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Nature Connect Magazine ISSUE 1 2012
Travel
An Australian Adventure
Hidden Treasures D’Aguilar National Park
Things to Make & Do Photo tips & Tricks from the experts
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Nature Connect Magazine NATURE CONNECT MAGAZINE FEB 2012 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michele Perry GRAPHIC DESIGN Leanne Nobilio Elise Butler ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Rick Mitchell 07 3278 6511 rick.mitchell@steveparish.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Karin Cox; Greg Czechura; Cathy Hope; Rod Howard; Kerry Kitzelman; Steve Parish; Michele Perry; Cathy Vallance
Contents
Cover: Black-necked Stork
Travel — An Australian Adventure.......................................................... 6 Brisbane............................................................................................... 12 National Park in Focus — D’Aguilar National Park................................. 16 Amazing Facts — Amazing Australia.................................................... 18 Ancient Indigenous Heritage................................................................ 20 Marvellous Mammals........................................................................... 22 Questions and Answers about Australia................................................ 24 Wildlife in Profile — Mammals............................................................. 26 Koala — a Life in the Gum Trees........................................................... 28
Published by Steve Parish Publishing PO Box 1058, Archerfield, Queensland 4108 Australia
Native Plants — Gum Trees................................................................... 32
www.steveparish.com.au
Land for Wildlife — Living with Wildlife................................................ 34
© copyright Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
Photography — Mammals................................................................... 30
Inspiration — A Creative Life................................................................ 36 Quirky Australia................................................................................... 38 Get out and Connect — What’s on in Brisbane..................................... 40 A Cup of Tea with Steve....................................................................... 42
PUBLISHERS INDEMNITY Those who make advertising placement to Nature Connect Magazine, undertake to make sure all such material does not infringe any copyright, trademark, defamation, libel, slander or title, breach of confidence, does not contain anything obscene ior indecent, or does not infringe the Trade Practices Act or other laws, regulations or statutes. PHOTO CREDITS: Yaa Asantwaa Eleanor Adjei/SPP: p. 14 (Brisbane City Hall); Emma Harm/SPP: pp. 15 (Kurilpa Bridge) & 18 (Jolly’s Lookout); Greg Harm/SPP: pp. 43 (Chinatown) & 46-49 (activity photos); Kerry Kitzelman: p. 46 (activity photos); Steve Parish/ Les Hall: p. 47 (Bat); www.pachd.com: p. 42 (tea cup); Picturesque Atlas of Australia, courtesy Allan Fox: p. 21 (Lieutenant James Cook); Bruce Cowell/ Queensland Museum: p. 44 (Mahogany glider); Ron & Valerie Taylor: pp. 5 (Manta rays) & 54 (Harlequin tuskfish & Wunderpus)
For the
KIDS
Caring about Mammals........................................................................ 44 Making Damper................................................................................... 46 True or False......................................................................................... 47 Make Homes for Animals .................................................................... 48 Natural Art........................................................................................... 50 Wordsearch......................................................................................... 52 Mammals Crossword............................................................................ 53 Animal Odd Bods ................................................................................ 54 Blood Drinkers..................................................................................... 56 Answers (Australia Quiz & True or False)............................................... 57 facebook.com/steveparishpage
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Welcome At Nature Connect Magazine we are surrounded by a plethora of information about Australia and its wonderful fauna and flora, its memorable places and its quirky and loveable “Australians”. So we thought it was time that we shared with you some of our favourite travel and photo tips, hidden Australian treasures, fun activities for kids and a whole lot more in this our first online magazine! “I found that I was able to create, produce and sell products that celebrated nature and inspired a personal connection with its beauty and fragility.” Steve Parish
Top left: Manta Rays. Top right: Cairns Birdwing Butterfly. Above, top to bottom: Sacred Lotus Lily; Australian Pelican. Right: An anemone’s tentacles.
So let me introduce you to the man behind the name — Steve Parish. “When I was nine years old, my father gave me a face mask, snorkel and fins for Christmas. By the time I was twelve, I was swimming way offshore, spearing fish and dragging them back behind me attached to a plastic float. Of course, it did not take long for the bronze whaler shark in South Australia’s gulf waters to pick up my scent! I frequently had to defend my catch. At the time, I did not consider sharks very dangerous and shark attacks were rarely reported in the media. However, before long a personal encounter with a 4-m white shark — which munched up my entire catch and the large plastic float — caused me to review the idea of spearfishing offshore. In the same area where my fish were seized, a succession of attacks on spearfish occurred, some fatal, which reinforced my decision.
During a trip to Kangaroo Island with the South Australian Museum, I dived as a fish collector with pioneer underwater photographer Igo Oak. On one dive, he handed me his camera and gestured for me to take a photograph of a small silver fish. Leaning forward, I brought the fish into focus through his twin lens reflex rangefinder and pulled the trigger. The large flash bulb erupted and, for a split second, the fish sparkled silver. At a reunion some weeks later, Igo screened images from the trip. ‘This silver fish image was created by Steve Parish,’ he told the audience, ‘and it is the lad’s first in-focus colour photograph,’ The audience spontaneously applauded. I am sure it was the applause that did it; after all, I was a shy boy and here I was being noticed. I had found my voice at last — photography.
Dangerous sharks or not, I was besotted with the underwater world and excited by the adventures it offered. When underwater images began featuring in National Geographic magazine, I plastered my bedroom wall with tear-outs. These wall decorations were a constant reminder of my connection with sealife and, I am convinced, motivated me (or brainwashed me, if you like) into being passionate about natural history publishing. On my fourteenth birthday, my father made good with another gift — the first commercially available underwater camera. I was overjoyed, although the camera was little more than a toy. It performed very poorly, and soon flooded! Thankfully, before long another lifealtering event occurred, one that would spin me in new direction. www.steveparish.com.au 5
Travel Ways to
Australia’s scale and diversity is truly awesome — ranging from reef to rainforest, desert to alps and languid outback towns to vivacious cities. The best part is that this adventure can be undertaken by travellers of all ages and budgets in a nation well known for its hospitality and security. What more could the 21st century explorer hope for?
TRAVEL – An Australian Adventure
For any traveller, the “around Australia adventure” is one of the world’s most appealing and ambitious journeys. Appealing for the incredible range of experiences and environments the country offers and ambitious for the very same reason. TRAVELLING LIGHT
Campervans
Most people commence their preparations for a journey with the good intentions of only taking with them the minimum required luggage and equipment. But a quick glance at the overloaded vehicles and sprawling campsites at any given location will tell you that such intentions often fall by the wayside. Of course, some of this excess baggage — toolkits, fuel and extra water — is an essential precaution for journeys into Australia’s more remote areas. Other items are not so essential. Be honest — how many spare fishing rods, kitchen gadgets and changes of clothing will you really need? More often than not, these items simply become a burden when packing and unpacking vehicles day after day on your trip. Overpacking may even prevent you from venturing to destinations that you would otherwise have visited. Write a list of essential items and resist the urge to try to replicate your home environment on the road — what you require when travelling is different from being at home. If you simply can’t live without all the mod cons found in the typical home, perhaps you should re-think travelling altogether!
Australia’s highways are becoming increasingly populated by a wide variety of campervans. These range from compact but cosy hire vehicles to the huge Winnebagos and re-purposed buses often used by longer term travellers. The reason for their popularity is simple — journeying in your travelling home eliminates the need to set up campsites or tow a caravan. Be aware, though, that many park campsites and roads are unsuitable for this type of vehicle.
Bus Coach Tours Australia is a continent suited to bus coach travel. The long distances often encountered between major towns can make for exhausting stints behind the wheel; so travel by modern passenger coach offers the chance to relax and survey the countryside while someone else does the driving. The affordability and availability of coaches make them a favourite of backpackers (both young and old). Return bus coach tours to specific scenic destinations such as Uluru can provide a welcome break from bouts of white line fever.
Camp Trailers & Caravans The perennially popular caravan has been joined by camp trailers and collapsibles as the most common form of towed accommodation. Each have their merits, but adventurous travellers may become frustrated by the limitations on towing vans and trailers across many of Australia’s outback roads. On-site caravans are available for hire in most large commercial camping parks and are a good compromise for those who crave the occasional creature comfort.
“If I look back over my photographic expeditions, I must honestly say that many did not turn out quite as I had expected. I am sure you will agree that there are occasions when the joy of anticipating a longawaited trip provides more pleasure than the trip itself!” Steve Parish
Top: Be it a pleasure craft or a Combi Van, any way you travel is an experience. Below, top to bottom: Cars offer a great way of getting out and about, with a caravan or not!
Swags & Tents Australia is a great place to camp. There are 516 national parks covering over 25 million ha — or over 3% of the continent’s surface. Campsites range from the purely barbaric to the luxuriously comprehensive. In addition, there are plentiful commercial operations, particularly along the coasts. In the desert regions, sleeping out under a sky crammed with stars can be a great option — unroll your swag and see how many shooting stars you can count before you nod off. www.steveparish.com.au 9
TRAVEL – An Australian Adventure
Finding solitude In most parts of Australia, it is not necessary to travel far to escape civilisation. Close to the major cities, solitude can be found in many ways. On endless strips of beach-blessed coastline; by hiking in hinterland mountain retreats; or lazing on a continental island. Getting away from it all does not necessarily mean travelling thousands of kilometres to desert destinations.
Resorts & Hotels If your pockets are deep enough, or if you feel you deserve a few nights of luxury, Australia offers a huge range of resorts. Hotels and backpacker accommodation to suit all budgets also abound. Many cheap hostels are crammed full of character and stories. The choice is yours, but weigh up whether the cost of comfort could be better invested in a longer stay in simpler (and often more social) circumstances.
Touring by Boat & Train Before the introduction of roads and cars, large tracts of the continental mainland were served by train and boat. Today, some of the world’s most memorable rail journeys, including the crosscontinental Ghan train, are enjoyed by thousands of travellers each year. This page: Various ways to get around the great outdoors! Take your accommodation with you or opt to find a fantastic resort, hotel or motel to become your “home away from home” while you are on your adventure.
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Travelling With Others Cooperation is vital when travelling with others. This is very important if you choose for economic or social reasons to travel by bus or on an organised tour where the ultimate decision-making does not rest with you. In such circumstances, a positive way of approaching the situation is to turn it around and use it to your benefit. The distances between locations offer the chance to take a nap or do some research, neither of which is possible if you are driving your own vehicle. The costs of organised tours can often be considerably lower than using your own
vehicle or hiring one, and these trips can also be a great way to meet other travellers.
Planning Your Journey If you are planning your first extended trip, remember not to underestimate the size of Australia and the consequent travelling time between destinations. To avoid falling into this trap, I suggest you consult a map of the whole of Australia and mark out areas of particular interest. Having done this, calculate how far apart each pair of localities are, and then estimate the time you will need to move from one region to the next. Ensure you factor in time for unexpected events that may arise along the way. The next important thing to consider is how you are going to travel. This is usually decided by three criteria — available time, budget and knowledge of the local area.
Off the Beaten Track While Australia has densely populated urban areas, the greater part of the continent has a very small population so there are vast regions of land in which it is possible to find isolation. Escaping the cities to camp, explore, fish or photograph are all popular pastimes of Australians. In fact, there are few places on earth that offer the range of wilderness and outback experiences to be found in Australia. If you are new to four wheel driving or roaming the less-travelled regions, take great care and be sure to do comprehensive research on the destinations you intend to explore before setting out. Some parts of the Australian interior, particularly inland Western Australia and the Northern Territory, are extremely isolated, and thorough precautions should be taken before venturing through these areas.
the beauty of the beast One of the great beauties of Australia is that there are many opportunities to leave modern
best price and experience.
Walking & Cycling Australia is comprehensively served by walking paths and tracks, which often are the only means of reaching some of the continent’s most spectacular locations. Cycling is an extremely common mode of transport, exploration and recreation — all of Australia’s major cities have excellent cycling paths that serve many of their most scenic and popular locations.
conveyances behind and take a trek on the back of beasts. This will not only provide a different perspective on the country around you, it will also help you appreciate the experiences of Australia’s original explorers, settlers and pioneers.
Chartering Many types of adventure vehicle are simply easier (and cheaper!) to charter or hire rather than supply yourself. Some, like light planes, helicopters and large cruise boats, come with pilots and other expert assistance included. Others, like houseboats, yachts and 4WD vehicles can be hired and steered to destinations of your choice. Chartering is a vast industry in Australia and good research will result in obtaining the
Outdoor Adventure Tours Whether your taste is for hurtling down the rapids in a raft or ballooning high into the dawn sky, there is an outdoor adventure operator ready to satisfy it. On every coast, diving, snorkelling, yachting and sportfishing charters are on offer to suit both the novice and experienced enthusiast. Rock climbing, bushwalking, desert treks and cross-country skiing are just a few of the many experiences that await adventurers in Australia’s interior.
This page: Travelling around Australia can be enjoyed numerous ways — hike, drive, fly, paddle (rapidly!) or cruise.
Eco Educational Tours Ecotourism tours emphasise minimal impact upon the resident fauna and flora. A nocturnal walk led by expert guides in a wildlife-rich habitat is one of the most exhilarating travel experiences Australia has to offer.
BUY NOW www.steveparish.com.au 11
TRAVEL – An Australian Adventure
Brisbane The region now known as Brisbane is the traditional home of the Turrbal and Jagera people, who call it Mian-jin or “place shaped like a spike”. In 1823, the New South Wales Surveyor-General John Oxley navigated into Moreton Bay, on Queensland’s south-east coast seeking a suitable location for the establishment of a new penal settlement. In fact, three escaped convicts from Sydney had already beaten him there and, upon their chance meeting with Oxley, alerted him to the existence of a large river snaking inland from the bay. This subtropical paradise formed the backdrop to a harsh penal outpost until 1842. The region was then opened to adventurous free settlers who, in a remarkably short time helped transform Brisbane’s squalid shanty atmosphere into a thriving town. In 1859, Brisbane became the capital of the new colony of Queensland.
City on the Rise
Top: One of Brisbane’s CityCats. Above, top to bottom Naldham House; South Bank. Below: Bicentennial Bikeway.
12 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Today, Brisbane is one of Australia’s fastest growing cities — a sprawling metropolis with a population of nearly two million people (and rising rapidly by the week). Many of these new Brisbanites hail from the southern states, lured by sunshine, a lower cost of living and job opportunities. Shining “Brisvegas”, once derided for a perceived lack of urban sophistication, now basks in the glory of booming tourism, business investment and a riverside renaissance that have seen it become one of Australia’s most dynamic 21st century cities. Its suburbs spread across a coastal floodplain, reaching east to Moreton Bay and west toward the Great Dividing Range. Close to the city centre are the hills of Mount Coot-tha and Mount Gravatt. The ubiquitous “Queenslander”, a distinctively designed timber house set high (usually) on stumps and featuring generous verandahs, give many suburbs their homely charisma. The best way to come to grips with Brisbane’s layout is to observe it from altitude. Mount Coottha Lookout provides panoramic views (best in the late afternoon) of the city’s expansion across
the floodplains to the coast and north to the foothills of the Glasshouse Mountains. One of the first things you will notice is the welcome proportion of green spaces spreading out from the river and surrounding the city. Brisbane’s subtropical climate of mild winters and hot, humid summers supplies the ideal conditions for cultivating different plant species.
River Plain The Greater Brisbane region stretches from western hills, rising to nearly 600 m, east to the coast. The serpentine curve of the Brisbane River shapes the city and its flat floodplain forms its foundations.
Queensland’s Queenslanders Since the 1820s, “Queenslander” houses have developed in different styles and sizes, but all are designed to maximise air flow and create cool living spaces. Key features of the Queenslander’s architectural style are its corrugated iron roof, timber construction and open verandahs. Fine lacework and other details are lovingly restored.
Story Bridge Traversing the Brisbane River from Kangaroo Point to Fortitude Valley is the 777 m long, steel cantilever Story Bridge. This proud iron-grey structure frames some of the city’s best views and stands as a monument to the enterprise and vision of Brisbane citizens during the Great Depression. Upon its opening in 1940, some 600,000 people walked over the river. Its appeal remains today. The experience has been heightened with the addition of a walkway across the upper span of the bridge, providing stunning views by day and night.
Cultural Festivals Brisbane’s abundance of outdoor spaces and its passion for the arts regularly come together in the form of major cultural festivals. The annual Brisbane Festival runs for twelve
days at the start of September and is the city’s signature event. The festival attracts masses of residents and visitors to riverside venues, showcasing theatre, dance, music and visual arts. Riverfire, a massive pyrotechnics display staged on the river during the festival, attracts the biggest crowds of any event held in the city.
Brisbane City Brisbane today is a vibrant blend of colonial heritage and newly defined modernity. Nestled in the river’s major bend, the city streets combine pedestrian malls and civic spaces, shopping centres and commercial districts. The CBD radiates from Queen Street Mall, running from historic George Street to the bustle of Edward Street, and is home to the city’s largest department stores, retail complexes and landmark arcades. The CBD’s fringing suburbs (West End, Spring Hill, New Farm and the Valley) each harness a local style of their own.
Historic Brisbane Brisbane’s sassy postmodern facelift is balanced by a respect for its sandstone heritage. Carefully preserved buildings such as Customs House, with its superb stonemasonry and verdigris copper dome, and the classically inspired City Hall co-exist with their more contemporary incarnations. Get a snapshot of Brisbane history by walking the city’s heritage trail, which commences at City Hall (King George Square) and takes in Brisbane’s oldest building — the convict-constructed (and powered) Old Mill at Wickham Terrace. The sandstone structure was erected in 1828 to grind flour and maize for the penal colony and later converted to use as a signal station. Many great buildings can be seen along George Street, including Queensland’s original Government House near the City Botanic Gardens.
Along the river, bike trails, walking paths, cafés and markets create an enticing leisure zone. South Bank Parklands is also home to many of the city’s major cultural institutions. Facing the river and linked by a common public plaza are the State Library of Queensland, Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) and the Queensland Museum. Next door is the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Brisbane’s premier performance venue housing the Lyric and Cremorne Theatres, Playhouse and 1800 seat Concert Hall. All are only a five minute walk from the city across Victoria Bridge. To get a proper sense of the river’s central role in Brisbane life, jump aboard a CityCat hydrofoil ferry from South Bank (terminals are located along the riverside’s Clem Jones Promenade).
Alfresco city Encouraged by a climate offering year-round sunshine, Brisbane is, at its heart, an outdoor city. Open city spaces and long riverside paths make outdoor recreation an integral part of Brisbane life. More than 500 km of cycle paths, including the Bicentennial Bikeway, wind through the city. Bikeways and walking paths are one of the city’s best means of travel, exercise and discovery.
Above: Lights decorating the Story Bridge illuminate the Brisbane River in a glorious spectrum of colour. Below, left to right: The Queensland Performing Arts Complex; A typical “Queenslander”.
Riverside Renaissance In and around the CBD, expansive parks and gardens meet the riverfront at numerous points. www.steveparish.com.au 13
TRAVEL – An Australian Adventure
River city City Hall Forming the southern boundary of King George Square, Brisbane’s City Hall was completed in 1930 and was once the tallest structure in the city. It houses the Brisbane City Council Chambers, the Museum of Brisbane and six classy function rooms. The main auditorium (right) with its sky dome ceiling, high galleries and ornate sculpturing exudes a stately elegance that makes it one of Brisbane’s finest venues.
King George Square
Top right: Anzac Square. Top: Inside Brisbane City Hall. Above: Paddlewheelers operate from Eagle Street Pier. Below: One of the dinosaur replicas in the Queensland Museum’s Dinosaur Garden.
Located between Ann and Adelaide Streets, Brisbane’s main civic square is a flowing space of lawn and stone featuring an eclectic range of statues, sculptures and fountains. Presided over by the impressive clock tower and neo-classical facade of City Hall, the square is a popular meeting place and a traditional venue for public gatherings, exhibitions, and markets.
Anzac Square Further north along Ann Street is Anzac Square, a popular public space commemorating those fallen in war. Carefully spaced Bottle Trees commemorate the Queensland Light Horse Regiments’ efforts during the Boer War.
located in Fortitude Valley is Chinatown — with its own colourful weekend market and a range of well-stocked Asian grocery shops and specialty importers.
Maritime Museum Featuring a Torres Strait pearl lugger, 19th century naval cannons and a 1940s Royal Australian Navy Frigate, the Queensland Maritime Museum offers visitors a fascinating voyage of discovery. The museum is located on the Brisbane River at the southern end of the Goodwill Bridge at South Bank Parklands.
Performing Arts Complex The Cremorne Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Playhouse and Concert Hall offer year-round shows (including major comedies, operas, ballets, dramas, singers and musicals). The venue’s facilities and location are on a par with any in the world.
Queensland Cultural Centre A pleasant walk from the mall across Victoria Bridge leads to the Queensland Cultural Centre — a campus of modern buildings that form the hub of Brisbane’s art world.
Overlooking the gardens and walkways are the Shrine and the Eternal Flame of Remembrance. The Shrine’s eighteen columns represent the year of peace following WWI (1918). The square is the focal point for Brisbane’s annual Anzac Day tributes on April 25.
The Performing Arts Complex stages a variety of theatrical and artistic extravaganzas in its three theatres. Queensland Art Gallery shows Australian and international works of art. Nearby, the Queensland Museum displays a range of exhibits from the Dinosaur Garden to Mephisto — the only remaining German tank from WWI.
Fortitude Valley
The Cultural Centre also houses the State Library, Queensland Conservatorium of Music and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, which is Australia’s largest modern art gallery.
The lively inner city suburb of Fortitude Valley is renowned for its dining and nightlife. The Valley is located a kilometre from the CBD at the northern end of Ann Street and is also popular for its weekend markets and hip fashion boutiques. Also
River Bridges The Brisbane River is spanned by numerous bridges, from the Gateway Bridge in the east to Centenary Bridge at Jindalee. The major city
bridges are the William Jolly Bridge, Story Bridge, Victoria Bridge, Captain Cook Bridge, Go Between Bridge and the Goodwill Bridge, a popular cycling and pedestrian link that crosses the river from Gardens Point to South Bank.
music and oodles of character, the Green Flea Community Market (Davies Park, West End) and Valley Markets (Brunswick St Mall) project a true market vibe.
Brisbane Markets
Travelling the river by boat is one of the most relaxing ways to see the city and environs. Your options include luxuriating aboard the threetiered reproduction paddlewheelers Kookaburra River Queen I & II, built for Brisbane’s World Expo in 1988. CityCats and ferries are available from 23 terminals positioned throughout the city on both sides of the river.
You will find occasional and permanent markets in a wide variety of locations throughout the city. At the Riverside Centre on Eagle Street, a weekly Sunday market offers everything from abstract art to zucchinis. South Bank Markets, with over 150 stalls, kicks off on Friday night and runs over the weekend (in Stanley Street Plaza). With live
Top: Brisbane CBD and Kurilpa Bridge. Above: The Goodwill Bridge.
River Boats
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NATIONAL PARK IN FOCUS Lace Monitor
D’Aguilar National Park
Above: Wivenhoe Outlook. Below, top to bottom: Jolly’s Lookout; Maiala National Park is part of the D’Aguilar Ranges. Opposite page: Maiala National Park.
16 Nature Connect Feb 2012
D’Aguilar National Park is divided into two sections. The south D’Aguilar section, which was formerly known as Brisbane Forest Park, and the Mount Mee section, formerly Mount Mee State Forest and Forest Reserve. The south D’Aguilar section is approximately 12 km north-west of Brisbane — perfect for those wishing to escape the city grind and get some healthy fresh air.
WALKS IN THE PARK: A network of graded walking trails from Class 2 (easy) to Class 4 (caution required), leads through the park. At Mount Glorious there is an excellent walk along the Maiala Track to Greene’s Falls. Take this walk in the early morning or late afternoon — it can be teeming with bird and reptile fauna. A dusk or evening wander is likely to produce encounters with frogs, geckoes and possums.
The park protects 36,000 ha of bushland and mountain range and incorporates numerous national parks, state forests and reserves. Most of the park, with Mount Nebo village at its centre, is eucalypt woodland with moist gullies and rock outcrops. There is also superb subtropical palm and vine rainforest, especially at Mount Glorious. There are many picnic areas, walking tracks and lookouts within the park, and regular nature interpretation activities are held. There are also regular school programs, activities and an event calendar full of things to see and do. Visit the Walkabout Creek Visitor Centre (60 Mt Nebo Road, The Gap) for further details. This fantastic visitor centre also has information on many of South-East Queensland’s national parks through a virtual lookout. The centre is open seven days a week (with the exception of some public holidays) from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm.
ACCESS: Via Mount Nebo Road. A bus service operates from Brisbane to the park’s information centre, but you will require your own transport to access most of the walking trails. CAMPING: There are eight remote bush camp sites (minimal facilities, walking access only, fees and permits apply). There is also two formal campgrounds in the Mount Mee section (Neurum Creek and Archer). For more information go to the Queensland Government’s website = www.derm.qld.gov. au/parks/daguilar
AMAZING FACTS
Amazing Australia the FACTS! Australia’s flag (above) was officially recognised in 1951, when King George VI approved the Australian Blue Ensign with the seven‑pointed Commonwealth star beneath and the five‑pointed Southern Cross constellation. In 1953, the Flags Act made it Australia’s official flag. Australia has two other flags: the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag, which were officially adopted on 14 July 1995. Each State and Territory also has its own flag.
The coat of arms (below) consists of a shield bearing the badges of the six federated States. It is carried by a kangaroo and Emu (both animals that cannot go backwards — for good luck), which stand on an ornamental rest surrounded by wattle.
Australia is simultaneously the world’s smallest continent and the largest island on Earth. It was also, apart from Antarctica, one of the last land masses to be explored and settled by European people, with a European history of little more than 220 years. However, the Aboriginal history of Australia stretches back more than 60,000 years and is the oldest continuing culture on the planet. The Australian continent has an area of 7,682,300 km2 and is comprised of two land masses — the mainland and Tasmania, as well as more than 8220 smaller islands, giving it a combined coastline of around 59,736 km. It lies on the Tropic of Capricorn and is surrounded by water — to the east by the Pacific Ocean and to the west by the Indian Ocean, with the Arafura Sea to the north and the Southern Ocean to the south. Australia is extremely remote, its closest neighbour is Papua New Guinea, which is around 200 km to the north. A number of external territories, such as Norfolk Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island, Macquarie Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory (which lies between 45 degrees south and 160 degrees east), are also part of Australia.
Driest, flattest, oldest After Antarctica, Australia is the driest continent on Earth. Although the climate varies in different parts of the country, most of the inland is vast desert that is not suitable for human habitation. Because of Australia’s strong sunshine and desert winds, 89% of the country’s rainfall evaporates. Around 250 million years of erosion have led to Australia becoming the flattest continent on Earth. The lowest mainland point is Lake Eyre, which is 16 m below sea level, and the highest is Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales, which is 2228 m above sea level — still much lower than mountains found on other continents. Because Australia is so old and does not lie along any major underground fault lines, it is also the most stable land mass, and no mountain building events have occurred for the past 80 million years. 18 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Top: Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are a familiar sight in the Australian sky. Above: The nation’s floral emblem is the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha). Below: Australia’s iconic kangaroo is the faunal emblem. Australia has three kangaroo species, the Eastern Grey, Western Grey and Red Kangaroo, as well as numerous smaller wallaby, wallaroo and potoroo species.
Land before time
states & territories
Because Australia is such an ancient, seemingly timeless place, many people have called it the “land before time”. Certainly, the Aboriginal concept of time — in which the Dreaming (or world of the creation spirits) is ever‑present and ongoing, including the past, present and future — makes that an apt title. However, Europeans brought with them their concept of time and today three different time zones operate across the vast continent. Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria are half an hour ahead of South Australia and the Northern Territory and two hours ahead of Western Australia. From October to the beginning of April, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania have daylight savings, winding the clock forward by an hour to enjoy more sunshine in the evening during the warmer months.
Following European settlement, Australia became a British penal colony and was split up into a number of States. Each State had different laws, policies and military forces. In 1901, the six States in existence decided to unite in Federation, which gave them an over‑arching legal, political, governmental and defence system. Today, Australia has six States — New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia — and two Territories, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as sea territory.
the FACTS! “Advance Australia fair”, Australia’s national anthem, was written by Scotsman Peter Dodds McCormick under the pen name of Amicus and was first performed on 30 November 1878. It became the official national anthem in 1984. The original lyrics were “Australian sons let us rejoice”.
Australia’s sea territory (the Economic
“discovering” a continent Many people mistakenly believe that English Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook (above) discovered Australia in 1770, but that is not the case. The first known discoverers were the ancestors of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, who (as some DNA evidence suggests) crossed by boat either from Indonesia or New Guinea. Well before Cook was sent in the Endeavour to explore the possible “great south land”, other explorers had struck the coastline. Dutch merchants, who often arrived by accident while sailing to the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), first began to arrive from 1606, including Willem Jansz, Dirk Hartog, Willem de Vlamingh, Jan Carstenz and many more. Portuguese navigators, such as de Quiros and de Torres, added to the knowledge of “New Holland’s” coastline. Cook, however, did claim Australia’s east coast as British territory on 22 August 1770 at Possession Island, Queensland — paving the way for colonisation. French navigators Louis de Bougainville, Nicolas Baudin and La Pérouse also visited before colonisers on the First Fleet arrived to settle the continent in 1788.
Exclusion Zone) is 8,148,250 km2 — more than the country’s land mass.
only two active volcanoes are within Australian territory. The largest is Big Ben on Heard Island, which is closer to Antarctica than to Australia. It was last active in 1987. The other is on McDonald Island and last erupted in 2005. On the mainland, the last volcanic activity occurred a few thousand years ago at Mount Gambier, South Australia.
Top: Snow falls in Kosciuszko National Park. Left, top to bottom: The Simpson Desert is home to the longest parallel sand dunes in the world, including the 40‑m‑high “Big Red”; Australia’s longest river system, the Murray– Darling, nourishes the continent’s south‑eastern corner.
www.steveparish.com.au 19
AMAZING FACTS
Ancient
Indigenous heritage the FACTS! Harold Thomas, a Luritja man, designed the Aboriginal flag in 1971, The black section is symbolic of the Aboriginal people, while the red represents the Earth and the Aborigines’ spiritual connection with it. The yellow circle is the sun, regarded as the giver of life.
Aborigines created fire by rubbing sticks together to generate heat. It became extremely important to carry fire from one site to the next, usually with a smouldering “fire stick”.
Although in English we often use the word “tribe” to describe Aboriginal groups, today most Aborigines refer to those who speak the same language or live in the same area as “mobs”. They may ask, “What mob do you belong to?” rather than, “Where do you come from?”, as white Australians might.
When Cook claimed Australia as British territory, the land was not uninhabited or “terra nullius” (no one’s land) as claimed. Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander people have enjoyed a rich spiritual connection with the land for more than 60,000 years. The earliest archaeological evidence of Aboriginal occupation is the body of a man nicknamed Mungo Man, which dates to 40,000 years ago; however, complex spiritual beliefs mean that most Aborigines see their occupation of Australia as timeless. When Europeans first arrived in Australia, an estimated 300,000– 750,000 Aborigines probably inhabited the continent, living in groups of 50–2000 members who spoke the same language or similar dialects. Historians believe there may have been as many as 900 different “tribes” and more than 200 languages (each of which may have included several dialects) were spoken. Aboriginal culture is the oldest continuous culture on Earth and, like many ancient cultures, it is oral not written. The best tools historians have to help reveal Australia’s Indigenous heritage are the accounts of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (passed on from generation to generation); Dreaming stories and legends; dances, songs and rituals; archaeological artefacts; rock art; and continuing customs and beliefs.
The Dreaming Central Australian Aborigines call the Dreaming Alcheringa and believe it has existed and continues to exist forever. It comprises the past, present and future and describes the intricate spiritual relationship between the landscape and landforms, the ancestors and spirits, the animals and plants, and the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples. Most Aboriginal people believe that each individual is the descendant of a plant or animal, which is their totem, and that landscapes were created and formed out of the experiences of ancestor spirits. Thus, the spires of the Three Sisters were once women who were turned to stone to punish their father, and the movement of the huge Rainbow Serpent over the 20 Nature Connect Feb 2012
land was able to carve landscapes. The Dreaming stories also explain the complex web of kinship links and how an individual should interact with others according to tribal law and cultural taboos and customs. These spiritual beliefs are recorded and retold in rock art (below left), which may serve to simultaneously record Aboriginal history, to decorate, and to inform those who visit the rock art galleries of particular stories and beliefs.
Tools & Tucker Unlike the early European settlers, who struggled to survive in the harsh climate, Aborigines had long learned how to hunt and gather edible plants and animals. Indigenous peoples were not strictly nomadic but moved seasonally through their traditional territory, seeking permission from other tribes if they had to cross into another groups’ lands. They were, and remain, excellent trackers who are able to identify animals by their prints and scats, and hunted them using boomerangs, spears, stone axes and woomeras (throwing clubs). For defence, Aborigines carried shields of timber and bark, carved or painted with symbolic designs. Women carried “dillybags” woven out of animal hair or grass, and one of the most important Aboriginal tools — the simple digging stick. This sharpened piece of hardwood was used to dig up termite mounds, roots, tubers, plants or burrowing animals, and even to spear fish and knock fruit from trees. Women also carried an oval‑shaped vessel made of carved wood, known as a coolamon. It could be used for digging, containing food or even carrying a baby. When Aborigines remained in one spot semi-permanently or for the season, they usually constructed a bark hut known as a gunyah, wurley or humpy. Aborigines made stone tools with ground edges up to 10,000 years before European peoples did.
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the FACTS! Song & Dance In Aboriginal culture, song and dance are crucial elements to relay stories, legends and belief systems. Ritualistic or celebratory corroborees (an Aboriginal word for ceremonies) are also imperative for maintaining the Indigenous way of life. Most songs are very short, but may be linked with other songs to tell the Dreamings. Songs are considered very powerful and may be restricted
to certain occasions or only sung (or heard) by certain people. Restrictions also apply to some dances. Songs and dances are often accompanied by rhythmic clapsticks and the melody of the didgeridoo. The didgeridoo was first created to attract Emus and is a 160‑cm‑long, 30‑mm‑wide piece of wood that has been hollowed out by termites. When correctly blown into, it creates a droning, trumpet‑like tune. Playing the “didj” correctly requires mastering continuous breathing, in which air is drawn in through the nose so the player does not have to stop to take a breath. Bullroarers, which are composed of a flat piece of wood attached to string, and, when swung around, make a loud, whirring noise, were also used in some ceremonies.
Aborigines were not included in the Commonwealth census until after 27 May 1967. The Australian Constitution had stated, “In reckoning the number of people in the Commonwealth...aboriginal natives shall not be counted”.
Some Indigenous peoples, particularly those on Qld’s Cape York, prohibit speaking during times of mourning and use a form of elaborate sign language instead.
Bungaree, a Ku-ringgai man from north Sydney Harbour, became the first Aborigine to circumnavigate Australia when he sailed with Matthew Flinders in 1801–1802. Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal people are ethnically different. Torres Strait Islanders live on islands off the far north coast of Queensland, between Australia and New Guinea. Culturally, many Torres Strait Islander people share closer similarities to Papua New Guineans and other Pacific Islanders than to the many diverse Aboriginal groups throughout the mainland and Tasmania.
www.steveparish.com.au 21
AMAZING FACTS
Marvellous
mammals the FACTS! Wombats kill predators that follow them down the burrow by using their bottoms to crush pursuers against the burrow’s roof. Rather than being “muddle‑headed”, wombats have a much larger brain, proportionally, than any other marsupial and are quite intelligent.
In 2004, researchers at the Australian National University found a chain of odd sex chromosomes that point to a possible link between the Platypus and birds. DEspite similarities with birds, male Short‑beaked Echidnas, ejaculate in a similar way to reptiles, using only half of the penis. Reptiles have a pair of penises, known as hemipenes, and copulate using only one at a time.
Top right: Koalas rarely come to ground. Top: The Bilby is an important part of traditional Aboriginal culture in the deserts of Central Australia. Above: The Echidna’s snout is 7-8 cm long. Its small mouth and nostrils are located at the very tip.
22 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Australia is the only place on Earth where all three groups of mammals — marsupial, placental and monotreme — coexist. Up to 95% of Australia’s unique mammals are found nowhere else. The best known, and many say cutest, Australian mammal is the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Koalas do not need to drink, except during drought. Usually they obtain all of the moisture they require from the toxic gum leaves they eat, which they break down using a specialised appendix‑like structure known as a caecum. In the past, people believed that Koalas got drunk on gum leaves and that is why they slept so much. In fact, gum leaves provide little nutritional value, so the Koala must conserve energy by sleeping for up to 20 hours a day. Koalas’ closest living relatives are wombats, which live on the ground where they use their sturdy claws to construct deep burrows. Like Koalas, wombats have backwards‑facing pouches, but they eat roots and grass and their young walk once they leave the burrow and never ride on mum’s back.
Missing‑link mammals Australia’s two bizarre monotremes were considered miraculous additions to biology when they were first discovered, and some evolutionary biologists regard them as the primitive “missing link” between reptiles and mammals. The word monotreme translates as “one hole” as, like reptiles, they have only one opening (known as a cloaca) for their waste and reproductive purposes. Also like reptiles, they lay eggs and are the only known mammals to do so. However, as for all mammals, they are covered in fur (the echidna’s spines being a type of modified hair) and they feed their young on milk that seeps from glands on the mother’s belly. The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a water‑dwelling mammal, but is able to use its webbed feet to waddle awkwardly on land.
Top: Koalas’ closest relatives are wombats. Above: Most aquatic mammals swim by kicking their back feet. The Platypus, however, uses its front feet.
The wide leathery bill of the Platypus is equipped with thousands of tiny “sensors”. Some sensors react to touch and others detect electrical impulses generated by prey animals. The Short‑beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is a terrestrial creature that is able to curl itself up into a tight, spiny ball if threatened. Its snout is also equipped with many sensors that help it to detect its food. It feeds exclusively on ants and termites. The Echidna’s short, powerful legs are tipped with long claws ideally suited to digging.
Airborne mammals The only true flying mammals are bats, which have lightweight, modified skeletons and membranous skin stretched over their elongated fingers and forearms. Bats have existed in Australia for at least 50 million years and scientists believe they may have evolved from small, shrew‑like South American mammals that were able to glide. However, Australia is also home to another group of mammalian aerialists — the gliders. While they cannot propel themselves through the air with true flight, a thin membrane of skin (known as a patagium), which stretches from their forelimbs to their ankles, enables them to “volplane” from tree to tree. Australia has three groups of gliding possums — greater gliders, tiny feathertail gliders and wrist‑wringed gliders, such as the commonly seen Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps).
the FACTS! Aborigines used the Dingo as a companion animal and it was known as warrigal in some languages. The expression “three‑dog night” arose because Aborigines curled up with Dingoes to keep them warm on cold winter nights.
Frequently seen mammals Many of Australia’s mammals have, over time, become accustomed to sharing their habitats with humans and are often seen around backyards, campsites and nature reserves. Kangaroos and the smaller wallabies are frequent visitors to golf courses or parks and even the small, shy pademelons regularly appear at dusk around forest fringes and will grant an audience to quiet, respectful individuals. The more raucous Common Ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) and Common Brushtail (Trichosurus vulpecula) are even known to enter people’s houses and build a drey in the ceiling. They are daring, noisy scavengers of orchard trees and rubbish bins. Australian Fur‑seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) and Australian Sea‑lions (Neophoca cinerea) were once hunted for their pelts, but are now protected. Millions of visitors each year delight at their clumsy, gregarious antics when they visit rocky shorelines and breeding colonies off Australia’s southern coast.
The red Kangaroo
Dolphins & daughters
(Macropus rufus, below) is Australia’s largest native mammal. Males can grow up to 2.5 m tall and weigh 85 kg.
In 2005, Dr Michael Krutzen at the University of New South Wales discovered that female bottlenose dolphins studied at Shark Bay, WA, seem to be passing on the knowledge of how to use a tool to their daughters. Some female dolphins learned to poke their beaks into a broken‑off, cup‑shaped piece of sponge and used it to lure fish out of hiding on the craggy sea floor. Not all dolphins did this, however, and researchers found that the females that did were related mothers and daughters, suggesting it was a learned trait. Only one male used the tool, and researchers think that may be because males are too busy seeking out partners to bother learning to “sponge”.
Left: A Feathertail Glider is the smallest gliding mammal in the world. Far left: Two groups of seals inhabit southern Australian waters. The most common are the “eared seals”, which include fur seals and sea-lions.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Quiz:
about Australia Q.1 True or false? Australia is the largest Q.8 How long have Aborigines lived in continent on Earth.
Q.2 What are Australia’s national colours?
Q.3 Why does Australia’s Coat of Arms feature a kangaroo and an Emu?
Australia: at least 5000; 10,000; 30,000; or 50,000 years?
Q.9 What is the most northerly point of the Australian mainland?
Q.10
Name Australia’s six States and two Territories.
Q.11 What is Australia’s official name:
People’s Republic of Australia, Land Down Under, Commonwealth of Australia or United States of Australia?
Q.12
Why is 1 January 1901 an important date in Australia’s history?
Q.13 In which State or Territory is
Tram
Kakadu National Park?
Australian Coat of Arms
Q.4 What occupies the top left corner of the Australian flag?
Q.5 True or false? Australia is 32 times
Q.14
The Akubra, Australia’s famous national hat, is made from the skin of which animal: rabbit, kangaroo, wombat or buffalo?
Q.15 Which State shares a border with
all other mainland States?
bigger than the United Kingdom.
Q.6 What is the first line of the second
verse of Australia’s national anthem “Advance Australia Fair”?
Q.7 Is Aboriginal culture the oldest Cape York, Queensland
24 Nature Connect Feb 2012
surviving culture in the world?
t Aboriginal ar
Q.16
Name one of the two Australian cities that still use trams.
Q.17 Are macadamia nuts native to
Q.30
The “Big Red” sand dune is in which desert?
Q.31 Which three oceans surround
Australia?
Australia?
Q.18 True or false? Australia exports
Q.32 Was Australia the first country
more wine to the United Kingdom than France does.
in the world to develop a complete set of “plastic money”?
Q.19 What do Australians celebrate on Q.33 Are there more kangaroos than
Labour Day?
Q.20
Do “true blue” and “dinky-di” mean the same thing?
Q.21
“Come in spinner” is called out in which betting game and when is it traditionally played?
people in Australia?
Q.34
True or false? Before 1902, swimming at the beach during daylight hours was illegal.
Q.35
Is Fraser Island the largest sand island in the world or just in Australia?
Q.22
Why is Australia Day celebrated on 26 January?
Q.23
Splendour in the Grass, Big Day Out and Groovin’ the Moo are all festivals that celebrate what?
Q.24
What is a Blue Heeler: a sad nurse, breed of dog, paint colour or police officer?
Q.25 John Simpson and which farmyard
animal symbolise wartime mateship?
Q.26
True or false? Western Australia is the driest State in the country.
Q.27
In tropical Australia, does the wet season happen over the winter or summer months?
Q.28
For part of its length, the Murray River forms the border between which two States?
Q.29
Australia lies on which line: the Equator, Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn?
Q.36
Fraser Island, Queensland
What percentage of the continent is considered fertile land: 6%, 10%, 50% or 80%?
Q.37
Top to bottom: Australia Day celebrations; Waterfall during the
wet season; Paddlewheeler on the Murray River.
Answers on page 57
What does “waltzing the Matilda” mean: dancing with a girl, roaming the countryside carrying only a swag, singing at the pub while holding a jug of beer, or making damper?
Q.38 In the song “Waltzing Matilda”,
the swagman steals a jumbuck. What is a jumbuck?
Q.39 Where was the skeleton of famous
racehorse Phar Lap sent to after his death: Melbourne, New Zealand or Canberra?
Q.40 Is the bunyip a real animal?
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WILDLIFE IN PROFILE
What is a
mammal? the FACTS! Mammals, like birds, generate heat within their bodies, rather than absorbing it from their surroundings, to “power” their lives. Animals that have the ability to do this are known as “homeotherms”.
The smallest Australian mammals
Humans have a special affinity with mammals, and for good reason. Most of the animals we depend on as our food, such as cows and sheep, are mammals, as are the pets that keep us company. Perhaps the simplest reason for our special connection to mammals is that we humans are mammals too. Mammals are a spectacular and diverse group that range in size from one of the largest animals that has ever lived — the 30 m long Blue Whale — to the tiny 30 mm Bumblebee Bat of SouthEast Asia. Along with fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds, mammals are vertebrates — animals with an internal skeleton and backbone.
are the Northern Cave Bat ( Vespadelus caurinus) and the Long-tailed Planigale ( Planigale ingrami). These animals weigh less than 5 g each and have a head–body length of less than 6 mm.
Mammals differ from other vertebrates because their body is covered by skin and hair. Even “naked” mammals have a few hairs somewhere on their bodies. Another difference is that their young suckle milk produced by glands on the mother’s body. Mammals also have lower jaws that hinge directly to their skulls and their teeth vary in shape.
The most common form of mammal shape is a
A Basic Plan
rat-like body.
Mammals have a sophisticated hearing system consisting of three middle-ear bones ( the malleus, incus and stapes). Other vertebrates have these bones, but their only function is to link the lower jaw to the skull.
Australia’s largest living native land mammal is the male Red Kangaroo, which can weigh up to 85 kg and measure 2.5 m from nose to tail. Top right: Spinifex Hopping Mouse. Top: The Dingo is Australia’s wild dog. Right: The Rufous Hare-wallaby is extinct in the wild. Far right: Squirrel Glider in a nest hollow.
26 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Mammals all have the same basic body plan — a head and neck and a long body with four limbs that each end in five digits ( fingers and toes). Some also have a tail. Their internal skeleton provides a light-weight, rigid framework to support the body and a series of flexible joints permits easy movement. This basic layout has been modified and altered to suit particular lifestyles. For example, the limbs can be modified to act as wings, flippers, hooves or hands. The nostrils of whales and dolphins are located on the top of the head to form their characteristic “blowholes”, rather than in the middle of the face.
Jaws and teeth Mammals have four types of teeth: incisors ( front teeth) for biting and gnawing; canines ( eye teeth) for ripping and tearing; and premolars and molars ( cheek teeth) for crushing or shearing. The arrangement and number of teeth in the jaws varies according to diet. Numbats ( termite eaters) have 52 teeth! Australia’s marsupial mammals can be divided into two groups, according to the number of their incisors. Koalas, wombats, possums and kangaroos have two lower incisors and are known as diprotodonts, meaning two front teeth. Carnivorous marsupials — bandicoots, marsupial moles and Numbats — have more than two lower incisors and are known as polyprotodonts, meaning many front teeth.
Left: The Platypus is a monotreme.
mammal classification
Marsupials
Mammals can be divided into three groups, depending on how they reproduce. One group lay eggs like reptiles. The second group give birth to “premature” young that continue to develop on the outside of the mother’s body, usually in a pouch. The young of the remaining group develop inside their mother’s body.
Marsupials give birth to partly developed young after a short gestation period. The newborn “swims” through its mother’s fur to locate a teat. In most marsupials, the mammary gland and teat are located in a pouch or a fold of skin on the mother’s abdomen. The young complete their development on the outside of their mother. Marsupials also have a single reproductive and excretory opening.
Monotremes Young monotremes develop in soft-shelled eggs that are nourished by yolk. These eggs are incubated outside the mother’s body for a short time. Hatchlings are blind, naked and undeveloped. They suckle milk from the mother, but female monotremes do not have nipples on their mammary glands. Instead, the milk drains from the gland onto a patch of skin or tufts of hair. Young echidnas are cared for in a pouch, but young Platypuses develop in a nest after they hatch. Monotremes have a single opening that is called a cloaca. The cloaca is used for mating and passing body wastes. Monotreme means “single hole”.
Placentals Most mammals develop inside the mother in a muscular organ called the uterus. The embryo is nourished directly from the mother’s system through the placenta, which links the blood vessels of the mother to her baby and prevents it from being rejected by her body. Some placental young are born blind and naked; others as small, fully formed versions of their parents. All suckle from their mothers until they can fend for themselves. Placentals have separate openings for defecation ( anus) and reproduction or urine excretion ( urinogenital opening).
monotremes
marsupials
placentals
Platypus
Quoll, Dunnart and relatives
Bat
Echidna
Thylacine and Tasmanian Devil
Rodent
Numbat
Seal and Sea-lion
Marsupial Mole
Whale and dolphin
Bandicoot and Bilby
Dugong
the FACTS! Mammals are descended from mammallike reptiles that lived 210–280 million years ago.
The earliest mammal fossils date from around 220 million years ago ( Triassic Period).
all three groups of modern mammals evolved during the time of the dinosaurs. Fossil and genetic evidence shows that monotremes separated from the line of mammals that gave rise to marsupials and placental animals about 150 million years ago.
Marsupials and placental mammals seem to have parted company sometime between 100 million and 125 million years ago.
The rise and dominance of the dinosaurs seems to have restricted the development of mammals during the Mesozoic Period but, with the demise of the dinosaurs, the “Age of Mammals” began and continues to this day.
Wombat and Koala Possum and glider Kangaroo and wallaby www.steveparish.com.au 27
WILDLIFE IN PROFILE
Koala –
a life in the gum trees the FACTS! Gum trees produce poisonous chemicals as a protection against leaf-eating animals. The Koala’s digestive system is specially adapted to detoxify these poisons. Their acute sense of smell helps them identify different leaves and detect how poisonous they are.
When approaching a tree to climb, Koalas spring from the ground and catch their front claws in the bark, then bound upwards. Claw marks are usually visible on the trunks of trees regularly used as “home trees” by Koalas.
The Koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus) is one of Australia’s most iconic animals. Like the kangaroo, it is immediately recognised around the world as a symbol of Australia. Its name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “no drink” because a Koala receives more than 90 per cent of its water from the leaves that it eats. It is one of the few native mammals that can survive on a diet of eucalyptus ( gum) leaves, which are toxic to most other animals. In Australia there are more than 600 types of eucalypt trees, but Koalas eat only a small number of these. Eucalyptus leaves are very fibrous and low in nutrition. To cope with this diet, Koalas have a slow metabolic rate that allows them to retain food in their digestive systems for long periods. In this way, they can extract maximum amounts of nutrients from their food. Koalas also sleep for approximately 18 hours per day and this conserves their energy.
Rough pads on each paw and long sharp claws help the Koala grip tree trunks and branches. Two opposable fingers on each front paw are used in much the same way as a human thumb. On each hind paw, the second and third toes are fused together to form a grooming aid.
Balancing Act
Koalas breed during the spring and summer from September to March. Females are ready to breed at about three or four years old. The gestation period is 34–36 days. Koalas usually produce one offspring each year, but some give birth only every two or three years.
The Koala has an excellent sense of balance and its muscular body and long limbs make it an agile climber. Its climbing strength comes from the thigh muscle, which joins the shin bone at a much lower point than in other animals.
This page: Koalas are most active from dusk to dawn when they are less likely to lose precious moisture and energy because of the cooler temperatures at this time of day.
28 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Yummy Poo Before they are old enough to eat gum leaves, young Koalas first feed on milk and then on a soft, runny substance called “pap”, which the mother produces in her own body. “Pap” is essentially a special form of faeces, or poo, which allows the mother to pass on the micro-organisms that are essential for digesting poisonous eucalypt leaves.
the FACTS! Disease poses a serious threat to Koala Koalas live in open forest and woodland from the Atherton Tableland in far north Queensland to islands off the coast of Victoria and South Australia. They can also be found in dry woodlands west of the Great Dividing Range, but do not occur in arid or desert lands.
Home Life Koalas are highly territorial and live in stable breeding groups. However, they are also solitary animals within a network of overlapping territories. Each Koala maintains a home range around a number of favoured “food trees”. These trees also provide shelter and places for contact with other Koalas. Since European settlement, approximately 80 per cent of Australia’s eucalypt
forests have been cleared, fragmented or degraded, particularly along the east coast.
Something to Say Koalas use sound to communicate with one another. Males make a deep grunting bellow to signify their social status. Females make a more low-pitched bellow. Mothers and babies make soft clicking, squeaking and murmuring sounds to each other. All Koalas will cry or scream in fear. Koalas also communicate by marking their trees with their scent.
Conservation Watch: Secure Threats: land clearing, bushfires, introduced predators, vehicle strikes, drought and disease.
colonies around the country. Scientists have discovered that a micro-organism called chlamydia causes conjunctivitis, pneumonia and other infections that reduce the Koalas’ ability to breed. In some areas, disease-free Koalas have been introduced to local colonies to boost population levels. Koalas are also known to suffer from leukaemia and skin cancer.
Koalas are completely at home in the tree tops, even when they are fast asleep on a hard branch. They have a wide variety of sitting and sleeping postures and often move around to catch the sun or the breeze. On hot days, it is common to see Koalas with limbs dangling loosely as they try to keep cool. In cold weather they curl themselves into balls to conserve their body heat.
Koalas walk awkwardly, but they can run and even swim.
This page: Koalas have a thick woolly fur that protects them from temperature extremes and rain. The fur is particularly thick on the Koala’s bottom and acts like a cushion. Fur colour varies from light grey to brown with patches of white on the chest and neck, inside the arms and legs, and inside the ears. Mature males have a brown “scent gland” in the centre of the chest.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Photographing
mammals
QUICK TIP
•
For macropod photography, 35 mm SLR cameras are preferable. This is because they provide the opportunity to use longer focal length lenses, such as 400 mm plus lenses. However, compact cameras with zoom lenses and auto focus have also been used with some success.
•
Macropods do exhibit eyeshine, so if you are using a flash (either for night photography or as a fill-in flash during daylight), be sure that it is positioned so eye-shine will not be recorded.
•
Watch your backgrounds. Aesthetically pleasing backgrounds will greatly enhance your images, particularly where they add a splash of colour.
Top right: Western Grey Kangaroo. Above: Quokka. Right: Brush-tailed Phascogale. Far right: Common Wombat.
30 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Mammals are the most alert of all the wild animals and therefore pose a great challenge to nature photographers. Like humans, other mammals learn about their surroundings by using their eyes to see, ears to hear, noses to smell, tongues to taste and skin to feel. The brain processes information and the animal reacts to meet its needs or avoid danger. For example, if a kangaroo feels hungry, it seeks grass by sight and smell, then eats it. If it sees or smells danger, it hops away. “Behaviour” is the word that describes an animal’s actions, and “instinctive behaviour” is automatic and is displayed by most animals when faced with a threatening situation. For instance, a Koala will instinctively climb a tree to escape danger. “Learned behaviour” is carried out when an animal copies another animal’s actions, or when (by trial and error) it discovers that an action results in a desired outcome. A young quoll learns to hunt by watching its mother hunt, and learns to defend itself by playing with its litter mates. Mammals can overcome instinctive reactions in order to survive. A wallaby may learn to tolerate humans if it becomes used to seeing them near a national park campsite, although it may remain wary elsewhere. Understanding these basics will help you interpret what is happening in photographs. An image of a kangaroo can be a portrait or it can be a study of a rarely observed behaviour that adds depth and meaning to your work.
Visiting mammals Numerous wild mammals share their habitat with humans and can be photographed in areas where they tolerate our presence. When you are travelling or camping, you can quickly build up a library of images by keeping watch after dark. At the Wallaman Falls campsite in north Queensland, for example, I photographed a Northern Brown Bandicoot and a Long-nosed Bandicoot. These are two common, but shy, small mammals, that were attracted to our campsite by the delicious smell of our evening meal — Pad Thai! Many Australians find that wild animals frequently visit their homes, especially when the backyard or gardens include native flora or untouched habitat. A Brush-tailed Phascogale (below left) was a regular visitor to a friend’s house near Kakadu National Park, where it preyed on insects attracted by the house lights. Another friend, a wildlife carer from north Queensland, had a tree-kangaroo visit her for years. It had been a hand-raised orphan that was cared for then released. Flying-foxes, possums, Koalas, bandicoots and all sorts of mammals have befriended those who have built their homes in just the right place and (wisely or by chance) left native bushland to allow the animals to keep living their natural lives. My own home in the bush just outside Brisbane is often visited by Red-necked Wallabies, Common Ringtail and Brushtail Possums and Longnosed Bandicoots which explore my backyard or verandah.
Rock-wallabies
KANGAROOS & WALLABIES
While there are a handful of places where rockwallabies are rather tame (Magnetic Island and Mareeba in north Queensland and around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, to name a few), these small, fast-moving and acutely aware macropods are a tremendous challenge to photograph. At least ten species of rock-wallaby and two wallaroo species inhabit rocky outcrops, and all are often first detected by their droppings. When you see “roo poo”, it provides a good indication of where you might best do your dawn and dusk stake out.
The larger macropods (the Red Kangaroo and Western and Eastern Grey Kangaroos) are commonly seen in many habitats, which make acquiring good shots a relatively easy matter. However, some other wallaby species are notoriously rare and very shy, requiring stalking skills and a telephoto lens to capture them effectively on camera. Others, such as many rockwallaby species, have limited ranges or are rare and endangered. Some, such as the Burrowing Bettong even require captive breeding programs to help safeguard their future. In these cases, special permission from a conservation authority is necessary in order to access conservation sites and take pictures. The Steve Parish Wild Australia Guide Kangaroos & their relatives is a useful tool for identifying species and determining their distribution and conservation status.
Cold nights are good, because by dawn you are likely to find rock-wallabies (either alone or in small groups) dozing in the sunshine to warm up. If you are not able to photograph a colony that is used to people, you will find that capturing these animals on film demands patience.
QUICK TIP
• While auto-focus does work at night, I prefer to
focus manually, moving backwards or forwards to make minor adjustments to focus.
• Watch for aesthetically pleasing backgrounds that will enhance an image.
• For mammal photography, 35 mm SLR cameras are best, although compact cameras with zoom lenses and auto-focus have also been used with great success.
•
For daylight work on macropods and marine mammals, I use lenses between 400 mm and 600 mm. For night work, I use the 80–200 mm zoom lens with a power flash, or sometimes two, depending on the subject.
•
Apart from kangaroos, wallabies and marine mammals, most mammals are very shy and are rarely photographed in wild areas not frequented by humans. Most smaller mammals are photographed in captivity or in parks or areas where they are tolerant of, or curious about, humans. This is usually due to the likelihood of food being available..
Once you are familiar with the species that inhabit your area, explore national park websites to discover the best spots to go and look for them, and find out what permission you might require. Most of Australia’s national parks are home to some species of macropod that can be safely photographed without a permit. In some camping areas you won’t need to stalk them. Wallabies (such as the Red-necked Wallaby in eastern Australia) may be so common and tame they will be stalking you, hoping for a handout! In these circumstances, you can closely study the animal’s behaviour and create a series of photographs. If you talk to the ranger, you may even find out when to come back and photograph them with their pouch young.
Above, left to right: Because these kangaroos were some distance away, I had to grab my long telephoto lens in a hurry to make this shot, giving it a motion-like effect (35 mm DSLR, 500 mm lens, 1/500 f 5.6, ISO 320 RAW); Overcast weather enabled
me to capture detail on this Rednecked Wallaby and her pouch young (35 mm SLR, 80–400 mm zoom lens, 1/125 f 5.6, Velvia ISO 100).
Below left: Two subadult males engage in a boxing routine. The light soft and the background uncomplicated, so the two kangaroos stand out clearly. (35mm SLR, 80-400 mm zoom lens, 1/250).
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www.steveparish.com.au 31
NATIVE PLANTS
Gum Trees
fragrant national icon antarctica has given us fossilised pollen from the extremely old plant family Myrtaceae, to which eucalypts belong. Australia has 1645 of the world’s 3000 species in this family.
DNA research tells us that the ancestors of today’s eucalypts developed about 70 million years ago in moist rainforests.
91 eucalypt species are found in the Greater Blue Mountains region. This area is thought to be the place where eucalypts first evolved.
fossilised eucalypt leaves from the Tertiary period found in south‑west Australia, and pollen from the Torrens Basin in Central Australia, have been dated at 45 million years of age.
Eucalyptus curtisii, a bloodwood of south–eastern Queensland, is Australia’s most primitive eucalypt.
The gum tree is a symbol of Australia, showing superb adaptation to a wide range of climates and conditions in all corners of the continent. Eucalypts made Australia home millions of years ago, by successfully colonising suitable habitats and developing features to help them tolerate floods, fire, drought and poor soils. Australia has approximately 850 eucalypt species with many diverse groups including Bloodwoods, Stringybarks, Box Gums and Peppermints. Some species are widely distributed and represented in different habitats. Others have a restricted distribution and some are endangered species. Eucalypts are found at the coast, up to the snowline in high alpine areas, spread out over the plains and into the arid inland.
Waltzing Matilda Tree The Coolabah tree was made famous in A.B Paterson’s famous song Waltzing Matilda. Coolabahs ( Eucalyptus coolabah ) are found beside billabongs, lakes and rivers in places such as Alice Springs and Katherine in the Northern Territory, the Murchison River in Western Australia, Lake Eyre in South Australia and Narrabri in New South Wales.
Another famous Coolabah tree ( Eucalyptus microtheca ) is the “Dig Tree” ( below right ) at Cooper’s Creek. Supplies of food were
Above: The beautiful flowers of Darwin Woollybutt. Right: The graceful, hardy Ghost Gum always contrasts beautifully with its vivid environment.
32 Nature Connect Feb 2012
buried at the base of this tree during Burke and Wills’ 1860 expedition to north Australia. Plantations of Coolabah trees are grown in South Africa, mostly for firewood.
ghost gums Ghost Gums ( Corymbia aparrerinja ), feature in the landscape of arid Australia. Their trunks are stark white. A powdery covering that is a sunscreen protects the tree from extremely hot days. Aborigines have used this white dust to whiten their headbands for ceremonial dress. Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira often featured Ghost Gums in his central Australian landscapes.
calendar trees When the Aborigines of the Top End see the bright orange gum blossom of Darwin Woollybutt ( Eucalyptus miniata ) in May, they know the dry season “Wurrgeng” has begun. It also indicates that they need to begin their firestick burning. Aborigines have six seasons in the Top End.
The slim trunks of Ghost Gums snake towards the sky, like slender white arms twirling in a stylised dance.
Land for wildlife
Living with
Wildlife Above: There is a community of Red-necked Wallabies that we see almost daily on the property. They are especially active late afternoon.
“For the past six years, my partner, Catherine, and I have lived on a three acre bush block west of Brisbane. The experience has been a big eye opener because having been a casual visitor to woodlands all over Australia, I had not expected the subtle seasonal changes that we have experienced. I have grown now to appreciate the bush in an entirely different way. This is Catherine’s story.” Steve Parish Habitat The opportunity to bring nature into your home is supreme in Australia. If the temperature is forgiving, the habitat grows as if on steroids compared with some countries. So, if you do not have vegetation nearby, it is easy to remedy.
Always aim to put boxes for animals into as many trees as you can reach. And ensure that the boxes are all facing east, and are placed higher than 2 metres. In and around the cities the fauna is short of places to live because many of the older trees with natural hollows have been removed.
Planting and rehabilitation of the landscape comes first. Get in touch with Land for Wildlife or your Catchment Association for a list of local vegetation to best suit your local animals. Research what your most common birds, insects, reptiles and mammals are locally and provide the habitat for them.
Inhabitants
Top to bottom: There are few nesting hollows in the area so we have established several bird and possum boxes. Here, a pair of resident lorikeets have started to breed; After rain, when the shrubs start to flower, and especially when the sun is shining, numerous species of butterflies are active. In fact, insect populations have been known to explode when temperate, flowering and rainfall create the right climate for breeding. This has only happened twice in six years.
34 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Plant fire resistant vegetation close to your house and they will provide shade, bird perches, and insects for carnivorous animals. Your zoo will then begin. We were sitting at the dining table a few months ago and “Slap!” a Squirrel Glider landed on the tree trunk outside, right in front of us. Another time a guest was dining with us and said, “I haven’t seen a Short-eared Possum for a very long time.” I responded with, “Look over your shoulder!” because Ethyl — one of my released Short-eared Possums — was peering from the tree into the dining room. (Ethyl came to visit us regularly to share the development of her first baby in the pouch. She’d sit in the tree and relax her pouch muscles so that I could see the baby.) When first released, native animals often choose the house rather than the wild to live in for a while, but gradually they move outside. Be aware of the activities of cats and dogs and keep domestic animals away from the native animals. Cleaning up after nocturnal wanderers is well worth it due to the pleasure of having them around in your home.
Above, top to bottom: A Scarlet Honeyeater and Variegated Fairy-wren at one of our bird baths; A Sugar Glider caught during a break and entry. If you live in the bush you must be prepared for these such events.
Left: A female Southern Boobook and two chicks roosting during the day in a Scented Phaleria.
Antics A water supply will attract animals of all kinds, especially in dry periods. Various animals will line up in single file to bathe and drink, and this can be right in front of you. A “come and have coffee” call from my husband means a delightful few minutes sitting watching the antics of Australian Wood Ducks balancing on branches, birds bathing and seeing if they can empty the bath in one massive flutter of feathers, and my favourite Pale-headed Rosellas chattering while they inspect the bird box for its suitability for raising their precious family. An undisturbed (from children and domestic pets) part of your garden will become a playground for birds, possums and macropods. Our dog is contained by an electric fence and many times I have seen two wallabies, a
Brush-turkey and numerous birds sitting just on the other side of the fence being watched by our dog. They seem to know he cannot cross. The cheeky turkey will follow the dog up to the house to clean up the animal feed, the dog then chases the turkey back over the fence, then as soon as the dog turns around the turkey follows him back again. This can go on for hours.
Top to bottom: There is a large camp of cockatoos that roost nightly in the adjacent block and several bolder characters visit our verandah daily in hope of handouts, which we sometimes sparingly give; View from inside the dining room looking out. The area outside is home for many bushbird species, bandicoots and Rednecked Wallabies.
Can you imagine the joy of turning into the driveway on an afternoon after work and seeing three Red-necked Wallabies — a mum, yearling and new baby, lolling in the golden light of the setting sun. They reluctantly get up and move into the thickets when you pass by. Richard Louv in the Nature Principle writes “The future will belong to the naturesmart — those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.” Live in balance with nature, be sympathetic to it and nature will soften the edges of your life and give you many hours of entertainment, enjoyment and tranquillity.
Above: Seven species of frogs have been photographed on our property, along with the dreadful Cane Toad. Left: Northern Brown Bandicoots inhabit the backyard. These delightful marsupials are highly active at night.
www.steveparish.com.au 35
Inspiration
A Creative Life inspired by nature ION DETERMINAT t the one no is “The brave man is the one he s, ar fe no s who ha fears.” his er ov s who triumph Nelson Mande
lla
“As we are creative beings, our lives become our work of art.” Steve Parish The relationship the human race has with Nature is fascinating. It inspires a spectrum of emotions and behaviours. In this work, I have focused on those that pertain to creative endeavour, ranging from the love of animals to the fear of unknown places, from seeing subtle intricate pattern through confronting obstacles to revealing a story, and then from testing imagination to the fulfillment of completing a piece of creative work. I believe that creativity is the very essence of who we are as sentient beings, and the natural world can provide our creativity with powerful stimuli. Here, I have selected photographs of subjects that have quickened my senses with their extraordinary beauty, and have written of the profound effect the natural world has had on my spirit. Telling stories has been a driving force in my life but I know my creative journey has threads in common with many people. The urge to change something, the finding of what it is, the struggle to do it, the joy of getting there and then the sharing, lead to personal fulfillment.
UNDERSTANDING “Look deep, deep into nature, and then you will underst and everything better.”
Albert Einstein — scie
ntist, philosopher
THE INSPIRATION Nature’s shifting light that paints the Earth in ever-changing colours, patterns and textures can be the inspiration for taking that great leap into a creative outpouring. It can be the catalyst for an idea, as yet unformed, to crystallise into a creative vision. Wild places of solitude can inspire creativity as the senses revel in their beauty. Quietening the mind to a contemplative state offers a pathway to enhanced perception of the natural world, activate the senses to see, hear, smell and feel that which otherwise may have gone unnoticed. A feeling of awe results as the heart connects and brings new understandings.
AWE erience we can “The most beautiful exp Whoever does not . ous teri mys the is e hav ger wonder, no know it and can no lon d as dead, goo longer marvel, is as d.” and his eyes are dimme Albert
osopher Einstein — scientist, phil
36 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Inspiration from the world of Nature creates a source of energy that is of enormous support in dealing with the external activities of a busy life.
PASSION g of your life.” passion, it is the meanin “Love your calling with ptor Auguste Rodin — scul
THE QUEST
THE PRODUCTION
Goals may change as the search for a path progresses — indeed, goal posts may be moved by unforeseeable circumstances — but the exploration for purpose, relevance and happiness, involving self, others, lifestyle, and creativity goes on and, fortunately, self-understanding evolves. Dead-ends, side-roads and unexpected corners will test vision, imagination and patience to the limit. Reflecting on the emotions released may expand the limits of personal expression.
The culmination of the inspiration, the quest and the struggle leads to the most enthralling phase of all — the production. Problems of emotion, aesthetics and form are resolved in meeting the great challenge to produce what began as an outpouring from the heart and imagination.
On the questing journey, change can appear to be a threat. Fear may bite hard, especially when the change in direction is toward an unknown future. There is always the possibility that the passage of time will reveal that the thing most feared was the greatest contributor to the enhancement of our existence. These difficult times will require determination and a strong desire to prevail. Yet, all along the way we must remind ourselves to appreciate the challenge of the quest as much as the pursuit of the outcome.
THE STRUGGLE
The production is motivated by passion, designed through experimental play, evaluated by experience and then driven to a final resolution by a commitment to the creative self. Each production — be it writing a music score, planting a garden bed, sewing a needlepoint sampler, arranging furniture in the office — has similar elements requiring imagination and practical skills. Each has stages when problems will need to be solved reflecting your truth.
SEEING of seeing?“ “What is art but a way , biographer Saul Bellow — author
The camera, the brush, the musical instrument, the pen or the computer should not drive this production: they are only the tools for an expression of your soul.
Part of the challenge of creating something just for you is giving yourself permission to do it. Taking this course will certainly affect your daily life. There may be a need to examine and reset priorities. Issues that arise with those who share your world may have to be negotiated: after all, the chosen path may be costly in money, space and time. Taking time to explore the new-found creative self, along with the acceptance of new kinds of tension, change and disappointments in life, will all become part of the struggle. The good news is that, over time and with patience and tolerance, the struggle, whether physical or emotional, becomes easier to deal with. There are times when the path to resolution is not clear and sometimes the accompanying frustration seems overwhelming. However, once your life adapts to its new rhythms, exciting possibilities and discoveries may lead to paths that were once beyond your imagination. Struggle is part of what it is to be human. Without struggle there would be no development of self, no increased awareness, and no broadening of creative endeavours.
PATIENCE “Realise deep ly that the pr esent moment is al l you have. Make the no w the primar y focus of yo ur life.” Eckhardt To lle — spiritu al teacher
www.steveparish.com.au 37
QUIRKY AUSTRALIA
BIG is beautiful Australians have a fascination with anything larger than life — a big rock, a Great Barrier Reef — after all, it is a very big country! Anyone on a road trip of the continent is likely to encounter at least one of the nation’s “big” objects, such as the Big Lobster at Kingston, South Australia. Huge amounts of seafood are consumed with gusto all along Australia’s vast coastline, but at 17 metres high and weighing more than 4 tonnes, the Big Lobster would certainly fill a barbecue.
Top: The Big Lobster, a tourist attraction in Kingston, South Australia. Right: The Big Banana is just north of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. Far right: The Giant Ned Kelly, Glenrowan, Victoria.
38 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Australia is home to the big banana, bushranger, rocking horse, prawn, sheep, Galah, mosquito, pineapple, golden guitar, cow, macadamia nut, crab, Tasmanian Devil, crocodile, Cane Toad, wine cask, oyster, potato —even a big dunny was considered. Clockwise from top: The Big Gumboot, Tully, Queensland; Big Pineapple, Nambour, Queensland; The Big Rocking Horse, Gumeracha, South Australia; The Big Ram, Wagin. There are several Big Rams in Australia, but the one in Wagin stands 7 metres tall and 15 metres long and, according to locals, is definitely the biggest.
www.steveparish.com.au  39
GET OUT AND CONNECT
What’s on in
Brisbane Events and Festivals in Brisbane February 2012
Moonlight Cinema Recent release and classic movies are shown most nights from 14th December until 26th February. Watch movies under the stars at New Farm Park at the Brisbane Powerhouse. For more information go to www.moonlight.com.au/ program.php?location=Brisbane
Festival of Tibet New Farm Park
3rd February until 5th February Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre.
Portside Wharf Boutique Markets 8.00 am — 1.00 pm 12th February 2012
Tropfest International The World’s Largest Short Film Festival 19th February 2012 South Bank Music Concerts and Festivals in Brisbane February 2012
Roger Waters The Wall Live 8.00 pm 1st, 2nd and 4th February 2012 Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Tickets available from Ticketek.
Incubus 7.30 pm 10th February 2012 Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tickets available from Ticketek.
Celtic Thunder — Live in Australia 7.30 pm 11th February 2012 Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Tickets available from Ticketek.
Roxette 7.30 pm 14th and 24th February 2012 Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Tickets available from Ticketek.
40 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Rod Stewart 8.00 pm 22nd February 2012 Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Tickets available from Ticketek. Theatre, Dance, Comedy and other Entertainment in Brisbane February 2012
Queensland Ballet — Vis-à-vis Studio Series 1 17th February until 3rd March 2012 Thomas Dixon Centre.
Jo Frost Live: Be the best Parent you can be 7.30pm 8th February 2012 Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Tickets available from Ticketek. Art and Museum Exhibitions in Brisbane February 2012
Matisse: Drawing Life 3rd December 2011 until 4th March 2012 Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA).
Yayoi Kusama: Look Now, See Forever 18th November 2011 until 11 March 2012 Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA).
we miss you magic land 26th November 2011 until 4th March 2012 Children’s Art Centre, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA).
Dinosaur Designs 15th October 2011 until 25th March 2012 Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA).
Threads: Contemporary Textiles & The Social Fabric 1st October 2011 until 5th February 2012 Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA).
All information was correct as at 12/12/11. Please check with the relevant organisation to confirm details.
places to see
things to do
This page: Looking for something to do in
February? Brisbane has a plethora of activities on offer to keep you entertained — so get out and about and connect with it all!
www.steveparish.com.au  41
INTERVIEW
A cup of tea with
Steve Parish
“As a naturalist, photographer, publisher and promoter of Australia and it’s natural history, I have immersed myself in the natural world for the past five decades.” Steve Parish
What is your favourite animal? Australia’s fifty living kangaroo and wallaby species are of particular interest to me, as are all mammals. Marine fish have been a lifelong interest. The White Shark is probably my number one iconic animal. I used to encounter these fiercely beautiful fish when I was a young spearfisherman.
What is your favourite habitat in Australia? Probably a nice, shallow coral reef is where I like to be most. My second choice would be heathlands in spring, when all of the glorious wildflowers are blooming.
Do you take photographs in other countries? No. I am absolutely flat out in Australia. There would never be enough time for me to photograph other places as well. There is still so much to excite me here and so many great natural history and Australiana books to create.
Do you take all of the photographs in your publications? I take the majority of photographs we publish in our natural history publications and children’s books; however, we publish the work of a number of other photographers, too. Other photographers and experts, all of whom are credited in our books, often have unique or special collections. These collections can be utilised for books with a specific focus, such as a book entirely about insects or frogs. We also publish books that exclusively feature and promote the work of external photographers, and we are keen to expand our list to include a growing number of nature photographers.
What kind of camera do you use?
Above: Southern Cassowary. Right: The joey had been licking its mother’s mouth, a behaviour that induces the mother to regurgitate compounds that assist the joey with its own digestion.
42 Nature Connect Feb 2012
It really depends on the size of format. For smaller format imaging, mainly of wildlife and plants, I use D3 and D3s Digital Nikons. I then use a variety of lenses that can range from 10 mm to 1000 mm. And for landscape and imaging requiring major enlargement, I use the Hasselblad H3DII-50 with most of the systems lenses. When I am wandering around during the day, I usually carry two cameras. One has a 80-400 mm zoom kit lens, the other a wide-angle zoom that also enables close-ups.
Do you run photographic classes?
How many photographs do you have in your photo library?
I publish books on photography; however, I do not run regular classes. I sometimes conduct talks or lectures on photography, especially at schools or in association with fauna parks. Future speaking engagements can be found on www.steveparish.com.au.
I have around half a million film and digital images, and all are housed in our photographic library. Of these images, approximately 350,000 are catalogued.
What motivates you? I am extremely motivated by a passion for nature. Acknowledging the loss of many of our unique wild places and creatures, my objective, as a photographer and publisher, is to inspire others to fight for their protection. This has been my reason for being for the last half century.
Do you Photoshop your photographs? All photographs that are reproduced go through digital cleaning, colour adjustment and conversion from RGB to CMYK using programs such as Photoshop. Some images require etching (the removal of the background) or minor adjustments so they can be used across a wide variety of publications.
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Left: Echinoderms, such as feather stars and their relatives the sea stars, sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers, inhabit tropical and temperate waters around the continent. Each fits into different niches and over the aeons they have evolved extraordinary colours, forms and textures, not to mention lifestyles. I find these creatures irresistible, especially feather stars, which are usually seen attached to the sea floor, their wispy arms undulating in the currents in search of food. 
www.steveparish.com.au  43
For the
KIDS
Caring about
Quoll
Mammals The southern hairy-nosed wombat is endangered, along with its cousin the northern hairy-nosed wombat.
Mahogany glider
Some Australian mammals are at risk because their habitats are changing. Changes to our environment are happening very quickly. We are clearing or polluting land and scientists do not think animals will be able to adapt quickly enough. Animals become extinct when there are no animals of that kind left alive. Animals at risk of extinction are said to be endangered. The rare and very cute mahogany glider is unfortunately endangered. Like the koala, the mahogany glider eats only gum leaves. If its home and food trees are destroyed, it could become extinct.
The tiny mountain pygmypossum lives in a small, cold part of the Australian Alps, where snow falls in winter. It is endangered because the weather is getting hotter, so its snowy home is shrinking.
Mountain pygmy-possum
Bilbies are endangered in the wild. Scientists breed them and then release them in safe areas where there are no cats or dogs.
The numbat is the only one of its kind and lives in just a small part of Western Australia. www.steveparish.com.au  45
For the
KIDS
Making Damper Nature can provide the inspiration for some simple, easy-to-cook food and nothing is easier to make than damper. You can even mould the damper into Aussie animal shapes. It tastes great when eaten warm!
Things you will need ... This is a basic damper recipe with raisins added. You will need: • 2 cups of self-raising flour • 1½ cups of milk • 1 tablespoon of butter • 1 tablespoon of sugar • ½ teaspoon of salt • 1 small handful of raisins or sultanas • A mixing bowl, mixing spoon and baking tray
1
Mix the flour, sugar, raisins and salt together in a bowl.
2
Add the butter and enough milk to make a firm dough. We’ll make our damper in the shape of a koala’s round, squat face. Use your fingers to massage the dough and shape the koala’s ears and nose.
3
4
46 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Place two raisins on the head for the koala’s eyes. Sprinkle a baking tray with flour and place the koala damper on the tray. Then brush some milk over the top of the damper and sprinkle with a little sugar. Pop it in the oven at 220˚C for about 25 minutes. When it is baked, take it out of the oven and eat it warm with lashings of butter. Some people also like it with jam and whipped cream or with honey.
True or False 1. Koalas eat only gum leaves.
TRUE OR FALSE
2. Australia is home to the only two egg-laying mammals in the world.
TRUE OR FALSE
3. All mammals have backbones.
TRUE OR FALSE
4. The feathers of birds have evolved from scales.
TRUE OR FALSE
5. No bird has a sense of smell.
TRUE OR FALSE
6. All spiders have four pairs of legs.
TRUE OR FALSE
7. Pufferfish are safe for humans to eat.
TRUE OR FALSE
8. No reptiles live in the ocean.
TRUE OR FALSE
9. Male seahorses carry their eggs in a pouch on their stomachs.
TRUE OR FALSE
10. Some spiders eat their webs.
TRUE OR FALSE
Answers on page 57
14. The dingo probably came to Australia from South America.
TRUE OR FALSE
15. Some octopuses can change colour.
TRUE OR FALSE
16. Fish are invertebrates.
TRUE OR FALSE
17. An electric ray can produce a shock powerful enough to zap a human.
TRUE OR FALSE
18. Bees eat their honey when they are hungry.
TRUE OR FALSE
19. The Cairns birdwing is Australia’s largest butterfly.
TRUE OR FALSE
20. The first English scientists to see a platypus specimen thought it was a fake.
TRUE OR FALSE
21. Mammals and dinosaurs roamed the Earth at the same time.
TRUE OR FALSE
22. Goannas have venomous spit. 11. A frog takes on the temperature of its TRUE OR FALSE surroundings. 23. The pupil of a crocodile’s eye is TRUE OR FALSE horizontal. 12. Frigatebirds seize their prey with their TRUE OR FALSE feet. 24. All dolphins live in the ocean. TRUE OR FALSE TRUE OR FALSE 13. Bats are the only mammals that fly. 25. The world’s largest mammal TRUE OR FALSE is the blue whale.
TRUE OR FALSE www.steveparish.com.au 47
For the
KIDS
Brushtail possum
Make homes for animals Animals need shelter from the rain and heat. Hollows in old trees make excellent places for them to shelter. Unfortunately, old trees with large hollows often get cut down and the animals have nowhere to live. You can help them by building a nest box and hanging it up in the trees in your garden.
Things you will need ... • An empty, plastic plant pot • A piece of plywood or pine large enough to cover the mouth of the pot • Wire mesh or gutter guard mesh • An electric drill (and an adult to operate it) • Two lengths of wire, each at least 1 metre long • Leaves or wood shavings • Four nails • Scissors Eastern ringtail possum
Making an entrance The size of the entrance hole is very important. Getting the right entrance width and pot depth may take some experimentation and lots of observation. Don’t expect to see an animal living in your nest box the very next day after hanging it up. It may take several months before an animal moves in.
Or ang e-bellied
pa
rr o
t
What to do ...
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1
Turn the pot upside down and ask an adult to help you cut the “entrance” hole in the bottom and drill four evenly spaced holes through the lip of the pot as shown.
2
Wrap some mesh around the inside of the pot then place the pot upside down on top of the square of plywood. (The mesh gives animals something to hold on to inside the pot.) Hammer some nails though the holes into the plywood and bend them over so they hold the pot firmly. Place two or three handfuls of leaves or wood shavings in the pot. Presto! You may have the perfect home for one of the animals that visit your backyard.
3
All that remains is to attach some wire to the pot and hang it in a tree.
4
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KIDS
Natural art Everywhere you go, nature not only gives you great ideas for creating art, but also provides all of the materials you need. This activity shows you how to use the things you find in the bush or on the beach to produce a masterpiece.
Things you will need ... You will need to gather all of the materials you are going to use before you start work on your masterpiece. When gathering items from the beach or the bush, select flat objects rather than bendy or jagged pieces. • A large sheet of paper (from a sketch pad) • PVA glue and a stiff brush • Sand, small shells, stones, grass, leaves • A paint set or blue and white tubes of acrylic paint • A jar of water • Scissors or a utility knife
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Natural material
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For the
Artists have always used natural materials like leaves and bark. Bark paintings are still very popular. They are made by using the different coloured layers of bark from paperbark trees to create images and designs. Take care though — removing bark from a tree can seriously damage it.
What to do ... 1
2
3
4
Paint a blue sky over the top half of your sheet of sketch paper. (Add a little white paint to the blue to make the sky paler at the bottom than at the top.) To create a beach scene, let’s use real sand. Mix a small amount of water with the PVA glue and use a brush to apply it to the paper where you want the beach. Then sprinkle sand thickly over the glue before it dries. If you want to add a tree or some grass, why not make it look real by gluing twigs, leaves and actual grass to the paper? Now, glue small shells or stones around the edge of your picture to make a natural border.
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For the
KIDS
Wordsearch Answers on page 57
S W P L A T Y P U S K P R A T C K I O B A N O L E U R O O I P K D S G S M A R L A E K P S C X B A B D c W O H U N Q G Y E h A T U S M U N T M i
L O S Q E O A E
E d L R E M S L K K Mammals, such as humans, have hair or fur and drink milk as babies.
L n A O W Z A L E M O a B O W O M B A T N E Y V K D I N G O BILBY
KANGAROO
POTOROO
CUSCUS
KOALA
QUOKKA
DINGO
PADEMELON
QUOLL
ECHIDNA
PLATYPUS
WALLABY
EURO
POSSUM
WOMBAT
Mammals Crossword 1
5
7
6
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C 13
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Answers on page 57
L 11
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ACROSS
DOWN
2. This stubborn mammal lives in a burrow.
1. How kangaroos move.
6. This mammal eats gum leaves.
2. This animal is a small kangaroo.
7. A very big hop.
3. This mammal flies and may sleep in a cave.
8. There are not many numbats ____ in the wild.
4. A ____ kangaroo lives in the rainforest.
9. Koalas eat the leaves of this tree. 12. The part of a tree where a koala snoozes. 14. How many possums live in our suburbs? L___!
5. Many Aussie mammals like to eat native ______. 6. A large hopping animal that keeps its joey in its pouch.
15. Carnivores eat this.
10. The hopping _____ is a small rodent with long back legs.
17. Flying-foxes eat blossoms and ____.
11. A big hole in the Earth where bats live. 13. Furry feral pests. 15. We m ___ look after our native animals. www.steveparish.com.au  53
For the
KIDS
s d o B d Od s are pretty se u p o ct o , it t u o b a e When you think blue blood, thre e v a h y e h T s. re peculiar creatu r a mouth, and a fo k a e b e k li to rr hearts, a pa ird enough for e w t o N . in ra b d doughnut-shape s, can squirt black u o m o n e v o ls a you? They are ps over their cu n io ct su 0 0 0 2 to ink, and have up nder someone o w a ’s It s. e cl ta eight creepy ten arre beasts! iz b se e th t a e to a e ide came up with th ney on Syd Comm s octopu
sh
Harle qui nt us kf i
Did you know? Did you know that octopus wrestling was a sport in the 1960s?
s rpu nde u W
Google IT ! You can tell when a person is angry because their face turns red. And you can tell when the harlequin tuskfish gets aggro because its blue teeth turn pink!
S U P N E FRANK Platypus
beaver’s tail duck’s bill webbed feet lays eggs
HUH?
Southern boobook
eird -wackingly w in ra b so is s t saw The platypu tists who firs n ie sc sh ti ri ! that the B it was a fake d e c in v n o r c one were sewn togethe d a h e n o e m t so kes They though ls. And it ma a im n a t n re fe at. bits from dif ey thought th th y h w se n se k-like total d feet, a duc e b b e w s a h s y like The platypu tail. It’s furr e k li re v a e b ptile or bill and a ggs like a re e s y la t u b l, tter! a mamma mixed-up cri e n o is re su bird. It
Thanks to their enormous eyes, owls have the best night vision of any animal on the planet. Oddly enough, they can’t move their eyeballs around in their eye sockets. To look in different directions, owls need to turn their head. They have lots of bones in their neck, which allows them to swivel their head around 270 degrees – that’s threequarters of a circle! Imagine how freaky it would look if a human could do that.
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Blood drinkers? Ghost bats are ghoulish-looking beasts. It’s probably partly why they got such a monstrous reputation as mini vampires. Ghost bats are sometimes called “false vampire bats” because people thought they drank their prey’s fresh blood. We now know this isn’t true. Ghost bats aren’t bloodthirsty, but meat mad! They are the only truly carnivorous bats in Australia and love to munch on birds, frogs, lizards and small mammals – including other bats!
Ghost bats
Sharing is caring Vampire bats will die if they can’t find blood to drink two days in a row. Luckily, females are disgustingly generous and spew up blood for the starving bats. Ghost bat
t ’ n s i d o o l Insect b e ours. red lik ally It’s usu reen! yellow or g
av i n g I’m h toni g ht! on veni s
56 Nature Connect Feb 2012
Deer
There are “real” vampire bats in Central and South America. These creepy creatures are the stuff of nightmares. At night, they hunt for sleeping mammals like cows or deer (or even people!) and slice into them with their small sharp teeth. Unlike vampires from horror stories, these bats don’t suck blood, but lick it up as it oozes from the wound. As gruesome as this sounds, the bites don’t hurt the sleeping animals. In fact, vampire bats can guzzle blood for more than half an hour without waking up their victims!
Answers Quiz: Australia from page 24
True or false from page 47
1. False. Australia is the smallest continent but the largest island on Earth. 2. Green and gold 3. Both animals cannot move backwards, so they symbolise prosperity and good luck. 4. Union Jack 5. True 6. “Beneath our radiant Southern Cross…” 7. Yes 8. At least 50,000 years 9. Cape York, Queensland 10. Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory 11. Commonwealth of Australia 12. This date was Federation Day, when Australia’s six separate colonies officially united to become a nation. 13. Northern Territory 14. Rabbit 15. South Australia 16. Melbourne or Adelaide 17. Yes 18. True 19. The eight-hour working day 20. Yes. They both mean “honest” or the “real deal”. 21. Two-up, Anzac Day 22. On 26 January 1788, the First Fleet landed on Australian shores. 23. Music 24. Breed of dog 25. Donkey 26. False. South Australia is. 27. Summer 28. New South Wales and Victoria 29. Tropic of Capricorn 30. Simpson Desert 31. Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean 32. Yes 33. Yes 34. True 35. The world 36. 6% 37. Roaming the countryside carrying only a swag 38. A sheep 39. New Zealand 40. No. It is a mythological monster that Aborigines believed lived in billabongs and ate women and children.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Wordsearch
True. False. Echidnas also live in New Guinea. True. True. False. Birds have a sense of smell but usually it is not very developed. 6. True. 7. False. Their skin, flesh and some organs are poisonous. 8. False. Turtles and some crocodiles live in the ocean. 9. True. 10. True. 11. True. 12. False. Frigatebirds have small, weak feet. They seize prey in their bills. 13. True. 14. False. The dingo probably came to Australia from South-East Asia. 15. True. 16. False. All fish are vertebrates, which means they have backbones. 17. True. 18. True. 19. True. The female Cairns birdwing has a wingspan of up to 16 centimetres. 20. True. They thought the platypus was made up from the skins of several creatures. 21. True. They overlapped by some 140 million years. 22. True. 23. False. It is vertical. 24. False. Five species of river dolphin live in fresh water.
from page 52
S W P L A T Y P U S K P R A T C K I O B A N O L
E U R O O I
P K D S G S M A R L A E K P S C X B A B D c W O H U N Q G Y E h A T U S M U N T M i
L O S Q E O A E
E d L R E M S L K K L n A O W Z A L E M O a B O W O M B A T N E Y V K D I N G O
25. True.
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Crossword from page 53 1
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WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS FERAL FACTS! EATING WHILE READING IS NOT RECOMMENDED!
Have you ever heard of poo-eating koalas? No? What about spew-shooting seabirds? This beastly book of grossness is full of intestine-twisting info about Aussie animals that will make you shout out, “That’s gross!” over and over again. You can even rate how revolting the animals are with the gross-o-meter stickers included inside. You’ll freak out your family with these foul facts, so strap in your stomach and get ready to get grossed out!
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