Powerful Owl (ninox strenua) Photograph by Gary Heery
ENDANGERED: It is the United Nation’s International Year of Biodiversity, and this arresting image of a Powerful Owl by one of Australia’s best photographers Gary Heery, illustrated a recent article on endangered animals and birds in the Sydney region. In the 200 years since colonisation we have recorded the biggest biodiversity decline of any continent. A recent report, Into Oblivion: The disappearing native mammals of northern Australia, says populations have dropped by an average of 75%! Causes include different fire patterns post Aboriginal dispossession, feral cats, and the destructive spread of the introduced cane toads.
CARBON PRICE: It took everone by surprise when the CEO of BHP Billiton, the world’s largest miner, unexpectedly warned that Australia should “look beyond coal” and towards other energy sources, and acknowledged the likelihood, and necessity, of a global price on carbon, and that we will be disadvantaged if we don’t act quickly. This coming from the business end of town is a “game changer” as they say. These comments and the “agreement” with the Greens, have galvanised the government to suddenly be more proactive on this issue, after going to the election saying they would not be putting a price on carbon in this term of parliament. This disappointed many people who probably then voted Green. Apparently 32 countries have already made considerable effort towards the setting and reaching of emission targets, and, importantly, even India and China have expressed the intention to act.
Please sign this petition to help reinstate the ban.
Ban Exotic Animal Circuses from Ku-Ring-Gai Council
READING: I loved The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai. She is a great story teller and the book was a preparation for me visiting Darjeeling next month – although I’m certainly hoping not to encounter any “insurgencies”. I’m looking forward to reading Hugh Mackay’s What Makes Us Tick; The 10 desires that drive us (Hachette). Apparently we long for “peace of mind”, but are energised by change. The busiest person in the world, environmentalist Tim Flannery has also written another book Here on Earth: An Argument for Hope (Text Publishing). From a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald September 2010, I think he is optimistically suggesting that should we act soon, and in total unison globally, humans could manage the ecological and environmental challenges.
Chanee Brule of 'Good Morning Kalimantan'
WILDLIFE MEN: Malcolm Douglas, who was one of the first to make wildlife documentaries in Australia (in the 1970s), died in an accident this week. Like many others, including George Adamson, he was a hunter turned conservationist. He was followed in Australia by Les Hiddens, the “Bush Tucker Man” and then Steve Irwin. I haven’t been following the indomitable Bindi Irwin’s no doubt brilliant career. But fortunately, except for “Bear” Grylls, there seems to be a new generation emerging of sophisticated animal and wildlife people not throwing themselves at crocodiles especially. These include television’s ‘Bondi Vet’, handsome Chris Brown, and Chanee Brule in ‘Good Morning Kalimantan’ on ABC 2. Personable French born Chanee really loves animals, especially gibbons, and he saves animals and their threatened habitats. Many listeners to his radio program ring him about animals in need of rescue, and he has an island sanctuary upriver for their recovery and rehabilitation, prior to release. See Chanee’s Kalaweit Project for further information. Even the very sophisticated Stephen Fry has made a wildlife documentary Last Chance to See, coming to television here shortly.
Australia Day, 2010 by Nicholas May - On a hot 35 degree Australia Day, people flocked to Ben Buckler rocks to cool down.
SYDNEY LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE: With Sandy Edwards (photographer and curator) and Robert McFarlane (photographer, critic, blogger, http://www.ozphotoreview.blogspot.com/), I judged the Sydney Life Photography Prize. Months ago, we had the very difficult task of selecting 22 out of 500 entries. There were many good photographs, and Sydney is so photogenic. We chose Nicholas May’s Australia Day 2010 as the winner as it was a marvellous photograph, was so Australian, and had very interesting ambiguities and resonances. The photographs are hung as large banners in Hyde Park, Sydney until 24th October, as part of the City of Sydney’s Art & About festival, and other entries can be viewed at http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/artandabout/.
The Twins by Ian Darling - Alan and John are well known identities of Sydney's streets, and have spent much of their lives living rough together.
Bondi Beach Local by Paris Spellson - Udo takes off in his tinny at North Bondi. He is part of the local fishing club.
Aboriginal Art, Election, Botany Bay, Save Tony the Tiger etc
September 12, 2010
Mr Donegan, Papa Tjukurpa and Pukara, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 180 x 200cm. Image courtesy of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
ABORIGINAL ART: Last blog I referred to Aboriginal art and how the international art world has been so interested. Recently Mr. Donegan, as he likes to be referred to, won the annual Telstra Award, now showing in Darwin, N.T. The winning painting is dazzling – I love the colour, composition and energy – not bad for a virtually unknown 70 year old. Aboriginal art constantly surprises, and I feel so privileged to have had an association with many of the artists over the years, and made many friends. Many Aboriginal paintings from the desert are actual maps of the artist’s country, and tell ancestral and creation stories – in this case, “the painting is about dingo dreaming (Papa Tjukurpa), a rockhole and a father and a son”. View 27th NATSIAA online gallery.
I love these original lithographs by John Gould. The Antique Print Room (in Sydney) has an exhibition of over100 works from the The Birds and Mammals of Australia, published 1848-69. They can be viewed on www.antiqueprintroom.com . Where I live on the outskirts of Sydney there are many kookaburras (pictured).
POLITICS: I am sorry to be parochial talking about our Australian election, but I think there are probably international parallels. After an abysmal and depressing election campaign, aimed at bribing and not frightening swinging voters in marginal seats many of whom are uninterested in politics, and are economic illiterates (like me), our “hung” parliament has finally been resolved, with the government only just returned. This is with the support of a few Independents who may be crucified by their rather conservative electorates. It is extraordinary that perhaps the only government in the Western world that did not go into recession with the GFC, could not sell this achievement – perhaps we survived it so well, the public did not really understand the dangers that we avoided. Interestingly, with the negotiations and trading required to form a minority government, many issues not raised in the election got aired (and may be debated when parliament resumes)– including neglect of rural areas, indigenous employment, the status of same-sex relationships, tax reform, reform of parliament, Afghanistan etc. The election result was really more about people NOT voting for either side – many people are so sick of their spin, fear mongering, lack of leadership and vision, the influence of focus groups and polls, the intervention of the media, and the adversarial nature of a two-party system. The Greens benefited from the dissatisfaction, and will next year hold the balance of power in the Senate, and the Government has had to form an agreement with them. The Government was too frightened to have bold policies on climate change (and the Opposition are virtually in denial), and we may now, ironically, see a much more positive attitude to actually formulating a much overdue strategy. It is fascinating how the issue of climate change has undone several of our leaders. Unfortunately, there are now quite a few new divas and loose cannons that are in a position to make stable government extremely difficult. Luckily our PM, Julia Gillard, is a very good negotiator, but it could all easily end in tears!
Lake George by Joseph Lycett 1825
CONFESSION: Yes I collect colonial prints, and especially love Joseph Lycett. I recently went to Canberra and have always looked forward to driving along side Lake George, which has always mysteriously filled and emptied. I confess Iwas horrified to see wind farm turbines on the horizon, and was equally surprised by my reaction, as I am of course an ardent supporter of alternative energies. The “visual pollution” of this particularly scenic view made me think of the compromises ahead, and at what price sustainability? I was going to Canberra for the opening of the most magnificent exhibition LIFE, DEATH & MAGIC , 2000 Years of Southeast Asian Ancestral Art. Drawn from major collections around the world by the National Gallery of Australia , these items will probably never be assembled together again.
Botany Bay 2010 by Micky Allan and Steenus von Steensen
BOTANY BAY: In 2008 I curated an exhibition Lines in the Sand, Botany Bay Stories from 1770 and 1788, which examined our foundational narratives and the first European/Aboriginal encounters from Captain Cook’s visit, and the First Fleet. The exhibition contained both colonial material and contemporary art works, and I emphasised the overlooked Aboriginal perspective on these events. Recently I co-curated Shifting Sands, Botany Bay Today, also at the Hazelhurst Regional Gallery in south Sydney and currently on show, and a group of very interesting and diverse artists were asked to respond to the social, cultural and environmental history and development of Botany Bay. It reminded me of the important role of artists – as interpreters and visionaries. For more information about the exhibition and the viewing the online catalogue ( and my Introduction) visit Shifting Sands, Botany Bay Today.
Free Tony the Tiger!
SAVE TONY THE TIGER: I was emailed by John Martin who has drawn my attention to the campaign to release Tony the Tiger in Louisiana, who has been kept in a cage at the Tiger Truck Stop as a gimmick for all his life (9 years). Despite repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act and the inherent cruelty, there has been no action by the authorities, and I think we should all sign the petition – and spread the word – to ensure the permit to allow Tony to remain imprisoned is not renewed again by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. I think we should also directly contact the Department, but of course you will make up your own mind, see: Petition.
Other Relevant Sites:
http://freetonythetiger.wordpress.com/
http://freetonythetiger.weebly.com/
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/press-room/301-rescue-tony-the-tiger-
BRISBANE WRITERS FESTIVAL: Last week I attended this Festival, now in its 51st year. Apart from sessions on my own, I was part of a Call of the Wild panel with 3 very intrepid Australian women writers who had had adventures in Africa and life changing experiences with animals. Annette Henderson (Wild spirit published by William Heinemann), Sally Henderson (Ivory Moon published by Pan Macmillan) and Tammie Matson (Elephant Dance published by Pan Macmillan) are all committed conservationists and Dr. Matson, for example, has been studying elephant/human conflict in Africa and Assam. With their shrinking and contested habitats, wild elephants are causing problems for villagers. She is staging a fundraising exhibition in Sydney in early October of beautiful elephant drawings – see http://animalworks.com.au/drawings-slideshow , and for exhibition details contact nafisa.naomi@mac.com . I haven’t been to Africa for nearly 40 years and their books and presentations made me even more enthusiastic to go back. I very much enjoyed attending the festival , and I was asked some very interesting questions, particularly from enthusiastic children. For example, “would you have done anything differently with Christian?” An unkind friend later commented “you could have worn different clothes”!
