In order to motivate ourselves to actually sort through photos, rather than just download and worry about it ‘later', we had a photo competition. Ten people chose to compete in the categories Landscape, Flora, Fauna, People and Big Sky.
Here are the place–getters… this week we showcase Landscape, Flora and People.
The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens has been involved in the response to the dieback affecting the critically endangered Macquarie cushion, Azorella macquariensis, since the dieback was first discovered in 2008.
The cushion only grows on Macquarie Island and is a major component of the feldmark vegetation that covers 45% of the island, growing mainly in the extreme environment of the plateau uplands. A trial seed orchard of nine plants was established in 2010 and this was increased to 54 in 2013 with the aim of collecting seed to be stored in the Gardens’ seedbank.
With the help of my little field assistant ‘Porcelain Penguin’ and some fellow humans, I have been collecting seed of some of the different plant species while waiting for Azorella to ripen on the plateau and in the seed orchard on Wireless Hill. This has generally involved checking to see if species are ripe, waiting for a weather window and then for a number of species, kneeling on the ground with a pair of tweezers for a few hours picking the seed. The patient fellow occupants of the biology lab have put up with trays of drying seed taking over much of the bench space before it is placed in drums with silica for final storage before its return to the Gardens.
Over the last couple of months I have walked the remarkable landscapes of the island and encountered the wonderful wildlife from inquisitive king penguins and skuas checking what I am collecting to testy elephant seals blocking my path around the coast. In all this I have had the company of an abundance of botanical enthusiasts, not forgetting of course, Porcelain Penguin.
Natalie Tapson
Intrepid expeditioner signs off on the intentions board.
Destination: Out there.
Mode: Two feet and a heart beat.
Due back: Sometime later.
Slam door on the way out.
Tripping merrily along the track, over ele seals and through the puddles. Past comms, past dieso’s workshop.
Goodbye Landing Beach. Ciao Razorback.
Hellooo Doctor’s.
Start climbing hill.
Puff puff puff. Who put this hill in the way? Puff puff puff.
Ooooo! A bench! Considerate folk these Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (TasPWS) people. Tea and biscuits would be nice about now. Must suggest to the Station Hill ‘Climbing Morale Committee’ that we install a cafe here, staffed by friendly TasPWS leprechauns.
Continue upward.
The tussock thickens to forest–like density. The hill gradient steepens.
What are your legs?
Springs. Steel springs.
What are they going to do?
Hurl me up the hill.
How fast can you run?
As fast as a leopard a skua stealing a penguin chick.
How fast are you going to run?
(shouts) As fast as an ele seal chasing a skua.
Then let’s see you do it!
Continue upward.
I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.
Get to top of First Gully. Gale–force head wind bowls intrepid expeditioner ass over apex.
Intrepid Expeditioner (IE): Macca Met, Macca Met, this is intrepid expeditioner on channel 7. Over.
MACCA MET (MM): Intrepid expeditioner, this is Macca Met. Receiving you 4 by 4. Over.
IE: Macca Met, Can you turn the wind off for me? I forgot to hit the Off Button before leaving station. Over.
MM: No. Over.
IE: I’ll do your slushies for a month if you will turn the wind off. Over.
MM: We are an ethical science organisation who believes in the integrity of our scientific dataset. We turn the wind off for no one. Over.
IE: …
IE: Two months slushy?
MM: Done.
Wind stops. Intrepid expeditioner skips blithely along the track until it steepens uphill again — about 10 metres.
O, ye desk–bound muscles! O, ye second helping of last night’s chocolate cake!
Another 93 trips up Doctor’s and I can wear that bikini for the Australia Day swim.
Climbs hand–over–hand up tussock grass. Crawls on hands and knees up through the mud.
Thank you MIPEP for bushy, sturdy tussock grass to help haul me up the hill.
Thank you TasPWS for the sturdy new track markers to haul me up too.
Continue upward. Starts shedding objects from backpack to lighten the load. Tosses blocks of cheese, gourmet chocolates, a camera, track markers, a second camera with super–size lens, a laptop computer and DVD selection.
When are they planning to install that cable car up the hill? Was it Plan R in the station rejuvenation project?
The top of the hill is in sight. Intrepid expeditioner stumbles to the top. The rolling hills of the plateau stretch expansively away into the misty distance.
Intrepid expeditioner disappearing over the hill along the Overland Track.
…Walking in a winter’s wonderland… Gone away is the rabbit… Here to stay is the red poll…
Editor’s note:
Fear not, Gentle Reader. Our intrepid expeditioner is now safely ensconced in a small round field hut with no sharp edges. We know that she is well as her daily radio skeds feature off-key renditions of musical classics. Her evening sign off is consistently Vera Lynn’s — We’ll Meet Again. IE displayed her comprehension of this morning’s weather forecast with a rousing chorus of Singing in the Rain. She continued with other MGM classics until we turned the volume down. She’s still going yet. The lunch time committee meeting concluded that we would only get truly concerned if she moved on to Disney musicals.
Hakuna matata, my friends.
Ed.
As our time here on Macquarie island draws to an end for summer trades group, we can look back on what we have achieved with our time here: firstly there was fuel tank cleaning, followed by the fuel line, hydrant and water lines across the isthmus, the removal of removal of asbestos pipe and various other odd jobs here and there. But the biggest and most challenging was the giant ‘Meccano set’ boat shed.
With a team of Nick (foreman), Grey Greg (head chippy), Mizza (practical joker), Delany (designer), Horse (re designer), Lewis (sparky/entertainer), Red Greg (dirt mover/apprentice), and myself (tool belt promoter and dewalt sales rep), we finally got approval on the location of the shed. Unfortunately the site had previously been a seal wallow and seemed to get boggier every time we looked at it. Nick took charge and got Red Greg onto removing the years of built up tussock and skank.
After some long hours and a heap of sand (Parks approved of course), we had a site we could build on. Once the footings where in place the frame went together pretty quickly and was stood up in a week. A cold porch was added at the front of the shed and some further mods were made to improve the functionality of the building. This involved Dan and Horse designing, building and installing new heavy duty hinges for the stainless doors which could sustain 100 knot winds and a 3000kg elephant seals.
When the roof was finally sheeted, we got beers and pizza delivered from ‘Rocket’s Pizzeria’ for the roof's–on party. Shortly after the roof was tested for strength with 60+ knot winds that got a bit noisy for Lewis and the boys building the floor but it held in there.
Working with the lads on the project was great experience and we had a lot of fun along the way — there was always laughs and jokes and it was generally a happy work site… unless Lewis knocked over his glue pot!
We got it 95% finished for the incoming winter crew which was a great effort by the team: well done.
Thanks to everyone who helped out including Joe, Marty and Laura for the landscaping.
Kane Bagnall
As promised last week, here’s the last five photos of wintering groups from the mess wall. We have, of course, added ourselves now and sit happily at the very end, among this illustrious company.
