On The Beaton Track: November 2000
Life in the Tall Eucalypt Forests
At last! My first book is released! It was a collaboration between David Lindenmayer, an ecologist from the Australian National University, and me.
This book is a truly unique endeavour, proving the point that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. David would take me into the Mountain Ash forests of central Victoria and explain to me that a forest is more than the trees—that it is full of hidden complexities and intricate layers. I would take his words and then trundle off on my own to take the photos that I thought would portray his vision in an aesthetic way. Sometimes our method of operation was more simplistic where he would drive me too a site and, pointing, say, ‘Take a photo of this tree here.’ But just as often I would squeal with delight over some new found fungus and insist it be included in the text. Whereupon David would obligingly redraft a chapter to include my important find.
I am proud of the results which I feel convey the beauty, majesty and importance of Australia’s tallest trees (almost the tallest in the world). The book is not just pretty pictures; because of David’s straightforward text, a reader can get a real grasp of what’s going on within the pictures. The collaboration of science and art is a perfect way to get an important message across to a wide group of people.
Book Launch
David and I are very proud to be able to launch our book at the new Melbourne Museum on November 24th at 7pm. The launch will be followed by a meeting of the Friends of the Museum where David and I will give a talk and slide presentation. Tickets to the talk ($12 non-members, $6 members, $4 concessions) can be obtained from the Museum: phone (03) 8341 7755, fax (03) 8341 7750 or e-mail mvmembers@museum.vic.gov.au.
Travels and Treks
The last eighteen months have been filled with packing and unpacking cases. Several trips were to Victoria for the Mountain Ash photography, while most of the remainder were to produce stories for Australian Geographic. The purpose of one of those trips, to Queensland and far west New South Wales, was to ferret out the dwindling populations of yellow-footed rock wallabies. These charming, colourful macropods are depicted in the current issue (AG #60) and the good news is that not only are the wallabies recovering but the feature has been nominated for a photography award.
A visit to the dead heart in January is recommended only for mad dogs or Englishmen. I must be the mad dog for that’s when I went to the Northern Territory with Terri Cowley, AG’s editor, to complete our story on acacias (wattles). January is one of the prime months that aboriginal people collect wattle seeds as well as when they were available to talk to us. Despite the paralyzing heat, I was deeply appreciative of being in the presence of such wise, compassionate, gentle, helpful people.
Binnaburra Lodge
The tail end of winter, the last week in August, found me on a windswept mountain top in Lamington National Park. My partner, Nick Gleitzman, and I had been invited to host a photography workshop for the guests of Binna Burra Mountain Lodge. At that time of year, the weather can be quite changeable, but we always found a particular patch of sheltered rainforest to conduct our classes. Teaching ten or more avid, amateur photographers could have been a real effort, but the experience was made delightful by the light-hearted mood generated by the Lodge. The atmosphere of Binna Burra Lodge is one of old world charm, with its rustic cabins, communal dining, cozy library, open fires and generous staff. But the attitude of the photography participants topped it all, with their heroic, cooperative enthusiasm.
I took the opportunity to try abseiling—quite an adventure! I’m not sure if it’s the biggest thrill or the biggest fright to throw yourself backwards off a precipice and dangle 90 metres above the rocky ground below. One thing is for sure: we’re returning to Binna Burra! It’s a magic place.
Until next time,
