November–December 2015 123
FEEDBACK, R EADER PHOTOS, BOOK R EVIEWS & ASK AN EXPERT
YOU R AG
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Edited by Lauren Smith
MAILBAG
WELCOMES
(^127) FEEDBACK
TA LK BACK
Yo u r s o c i a l m e d i a
comments on our stories.
(^125)
WHAT’S ON
Highlights of events and
exhibitions across the nation.
(^125)
COMPETITION
Win a copy of the BBC’s Life Story, one of
David Attenborough ’s latest productions.
Winged jewel
by Richard Flesfadar
The sweet stuff
eu phorbia fl owers
contain must be pretty
good because these
little native bees just
love them.
YOU R
PHOTOS
Submit your photographs
for possible publication:
http://www.australian-
geographic.com.au/yourpics
Mailbag
FIRST TO FIND
My attention was caught by Adventure
in the Alps (AG 126). It reminded me
of the activities of my great uncle
Stewart Ryrie, who journeyed in the
Alps in 1840. Following discussions
with Governor Gipps in 1839, he
proposed to explore, map and report
on an unknown area south of the
Moruya River, NSW, and east of
Port Phillip Road, Victoria. During
nine months, he crossed nearly
2500km of unmapped territory in the
colony’s south-east before narrowly
missing an appointment with fame.
At the time, nobody knew which
Australian mountain was highest.
Stewart strode to within 30 minutes
of the summit of a mountain that a
month later was climbed by Polish
explorer Paul Edmund Strzelecki and
Homalictus urbanus named Mount Kosciuszko.