKHAMPTON BRANCH.

ROCK CHICKS DISCOVER RARE DINOSAUR IN THE OUTBACK

In western Queensland, near the remote town of McKinlay, a group of amateur female palaeontologists (known as the “Rock Chicks”) unearthed a rare 100 million-year-old fossil of an ancient plesiosaur.

Words: Lauren Lefever

The plesiosaur fossil (known as an elasmosaur) was complete with the head and body of a marine-like animal, featuring flippers resembling those of a turtle, and a long neck like that of a giraffe. It measured around six metres in length and was not fully grown at the time of its death.

THE DISCOVERY

Leading up to the discovery, Cassandra Prince and her Rock

to Dr Espen Knutsen, the senior curator of palaeontology at the Queensland Museum.

The museum already houses the skull of an elasmosaur in its collection, as well as various fossils of bodies. This was the first time in Australian history that the head and body of an elasmosaur skull had been found in one piece. This is because when an elasmosaur died, its decomposing body would fill with

body parts rarely sank to the same place as the skull.

This particular elasmosaur had its skull, neck and half of its body all preserved in the same location, with the back half of its body missing. Knutsen suggested that the dinosaur may have been ‘bitten in half’ by the apex predator of its day, the kronosaur.

THE FUTURE

Palaeontologists are hoping that their initial theories will help them unravel the full story of this unique find in the coming years. Palaeontologists believe that the fossil could also help them discover several distinct species of prehistoric marine giants and fill knowledge gaps in their collection of incomplete plesiosaur specimens.

"Putting all these pieces together tells a really fantastic story of how the Earth has evolved. That gives us a lot of ability to understand the biodynamics of these types of animals – how they move, what sort of environments they need to be in and how a skeleton is put together," said Dr Knutsen about the discovery. The fossil will continue to be analysed at Townsville’s Museum of Tropical Queensland.

OPPOSITE, THEN CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ROCK CHICK CASSANDRA PRICE; RENDERING OF ELASMOSAUR; DR KNUTSEN AND TEAM; THE ELASMOSAUR SKULL; DIG SITE. IMAGES: QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.

SAVING PRECIOUS FOOD FROM LANDFILL

Farmers Pick was launched in 2020 after two mates looked into the appalling farm food waste in Australia. They are now on a mission to rescue fresh food from landfill and

One day, while Josh Ball and Josh Brooks-Duncan were at their local market, they questioned why some of the vegetables were marked as ‘bendy’ and were not perfect looking.

This simple yet life-changing experience set them on a mission to better understand the farm food industry, and they were deeply disturbed by the under-reported issue of national food wastage that not only affects the livelihoods of farmers across the country, but Australian consumers as well.

They soon discovered that the unrealistic cosmetic standards upheld by the major supermarkets means a whopping 30 per cent of ‘perfectly imperfect’ produce never leaves the farm. It's simply left to rot.

They also quickly learnt that food waste costs Australians $36.6 billion a year, and households up to $2,500 every year. Over 30 per cent (2.4 billion kilograms) of food never leaves the farm, meaning a third of food produced on farm does not make it to the consumer.

And so, Farmer’s Pick was launched a few months later with the goal of rescuing wasted produce and supplying it directly to Australians at a cheaper rate than supermarkets.

“The driving force behind Farmers Pick is the desire to achieve a sustainable positive impact on the food industry, which is the largest contributor to emissions in Australia and across the world,” says Josh Ball.

Farmers Pick takes the fruit and

vegetables that are considered too ugly for sale in the major supermarkets and sells it directly to Australians via its subscription delivery service for up to 30 per cent less than supermarket prices.

So far, over 1,000,000 kilograms of food across more than 50 farms has been saved thanks to the team at Farmers Pick, meaning Australian families are being fed fresh produce that would otherwise go straight into landfill. Furthermore, through Farmers Pick’s partnership with OzHarvest, over 75,000 meals have been donated to Australians in need.

“Australian farmers’ lives are only made more difficult during these challenging times,” says Josh BrooksDuncan. “They are working in high-pressure environments to ensure that produce can still look perfect while stressing about the health of their crops and properties for future seasons as extreme weather wreaks havoc on soils.

“More than ever, Australians –across the supply and consumer chain – need to support the government’s goal to halve food waste by 2030, which is also aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal.”

Josh and Josh believe that there is no better time to support, encourage and drive food waste programs and policies. Everyone can do their bit by eating well and saving money.

LEFT TO RIGHT: FOUNDERS OF FARMERS PICK, JOSH BROOKS-DUNCAN AND JOSH BALL.

WHY HASN'T ORGANIC WINE TAKEN OFF IN AUSTRALIA?

Organic wine is healthier for the planet and for those who drink it, so why the lack of interest from Australians?

Words: nigel bowan

Wine-loving Australians are sceptical about organic wine, with most being prepared to pay only a small or no premium to drink it, analysis of an international study reveals.

But there are ways and means to encourage Australians to drink more organic wine, says a Macquarie University researcher.

Dr Rezwanul Rana is a teetotal health economist. But when a colleague asked him to do some statistical analysis on data collected in 2019-2020 from around 2500 wine drinkers in Australia, Chile, France, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa and the United States, he was intrigued.

PORTRAIT OF AN ORGANIC WINE DRINKER

Like organic food, organic wine is relatively expensive to produce. So, the survey’s primary focus was on how much of a premium consumers would pay for it.

“A little under half of those surveyed said they would only pay AUD$1.40-$7 more for a bottle of wine that was organic,” Dr Rana says. “If they are willing to buy it at all. Most consumers in all countries surveyed would only pay slightly more for organic wine.”

It wasn’t older wine drinkers –presumably more affluent and health conscious than younger ones – who were willing to pay extra for wine grown without chemical fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides and free from sulfur dioxide-based preservatives.

“In 'new world' countries, such as Australia, it’s younger people, especially ones who live in urban areas, who are the most keen on organic wine, and they are most likely to drink it in social situations,” Dr Rana says.

“That’s presumably because they are more adventurous, more concerned about the environment, and more likely to have eaten organic food. That noted, those who eat organic food didn’t show the predisposition to drinking organic wine that might be expected.

"Consumers view organic food and organic wine quite differently.”

THIS PAGE: IN AUSTRALIA, IT'S YOUNGER, URBAN PEOPLE WHO ARE KEENEST ON ORGANIC WINE. BUT WILL IT CATCH ON?

A MATTER OF TASTE

The survey data found Europeans and young urbanites in the new world were the biggest organic wine drinkers. Dr Rana believes there are classificatory and historical reasons for this.

“In contrast to EU countries, new world countries are strict about organic classifications,” he says. “Whether any sulfur dioxide can be used in organic wine is a subject of ongoing and passionate debate.

“But in countries such as the US and Australia, either no or very little sulphur dioxide is used, while in Europe they are a little more relaxed about preservatives. So, in Europe, organic wines never tasted that much different to the non-organic wines people were used to.”

On top of tasting different, organic wine in new world countries frequently tasted unpleasant in the past.

“In the 1970s and 1980s, organic winemakers were making it up as they went along and the results were often suboptimal,” says Dr Rana.

“The quality of organic wines has improved dramatically, but one reason many older wine drinkers are wary of them could be bad past experiences.”

THIS PAGE: BETTER FOR YOU AND BETTER FOR THE PLANET – WHY NOT TRY AN ORGANIC WINE?

CAN SCEPTICAL AUSTRALIANS BE WON OVER?

Dr Rana has four suggestions for those who would like to see Australians drink more organic wine.

First, get the positioning right. “Think about how organic food is positioned in supermarkets,” Dr Rana says. “Organic fruits and vegetables are prominently displayed in the fruit and vegetable section, making it easy for shoppers to notice then buy them. If you go into a bottle shop, the organic wines will often be ‘ghettoized’ in an obscure corner of the shop.”

Second, get the labelling right.

“Europeans, who grow up in cultures that have been producing wine for centuries, are confident about buying wine,” Dr Rana says.

“Australians pay much more attention to labels. They want to be reassured by

“You can mock hipsters as much as you like, but they are often tastemakers for the broader population.”

the information displayed on the label that they are buying the ‘right’ wine. Organic winemakers have shot themselves in the foot with their failure to devise and universally embrace a logo that makes it clear their wine is chemical-free.”

Third, get the brand associations right.

“Some of the world’s most prestigious winemakers now make organic wines and these wines have won many awards,” Dr Rana says.

“Yet many Australians believe organic wine is still the product of a hippy cottage industry. It needs to be made clear to them that the organic wine of 2022 is far superior to that of 1972.”

Fourth, go after the hipsters first.

“The most bang for marketing buck will come from targeting young, inner-city professionals,” Dr Rana says.

“These are the consumers who want to signal that they are discerning and environmentally conscious by ordering a glass of organic wine at a restaurant. Or taking a bottle of organic wine to a friend’s barbeque. You can mock hipsters as much as you like, but they are often tastemakers for the broader population.”

THE SWEDISH EXAMPLE

In Sweden, the government controls the sale of alcohol. When it decided it wanted to promote the consumption of organic wine, it pursued the strategies suggested by Dr Rana.

“Long story short, the Swedish government mandated that organic wine be prominently displayed in bottle shops and invested in educating Swedes about the environmental and health benefits of organic wine.

“It also told Swedes they should buy it because it had a ‘pure taste’ and because it was a way of supporting local winemakers,” says Dr Rana.

“That resulted in organic wine increasing its market share from 6 per cent to 20 per cent in a relatively short period.”

Dr Rezwanul Rana is a health economist at Macquarie University's Centre for the Health Economy. This story was first published by The Lighthouse by Macquarie University, Sydney.

NOT JUST A SONG AND DANCE

The ability of lyrebirds to mimic sounds is world-famous. However, a recent study has shown that they could be losing their voice if more isn’t done to protect their habitat.

Words: Emily Riches

Lyrebirds are one of the animal kingdom’s greatest mimics: famous for their phenomenal ability to imitate sounds made by other birds. Males are also well-known for their impressive mating dance and visual display.

The Albert’s lyrebird is the lesser known of Australia’s two lyrebirds (the most well-known being the Superb lyrebird). It is a shy, solitary bird, only found in a small region of subtropical rainforest in the mountainous areas of Bundjalung Country, on the border between New South Wales and Queensland.

A recent study by Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment has found that the Albert’s lyrebird is in danger of losing its song. We spoke to the leading researcher, PhD student Fiona Backhouse, about why this might be the case.

CALL OF THE WILD

Fiona was initially drawn to studying lyrebirds due to an early interest in music. “When I found out that you could study birdsong, almost like you can study music, that was just fascinating to me,” she says.

To gather the data for the study, Fiona and a small team recorded the Albert’s lyrebird over two winter breeding seasons in different locations, including Mount Tamborine, Lamington National Park, the Border Ranges National Park, Mount Jerusalem National Park, and Main Range National Park.

Using handheld recording devices, she aimed to record as many lyrebird songs as possible – even if it meant waiting for long periods of time out in the cold. She also used an automated sound recording device, which she could leave behind to record for a certain amount of time each day.

Lyrebirds can mimic 11 different species, with up to 37 different sounds. One of the questions Fiona is frequently asked is how she knows the difference between a lyrebird call or the original species.

“It's something that you have to get your ear in for,” she says. “One of the tricks is that they mimic in a string of mimicry that's quite predictable. If you're hearing a kookaburra, a satin bowerbird, a rosella and then a robin all from the same spot, you can be pretty sure it's a lyrebird. But they also have their own songs that they sing fairly regularly, so you can keep an ear out for that.”

A SOCIAL NETWORK

From these recordings, Fiona was able to interpret that there was less diversity in the lyrebirds’ songs.

“What's happening is that individuals in areas that have less available habitat are mimicking fewer sounds from different species and fewer species overall,” explains Fiona. “The species they mimic are still found across all of the areas that we studied,

OPPOSITE AND RIGHT: AN ALBERT'S LYREBIRD; IMAGE: IMOGEN WARREN; ALBERT'S LYREBIRD DANCING. IMAGE: ALEX MAISEY.

“If there are fewer lyrebirds around for them to learn from, they're probably not going to be able to sing in quite as big a diversity as in areas where there are lots of lyrebirds.”

so what we think is happening instead is that there are actually fewer and more isolated lyrebirds in these areas.”

This is because lyrebirds predominantly learn their songs from each other, rather than from the birds they hear around them – this is called social transmission. It forms part of the birds’ culture, and as the songs are passed between birds over generations, they change and adapt over time and geographic location.

“If there are fewer lyrebirds around for them to learn from, they're probably not going to be able to sing with quite as much diversity as in areas where there are lots of lyrebirds,” Fiona says.

The destruction of habitat leading to small, unconnected areas is particularly detrimental to these large, solitary birds. As lyrebirds are poor flyers and unable to travel large distances, they need substantial connected areas of habitat for movement and cultural exchange between populations.

Continued habitat loss, particularly for those populations already impacted, could therefore mean further loss of cultural diversity. And, as the vocal displays and mimicry of male lyrebirds are largely targeted towards females, the males in these areas may no longer be as attractive

as a mate. This could lead to populations getting even smaller, and the loss of even more songs. While researchers aren’t sure whether this is happening to such an extent yet, Fiona says that it’s definitely a possibility and something that we should be concerned about.

POPULATION PERIL

The Albert’s lyrebird is already very vulnerable to population loss. There’s estimated to be fewer than 10,000 individuals in the wild, and females only lay one egg each year. The rates of nest predation can be quite high. “If something like a feral cat or fox comes and takes the egg, that’s it until next year,” says Fiona.

Habitat availability can be impacted by development, climate change and bushfires. In the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020, an estimated 3 billion animals were killed, injured or displaced, and Fiona suspects the fires also had a negative impact on Albert’s lyrebird populations.

“At state level, they are listed as either vulnerable in New South Wales or near threatened in Queensland. So there's a bit of discrepancy there about how threatened they are.”

While researchers are not sure whether the population is decreasing, Fiona says that the most important thing is to protect the current

population. “The main issue is just there’s not very many of them, so we really need to make sure that we can protect what’s there.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

What are some of the steps that we can take towards protecting the Albert's lyrebird?

“The biggest thing at the moment is to maintain their habitat,” says Fiona. “We need to make sure that we don't take away any existing habitat, protect what's there and stop invasive weeds. There are some programs around Murwillumbah in the Tweed basin to remove things like lantana, which is a really noxious weed in the area, and helping to revegetate some of the rainforests that were in those areas. So that's fantastic. If we can continue those efforts, I think that'll be really helpful for lyrebird populations.”

While this particular study is now complete, Fiona is not done with lyrebirds just yet. Her next project involves a study of both the Albert’s and Superb lyrebirds, exploring their dance and amazing visual displays, as well as further research into mimicry.

DID YOU KNOW?

It’s not just male lyrebirds that sing. Females also have their own mimicry and songs. Females sing to defend their territory against other females, and to protect their nests from predators.

LEFT TO RIGHT: POPULATION DISTRIBUTION OF THE ALBERT'S LYREBIRD WITH RECORDING LOCATIONS; LANDSCAPE TYPICAL OF THE ALBERT'S LYREBIRD HABITAT. IMAGES: FIONA BACKHOUSE.

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THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: KALBAR SUNFLOWERS AND THEIR FAMOUS SUNFLOWER MAZE. IMAGE: KALBAR SUNFLOWERS.

THE SUNFLOWER SOLUTION

Three sunflower farmers are welcoming snaphappy tourists to boost their businesses.

words: Ian Lloyd Neubauer

DID YOU KNOW?

Last year in September, media reports surfaced about canola farmers as far flung as Western Australia’s Wheat Belt to Central New South Wales complaining about tourists trespassing on their properties to take photographs of the bright yellow flowers for social media.

At the start of this year, sunflowers became the next craze. These golden yellow flowers are native to the Americas, and can grow up to three metres high. As they began to bloom, farmers braced themselves for the same influx of influencers.

But some innovative farmers have flipped the problem on its head: instead of shooing away photohunters, they are welcoming them and have remodelled their farms into tourism enterprises. Three sunflower farmers tell us the tricks of this new trade.

THE DRONE COMMANDER

“There are so many people who want to come and see sunflowers, but the last thing any farmer wants is to have people near their crops because of damage and the biosecurity risk,” says Roger Woods of Warraba Sunflowers in Cambooya, just south of Toowoomba in Queensland. “So we put two and two together and a couple of years ago planted a crop specifically to let people come and

interact with them. It’s $10 for adults, $5 for teenagers and kids under five are free.

“Initially, I planted 24 hectares and thought 20 or 30 people might come and then I would harvest the crop for $50,000,” Roger says. “But so many people turned up in the first year that harvesting the crop became a secondary consideration, and from there I realised that I only had to plant half as much because tourists don’t want to walk very far. Now we’re down to 10 acres.

“The key to sunflower tourism,” Roger says, “is to plant them so visitors get the best photo opportunities. They want to see some really big sunflowers but you also need smaller sunflowers; think about taking photos with kids. So I deliberately alter the spacing in different parts of the field so every visitor can find the photo opportunity they want. But if I was simply planting to harvest the crop, I would plant them very differently and I would protect them from birds with gas guns.

He adds, “I’m not even using pesticides here anymore. I use drones to populate the crop with native wasps to protect them from caterpillars and make that part of the tourism experience, too.”

Visit facebook.com/ warrabasunflowers

• The sunflower season runs from summer through to autumn. The best time of year to visit sunflower fields is January to March.

• Sunflowers rotate their heads during the day in the direction of the sun. At night, they face east in anticipation of the sunrise.

THE EVENT PLANNER

“Traditionally we were lucerne farmers – we used to grow hay,” says Jenny Jenner of Kalbar Sunflowers in Kalbar, an hour’s drive inland from Brisbane. “But at the start of 2020, our local dam ran dry because of the drought, so we started looking at what crops we could still grow with very little water. That’s when we came up with the idea of growing sunflowers for tourism.

“So we planted about 20 acres and invited people to the farm to have a sunflower experience. But instead of having people come every day, we started a sunflower festival one day of the year. We have food, market stalls, lots of people selling sunflower-

themed things, live music, the local radio station comes along and does a live broadcast and we built a maze made of sunflowers that the kids love. Plus we have tonnes of photo opportunities, hay bales and that sort of thing. We now charge $22 a ticket and we sell out quite quickly; every year we get about 15,000 people.

“Sunflowers are dead easy to grow.” says Jenny, “However, the biggest challenge is predicting when they’re going to bloom. Last year we had floods in February so it stunted their growth and we had to postpone the festival and it was a nightmare. So this year we learned our lesson and won’t put the tickets on sale until a few weeks before.

“After the festival, we just mulch them and put them back in the ground as sunflowers have a lot of potassium and are very good for the soil. It’s a good little venture but we still work as farmers,” she says. “Now the rains have returned, we can grow lucerne again.”

Visit kalbarsunflowers.com.au

THE ACCIDENTAL FARMER

“My sunflower journey was a bit of an accident,” says Laiken Britt, owner of Pick Your Own Sunflowers in Dunnstown, 10 minute's drive from Ballarat in Victoria. “My husband was a dairy farmer and then a cattle farmer and we have four boys. One day, I said I want to do something ‘girly’ like grow flowers. So I literally just threw a bag of sunflower seeds on the ground and they started growing everywhere.

“At first we tried being florists but that never eventuated because if you don’t have the right gear to transport them, the petals break,” she says. “Then I thought, why don’t I just open the farm up and let people pick their own?

“We advertised it on Facebook and Instagram in February 2020, and because it was the first time it had been done around here, a lot of people came – up to 1,000 every weekend. A lot of people just jumped the fence so in the second year we planted them surrounded by paddocks – you can’t see them anymore from the road.

“Why do people love sunflowers so much? You know it’s funny; a lot of men who visit us who get dragged here by their wives. Afterwards, I ask them if it was really that bad, and they say no. And kids living in the city just love them – they love running around and hiding in six-foot-tall sunflower fields. They just make people smile.”

Visit pickyourownsunflowers.com

THIS PAGE: PICK YOUR OWN SUNFLOWERS DUNNSTOWN; LAIKEN BRITT AND FAMILY FROM PICK YOUR OWN SUNFLOWERS. IMAGES: PICK YOUR OWN SUNFLOWERS DUNNSTOWN.

THREE AWESOME CHARITIES TACKLING HOMELESSNESS

In Australia, homelessness is increasing, with around 116,000 people considered homeless across the country. Nearly half of the homeless population is under the age of 25. These three charities are providing support, solutions and solidarity.

Words: Matilda Meikle

Homelessness includes many things, from living in severely crowded dwellings, supported accommodation or “sleeping rough” on the street. With such high rates, many charities are hoping to support Australians in need. Now is the perfect time to come together as a community and donate to one of these incredible charities.

LIGHTHOUSE FOUNDATION FOR YOUTH

Based in Victoria, Lighthouse provides support to young people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness. So far, they’ve helped more than 1,000 young people find their feet, and secure a bright future. Lighthouse support includes building therapeutic homes where young people can receive 24/7 support and

care, as well as offering education programs for carers and families, so they can learn how to best support vulnerable youth.

A donation of $15 can help provide fresh groceries and essential supplies for a Lighthouse home; $50 can provide a welcome backpack (toiletries, socks, underwear and a teddy bear) for a new young person moving into their care; while $100 can provide counselling and group therapy to help young people process the trauma of homelessness.

“We're seeing the impact of Covid-19 on homelessness numbers and we fear more young people will need help,” says Lighthouse CEO Eamonn McCarthy.

With the rising number of homeless youth, Lighthouse has increased its efforts, and is making a major difference in the lives of so many.

STREETSMART

Since 2003, Streetsmart has provided over 290,000 meals and supported over 1,000 organisations seeking to end homelessness in Australia. It was formed on the belief that everyone deserves a safe place to call home, and the knowledge that while there are many amazing charities trying to end homelessness, many don’t have the resources to provide for the growing numbers of homeless people around the country. To combat this, Streetsmart raises money to fund these smaller organisations, ensuring they can continue their valuable work. They have culminated a network of incredible organisations, supporting them so relief can reach all corners of the country.

Streetsmart also provides other services, such as delivering readymade meals to those in need. For the past three years, they’ve been delivering Sleepsafe kits, which include a towel, sheet and pillowcase to those experiencing homelessnes. This provides them with comforts that many of us take for granted.

SHARE THE DIGNITY

Share the Dignity is a women’s charity supporting women experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence by distributing period products, that are often overlooked in relief support, and can be difficult for some to obtain. Through collection drives and campaigns, Share the Dignity has been able to deliver over 3.4 million pads and tampons, ensuring everyone has access to sanitary essentials. They know how vital period care can be, and work tirelessly to distribute these items to women across the country.

They also run the 'It’s in the Bag' campaign every Christmas. Each year, Australians are asked to compile bags of essential items and treats to donate to those in need.

Thanks to these bags, women doing it tough over Christmas are equipped with sanitary and luxury items to brighten their days. If you’re not sure what to include, there’s no need to worry. Share the Dignity will also provide a shopping list so you can be sure you’re providing exactly what these women need. By donating, you can help anyone from a mother to a teen receive essential care.

LEFT TO RIGHT: SHARE THE DIGNITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER 3.4 MILLION PERIOD PRODUCTS TO THOSE IN NEED; THEIR 'IT'S IN THE BAG' CAMPAIGN DONATES BAGS OF SANITARY AND LUXURY GOODS OVER CHRISTMAS.

BEARING FRUIT

Grove Juice, a family-owned fresh juice processor, has launched new packaging that puts Indigenous artists in the spotlight.

words: Emily Riches

Bold, colourful and deeply connected to Country. These words describe the artwork of four globally renowned Central Western Desert artists whose work will grace the new packaging of Grove Juice’s two-litre range.

Grove Juice is 100 per cent Australian owned, backed by a generation of farmers who have been crafting naturally healthy, delicious fruit juice since the 1960s. They are one of the few remaining Australian family-owned fresh juice farmers and processors, with a team of over 150 people working across multiple farms and factories located in NSW and Qld.

For the collection, Grove Juice worked with the Warlukurlangu Art Centre to select the featured artists, including Agnes Nampijinpa Brown, Liddy Napanangka Walker, Vanetta Nampijinpa Hudson and Margaret Nangala Gallagher.

Warlukurlangu Artists is one of the longest running and most successful Aboriginal-owned art centres in Central Australia. It’s based in the community of Yuendumu in Central Australia, 290km northwest of Alice Springs. A percentage of sales from every bottle will benefit both the artists and the Warlukurlangu Art Centre.

Grove Juice owner Dick Estens said the collaboration has been a “passion project,” driven by a desire to give back while also celebrating the incredible artistic talents of First Nations people.

GIVING BACK

Grove Juice is no stranger to community-focused projects. In the 1990s, Dick established the Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) – a not-for-profit that helps 1,500 Indigenous Australians find employment every year. Dick worked closely with key Aboriginal leaders to deliver the program, which is still going strong 20 years later.

Not only that, in 2011, the family opened a not-for-profit art gallery and cafe called Yaama Ganu in Moree, NSW. Owned and operated by the AES, Yaama Ganu proudly supports

“These beautiful works of art will not only seek to raise money for Indigenous communities, but help to build self-esteem via expanded employment opportunities.”

OPPOSITE AND THIS PAGE: A 2L BOTTLE IN THE ARTWORK SERIES; DICK ESTENS IN THE YAAMA GANU GALLERY. IMAGES: SUPPLIED.

and features consigned works from artists of the local Kamilaroi nation and Aboriginal-managed art centres from communities around Australia.

Dick’s work at AES saw him awarded the Human Rights Medal by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in 2004, while in 2009, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. Some of the funds raised from sales of the Aboriginal Art Series will also go towards the essential service of the AES.

“These beautiful works of art will not only seek to raise money for Indigenous communities, but help to build self-esteem via expanded employment opportunities, and also enable Grove customers to learn about the work AES does whilst they eat their breakfast,” says Dick.

The values that Grove Juice operates by – being genuine, respectful, open, visionary and exact –clearly infuse everything the Estens do.

THE ARTISTS

The artists featured are from Yuendumu, a large Aboriginal community; the population comprises families from similar language groups with strong cohesive traditional culture. Each of the artist’s striking artworks shares powerful stories of Country.

At just 22 years old, Vanetta Nampijinpa

Hudson’s paintings feature on four of the labels: Orange with Pulp, Orange Mango Pineapple

Passionfruit and Apple, the Apple, Mandarin, Passionfruit and the Apple Ginger. She began painting with

Warlukurlangu Artists

Aboriginal Corporation in 2017. She paints the Walukurlangu Jukurrpa (Fire Dreaming) stories which were passed down to her by her father, and relate directly to her land and the plants and animals that inhabit it. She uses bold patterns and colours to develop a modern interpretation of her traditional culture.

Liddy Napanangka Walker (now deceased) was a pivotal figure at the Warlukurlangu Art Centre, joining shortly after its inception in 1985. She was born in 1925 at Mt Doreen, and spent her younger years living with her family in bush camps. Her artwork features on the Cloudy Apply label, and depicts the Purlapurla Jukurrpa (Black Kite Dreaming), which tells the story of an ancestral hero.

WORTH THE SQUEEZE

Managing Director at Grove Juice, Greg Quinn expects the collaboration to be a successful fundraising platform for the Warlukurlangu Art Centre and the AES.

“Our limited edition two litre juices will be available in over 840 supermarkets across Coles, Woolworths and Aldi nationally, and we hope to raise at least $50,000.

“With our established relationships with Indigenous communities, we may look to build on this initiative over time and feature other amazing artists from across Australia, for future brand collaborations,” Greg adds. The colourful new range is available now in Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and wherever good juice is sold, for a limited time only.

FAST FACTS

Grove Juice juices 833,000 oranges, 160,000 apples and 87,000 pears a day. All their fruit is sourced from local, regional farms in Australia.

“Our limited edition two litre juices will be available in over 840 supermarkets across Coles, Woolworths and Aldi nationally, and we hope to raise at least $50,000.”

GLOW UP

Bioluminescent millipedes have been accidentally discovered for the first time in Australia by a local bushwalker.

Around 18 years ago, Scott Kemp was bushwalking along a trail in Illawarra when he came across glow-in-the-dark millipedes.

At the time, he was unaware that they had never been documented in Australia before. But that all changed almost two decades later, when he took his findings to amateur astronomer David Finlay, and together they walked back out to the area to capture these unique creatures on camera.

La Trobe University entomologist, Dennis Black, is one of Australia’s leading millipede experts, and was confident classifying Scott Kemp’s find as an undocumented species of millipede. According to Dennis, Australian millipedes have been known to glow fluorescently under UV light, but never on their own. While millipedes of the genus Motyxia (found in California) have been captured glowing independently, the phenomenon is considered rare across the world. In fact, until Scott's recent discovery, millipedes that were capable of

bioluminescence were thought to not exist in Australia at all.

“There’s very little chance they’re an introduced species,” said Dennis when classifying this millipede in the order Spirobolida. In Australia, there are about 50 known species of Spirobolida, mostly named by overseas scientists. However, the creature is unlikely to have a definite identification for a while. There is no one currently working in Australia with expertise in this area, making it difficult to conduct research even as simple as taxonomy.

“We’ve probably only described 20 percent of the millipede species in Australia and given them scientific names,” he says, revealing the long journey ahead in learning more about this fascinating creature.

For Scott Kemp, however, there's plenty more excitement to go around, including choosing a name for the millipede he discovered all those years ago.

“I joked about it with my wife and kids,” Scott said. “The only one that really sounds cool to me is the Scotty luminus .”

Currently, the exact location of the millipedes is a close-kept secret, with scientists hoping to protect the potentially native species from any disturbances. With research continuing, we can only hope that new information on this special animal will come to light in the next few months.

Words: Matilda Meikle

LEFT: MILLIPEDE OF THE MOTYXIA GENUS. IMAGE: JANINE AND JIM EDEN.

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