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24.01.2022 This is a really good introduction to the demographics and workings of the Covid-19 virus.

23.01.2022 Serious about the environment, wear hemp!

23.01.2022 For those who are struggling to understand what is going on with COVID 19 statistics and why it is so dangerous, this makes a great read. It is brought to us from

22.01.2022 This is an amazing story and photography

19.01.2022 From Walcha to Dorrigo If you went to Dangars Falls you can take the Dorrigo Road to the Waterfall Way and head towards Dorrigo-Coffs. A short stop at Ebor is another excellent opportunity to see a waterfall and the dominance of ecosystems over the geological formation. There are a couple things that combine to create a microclimate and the unique ecosystems of this landscape. Moving on to the Dorrigo National Park, there is a treetop walk over the escarpment. To the right, ...Continue reading

18.01.2022 This bloke gives a very goo introduction to why we use video cameras for video and photography cameras for photography.

15.01.2022 Do we have a real constitutional issue with the pandemic? The Corona Virus is a national issue. Or is it? When we fought the bush fires in NSW and Victoria, many voices asked the Primeminister to step in and do something. ... The bush fires are fought at the state level. The sate has people who are very highly trained to respond to bush fires, and the federal government is out of its power and capacity to get involved in bushfires. All they can do is pay the states to fight them. There is, thankfully, no one at the federal level who has the training and capacity to deal with bush fires. The sovereign states have not handed that power over. So our Primeminister wisely took the comments on the chin and let the states get on with it. The federal government only gets power if each nation agrees to give it to them. Lots of people spent enormous energy, blaming Scott Morrison for something he has no control over. NSW let them because it takes the focus off their problems. Now we have a real issue that seems to be a national issue. And it might be if the problem is something that requires us to close our national borders or to protect ourselves from an external threat. But what about the internal management and the focus on the spread of the disease? Who has the power to close beaches? Can there be a Federal state of emergency or o we have to back things through each state legislature? The other big problem we have here is that Federal Agencies have never had the experience or the expertise to handle real on-ground issues. They leave that to local and state governments. So, when a national emergency happens, they are out of their depth. A big question is where is the constitutional power to act on this issue? That is why they have to have the states in the room. And why some nations are closing borders to other countries. They have the national power to do that. Yes, WA is acting as a sovereign entity, and the commonwealth can not stop them. We are one country, but we are seven nations. Something to think about while we get together on this.

15.01.2022 Wrens are my beloveds favourite bird. Today is Wrens day, enjoy.

13.01.2022 Walcha and the New England Tablelands Geographically the New England tablelands and their eastern escarpment falls away in spectacular fashion. When John Oxley ...came through this landscape, the topography was his biggest obstacle. The 1000 metre high table lands fall almost vertically. Close to Walcha are the Apsley Macleay Gorges in the Oxley wild rivers, National Park. Surrounded by the Macleay Gorges wilderness area, the locality is part of a complex ecosystem enabled by a series of gorges that cocoons each river in its microclimate. At 1000m and in a warm temperate zone, the tablelands have a dynamic climate with quite a high rainfall and large temperature variations. In winter, it snows, while in summer the temperatures can be in the high to mid-30s. Being close to the east coast and on the escarpment towns like Dorrigo can have 2000 mm of rain in a year while the coast and tablelands are much dryer. Each gorge’s character is due to its depth, orientation, location and aspect. So, let's journey through a few gorges beginning on the table lands at Walcha. Approaching Walcha from Port Macquarie along the Oxley Highway and travelling through the gorgeous Cottan-Bimbang and the Mummel Gulf National Parks provides an introduction to what is ahead. The escarpment protects the local vegetation from the cold tablelands climate and provides enough vertical rises to ensure consistent rainfall. One of the first stops on this journey is Tia Falls which runs into a north-easterly trench and is a spectacular demonstration of the size of the Gorges and the impact of the steep valleys on the variety of plant and animal life. At Tia, the geology stands out with steep scree slopes and the occasional landslide into the narrow valleys below. Further down the escarpment the size of the gorge is less apparent because of the density of the vegetation. Not far up the road is Apsley. Apsley provides an opportunity to walk around the falls. Here you can see the hard cap that prevents or slowed the erosion of the tablelands and the steep sides where eroding forces and the power of water cut deep into the table. Another exciting feature is the folding of the rocks at the top of the cliff called rock creap. Apsley demonstrates how geomorphology works. The rim walk is 1km, and the Oxley walk is 2.7 km. Follow the edge looking on in wonder, and anticipation of what is ahead. Looking back across the valley its vertical lines and sheer size are awesome! East of Walcha is Budds Mare and the entrance down a steep incline into Riverside. At the time of my visit, it was recovering from the devastating 2020 fire season and almost destroyed. Access requires a low range 4WD; it is quite steep. But, in a good year, well worth the visit to see a wet sclerophyll landscape and, a great camping area. We didn’t quite make it to the bottom but intend to revisit soon. The sky promised to open up as it can, and we figured we didn’t want to get stuck in there. Tourists are catered for in this region. There are plenty of national parks and lots of natural visitor attractions that are well signposted and explained. For the geographer the region is a gift that keeps giving. Riverside requires a parks pass to get past the locked gate. It is an introduction to a forest in a gorge that is dryer and more exposed to heat and sun than some of the other canyons. It is excellent to begin the journey here because the geology and geomorphology are dominant. Heading north toward Uralla on Thunderbolts way there are two ecosystems where it is well worth spending time. Dangars lagoon and Dangars Falls (not to be mistaken for Dangar falls at Dorrigo (how confusing is that?)). The lagoon was relatively low when we visited. Still, if you enjoy the birdlife, the lagoon is a magnet for birds, like the Stilts and several beautiful members of the kingfisher family. Black swans breed here along with several other large birds. There is a hide that would work when the water levels are high. Otherwise, drive around the edges and walk to the water. Take a long lens, and you won’t be disappointed. Dangars Falls is your next potential stop. These falls are an east-west gorge structure and demonstrate how the ecology can change rapidly as you descend into the valley. Dangars falls are a long way west of the coast and don’t get anywhere near the rainfall of the gorges further east and further down the escarpment. In the next instalment, I will venture toward Dorigo and discuss the ecology.

11.01.2022 Perform Australia, it is something we need more of.

10.01.2022 Alright Mr DeMille, I’m ready for my close up.

07.01.2022 Ebor Falls are part of a longer river with more volume and more drama. Huge basalt octagonal features can be seen along the wall of the canyons.

05.01.2022 A lot is being written about the comparisons between the Spanish flue of 1918 and Corona-virus. There is one thing that we seem to miss; it is this: we don't know what the global impact of the Spanish Flu was. There are three numbers often quoted that don't add up. The Lue was supposed to have killed between 50 million and 100 million people giving a global fatality rate of 2.5%. But that would mean that there were more than 2 billion people infected. The truth is that the gl...obal population was only about 1.8 billion, and it is likely that there were less than 75% of them that were infected. So, either the Global Fatality rate was closer to 10% or something else is wrong with the maths. This article might put some light on that thinking. Then, of course, we come to the Coronavirus issue. What is the likely proportion of global fatalities and can we even predict that at the moment? Localised rates of death and will vary widely depending on local immunity characteristics, health issues and medical care. Translating those figures into global figures is another thing altogether. If you are interested in these issues, read this article. https://www.wired.com//covid-19-is-nothing-like-the-spani/

04.01.2022 For those that are interested in hearing from someone that has studied the options for controlled burning like a fire management tool, Phil Zylstra was talking on radio national this week. His conclusions are noteworthy. Phil did his PhD on this stuff and put the science into perspective in this interview. His thoughts: it is not about burning hectares, but, burning near assets that you want to protect. Burning forests is quite ineffective. If you're going to save assets, keep the fuel load down near the asset. Listen to this. https://www.abc.net.au//hazard-reduction-burns-n/11846684 Link to the ABC Radio National interview for some insight into what can realistically be done.

03.01.2022 Childhood memories of one person who tried to upset the status quo. Guy Fawkes, whose task was to light the fuse that would blow up Parliament is seen as the face of anti-establishment protests. King James banished Jesuits from the country and fined people for not attending Church of England services. The plot was aimed at killing the king and allowing more religious freedom. While Guy Fawkes night was originally instituted as a day of observance to be thankful that the Kin...g was not killed, the meaning has shifted. Today, we remember Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Night by celebrating our right to protest and to reflect on the importance of historical revolutions. By remembering Fawkes and the Gunpower Plot, we remember that we believe the people should have a say in society and how the nation is run. We still live in interesting times when a president can question the integrity of the people and their right to vote, the integrity of the postal service and the public servants who serve us and keep our freedoms alive; this 5th of November.

02.01.2022 If you are looking for a map that shows the UK 2019 general election have a look at this: https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2019-50770798