Australian Geographic - 09.2019 - 10.2019

glamorous creatures. I guess some

folks just need to learn to see.

Fabulous issue. Absolutely fabulous.

MAGGIE GALBRAITH,

CRANBOURNE NORTH, VIC

BALANCING ACT

I really enjoyed the article Australia’s

Arks in the latest issue (AG 151) and

appreciated how Tim Low told the

whole story of these conservation

efforts – the successes and the

challenges all together. I think it’s

that type of balanced telling that is

the sweet spot for inspiring

constructive action in conservation.

I really think too much environ-

ment news is either dire “it’s all

stuffed”, or too rosy “yay, we’re

saving the fluffy animals, it’s all

good”. That is a recipe for apathy

and inaction, I reckon. So, well

done. And the photos are awesome!

KATH HAFT, ARID RECOVERY,

ROXBY DOWNS, SA

ANCIENT AQUACULTURE

A recent article (AG 150) about

Brewarrina’s fish traps inspired me

to write about the first 60,000-plus

years of Australia’s history from an

aquaculturist’s perspective. From

early European settlement to the

present day there has been a lack

of recognition and respect for

Indigenous farming and aquacul-

ture. Fish barrages built through-

out Australian waterways were

designed to separate different-sized

groups of native fish and also acted

as artificial reefs. These were

knocked down by colonial settlers

to clear the waterways for boats.

Publications like Bill Gammage’s

The Biggest Estate on Earth and

Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu, when

added to accounts of Indigenous

Australian aquaculture, paint a very

different picture, before European

invasion, of an ancient Australian

landscape modified and designed

by Indigenous Australians caring

for country to produce an abun-

dant harvest of plant, animal and

aquatic food. It was very conven-

ient for early European invaders to

call Australia Terra nullius – despite

evidence such as the Gunditjmara

settlement beside Lake Condah,

where there are more than 140

stone houses beside an elaborate

eel and fish aquaculture complex.

Evidence has been found of

ancient hollow smoking trees near

Lake Condah where eels were

smoked for preservation and trade

with other tribes. Since writing an

article in 1988 I have been

privileged to have been part of the

team that helped Lake Condah to

be restored to its former size and

aquaculture glory after it had

been drained in the late 1800s.

Just recently the Budj Bim

landscape has achieved well-

deserved World Heritage listing.

Perhaps a future article in

Australian Geographic could

highlight Lake Condah?

IAN CARSTAIRS, KIAMA DOWNS, NSW

In July, we profi led the incredible southern

marsupial mole, a peculiar animal of the

Australian outback. Here’s what you had

to say.

TRISH LEE

Wow! I never knew about these little

creatures; I know they exist but have

never heard much about them.

Very interesting article.

CAROLINE NEWLYN

I didn’t even know this animal was one of

ours; we have some beauts, but this takes

the cake.

MICHELE DIX

Our cute little marsupial mole looks as if

it is straight out of J.K. Rowlings’

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

MAT SPILLARD

Let’s hope we don’t make this little

fella extinct.

DONALD GILLIS

If it is really weird and not from

the Galapagos Islands it’s usually

from Australia.

WAYNE TAYLOR

Strange even by Australian standards;

they could be right under our feet.

Ta l k b @ck

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September. October 13

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Notoryctes typhlops

GUIDING LIGHT

I love reading AUSTRALIAN

GEOGRAPHIC. The articles

keep me up to date, as well

as teaching me new facts in

every issue. I am passionate

about sharing information

about our wonderful

country with my travellers

(I am a tour guide) and I

would recommend the

magazine to anyone in the

tourism industry.

Sandra Dann,

Sydney, NSW