Not better, just different.

While the Territory was truly stunning, the adventure didn’t end there. The next stop, 6 hours drive through scrubby savannah, was A bustling metropolis in the west – Kununurra. Kununurra is a sweet little town thriving on an interesting combination of tourists mining and horticulture, the latter made possible by a reliable supply of cheap water from lake Argyle.

Lake Argyle is a dendritic lake formed behind the Ord river dam, and fills what was once the station Argyle downs, and now holds 12 times the volume of Sidney harbor. It ensures that the ord river flows throughout the seasons and it is because of this that many animals flock here for water in the big dry.

Its this flocking of animals to the river that supports the tour guides line – its better for everyone, providing water all year round to the farmers and the wildlife. But my response to that is ‘different not better’ the animals here have survived here without our interference, they have evolved ‘coping mechanisms’ for the harsh environment. The river never did dry up completely, there were always deep pools and billabongs that provided food and sanctuary for those waiting for the rain, an when it rains it pours, rainstorms can cause the water to rise meters within minutes in some parts of the river so obviously this waterway hasn’t been completely tamed but are human influences mediating our environment too much?

Are we homogenizing the world, making way for those animals adapted to a middling environment to reign supreme and loosing the ‘masters of specialization’ that rule the harshest environments?

….and despite all that the link between water and life is undeniable:

Any corrections to my ID’s are much appreciated, i’m not terribly familiar with the Auzzie fauna

Tropical explorations

Welcome to northern Australia, where Kakadu national park is a vivid contrast to the stark desert one might expect (ok, so I expected) and after two days traveling I am very much in awe of the masses of wildlife. Here a stunning array of insects and the critters that lunch on them (as well as the tourists that they lunch on) are out in force.

But why? I certainly don’t function well at these temperatures, so why does life seem to flourish here?
Well it’s the end of the rainy season and everything is growing like mad trying to do its bit before the dry sets in (apparently now it’s the ‘knock em down’ storm season) so the place is aching with fresh leaves and flowers, life and water seem to be well connected.

Wherever there is water there are insects (and crocodile warning signs, although there are no crocs in sight), butterflies are hopping from flower to flower sucking nectar with long tounges, and the flies and mozzies swarm on busloads of unsuspecting tourists that have come to see the sights.

Birds have come from miles around to feed among the waterlillies, dragonflies flit from branch to branch and hundreds of species of ants carpet the ground.

Getting a decent picture for you is interesting, so far i have wasps and some very cute insectivores:

And my favourite creature so far? the epic rhinocerous beetles – Xylotrupes  species – about 4 cm long, dark tough beetles that clatter into the windows at night, and make angry hissing noises when you pick them up – just stunning

What a place!

On a sadder note are the many mines we pass along the way, vast holes in the red rock, men labouring under the intense heat for treasure of an industrial kind.

The vast conservation areas in Kakadu and other nearby parks are commendable, and seem to be reaching their goals in preserving biodiversity, but is this coexistance something our own natural environment can cope with?Should this even be something we are considering?

The New Zealand government needs to consider more than just the economic benefits Australia might get from mining, and see the great pitfalls that follow this lifestyle.

And thats quite enough for now, time for a siesta i think. While all these weird and wonderful creatures thrive in the heat i would really like to spend my days in one of the many scenic billabongs. And if i return from my adventure inside a scaly beast, you will know i gave in to that temptation