Australian Geographic — May-June 2017

May. June 35

Wild Australia

with John Pickrell

Rain response

“These exquisite, short-lived

life-forms appeared after heavy

rain, as so many mushrooms do,

in Nightcap NP, NSW. I’ve long

been fascinated by the beauty of

these gems of the living world

and the critical role they play in

nature. Mushrooms are the fruiting

bodies of fungi, which often live

underground or in dead wood.

They emerge when temperature

and moisture levels are just right

– in many regions of Australia, that

occurs in autumn, except in the

tropics where it occurs in summer.”

By Steve Axford

Big picture

WHALE WATCHING,

VICWARRNAMBOOL

Each May–August, thousands of Australian giant cuttlefish

(Sepia apama) gather to spawn along False Bay’s rocky coast.

Glimpse males in a dazzling courtship display, rapidly changing

the colours and patterns of their skin. There is boardwalk access

at Stony Point and a stairway at Black Point. More info: Call Whyalla

City Council on 08 8640 3444 or visit http://www.whyalla.sa.gov.au

SA

PHOTO CREDITS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: DARREN JEW; MINDEN PICTURES / ALAMY; STEVE AXFORD. SCIENTIFIC NAMES, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:

Sepia apama

; Eubalaena australis

; Marasmius haematocephalus

CUTTLEFISH MIGRATION, WHYALLA

During winter months, Logans Beach

at Warrnambool on Victoria’s southern

coast transforms into a southern right

whale (Eubalaena australis) nursery.

Mothers migrate from the cold waters

of Antarctica to the comparatively

warmer coast of southern Australia

to give birth to calves. To spot them

for yourself, visit the viewing platform

at Logans Beach or join a whale-

watching boat tour.

More info: Call Warrnambool Visitor

Information Centre on 1800 637 725

or visit http://www.visitwarrnambool.com.au