Ross River Parkway and Growing Bananas

This morning, I ran and walked in greater comfort than two days ago, the humidity level lower, a welcome breeze stealing away perspiration. The Ross River curled big and lazy in early light, its banks...

Dingo Control, Birding at JCU, and Wallace’s Line

In mid-morning, Vilis and I met Chris Johnson in the biology building at James Cook University. Chris introduced Vilis to his office and showed us a map of Australia speckled with black dots. The dots...

Stingers, Crocs, Tree Ants, and Mozzies

At 5:30 a.m., while I sat on the toilet, a 15-centimetre-long pale green gecko clung to a vertical wall beyond the open door of the loo. The soft-skinned reptile’s toes were splayed wide, its tail a...

Paluma Rainforest, North Queensland

By 9:15 a.m., Vilis and I were on our way to the highland village of Paluma and its rainforest 65 kilometres north of Townsville and 22 kilometres inland. Highway A1, the Bruce Highway, carried us nor...