FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
November–December 2015 11Let the adventures begin
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UR ANNUAL
celebration
of adventure
and conservation –
the 2015 Australian
Geographic Society
Awards – took place
in Sydney on 28
October, and once
more we hosted the
year’s brightest and
best in adventure and conservation
(page 117). The audience at the sellout
event was treated to inspiring tales of
courage, perseverance and a dogged
determination to make a diff erence from
amazing Aussies of all ages and from all
walks of life – as well as an inspirational
presentation from wonderful guest
speaker Jessica Watson. The party
atmosphere was heightened by the
exciting prospect of AG’s impending
30th birthday next year.
As we look to that milestone – to be
celebrated in the next issue (Jan/Feb
2016) – the founding editor of this
journal, Howard Whelan, reveals
Australia’s 50 greatest adventurers and
explorers from the time of European
settlement to the present day (page 54).
Like all lists of this type, it’s sure to raise
some eyebrows and ruffl e a few feathers.
The 50 greatest adventurers is the
basis of a thrilling new exhibition called
Trailblazers, at the Australian Museum in
Sydney, which opens in late November
and runs until July 2016. The AG
Society’s crucial role in promoting
modern-day adventure is refl ected in
many of the displays, and we are
delighted to be able to announce our
role as sponsors of a series of adven-
ture-related events and talks that will
take place at the museum over 21 weeks,
from March to July 2016.
We will publish the full schedule on
our website (www.australiangeographic.com.
au/issue129) and in coming issues of thejournal. AG subscribers will receive a 20
per cent discount on adult and family
ticket prices to the Trailblazers exhibition- you must present the latest issue of
AG at the admission desk to redeem this
special off er (see page 67). If you can’t
get to the museum in person, we will
also post videos of the talks online.
And remember that it’s only
through your subscription that we are
able to support this spirit of adventure,
which contributes in so many ways to a
strong and confi dent national identity.
A subscription makes a valued and last-
ing Christmas gift for friends and family,
and it’s easy to organise – go to page 42
to subscribe now.
Ma nd y
McKeesick
is a freelance writer from
north-western New South
Wales, who has a passion
for sharing the stories of
rural Australia. With a career spanning the
deserts (as a geologist), the oceans (as a diver)
and the grasslands (as a farmer), her collection
of yarns is long and varied. She lives on an
800ha cattle property with her husband
and many dogs in her home town of Coolatai,
the story of which she shares with us in this
issue’s Lat/Long.He at h Ho ld e n
started photographing
BMX and mountain-bike
riding events, which
opened a path for him to
explore the world. Since
then he has lived and worked in Canada and
Singapore, and is currently working as a
photojournalist based in Tasmania. With
a combined passion for natural history and
outdoor adventures, he’s a natural fi t for
AG – and this issue’s feature about the
Northern Territory’s Tennant Creek is his fi rst
commission for us.Kevin Stead
began his working life as
a high school art teacher,
a role he continued for
15 years before leaving to
focus on his own creativity.
Never tempted to cross the digital divide,
Kevin sticks resolutely to his favourite tradi-
tional mediums of watercolour and gouache
on paper, or acrylic on canvas, working from
photographic references and live specimens.
Kevin has been working with AUSTRALIAN
GEOGRAPHIC since AG 15, which featured his
magnifi cent tree frog on the cover.Contributors
NATURE WATCH, PAGE 24 RED DUST, GOLD HEART, PAGE 68 LAT/LONG, PAGE 110Contributing editors: Joanna Hartmann, Karen McGhee and Josephine Sargent More contributors: Ralph Alphonso, Ingo Arndt,
Nathan Barden, Paul Brown, Elspeth Callender, Henry Cook, Julius Csotonyi, Ken Duncan, Pam Duncan, Ken Eastwood, Richard Flesfadar,
Luke Hanson, Kiernan Ironfi eld, Zoe Lawrence, Bianca Nogrady, Andrew Maffett, Eric Philips, Alex Ries, Ethan Rohloff,
Ben Sanders, Fred Watson, Howard Whelan.