From the Grove to Cape Trib

On to Sydney, The Blue Mountains...

2008-09-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Sydney is a beautiful town. I flew from Cairns to here in a quest for a possible job. Spent my first day wandering around near my accommodation, "Wake Up" backpacker hostel. I share a room with three others. It is clean and with good facilities.

Pictured Above is a building at the Chinese Gardens.
View of the city behind the Chinese Gardens
Sydney has a lovely botanical gardens, here is a shot of the Succulent Gardens. The gardens were also home to a huge colony of Grey Headed Flying Foxes. They are very similar to the Spectacled Flying Foxes at AUSTROP but with more fur, making them so Cute!
View of the Opera House with the city behind. Sydney has a public transport system that includes a train service, as well as buses and ferries, being that Sydney is broken up by many Harbors. One can purchase a weekly pass for unlimited access on these three services for 35$au. This will get you on all the ferries, with the exception of Manly Beach, as well as buses and trains as far as the outer suburbs for one week.
The train terminal had this great mural along a large section of wall at Central Terminal. It paid tribute to the 150 years of train service in and around Sydney. Above is the last frame in the series.

I took the train from Sydney to Katoomba, a quaint Mountain town high in the Blue Mountains surrounded by walking tracks with spectacular views and outstanding landscape. I found a lovely little backpacker Accommodation,No.14 . No. 14 was a renovated guest house with all its historic charm in tact. The operaters were helpful, friendly, and extremely laid back.

I chose not to take pictures of the Blue Mountains. This experience I am keeping in my heart, mind, and soul. I strongly recommend all reading this blog to go there and check it out for yourself. There is a spirit in the land there like none I have ever felt in my life.

With that I had a brief visit with a Charming and friendly Aussie special effects and explosives technology expert on my way to the Sydney airport. The circle is almost complete. I am flying from Sydney back to Cairns, where this journey began. From Cairns I fly back home to the states through Auckland after two nights and a day there, just enough time to get my tattoo, and do some blogging before leaving this marvelous country.

Will Miss you dearly Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia, you definitely got your hooks in me...

NEXT BLOG!

Goodbye To AUSTROP (again) Reflections, First Impressions...

2008-09-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

Well, there are many more characters I could introduce you to, sorry for those I missed, there were so many of you, and my connection is so slow at my house, it would take years. So for now, I am going to add a couple of written excerpts with reflections of AUSTROP. I will then add pics and thoughts from the rest of my Journey in Australia, and coming home. I will finish with a list of the projects completed on my internship, along with the two interviews; one, with Barry Kentish, ISV volunteer coordinator, and the second, with Hugh Spencer, AUSTROP director. These interviews will conclude this blog.

Reflections:Oh Nelly,Woha Boy, Woah...

This may be my truest reflection. Water and light, the Rainbow Serpent, the creation. That is our being. The words might flow, but they are lacking understanding. These words, they can be likened to chasing a big fish out there on the reef, your hands outstretched before you, your flippers moving back and forth wildly.You know that the fish is as smart as you, or smarter, and you can't catch it, but you believe in the possibility.You believe you are enough a part of it to catch it, you believe you understand it enough to keep on its track.You are a hunter, a seeker, you beckon after it, believe in it, to you, it is the highest order. You believe there is a chance to tease the truth, to live in understanding.

I don't disagree, so then, I meet you here, I flow in the waves with you, I seek, with you. I Believe.

In this reflection I am contemplating leaving... leaving AUSTSROP, leaving a way of life, a way of dreaming, meaning, a way of being. I see how far I have come, still in awe at the track laid out before me, my world view changed, my consciousness altered, still, so much more to learn, so many more tracks to tread upon. And by the end of this writing I will be gone, on another track, in the same direction, just beyond another crossroads, and believe me now when I tell you, we have been here before, together.

The cast of characters, Hugh, Sara, Eika, Emmy, Maria, Barry, The first ISV group, in all it's glory, Jean, Lilli Rae, Joseph, Dan,The Jessica's, the second group, in all it's shame, but still shining light, Igor "The Bat Whisperer", Tim, The "Miami Girls", the third ISV group, well... I never really got to know you, 7 wonderful females, too bad..., to you all, I hope you all continue on to greatness, for each and every one the potential is immense, and in a world so out of balance, we need you now more than ever to keep on keeping on. I hope to meet you all again one day somewhere on down the track. And I thank you for your love, your wisdom, your strength of purpose, and for helping to teach me with your true and brilliant spirits. I thank you for all you have taught me, and I apologize for those things I did not grasp, so hope for me tonight will you, that I may grow to understand.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS...

The first sight I had of Hugh when he picked up Sarah and I at the Cairns City Library was as I expected, wide eyed and alert, he seemed in some distant thought while at the same time taking in every detail of his surroundings, and sizing us up like a pair of new shoes. His grey hair tousled as if he drove down from the Cape with his head hanging out the window like a Labrador. He had the posture of a flagpole, and walked as if in a hurry to get somewhere. It is in that same state of constant emergency that I would come to know Hugh. There is a sense of urgency that he acts with, as if he is expecting an angry chiuaua to come zipping around the corner at any moment, and only if he remains in a state of constant hurried motion can he keep ahead of it.

Sarah looked at me when we met there in front of the library as if I was the guy her mother had always warned her about, and I probably am, but still, when looking at someone that way it would be wise to hide it in a smile. She looked as if she had spent the last 6 months in 12 hours a day of direst sunlight, her skin was bronzed as an Egyptian goddess. But no worry, a couple weeks in the shade of the Daintree Rain forest would turn her white as a ghost.

Hugh quickly assessed the situation and directed us to the side of the library before speeding off to grab the Subaru, I lugged my bags over towards the pickup point. I seemed to have packed enough clothing to stock the salvation army for a year. "I usually travel light" I muttered to Sarah Hues as I limped in front of my giant duffel bag as it scraped across the pavement. Hugh was up on the side of the library in a jiffy, and we were loaded and off in no time. The Subaru had a musty skunky smell that I later would come to know as batty piss.

So much for first impressions...

Cast Of Characters Continued

2008-09-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Sarah Hughes, she really did turn out to be "Super" stayed longer than myself, or any others in our time, outplay, outsmart, outlast. She claimed upon arrival that she could not cook, but here she is cooking Muesli, she also made the most spectacular lemon delicious dessert, and became the #1 cook in the camp(except Hugh, of course).
The Miami Girls, here in the Bat House, whats up????
Tom, studying civil engineering at Rutgers, in New Jersey, helps in the digging of the hole that will later hold the PV Array. Tom was a great guy, and a hard worker with a positive attitude. It was great having him around the station, wish he could have stayed longer, part of the Second ISV group. I hear Tom and his family are installing an array of their own back in Jersey, you go Tom!!!!
Here Sarah Hughes leads the second ISV group out to pick up trash along the roadsides along Cape Trib Road.

Cast Of Characters

2008-09-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

Rattlecat, our resident feline, provides solace to those getting a bit homesick along with other psychological services. If a cat can survive here, I know I can!
Joseph, one of the first ISV group members, seen here hypnotizing a cane toad. Joseph is from the USA, Florida, he plays guitar, fiddle, and other instruments, he, like Hugh, has an extraordinary memory and intellect, and I was constantly amazed at his level of knowledge.
Yours truly with Dan Dieters, also member of the first ISV group, my bro, we snuck off at the end of the workdays and got pints together at the pub, a true Aussie bonding experience. From Michigan , USA. Dan is a hard worker, we demolished thousands of ginger plants together with machete's , up to four plants in one swing!! Is that a record??? Dan was also a ladies man, a curse and a blessing, look out girls, here comes Dan the Man!!!
Maria, pictured above, was a Japanese intern, not an ISV volunteer. She was here studying eco-tourism, and polishing up her English speaking skills. Yes, or Yeah was the most used word in her vocabulary, she was quite articulate, and loads of fun. I learned from Maria that two people do not need to speak the same language well in order to communicate effectively.
Marlan, pictured above, was part of the Second ISV group to visit AUSTROP during my stay. She was one of two "Miami Girls" from where else? Miami Florida, USA. Here she is making Ice Cream on the last night of their two week project. I formed quite a bond with the "Miami Girls", Marlan and Jaihaira.I feel they were labeled " most unlikely to succeed in the jungle" upon their arrival, yet, despite a few screams about spiders and such, got on quite well an gained from the experience.

Reflections On AUSTROP, Cast of Characters, Dr. Hugh, Director

2008-09-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

Dr. Hugh Spencer, you wouldn't know he was an Aussie by his accent, for he speaks more like British Royalty than Mate speak. But get to know him and his quick wit, bold honesty, and tenacity are true blue Australian. Hugh runs AUSTROP and is also a volunteer, just like the rest of us. His passion for conservation is unrivaled, and it is amazing that the amount of knowledge he has can fit in just one mans brain.
He has been running the station for 20 years and shows no signs of slowing down. He works 7 days a week, keeping everything as near to the track as possible. He has knowledge of electronics, biology, history, mechanics, woodworking, and is basically a jack of all trades, one must be, when running a research station in the tropics, where things are constantly breaking down as a result of the constant heat and humidity. ABOVE: Pictured here with a young coconut, one of his arch enemies, as they suppress native vegetation, having negative impacts upon erosion on the high tide line.
Hugh loves animals, but especially bats. Here he is with a blossom bat, one of the smallest flying foxes.
Hugh doing his least favorite job, The Books.
Hugh caught this brown tree snake in one hand while wielding a box of groceries in his other hand, so Eike, and the rest of us, could get a photo.

I Think Only Rattlecat Knows I'm Leaving, What Have I Learned here?

2008-09-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

After spending Friday, August Twenty Ninth, 2008, packing my gear while simultaneously erecting the solar array, I realized suddenly that rattlecat was the only soul aware of my departure. There she is above, trying to sneak into my dufflebag.

I realized, as well, that my main purposes in coming to AUSTROP was not to install a solar array at all, and that the teachings imparted upon my mind, body, and soul here were far different than the teachings of a Renewable Energy Technician. Mind you, I learned more about renewable energy, especially the use of solar PV in Remote Area Power Systems, than I could have anywhere.Regardless, there was a more poignant lesson I left AUSTROP with. I began to use the name "Armageddon Camp" to describe AUSTROP because I feel that the education received there has the potential to prepare one for Armageddon. Now, before you go getting too exited, let me define Armageddon as I have learned it. The word Armageddon means simply - new beginning. And the fact that it conjures images of the last days of civilization as we know it, makes an even more fitting title for AUSTROP. It is a sort of new beginning that I believe we need on this planet where we redefine how we live in relationship to the natural systems of this planet. This was reinforced strongly on a daily basis at AUSTROP. Our fearless director, Hugh Spencer kept us updated on current climate change issues, ideas, predictions, and solutions on a daily basis.

I learned that our civilization as a whole is past the point of thoughtless energy consumption. It is unarguably evident that the processes that currently provide us with most of our wants, namely the combustion of fossil fuels, combined with unfettered population growth, are quickly making this planet inhospitable for life as we know it.

This, my friends, is truly the issue of our time. There are many who will tell you that some technology will save us from the present and worsening climate crisis, and I can agree, that we need to implement many technological improvements to our current antiquated systems, but unfortunately, new technologies will only serve to buy us some time, and are not a solution. The solution lies instead within the same system that has caused so much damage to the earths systems, that of human civilization. We must first stop population growth. I know this is a touchy issue, but there is really no way around it, we as humans, must take the responsibility to stop breeding, the planet just can not support any more growth, especially if we continue to consume resources at anywhere near present levels.

Second, we must drastically reduce our consumption of resources. Even if the population levels off, or begins to shrink, the earth can not support these "Western" patterns of consumption. It is our social structures, then, that need to be analyzed, and reconfigured based on a system that holds ecological health as the foundation by which we measure progress. We need to redefine our economics, as well as our ideas of progress, growth, and success. And the kicker, we have to do this now!! So often I hear people speak of the climate crisis, and global warming as something that will happen in the future. The fact of the matter is, it's happening now, and it is speeding up.

This is why I coined the term "Armageddon Camp" for AUSTROP. The lifestyle here is a crash course in reduced consumption. I feel that many aspects of life at Armageddon Camp mirror what the world might look like if we are to realistically face the current climate crisis, and begin to implement the changes in our own lives that will do less harm to the natural systems essential to sustain life. For example, AUSTROP produces our own electricity, using less than 8 Kilowatt Hours a day for the entire station. We also limit the amount of fuel for cooking by eating uncooked meals for breakfast and lunch, and cooking dinner together. We have hot water only when the sun shines, as our sole source of heating for water is solar energy. Our water comes from a spring on the hill behind the property. Our toilets are composting, and all human waste stays on site, and requires no treatment measures. We only use high load appliances, mainly, the clothes washing machine and satellite Internet, when there is excess electricity, on sunny clear days. We air dry all our clothing. We read loads, for entertainment, and share what we learn with one another, have discussions, and analyze. We work as a team, helping one another with chores and projects, teaching and learning as we go.We also spend time planting trees, as well as removing exotic species, to improve the health of the land, using our human power to give back to the natural systems that surrounded us. We rarely drive any considerable distance, we had weekly produce deliveries, and when we did go to town, we did all the errands that needed to be done with one trip.

There is more that could be done at AUSTROP to have even less of a global footprint. We could grow more of our own food. We could harness the bio- gas from the human and food waste to use for cooking fuel, as well as to burn for electricity. All of the systems where there is waste heat could be harnessed to heat water or do other work. These are some projects that other students could help to implement in the future.

In short, there are many components of the education I received at AUSTROP, but primarily it was Global Climate Change, causes and solutions, 101. The learning structure combined reading materials with hands on skill based learning,but most importantly, walking the talk daily. This combination creates an environment that has the potential to morph ones education into a life altering experience. Now, as I head to the road with my gear to hitch a ride to Cairns, I only have one hope, that I am strong enough to take this experience home, and implement drastic changes in my life, and continue to share these ideas with others.

GOODBYE AUSTROP, YOU WILL BE MISSED, I WON'T FORGET, 1 IN 100 BABY!

The Array goes up !!!

2008-09-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

First, the device called the tracker must sit atop the pole. This allows the array to move with the sun on a daily basis, as well as to be tilted on it's axis to accommodate the seasonal position of the sun in the sky. Solar panels work best when perpendicular to the direct rays of the sun. By being able to move the array to align perpendicular with the sun throughout the year, as well as most of the day, one can receive great gains in efficiency, especially when close to the equator(25 degrees or less)
The garden at AUSTROP, Aloe and Pineapple in the foreground. Lemongrass and Banana Trees there as well. We used the ginger eradicated from around the property as a mulch. Many gingers are native to the Daintree, but they are very aggressive multipliers, and it pays to keep them under control.
Hugh atop the ladder pulling the wires through. This is the rack upon which the panels will be mounted. We already know everything should fit properly, as we put the array together while on the ground for just that purpose.
Yours truly helping to put up the first panel. And the sun came out! What a day.
Emmie and I adding one panel at a time.

The addition of this array has the potential to increase the solar output by 800 watts, or approximately 6-8 kilowatt hours per day maximum. Considering that AUSTROP only averages about 7-8 kilowatt hours a day, this array will be able to account for much of that power on a sunny day. 1000 watts of electricity for 1 hour = 1kilowatt Hour. The main function this array will serve is providing as many Kilowatt hours as possible on days when the sun is not shining all day. In cloudy, rainy, and overcast climates that tend to get bursts of sun throughout the day(like Oregon and the Northwest, as well as the Daintree, and the tropics) having as many panels as possible is a good investment. Especially when one is storing their power, and the alternative is running the ever more expensive fossil fuels, namely petrol and diesel, in noisy and inefficient combustion generators. Or, the possibility that in the near future, if the sun doesn't come out, one has no electricity.

One of the great facts about solar PV power is more panels can be added, usually without great changes in the entire system. This allows the home/business owner to add more and more capacity to harness the suns energy when and if the funds become available. Once the basic components of the system are in place, it gets less and less expensive to add more cells, more panels, more collectors, more arrays.

Barry comes Back with the Third ISV Group, 7 female Americans, Did I hear someone say West Coast Ya'll?

2008-09-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

The one and only Barry Kentish, fearless ISV group leader, Dr. at all things ethical, especially the murder of young cane toads, gathers his thoughts.
OK, now he's ready for action, Cane Toads Look Out!!! If you don't understand the joke, read on, soon a full interview with Dr. Barry will be published on this blog.

Cane Toads are a huge problem in Australia, especially in the east and the north. They were introduced in the 1930's to predate on a beetle that the Sugar Cane farmers were having a problem with, unfortunately, through gross human error, they failed miserably at what they were brought to Australia to do, and have since caused the decimation of native rain forest and tropical snakes and birds, among others. Their poisonous glands near their heads secrete a toxin that is instantly deadly to many predators.This causes both the death of many animals, primarily snakes and birds that attempt to snack on the Cane Toad. This fact also leads to huge population explosions in the Cane Toad community, reeking other havoc on the foodstuffs cane toads feed on, insects.

Barry Kentish has therefore trained himself to be an expert Cane Toad assassin. I would go as far to say, a Cane Toad killing Ninja. Please take the time to read the interview with both Barry and Hugh, they will be some of the last posts on this blog, and I am sure you will find them both to be quite enlightening.
The new ISV group arrives and helps to erect the pole for the Solar Array!!!
Strange picture of same process...
Wow, that's a beaut! The pole first had to be filed smooth on both ends, all subsequent holes drilled, wires pulled through, and there she blows! Hugh and I ponder what to do next, as well as admire the absolute beauty of the electricity generating capacity that will sit atop this obelisk.

Inverter goes in, Edmund goes out...R.I.P.

2008-09-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Psychedelic Bat picture, had to put it in, Sorry Hugh and Eike, I know its not sharp, some of us would call it art, like Pollack. Getting near the end of my stay now and starting to get sentimental about the bats, the place, and the people.
These are some very handsome bats, is that Pushkin? Or Rex?
Me fooling with the second inverter. After installing it for the first time, and dropping it on Hugh's knee about 5 times, we found that a transformer was in fault state. Thankfully, due to the fact that Hugh rarely gets rid of things, we had another transformer in a spare inverter. It was quite fun for me to help Hugh take the transformer out of the old model, and fit it in to the new inverter. I learned the value of spare parts, and the ability to creatively solve problems.Testing 1,2,3, go! It works, so, transformer was the problem, with the new transformer in the repaired inverter, it's all systems go! This second transformer will mainly act as a battery charger and a backup to the present inverter, so, in an emergency, if the current inverter was to fail, with just the flip of a switch, the new inverter comes on line.
Emmie and Hugh working well together to get the back up inverter installed.
Sorry about this picture. This extremely premature flying fox was found in the car park next door at PK's. Against our best advice, the girls named him Edmund. Despite our best efforts, Edmund passed from this earth a few hours after receiving his Christian name. Spectacled Flying Foxes have a six month incubation period. They are usually born with fur and their eyes open. Edmund was at least three weeks premature. Some things are just not to be. Edmund, Rest In Peace...

The guests from Gold Coast, Miss Ya'll!!!!

2008-09-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Trish, one of the visitors that came to AUSTROP, an animal handler and healer of the highest order, she absolutely loved bats, she may even turn into a Bat if not careful.Good on ya' Trish Keep up the good work, sorry I never made it to visit, Rain check?
Terri, the comedian, with Sam, the 16 year old Rico Suave, hide your daughters mothers! Two of the other visitors from Gold Coast Hinterland. Keep up the good work, pleasure to have met ya'.
Shannon, a true Bro', and a true blue Aussie, shoot, just a good mate at that, Ill be back, mark my words! Next trip, Gold Coast here I come!!!!
Jasper loves me!!! Here he is giving me all the love I could take. It took three others and some trickery to get him of me this time.
Quit licking, that tickles Jasper, I'm not your Momma!

Back To AUSTROP and Back to work!

2008-09-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

Here is Emmie, our fellow intern from France helping to see if the new Solar Array fits together as planned. Star and I arrived back at AUSTROP ready to work!. There were some visitors from Gold Coast who ran a Bat and other animal rescue. They were quite interesting and fun folk, they are pictured in some of the following shots. Shannon, about my age was an expert animal handler, they had sequestered a python from certain death on the Cape Trib road before we arrived home from our vacation and released it before we got a chance to take pics, Shannon was one of the handlers. His partner in crime Sam, was an old and wise 16 year old boy that was equipped with Hormones to match his wit and wisdom, though this did not stop us from getting loads of work done while they were here. Shannon's mother Trish, was truly an animal lover, and possibly a saint. They had hundreds of bats, along with other animals, down at their home in the hinterlands near Gold Coast. Trish's partner Terri, was an American transplant and near do well self proclaimed business man with a sense of humor that could outrun a roo, and it did not cease morning or night. Thank you for that Terri. As my elder, he also imparted me with much wisdom in his stay at AUSTROP.
During this whirlwind of visitors, we were also somewhat surprised by a heard of young primary school students from Cairns. They managed to keep Hugh quite busy for the good part of an afternoon. Here they are checking out the Bats. Where on earth is the Panadol? I had the great privilege at keeping a good number of them at bay in the Bat house while Hugh took the rest on a tour of the property. Ol' Boy, one of my favorite of the Batties (hell they all were my favorite at one time or another) was in prime form, as he showed the students how apt he was at urinating on my boots while I had my most serious teacher face on trying to educate the little tykes.
It all fits!!! All the panels fit where they were supposed to, though I believe my original drawing may have been adapted slightly while on vacation, Hugh never let on to allow me to continue to think of the system design as one of my creation. Shannon, in the foreground helped us put it all together, as they hope to begin applying some solar to their abode soon. The panels were manufactured by sharp, as opposed to the BP panels predominantly utilized at the station. The new set up, much to Hugh's dismay, were plug in systems, where no wire stripping or wiring boxes were needed, nor possible. The wiring on the junction boxes of the panels each had a male and female piece and could be plugged in to one another without any wiring.
Star and Emmies small hands worked well to get the small nuts on the even smaller bolts that held the panels in place. Hugh did point out when I mentioned this fact, " Your hands aren't all that big yourself Toby." Thanks Hugh, no need to rub it in!!!!
Shannon and I get primal with the fire while burning the garbage. We hope to adapt the wasted heat energy created when burning our waste to heat water in the near feature, one of the co-generation processes that is essential at the station, Future Project for an intern?? Also, capturing the heat given off by the petrol generator could be part of an integrated system.

The End Of the Holiday ...BACK TO WORK !!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-09-08T03:31:00.000-07:00

Down the Palmer River Highway is one of the most amazing slices of upland rain forest left in existance. Between Milla Milla and Innisfail as one descends the mountains there is a pull off with a trail that leads to a lookout of amazing proportions, unfortunately, camera ran out of batteries here, one last shot?
The sun descends on the last night of Holiday, star celebrates on the roadside at the Palmer river highway. Here we descend into the Innasfail Valley, with loads of farming, namely banana plantations, along with others. We, settle in to the nicest little hostel named The Codge Lodge, have a good dinner to end the trip, and wake refreshed for our drive back to Cairns to return the Wicked Van, and on up to Cape Trib. AUSTROP here we come again!

Here is the view of the river from the back deck of the Hostel.
The Lat Luncheon, Hell the food is better up at Austrop anyway, they don't call it Cape Trib Cooking Camp fer' nuthin'. Star wanted her Aussie meal, Kangaroo, and Crocodile, and I was all too happy to oblige, so here I am searching for the perfect wine pairing. I have since seen the waitress behind me there about four times on my subsequent journey, so strange,

2008-09-08T03:19:00.000-07:00

We found it, and Innot springs are HOT! We stopped in a pub and the bar keep explained that one could go next door and pay the caravan park to sit in their pool where water from the hot springs are piped up to said location, but his recommendation was to just go out to the creek behind his hotel and dig some sand out of the way and let some hot water in and soak for free. Of course, we took his advice...
Whoa, this feel sooooooo gooooood!

We left the spings, headed down to Ravenshoe, this area is truely the Tablelands, it reminded both Star and I of Middle Earth from Lord of the Rings, here is a windfarm between Ravenshoe and Milla Milla.

More of the windfarm...

2008-09-08T02:58:00.000-07:00

After leaving Chilligoe, headed back for the tablelands, Star and I were enthralled with this 4wd business, and as foolish as it sounds, and is, she liked it when I drove fast, and I like that she liked it, and aw hell, I liked it too!!! My excuse is that I am going to gain a little joy out of the last days of the age of oil, and if it means driving a 4wd van fast through the Australian bush, so be it.Woe is me.Anyway, we were headed towards mareeba and saw a sign for another 90km track that went to about the same place, but meant we could do it with barely touching the bittumen (pavement). This sounded good to us so off we went. Above is double barrel creek, one of many creeks labled with interesting names along this track. Other signs we saw: DANGER POISON CREEK, DO NOT DRINK, and, BEWARE MAY BE UNEXPLODED ARTILLARY IN THE AREA.
Near the unexploded artillary sign we saw another sign for an old pioneer graveyard that is pictured below, here are a couple of shots of the graveyard itself. It was called Montalbion, and it seems after such tragedy, most folks left, although there still seemed to be one very dedicated rancher in the area, the cows here looked to be the most well taken care of of all the cows we saw on our journey.

Just alittle shout out for all the crest drive folks, Hello Ya'll!!!!
Here is pictured one of the many interesting crossings, at least there was a bridge this time!
While on this track, we saw on the map, that with just a short detour we could stay on the dirt and make our way to a place called Innot Hot Springs, "The Gateway to the Outback". We were not sure but were hoping that if we amde it, there would be an oppurtunity for a nice soak.

NEXT BLOG PLEASE!!!

2008-09-08T02:41:00.000-07:00

Star holding up balancing rock, notice the face in the rock here. Really?
Beautiful blooms in front of the service station in Chilligoe.
Where we stayed. With the moon so full, they never opened the observatory, and not sure if eco lodge here ment ecological or economical. No telling...
Beautiful Swim hole just out of town in Chilligoe.
Ruins of the copper smelters, now part of the national park there.

2008-09-08T02:19:00.000-07:00

Chilligoe Caves, seen here from the outside. There are many caves in the area , the one we toured is called Royal Arches. We arrived just in time, after bombing out across the bush. On the way we saw a giant eagle, bigger than any bird we had ever seen, feeding on carrion on the track. The land here is very dry, and it is quite hot. This is close to outback type country here and has little population or precipitation. The locals said it had not rained since april. There is a spring fed river in the area one can swim in, as well as loads of walking tracks, interesting rockhounding, and aboriginal rock art. Note to self: come back and spend between 1 and 2 weeks here.
Inside Royal Arches cave, the camera is low on batteries so got very few shots in here. This is a limestone cave made from water. It is known that these caves are remnants of an inland sea, or an old coastline, we saw fossils on the walls of shells and of coral. In the wet season there is water a few meters deep in some of these caverns.
Star seen here in awe of some of the formations. The settlers her have used the caves as a respite from the summer heat for years. Pioneers first came for marble mining as well as a huge copper smelter in the area.
This wallaby hung within less than a meter of us for an hour or so at our camp, and probobly returned after we turned in for the evening.
The next day, on the way out of town, Star and I hiked up to Balancing Rock. One of the many amazing formations in the area. Stay tuned for a few more picks of the area...

The Savannah country on The way to Chilligoe and the Tablelands.

2008-09-08T01:51:00.000-07:00

From Elim we drove into the night on a mission to make it to the Chilligoe Caves on the edge of the outback by the last tour at 2:30 pm the following day. Now, let it be noted that we did not know the last tour was at 2:30 until well past Mareeba ,and on our way, but still there was a force beckoning us onward, and so we answered and kept the pedal to the medal in to the night. We stopped in Lakeland Downs at a pub and had a rump steak as tough as a leather shoe, but we were hungry, and consumed it with vigor. Star was a trooper as she is fond of tender meat, and a bit more discerning then myself when it comes to dining. Still, she chewed and chewed away until the plate was cleaner than the floor, and a Tooheys New Pint to wash it down and all was well.

Back out on the road we saw our first Kangaroo that night, and enough Wallabies for every vehicle on the road to smash into a dozen of the little buggers. Many did meet that fate, but we managed to steer clear of any such incidents. I found that if one just maintained a constant speed they would get out of your way, they are much quicker than they are intelligent. It was when you started to slow down for them that they would get confused and dart out in front of your Ute.

We found an adequate parking area called a lookout which we camped at for the evening, and woke to the views in the picture above.
Then it was breaky and instant coffee at the famous, if not infamous, Palmer River Roadhouse. It's not exactly nowhere but you can see it from there. Gold was discovered here in the early pioneering days of the area, and it was all dug up just as quick, leaving this roadhouse as about the only remnant of the pioneers left in the area.
The beautiful Estelle on an old tractor a the roadhouse, all steel.
The Author taking his shot at it too!
Star by a large termite mound. I hear it doesn't even compare to the ones in the Northern Territory, but it was a prize to us.

We made good time and were in Mareeba before noon. After gathering supplies and fueling up we were headed towards more gravel track and as close to the outback as we would come on this Journey, Chilligoe. Next Blog Please...

Pics from Elim.

2008-09-08T01:18:00.000-07:00

Yours Truly on the beach in Elim.
Colored Sands at Elim, look closely and see the two Pelicans in flight, remember click any picture to enlarge.
Eddies Vessel, will be in 2 meters of water by this evening.
View From Eddies Campground, totally deserted beach, and its Saturday Night!!!
The Great Wicked Camper Van at Eddies Campground. This is a 4wd all terrain vehicle, believe me, we tested it. Learned to drive like an Aussie in this bugger. Wicked is a rental company in AU, NZ,GB, that rents camper vans to backpackers and others for between 30-80$$ a day. A must drive experience and a diesel.

Colored Sands Beaches at Elim

2008-09-07T23:50:00.000-07:00

This is definitely a 4WD only track, on the way to Elim at the Colored sands beaches. We left Willies place and headed out through the Aboriginal lands at Hope Vale, where we had to pick up a permit at the service station to be on these lands. Passed Hope Vale, the track got quite rough and the landscape consisted of short wind blown scrub called heath lands. We were told that if we would like to camp at the beach, we needed to talk to a guy named Eddie, who ran a campground on his property there near Elim at "The End of the Track"
Getting closer to the beach we had to keep moving as the track became mostly loose and deep sand.
This is the sign at the end of the track, which was definitely a sign of things to come.

When we arrived the campground was deserted, and the bathrooms consisted if tin "humpy houses" or shacks made of wood scraps and tin, though they had flush toilets and cold showers. The beach was totally quiet and deserted, it reminded me of an episode of "The Twilight Zone". Above is a strange sea star which we found many of all along the beach, we named them "Punk Rock Stars" due to their color and spikes. Click to enlarge and get a better look.
Star felt she needed to save the stars and thoughtfully threw many back into the water. I made her stop when reminding her " Your stealing the birds lunches!!!" Don't click to enlarge this one please.

We finally met Eddie back at the campground. He was an 82 year old Torres Straight islander who enlightened us that this was his families ancestral lands, and he had been here forever. We decided to head on but made plans with Eddie that we would return on a later date, it was hard to leave as Eddie was quite fond of our conversation.

Picures of Nugul Rock Art

2008-09-07T23:38:00.000-07:00

The Faceless Creator with goofy Humans.
The Fish, symbol of reflection.
This one, I believe, is Ruby's Signature, the signature is made by blowing powdered rock over one's hand print.

The Author, Willie Gordon. and Estelle.

The Sacred Cows And the Rainbow Serpent.

2008-09-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

We saw many cows on our Journey, Star and I. It seems there are more pictures of cows on my data card than any other Australian Mammal. Go figure. These Cows were on a farm out on the Bloomfield Track. They looked quite different to us than the cows back home, with the big floppy ears, and their ribs showing. These cattle must be hormone free and free range.
The morning after we finished driving the Bloomfield Track, we were lucky enough to go on a guided tour of some Aboriginal Rock Art sites between Cooktown and Hope Vale. These sites were on Willy Gordon's families ancestral lands. Willy meets folks out on the edge of the property and guides them along a few walking tracks through this land visiting different rock art sights, as well as pointing out different edible plants or "Bush Tucker", and speaking a bit about Aboriginal culture. As is true with Indigenous groups in the Americas, his knowledge and stories are specific to his family, or clan, and though they may have similarities with other clans, he only speaks of his families stories and customs specifically. This being said, it is important to note that when speaking of indigenous cultures, one must be careful not to group them into one group, as the cultures vary, and are specific to certain families and landscapes.

Willie's Family is part of the Guugu Yimithirr tribe, separate from the Kuku Yalanji people of the more southern areas below river Annan that I have spoken of previously. His clan are the Nugul, there are thirty-two clan, or extended family areas between the Annan river to the south and Prince Charlotte Bay in the north. The boundaries between these clans were defined by landmarks, like the one pictured.

The Guugu Yimmithirr tribe has been working hard to put control of their ancestral lands back into the hands of their original clan owners. In 1986 the government handed over an area of 110,000 hectares northwest of Cooktown to the Hope Vale Aboriginal Council. And in 1997 thirteen clans of the Guugu Yimithirr were acknowledged as originating from that area, and are working now to have trusteeship returned to the individual clans.

The rock art sites we visited are known as Waangar-Wuri, or "white Person Playing" after the local clan found a white person there (Willie's Aunt Ruby) living among the Aborigines.

Willie comes from a line of story keepers, and quit his Job as a social worker to share his families stories with visitors full time around the time of "Sorry Day".
Star walking between the Reconciliation Rock Art and the Birthing Cave.

The Origin of "Sorry Day"

On 13 February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd put a motion to the Parliament of Australia.".^[1]

“

I move:

That today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing culture in human history.

We reflect on their past mistreatment.

We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations—this blemished chapter in our nation’s history. We also reflect on the apologies given to Emma Angus, who founded the town new Berlin shortly before her death in 1906. She was killed by the notorious murderer Dugals Johnson who killed six others.

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia.

”

In his accompanying speech, Kevin Rudd noted that "reconciliation is in fact an expression of a core value of our nation".

To Willie Gordon, "Sorry Day" did signify the beginning of healing for him personally. He had an aunt Ruby who was born part white, she was almost killed by Willie's grandfather for this fact. After a time, she was accepted into his family. It was then that she put her hand mark on a sacred spot with the oldest of his families paintings similar to the one pictured above. This was a symbol that she was part of their clan, and she would always have a place here, at their sacred sight , on their sacred lands. He felt that maybe it was time for his family to also apologize for the way they treated "mixed" children, and allow them back into their clans. It was for this fact that the first sight we viewed was called the Reconciliation Cave.

The hilltop in the distance marked one border of Willie's family lands. It was in this manner, through land formations seen from high points, that all of the borders of the lands were marked. The males from one tribe do not venture to the land of other tribes unless invited. The women mixed between tribes to keep the gene pool diverse. Circumcision was performed on some males of Willie's tribe after they had enough children in order to control population growth.
This is a picture of the last sight we visited, "The Rainbow Serpent" sight. It is difficult to see in pictures all that is going on here, but there is quite a lot. I will attempt to share with you the story, as I heard it, from Willie that day. There will be more pictures of specific parts in the next blog. All the pictures on the blog can be clicked on and enlarged as well.

At the very left beyond the scope of this photo is a representation of creator. With creator is two figures of people. Creator does not have a face, and is much larger than the human figures in the pictures. The people had short misshapen arms and legs, with strange faces. Creator was so large and had no face to symbolize that Willies tribe did not name or try to describe creator, there was too much unknown, and indescribable about creator. This is why the humans among the drawing of creator had misshapen arms and legs, and strange faces. It showed how strange humans looked and felt in the presence of such an indescribable and unknown idea. Willies tribe then, did not name, or speak much about creator, though they new it was there, just without specifics, or a personal relationship, it is just to big and unknown. When humans do attempt to know more about creator, they have strange faces and short legs and arms because they get so confused in the process, it's better to just leave it alone.

Further to the right in the painting is the rainbow serpent known to the Nugul caln as Yirmbal. The rainbow serpent is a symbol in Willies tribe, as well as among many aboriginal people, of the creation story. A flowing river, carrying the life giving water, has the shape of the serpent, and the rainbow is what happens when two main life giving elements come together, light and water, as at a waterfall. Hence, the rainbow serpent symbolizes creation. Creation is different from creator in that its effects can be seen all around us, in all land and nature, whereas creator is the unseen force that drives creation. This is why Yirmbal, or the creation story has a name and a face, where creator does not.

The Nugal clan has a sacred sight called Gubal da Gathay, now refered to as Conners Knob. This spot was formed when Yirmbal curled up and went to sleep at the top of the hill, when it woke and left, the shape of the sleeping serpent remained.

So remember, when one sees a rainbow, let it remind us of creation.

Also on the wall here is the Elder. Elders of the Nugal Clan cut marks into their arms and abdomens when they gained knowledge, both physical, like hunting and gathering bush tucker, and spiritual. Further along to the right mingled and slightly above is an elder. Elders are not always old, they just have much knowledge. The elder symbolizes the importance of learning to the Nugal people. Learning then was not necessary to make money, like most use it for today, but to survive, care for the land, find the food, and pass the knowledge along to the young. The elders were respected greatly, and were essential parts of sustaining life.

Beyond the elder is a symbol that represents death, it is overlaid with the Nugul totem, and other totems are around it. It symbolizes that when a Nugal clan member dies they have a place here on their lands, and return to their totem animal. Showing death is not the end, but part of a cycle.

It was at this point that Willie raised his walking stick in front of himself and above his head, connecting the death symbol overlaid with the totem to that of creator. He then stared straight in my eyes and said, "Now this is where you come in, is that OK?" "Sure", I replied. "Sure?" , "I mean YES". "Ok, well you know that you are going to tell us how this story ends, what connects these two parts of it, because everything we have been talking about today, this is your story, it's about you." I nodded, " So you are going to give creator a face, look at it,... whose face do you see there?" I paused, not wanting to answer," What was the first thing that came to your mind when I asked you the question?" I paused again " My Face" Willie Immediately proclaimed "Exactly!! Your face, because now this is your story, and you get to decide how it ends." "Thank You," I replied, " I bet you thought you were just coming out here today to see some rock art" Willie said, with a smile spread across his entire face.

We learned much more from Willie. He had a profound effect on the entire group. His tours are named "Guurrbi Tours", meaning Special place, as in a meditative spot that is personal. I would strongly suggest to anyone planning to be in the Cooktown area to go out and take a walk with Willie.

And to those who took the time to read this blog episode, thank you.

More Photos from holiday with Star Bloomfield Track to Lions Den.

2008-08-31T04:26:00.000-07:00

After being in a rain forest for so long it was quite interesting, taking a short jaunt off of the Bloomfield track towards Shipton Flat, to see these large groves of old Eucalyptus forest. We are heading for a camping spot Hugh recommended called Two Bridges, and stopped to take a photo of this beauty (the tree).
Here is Star doing yoga at Two Bridges, after we took a dip in the cool refreshing waters.
One of the Two Bridges, its good we had a 4WD here, as the road became quite sandy.
We made it through the Bloomfield track relatively unscathed. Here we are in front of the Lions Den Pub and Hotel. A famous Aussie Landmark and watering hole. We watered our holes.

The Bloomfield Track is a stretch of road that one could easily spen 2 weeks just exploring the sights of, we drove it in it's entirety in a day. Something to come back to. We only have the van for 6 days, and lot's more to see, so off we go!!!!

Star Comes To Visit!!!

2008-08-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

Shortly after the second ISV group left my partner Star (Estelle) Graced the station with her presence. We celebrated by renting an infamous Wicked Van, popular among backpackers here in the Land of OZ, and driving up the Bloomfield Track, a 4WD only road that begins just north of Cape Tribulation, and hits the pavement again just past the famous roadhouse, The Lions Den. Following are the Blogs that document this wonderful adventure. This will take a while, so sit back, relax, and enjoy...
Yours Truly at one of our first stops along the Bloomfield track, Cowee Beach. The tree out in center is a Mangrove sitting out in the tide. The mangroves can tolerate salt water, there are about 30 different Mangrove species in the Daintree. Cowee beach is a isolated beach, as we were the only people there on this beautiful day, and there was no evidence that anyone had been there since high tide. This spot is one of many that the Cape Trib aboriginees escaped to in the thirties when things among the settlers at The Cape got too strange to handle, a few Km north of Emmigen creek.
Star above the Bloomfield river south of the town of Bloomfield, "There be Crocs in that there river!!!" We did see some splashing that must have been a Crocidile, but no croc sightings yet, though they are known to sunbake out on the sandy banks of the river below.
Wugul Wugul Falls (Bloomfield Falls) just west of the aboriginal community of Wugul Wugul, no swimming, crocs here too!!!! This is all only the first day of the trip!!!

Sorry For the Delay

2008-08-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

Greetings All,

Sorry For the Delay. Have been busy finishing up my projects here at AUSTROP, as well as preparing to continue my adventure for a week or two journey around OZ. Stay Tuned for a ton of pics, stories from Stars visit, finishing up of projects, The Final ISV group, Reflections from AUSTROP and many more...

See You Soon!

Regards,

Toby

2008-08-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

We made a climb on happy Monday to the top of Mt. Sorrow. It was an amazing view from the Top!!!My fear of hights made the last portion of the hike along a narrow ridge, then out in front of a few boulders, that drop very quickl, a bit stressful, but with the help of Sarah and the others, I finally crawled my way to the top. Here is pictured the views.

On the way down Barry (The ISV Leader) Sarah and I, lost the trail, and ended up hiking through thick sections of bush, filled with the thorny vine, wait a while, also dubbed "Laywer Vine" that makes a snag in the Pacific NW Blackberry look like a kindergarten class. A few hours later we finally found a creekbed. We amnaged to traverse down a few waterfalls and found the gravel road, we came out about three KM from north of the end of the actual trail, but short of a few scrapes and bruises, were quite alright.

Below is a picture from the middle of the adventure, before finding the road, with the three of us trying to hide the fear in our eyes.Right to left, Barry, The Author, and Sarah.
We Made IT!!!!!!

Solar Array makes Progress!!!

2008-08-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

Marlan and I set in a wooden guide for the steel post that will later hold the pv array. First, Marlan, Tom, and I, dug a Meter deep hole, we then set in the wood post, held it with rocks, leveled it, and poured concrete in the hole. A few days later we pulled out the wood post, leaving a perfect square that the steel post that will actually hold the array should fit perfectly in to.
I used an old mac, or maybe even an apple, to draw the design for the array. We are putting this mounting structure together with a combination of new and old used aluminum, with a tracking system salvaged from a now defunct Australian company. This combination of parts led me to measure, remeasure, and the measure again to make sure our 10 new Sharp panels would fit properly, as well as measuring where we needed to drill all the holes, and where the panels would sit so the array will be balanced properly.
Here is my first drawing of an array, so far it seems the hours of hard work paid off, everything seems to be fitting properly. All in all, I will be the main designer, builder and installer of this array, giving me even more experience in this project than I had expected.
Tom. studying yo be a Civil engineer atRutgers, was happy to help in the project, man can that boy dig a hole!!!

The Bat House, a daily duty.

2008-08-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

The Bat House sits right along the main road through Cape Trib at the front of the AUSTROP property. It is a tourist attraction with a modest 4$$ charge to enter, meet one of our resident flying foxes, take a self guided hike through our regeneration walking track, showcasing the many years of hard work helping the rain forest to return to this cleared property (cleared in the 70's, re planting began in 1991), and check out informational exhibits featuring data on global warming, rain forest and reef ecology, renewable energy, history of conservation efforts of the area, local guides to flora and fauna, among others.

The Bat House also acts as an information center, booking site, wet tropics info center, and a place where tourists can get maps and have their questions on an array of topics answered.

It is often that someone brings in a piece of rain forest fruit and asks, "I just ate one of these, is it poisonous?" I usually reply, "you should be fine in about 48 hours once the vomiting stops" Then quickly explain that I am kidding and go to one of our many reference books in an attempt to soothe their worried mind. We always give the advice that it's better to find this information before eating something next time.
The Bat House is a great place to meet tourists from all over the world, as well as use slow times to read up on your local area.
One of my daily duties is to run the Bat house from 10:30 am to 3:30 p.m. On the days that I am not in the Bat House all day I usually deliver and retrieve the Bat, as well as provide training to new volunteers, and relieve others for lunch. Here is Ol'Boy hitching a ride, he likes to pretend he is a backpack sometimes.
And sometimes, he likes to ride SHOTGUN!! You go Ol Boy!!!

Sunrise from the Cape

2008-08-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

Sunrise from Myall beach, looking north towards the cape. Tom, Emmie, Igor, Mark, and the author woke before 6am one morning to hike out to view this!!! Here are a few of the 71 pictures I took that morning.

This picture was taken atop the Cape that gives Cape Tribulation its namesake, looking north/ east at the morning sun rising. This was only the second time in my seven weeks here at Cape Trib that I witnessed the sunrise from the cape, it was a magical experience that all visiting here should make an effort to take advantage of.

New Post 2nd ISV Group Come and Gone

2008-08-10T22:55:00.000-07:00

The Second ISV Group Has Arrived.The second ISV group came to test their spirit in the Daintree Rain forest. This photo shows Hugh, the Station Director giving them a tour of the property shortly after their arrival. There is much for them to learn about how to live a simple lifestyle here with minimal impact, for many have never been in this type of situation. Let the games begin!!!

Plants, Plants, and more plants. Some of the group participated in transplanting small seedlings in to larger pots. These seedlings were unearthed by the first ISV group from around the property, and were ready for their next stage of development. We used native clay rich soil dug from the spot where our new Solar Array pole is to be set in the earth, mixed with potting mix and chicken compost as a mix. This clay rich soil works well to hold in moisture.Left to Right: Sarah Hughes (AUSTROP Volunteer) with ISV students- Marlan, Victoria, Jaihaira, Lissy, and Michelle. They are dressed in their blaze oarnge , prepared to go out and pick up trash along the main road here in Cape Trib.

The New ISV group consisted of 9 females and 3 males, being accompanied by their fearless leader Barry Kentish, a semi retired professor, writer, volunteer, that was kind enough to share his skills with AUSTROP. This group hailed from New Jersey, Miami, Tuscon, Quebec, B.C, and other spots both in the US and Canada, with Barry, their leader, being a full blooded Aussie.

We spent our time clearing coconuts from the beach, stomping Guinea grass, removing Lantana, clearing overgrown forest on the regen trail, de-vining in the local community, doing roadside garbage clean up, transplanting, putting a new roof on the "Hilton" (my humble abode), run the bathouse, as well as digging the hole, and pouring concrete for the pole that will later hold the new solar array.

I had the honor of leading a couple of these groups in daily activities, as well as give a presentation on our power system and renewable energy.

In our free time we played lots of Uker and Rummy(card games), swam in the ocean, went for night walks, hiked Mt. Sorrow, held discussions, cooked wonderful meals, and in general had a good ol' time.

With a couple of exceptions, this group as a whole was not as equipped for this lifestyle as our first group, but did what they had to do to get by here at AUSTROP. We all are very grateful for their help and hard work.

2008-07-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

Here is where I have been living the last 5 weeks, dubbed, The Hilton, thats my door on the right.
Eike has left the building, back to Germany then on to South Africa to do her PHD work. She was a wonderful addition to the station and helped to keep us all sane. Her ability to photograph animals is unsurpassed, we may feature some absolutely sharp photographs on this site in the future, once she gets back to Germany and signs them. Thank You Eike, you are missed!!!
Hugh doing the books on the veranda.

Our new French intern Emmie organizing some water samples from coconut husks near the beach. She is majoring in agronomics. Her family owns a farm in Northern France near the border of Belgium, where she is slotted to take over the workings of the farm one day. She is fitting in well, and hopes to polish up her English speaking skills here, and is just dying to get in to our heated evening discussions once she can understand our diverse accents.

RAPS Systems in the Daintree Lowlands

2008-07-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

This Tri- Metric device, or similar, is essential in maintaining battery capacity, the most essential component to keep Healthy in a RAPS system. It shows you how many amp hours one is from being charged , as well as other useful information.

This is our inverter, allows us to convert the DC power that comes off the PV panels to AC that is runs the station, as well as charging the batteries. We are installing a second inverter for back up , as well as acting as a more efficient battery charger.
Our Battery Bank, Gell Cells. Very important component of RAPS System.
RAPS Systems in the Daintree Lowlands:

The Following is written with help from two main documents: "Solar - RAPS Systems in the Daintree lowlands - and an assessment of the effectiveness of pulse-desulphation technology for extending battery life." Hugh Spencer and Paul Hollis Cape Tribulation Tropical Research Station; 2003. - and," Renewable Energy in Remote Australian Communities, Final Report" Bob Lloyd, Davis Lowe and Laurence Wilson.2000.

This report is an attempt on my part to inform the public about RAPS (Remote Area Power Supplies), specifically their use in the Daintree lowlands, the area north of the Daintree River as far as Cape Tribulation. This report is only a general overview of the power situation in this region and its purpose is not to go into detail of any project specifics, but only to inform the reader of the general state of affairs surrounding the RAPS program, system basics, and social and political issues surrounding the program.

The Daintree lowlands could be described as one of the worlds largest "non-intentional" solar communities, with over 100 installed units in an area with a population of only 600-900 permanent residents. "Non -Intentional" is referring to the fact that the residents of the region did not turn to the use of renewable energy as a lifestyle choice, but rather many bought land in the area expecting power mains to be on their way, and after a veto by the state government of an order to extend mains in to the region in the early nineties, many residents were essentially forced to adopt RAPS systems in order to supply their power. In addition, the Beattie Labor government in 1994 began a program offering funding to householders in the area for the purchase of renewable energy based RAPS systems. Most residents adopted renewable energy because it was renewable or nothing, and not in an attempt to live a more sustainable lifestyle, hence the term "Non-Intentional".

Many of these RAPS systems were installed in 1995, by installers with little to no experience with Solar PV technology. Most installers were involved with marine electronics and battery sales. As a result, the systems were installed in a manner that proved to be inefficient and sized without for knowledge of each individual's needs. The systems were sized to the 15,000$ the government provided, rather than the needs of each householder. Additionally, many homeowners could not, or wished not to spend any money over the amount of the funding.

Most of these systems were installed as follows: 10 panel PV array, a charge controller, batteries (mostly 1000 Amp Hour flooded lead acid), a sinusoidal inverter, and sometimes, a battery charger, all backed up with a petrol or diesel generator, for back up power and charging capabilities.

It was found in future surveys that one of the most important issues to portray to RAPS system owners was that these systems are not maintenance free. There also existed little training on how to service, maintain, and operate these systems correctly. It is concluded that involvement in the communities using RAPS systems could not end with installation, but rather must be followed up with continued training and maintenance. The smaller (less than 5kw) systems tended to work better, be more reliable, and easier to service and maintain then the larger systems. Renewable energy water supply systems performed much better than those supplying electricity.

As far as the Daintree region is concerned, the many days of rain and cloud cover dramatically effect the amount of power the solar PV technology can provide. With an average of around 3-6 meters of rain annually, many residents have to run their generators often, and use petrol or diesel in some quantity. The combination of properly sized battery banks, as well as a corresponding sized generator, along with proper battery maintenance,can reduce the necessity of running generators and increase battery bank life significantly. Proper battery maintenance can simply be performed by installing a monitoring system in a convenient location, and not letting batteries fall below 70% charge, and of course, installing proper technology as to not overcharge.

Reports done in 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2003 have shown that most of the householders involved in the RAPS program using renewable energy systems (mainly solar PV and water heating) were satisfied with their systems and did not desire the Daintree lowlands to be connected to mains power. The few householders relying specifically on generators for power hoped to have mains power, and feel it is their right as Australian citizens to have this power. Most of those with the renewable energy systems hoped for further help with maintenence and education on proper upkeep for their systems.

It seems that this region would be ripe for the establishment of a small decentralized power generation center that could be managed as a micro grid, and provide power to the area residents at a fraction of the cost and at greater efficiency. This would include a combination of renewable energy and fossil fuel based generation.

This issue is still politically charged, and the establishment of a micro grid would take great community cooperation. It can be foreseen that, as the price of diesel fuel and petrol continues to rise, this solution will become far more attractive to the greater community.

More pics

2008-07-24T21:30:00.001-07:00

Grey snake about to molt. Behind my cabin.
Ancient giant fern.
Sign south of Cape Trib. Many Cassowaries are killed on the road, this sign was adapted by a local to make this point.
Micro Bat being held by Hugh.

Pics

2008-07-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

Super Sarah Hughs in front of the Big Tree near cooper creek.
Cane Toad
Cape Trib Point From Myall Beach
View From Cape Trib Point

Pics, Daintree Issues, My Opinion...

2008-07-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Spectacled Flying Fox at the Bat House , Is that you Ol Boy???
Braun Kit with which I am learning electronic basics.
Study Material
The Beautiful Alexandra Falls. We drank this water, It was wonderful!!!!!!!!!!

Daintree Park/ Private Or Public Land?, World Heritage Listing...

The Daintree Coast refers to the area of land that stretches between the Daintree River and the Settlement of Cape Tribulation. About 17,000 Hectares of land in this area (42,500 acres) is protected as Daintree National Park. The Park was first Gazetteered in 1981 as Cape Tribulation National Park. There were several expansions between 1981 and it's merging with Mossman Gorge Park in 1995, being renamed as a whole unit then as Daintree National Park. In 1988 the park, along with extensive timber reserves to the west, as well as other privately held and public land was collectively declared part of the large 900,000 hectare (2,250,000 acre) Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

Presently, a large portion of the lowland area in the greater Daintree is privately owned free-hold land. There exists about 1,000 blocks of land, most between 1-2 hectares (2.5-5acres). These blocks, many of which are yet to be developed, are home to between 600-900 permanent residence between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation. The World Heritage Listing protects National Park along with Forestry Land, yet it rarely extends to intact rain forest on privately held land. In fact, only about 20 of these 1,000 blocks of land are included in the World Heritage Listing. Many of the remaining blocks have not been settled, and are home to intact rain forest ecosystem that are host to many species of plants and animals, some of which, including the Cassowary, and the Bennett's Tree Kangaroo are rare and endangered species. To this day, this issue remains unsettled in the region. Despite an attempted buyback program, and the World Heritage listing of the area, many of these plots of land are still threatened by clearing and development.(More on what it means to be listed as a World Heritage Area in upcoming blogs.)

One major issue that is a barrier to this development, is The Queensland states labor Party government's veto in 1990, of the passing of a law that would bring mains (grid) power to the area North of the Daintree River.This controversial veto was carried out, in part to protect the area from further development. Power lines are a danger to many animal species, including birds and our friends, the Spectacled Flying Foxes. Increased development in the area will likely lead to loss of essential habitat, migratory routes, rare and yet discovered plant species, as well as the introduction of exotic invading plant species that comes with expanded settlement and clearing.

There are some local residents that feel it is there right as private land holders to be provided mains power by the government. They dislike having to rely on alternative energy sources and generators, as well as limiting the amount of power they can use on their land. They were promised by speculators and some local politicians that mains power was "on it's way" to the region, and long for its connection. Other residents like the independence of creating their own electricity, and living a "simpler" life as a result. They feel that power mains in the region would destroy too much of the character of the area by leading to the establishment of large resorts, and further development.

This is one of the many issues that make this region special. To me, this makes the greater Daintree ripe for a cultural, social, political, and scientific experiment concentrating on the ways human beings are going to be forced to make decisions that will effect the generations to come after us.

We are beginning to understand that these areas of great biological diversity, which are steeped in a rich cultural history, that still remain somewhat intact, are living relics of the earths colorful past, and we humans are part of it, our decisions will either preserve it, and help it thrive to continue to exist for future generations of plant and animal life,or, we could continue on the path we are on, and destroy it due to our ignorance.

2008-07-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Me with one of our Spectacled Flying Foxes. The flying foxes are closely related to primates, and not genetically related to the more common insect eating bats, or micro bats, that most folks are familiar with. They have vision just like us humans, eat strictly vegetarian diets, are not nocturnal, and are quite affectionate, communicative and intelligent.
Sorry About the side view, will try to rotate and repost, anyway... The elusive Cassowary, sighted while getting a morning drink in Oliver Creek, south of Cape Trib, we were actually quite close, a good moment!!!
Hiking up to Alexander Falls on a "Happy Monday", our day off!!! A slippery hike along the creek (I only fell three times). Hugh in the lead, Sarah, and Eike.
Rattle Cat. Our resident feline, she sleeps inside at night, so she doesn't become "Python Food".

Some Reflections

Station life is good. We have had some quiet time in the two weeks between the ISV (International Student Volunteer) groups. I have spent time reading up on all the electronic basics, theory, as well as all the off grid power system info I can find. The rain has helped stay focused on my studies.

The station is a great environment to immerse oneself in pursuits relating to electronics and renewable energy, environmental issues, English as a second language,Biology. conservation, climate change, independent lifestyle, sociology, and many others. Dr. Hugh Spencer, the station director is excellent at keeping one motivated, due to both his own personal diligence to keep busy, as well as the manner at which he pushes his volunteers to succeed in their area of study.

I have installed my first two PV panels on the Bathouse as well as wiring up a second inverter at the station. I have also been working learning series and parallel circuit basics using an old Braun Electronics kit that Hugh has managed to fine tune and get working to serve my purposes, which is no small feat here in the wet tropics. I will be moving on to networks tommorow. I am learning how to use a multimeter to measure voltage, current, and resistance in different ways with these circuits.

The station environment, combining book learning, lab work, and field work, all while functioning as a family unit is conducive to a synthesis of knowledge that I have yet to experience in the traditional educational systems in the states. This modality of learning has tremendous potential, and could be used as a model for an experiential form to follow for higher learning.

It helps to be in an environment that is removed from most of the normal hassles and distractions of modern life, where one can become fully immersed in their day to day studies. It is amazing how many hours there are in a day when living in this environment here at AUSTROP.

Coming Soon...

The second ISV group arrives in three days, on Saturday July 26th. We've got some Canadian Students, as well as more Americans in this group. They will have a group leader with experience in education and community development, an older gentlemen than the last leader, who was interviewed on this blog. I hope to interview him as well after their stay.

Eike, our German Biologist, and resident "rock" will be leaving on Friday, so there will be an incredible vacuum left upon her departure. We will be left with Hugh, Myself, Sarah Hughs, whom arrived the same day as I, and a new arrival, Emmie, a French Agriculture student who is polishing up her English, as well as immersing herself in real rural living.

Here we go again, we have had tons of rain and are praying for sun!!!!

Take Care!!!!

The People Of the Rainforest

2008-07-23T04:32:00.000-07:00

The Kuku Yalanji, The Daintree and sorrounding area has been their home for more than 80,000 years!!!
Mt. Alexander Lookout, Just north of the Daintree River
Above: Brown Tree snake, posing for the camera...

The People... The Kuku Yalanji.. Making the rain forest their home for thousands of years.

"Welcome to Kuku Yalanji country. The area you are traveling through has great spiritual and cultural significance to our people."

Quoted from information board at Dubaji Boardwalk (meaning Place of the Spirits), just about 1km from AUSTROP research station.

The Kuku Yalanji people are a single tribal group, distinct from the Kuku Yimidhirr to the north, and the Jabugay/Yirrigangi to the south. As a whole, their tribal area extends from Mossman to the south, the Annan River in the north, and as far west(inland) as Laura. The group with ties to the greater Daintree Region east of the coastal range (in the rain forest lowlands along the Coral Sea "The Daintree") are referred to as the eastern Kuku Yalanji, who share a single language, with slight dialectic variations among subgroups.

The Kuku Yalanji people's presence in this region originate from the actions of Kurriyala, the "Rainbow Serpent" in Nujakura, "Dreamtime". Kurriyala's creation can still be seen in the local environment and geological features. Many components of the land have contained within them a complex mythological component, representing animals, humans, or elements of the greater universe. Dreamtime places and other cultural sites symbolize past activities as well as current residence that are still present today under the surface of the land. They are often times considered dangerous to approach, or take resources from, except in specific ways , by specific people. This is one of the many reasons that the Kuku Yalanji regard damage and destruction to the Daintree Region, including development, resource extraction, and other innapropriate land use as unacceptable, and wish to regain control of the management of their lands.

The greater Daintree region is criss crossed with a complex network of the Kuku Yalanji's walking tracks. These tracks are based around two major tracks, one near the coast, and another farther inland, connected by an intricate network of associated tracks which joined all destinations, dreamtime sites, areas of hunting, trapping and fishing, and other gathering of bush tucker, as well as camps, and meeting places. Many of these tracks are what are now developed into the roads and hiking trails still in use here today.

Contact Settlement and development.

Captain Cook named Cape Tribulation in about 1770, when his ship marooned just off the coast at the cape along the fringing reef. "That is when all of our troubles began", Cook was quoted as saying, hence the name, Cape Tribulation. Unfortunately for the Kuku Yalanji, Cook's tribulations at the cape did not steer other Europeans away from the area. Its giant Red Cedars, as well as the later discovery of tin in the region led to many Europeans entering the area along the Daintree and Bloomfield rivers in search of such resources. As is true with most European interactions with Indienous cultures, this was the beginning of years of displacement and persecution for the Kuku Yalanji.

The Mason Family were the first white settlers in the area. They still run a small store, tour company, and bottle shop (liqueur store) in the area. They arrived when when The Daintree Region was first opened up for selection in the early 1930's. At the time of the Mason's arrival in 1932, Walter Mason reported more than 300 "aboriginals" lived in permanent settlements along the coast here in family units, while many more camped here on their way to adjacent areas. The local Daintree Kuku Yalanji, though profoundly effected by the expansion of timber harvesting, tin mining, and other forms of persecution, were not forced into mission settlements here until 1961. This establishment of a mission in the area was much later than to the north in Bloomfield in 1885, and to the south in Mossman in 1916.

From then on, many remnants of the Kuku Yalanji's traditional lifestyle were irreversably altered. The Kuku Yalanji have since been subject to many governmental policies, from "dispersal" to "assimilation". Regardless of all attempts to assimilate the Kuku Yalanji into European culture, many still hold extensive knowledge of their language, family connections, place names, dreamtime stories, bush medicine, seasonal traditions, as well as other detailed cultural information. Modern Kuku Yalanji practices contain a mixture of their traditional ways with other Australian modern practices.

The Kuku Yalanji are actively aiming to have an increased involvement in resource and land managment, cultural issues, and many hope for a return of control to their people of their lands.

Quotes:

"We're trying to get the country back the way it used to be. Before Captain Cook came, the country was much different. Black people don't want to destroy the country. We think about the animals, not just the human beings, we want to look after the little things, like frogs. We want to see the country come back good again instead of trying to destroy it."

(Peter Fischer - 20 June 1996, Sycamore Creek)

Yalanji Quote From "Yalanji People of the Rainforest" By Yalanji Bama. (The Yalanji People)

"Our vision for the future is to have full control of our country handed back to us, to run our country properly again, to run our own enterprises, to see our children grow up healthy and strong in Yalanji culture, well educated and free of problems and grog and violence. Running our own fire managment is part of that - we have to burn our country by our Law, protecting all the sacred sites that are connected to the traditional owners.

We Yalanji bama were born here and started this country. It's time for us to speak up and be heard, for our Law and culture to come forward. We have been here since the beginning, and our future calls us home to Yalanji country and culture"

Yalanji Bama.

"They shouldn't make that (houses) at the Cape, they're building those houses on top of our graves there." (Eileen Walker,31 October 1996, Thompson Creek)

First Wave of ISV Students depart...

2008-07-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

The ISV crew ready to depart on the stairs of "The Veranda"
A lesson on recycling, thanks Hugh!!!
Hugs and flash bulbs, Adios!!!!

Well, after a short review of the garbage, or so called recycling, the ISV students accumulated over the two weeks they were here, along with a discussion of embedded energy, and the true costs and nature of recycling, they were ready to be turned loose on greater Australia, and peace would descend on the station once again... for at least two weeks anyway.

We worked hard, had fun, got to know and love one another, all while participating in a noble experiment in sociology, and helping to regenerate our little slice of the Daintree universe . Now it was time to go our separate ways, wondering all the while if we would ever see one another again, and if the past two weeks were all a dream. I walk by our work everyday, and remember them all, and the reality of our moments together are forever embedded deeply into my consciousness. Maybe this is what the local indigenous Kuku Yalanji bama meant when they spoke of the past as "Dreamtime". Mabye not.. for now I will just utter, fair thee well...

Interview With Lilli Rae, ISV Coordinator, first group...

2008-07-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

Lilli Rae-International Student Volunteer Coordinator; interviewed in following section.
Area of Guinea Grass, before regeneration/removal.
Me watering seedling; post regen work.
Our friend the Cane Toad, they love being scratched on the belly!

Lilli Rae was a great leader of the 12 American International Student Volunteers that came to the station to complete the two week section of their Australian adventure tour. She lead with commitment and passion.

Interview: Lilli Rae; International Student Volunteers- Program Coordinator

Toby Kubler (TK - Interviewer)- What is your work history, and how does this reflect your life interests?

Lilli Rae (LR- ISV Coordinator) - I have always had a passion for earth care that has manifested itself in many ways over the last ten years. After completing my tertiary studies, I fell into the bureaucracy of of watershed management and local government, which led to a number of projects. Yet, I felt that my true calling was stifled in such environments.

TK- Your true calling of earth care?

LR- Yes, those organizations are augmented towards development. They are often about profiteering, rather than caring for the earth. So, on and off during those ten years, I took year long solo travel adventures that always led towards new learning's... in terms of how other cultures experience their ecological connections.

TK- For Example?

LR- For example... My mind automatically goes to the Himalayas, and those people are living in such a simplistic way, and we in the west see them as undeveloped, they don't exactly have a formal education, or a sewage system like we have, or even money, yet their lives are so full, and the people are what I call "brimming with happiness", and "brimming with a strong sense of spirit", and rich with a connection with the landscape, and the year and its rituals, and so there is a real strong sense of place and belonging to the land. And so, through those travels, they always made me question my own sense of community, or my feelings of lack of community, and a real hungering for that. So, those periods of traveling have always led me, when coming back to my position in local governments and bureaucracies, feeling very stifled, and feeling that I am not living my whole self, and that part of me has to be compromised in those roles.

TK- So you started looking for something more, or something different?

LR- Yeah, a different way of relating to the world in that professional setting, I guess you'd say. I definitely have a strong calling to work, or to serve. A strong calling to belong to the earth through my service, whatever that may be. And it somehow augments around the idea of earth care, or stewardship of the earth. Traveling has always made me wonder, how can I express that, how can I manifest that in a more meaningful way, a useful way, that reflects who I am and the journey I'm on?

TK- I think that really leads into the next two questions I wanted to ask you.. about getting involved with ISV and why,but before we get into that I wanted to go back to something you said, and possibly expand on it, It was about the Himalayas, and a sense these people had about them. We call them undeveloped, or even developing, as if they have someplace they have to go, but what you described was a look these people had, or a sense these people had about them that reflected a closer connection to spirit, the rituals and ceremony of the place they lived, and the seasons, and their was a richness in that that our western culture was lacking, and I have heard a lot of people these days discussing that that lack of connection to place many westerners have, and that reconnecting may be the ultimate thing that we could achieve in the west.

LR- Definitely, I think there is a lot to be shared between cultures.

TK- Is that what brought you to ISV?

LR-Definitely, I think my last trip to India really brought me back to the understanding that I could no longer take this mediocre approach to my life, that I really needed to make a stand, and step into some sort of faith that the universe would guide me into that role of service that I was destined for. And through a series of coincidences, came across an advertisement for this position,and it looked so enticing to me because it combined this passion for earth care, with travelling, with sharing with enthusiastic young people. So for me it looked like a great way to roll everything I'm passionate about into the one bundle.

TK- With these young people then, there is this educational component? Which I have observed over the last two weeks, that you seem to have a knack for. Have you had any training in teaching?

LR- No, my mum has always said," teaching is a role you are born for, so why don't you become a teacher?" I see it more as a sharing, because I learn so much from these experiences and from these beings, and equally I share myself with them, and this beautiful magic emerges from that place.

TK- Well, we have the basics of where you are coming from, at least as much as we can get in this interview, How about narrowing it down to the mission ISV has in doing these type of projects?

LR- ISV is about encouraging, and raising awareness about the bigger environmental and social issues we are facing on this planet through the process of volunteerism. Our main thing with ISV is to encourage travel, but to encourage more meaningful travel than just, say, backpacking the world... but trying to encourage people to combine world exploration with service, environmental and community based service. So that's their primary goal, and I guess the mission assigned to me is to allow that experience to emerge through this project, so ISV is responsible for finding these host organizations like AUSTROP, and then I am just there to sort of float along the edge and tie up the loose ends, and weave it together like a tapestry or a scarf, or something.

TK - You mentioned that part of the purpose of ISV was to educate and promote awareness of the environmental and social issues that we are facing on this planet, could you give examples of what those issues are?

LR - On the planet or in Australia?

TK- On the planet.

LR - On a social level its always the disparity of wealth. That difference between rich and poor, and how the gap is just growing, especially between developing countries and countries like America and Australia, to share the idea that some communities may be seen as undeveloped or without money but they are very rich in other ways and can be learned from. And I think, definitely, that there is always a focus on the importance of indigenous cultures, and how , on this planet we have gone about destroying those cultures, and knowing that what is really required of us right now is a resurgence of that knowledge. I think that's probably the social side of things, and as far as the environmental side of things we've got climate change knocking on our door as well as a myriad of other complex issues feeding into that like peak oil, habitat degradation, deforestation, species loss, the list can go on and on and on...

TK And of course, with these social and environmental issues its becoming more obvious how they are connected and how they feed off of each other...

LR- I think its all about man forgetting our place in nature, forgetting our place in the ecology of life, and were removing ourselves from that, and that's a psychological issue and I think no technology can save us in that sense. We need to rediscover our place in nature and walk that everyday.

TK- Very well put. Lets just take a moment for that to sink in...OK so.. Would you describe this projects goals, coming here to AUSTROP, Cape Tribulation Tropical Research Station.

LR-The main goal is about forest restoration through the removal of exotic plant species from restoration areas and reestablishing native species in areas that are being regenerated. Those are probably the two main goals. And another goal is reflecting on and developing an understanding of the importance of an ecosystem such as the Daintree Rain forest and the type of threats that it has faced in the past and continues to face. Also, on the other side of things is to gain appreciation of a World Heritage Area. The Daintree Rain forest is up there with the Amazon Basin, The Great Barrier reef, Etc.

TK- And you can really feel that being here, I think...

LR - Oh my God!

TK- And I think the ISV students feel it as well, and if they don't now I think looking back they will...

LR- Its one of those things that when you immerse a group in nature, no matter how unaware they are, stuff just happens, stuff goes on, stuff just happens at that cellular, sub-conscious level, sometimes people don't realize until they leave, and even if its only one little twinge of change, stuffs been opened.

TK- Do you feel that the students and yourself have achieved that goal here at the station?

LR- Absolutely, Ive been blown away at how enthusiastic and energetic this group has been, and I think the work they have done everyday has been more than I expected.

TK - Has there been anything that you have learned or any goals you achieved that you did not expect?

LR- I think, on a project level, I think, some of the goals that emerged were, or I guess some of the lessons that emerged were the ways that nature can repair herself, I think that just blows me away. I mean, you take a bit of land that has been degraded, give it a little bit of love and care, and she just can do her own thing.

TK- Just to add to that, I think here in the rain forest the timescale of nature is so fast that you can really see it here, things grow so fast, and decay so fast, the cycles are so fast, that the potential for regeneration is greater based on that fact. Its amazing that where were sitting here, this area, was totally cleared just 20 years ago.

LR- It's always a nice reminder that mother nature is going to go one regardless of what we do, she's been here for billions of years, shes not gonna go anywhere, its not nature that's under threat right now, its homosapiens. That's definitely one of the lessons that emerged. Also the group dynamic thing is always so fascinating, and unexpected... it's live Big Brother, that television show, in a sense, you're throwing all these people in together, they may be out of there comfort zone, they're from different walks of life, and it's a social experiment, your throwing them all in together, and saying, OK work together for two weeks on a project, and live together, and go through moods together, to me its so bizarre what goes on, what transpires in that setting. What always blows me away about that is the nature of human beings is always to try and fit in, and to nurture. I think human beings have the instinct to nurture and love one another and create a peaceful environment, and you watch these people now and they are a family unit, they've got tight bonds.

TK- That's what blows me away about the time we have been together, when I think about forming friendships and forming bonds, outside of this type of environment, where most of us live day to day, how long that can take to bond and form friendships, but in this type of situation how quick that can happen, how quick we learn to love one another when we are out of our comfort zone, how when it is really essential that we form those bonds, we do that, quite quickly.

LR- That when you strip away the inessential you make the impulses of the divine more apparent. You really go to the heart of who you are and what your after. I think that inherently that's what people are about, and that nature comes out in this type of environment. That's always a beautiful lesson for me personally, and a reminder of it. I just love hanging out with young people, and I honor their sense of play, and I wish I could take it to more older people, because I think that quality is so vital in keeping us energized about life.

TK- I heard a 105 year old woman say once, someone asked her, how do you stay so vibrant, how do you keep going so long? And her response was" never spend time with people only your own age" always spend time with people younger then yourself, and I think that's a great little piece of advice.

TK- What fell short in this experience?

LR- I feel that the projects that actually go better than this one, the ones that go even deeper, are the dry ones, the ones where there is no alcohol, because we actually use alcohol to escape stuff, and I want to go into that stuff, to blow that stuff wide open, because I think that's where it is, really.

As far as environmentally, there is always stuff that I would like to explore more, Id love to do more deep ecology work where we go sit in the rain forest by ourselves and hug a tree, or talk to a rock.

TK- Yeah, Ive done that in one of my classes, but its hard to really get people to go there, if their not already wanting to go there

LR- Yeah, For Sure.

TK- All in all?

LR- In terms of ISV and their program, I'm really happy to be a part of it, I've learned a lot, ... Yeah, May peace prevail on earth!!

TK - Thank You Lilli...

That concludes the conversation with Lilli Rae, ISV Coordinator. Here is a list of the things we did while the students were with us here at the station.

List Of Accomplishments... The work we and the ISV students completed during their two weeks at the station:

Weeded area- 715 square meters-eradication of invasive/exotic species.
Transplanted- 583 baby trees/seedlings into regeneration area.
Trail- worked on 15 m of trail, added gravel, drainage pipe, erosion control.
Planting- Planted 256 trees in regeneration area.
Education- saw/ guided 277 visitors at Bathouse, shared information, collected donations.

ISV Students arrive...

2008-07-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Dinner on the Veranda! Everynight we share in the dinner meals preperation , consumption and cleanup. This is the ISV students as well as a couple more permanent volunteers.
An ISV intern running the desk at the Bathouse, Environmente Centre, where we cater to locals and tourists alike, a four dollar donation gets you access to a personal meeting with one of our resident "spectacled flying foxes", as well as a self guided walk on our rain forest regeneration trail, and loads of local history, culture, and other information.
Solar thermal collectors on roof of shower house.No sun, no hot showers...
Three arrays that run the station, we will be adding another 800w max output tracker in early August, after I get studied up on my electrnics basics.

The ISV (International Student Volunteers) students arrived as expected. There was eleven students and their supervisor. They were all from the states, with the exception of their supervisor, who was an Aussie. They are part of a program that spends a month abroad, two weeks volunteering, and two weeks adventuring. We have the benefit of hosting them for their first two weeks here at AUSTROP.

The ISV program stresses sustainability and conservation. Students participate in this program from all over the world. We will host three of these groups during my stay here.

We performed many tasks with these students during their first week here. We worked extensively at the stations regeneration area. One of the stations missions is to regenerate its 25 acres of formerly cleared land back to a thriving rain forest ecosystem. I worked with the students eradicating invasive weeds, and replanting those areas with native trees and plants.

Another mission is removing a native ginger species that grows quite fast and spreads like wildfire. We used machetes, hand snips and small brush saws for this job, along with an localized herbicide to kill the roots. We then used the ginger to mulch the organic garden on the property.

We also spent time in the local area doing regeneration work and eradicating the controversial coconut palm. The coconut palm is a beloved tropical icon, on one hand, but to conservationists, it is a devastating pest. The coconut palm represses growth of native species, and is especially damaging along sandy beaches where the high tide line is dependent on its native plants to control erosion. The coconut palm suppresses these plants and leaves open swaths of sand that is the washed to sea, suffocating and destroying the fringing reef.

One afternoon was spent getting power back up to the east array of our PV system. It seemed we were not getting the 50 + amps that we should have been on a bright sunny day. We investigated where the break in power was using a multi meter and found the east array was completely down. Upon further investigation we discovered the wire coming off the panel had been disintegrated. We proceeded to dig up the wire, and replace it. We also set the wire up for the new tracking system, which we will install during my stay here, once the panels arrive.

Stay tuned for a full description of our stand alone electrical system on a future blog.

We also spent some afternoons spraying the invasive Singapore daisy. This, along with the coconut palm eradication, is a somewhat stealth operation, since both is done on public property. Both plants are listed in Australia as invasive weeds, so there eradication from public lands is completely legal, though not always popular.

AUSTROP is also sometimes lovingly referred to as Cape Trib Cooking camp. The station director , Hugh Spencer, is a wonderful chef, and we all take turns creating meals from his recipes. Dinner time is a social affair and we always eat together at night. Some meals have included: Egg Plant Lasagna, Gado Gado, Enchilades, Nosi Gori, and many others from every continent. We eat much smaller amounts of meat than back in the states and I have found it to wonderful for my health.

Station life is quite rewarding. We work hard, and leave time for fun. We spend time in the ocean swimming, take night walks often, and explore the local area. Mondays are " Happy Mondays", our one day off a week when we do what we like with our time. We live isolated from the rest of the world here, with very little contact with the outsiders. This allows us to become fully immersed in the moment, and our experience here. Life at AUSTROP is totally consuming, and we like it that way. Every day is an adventure. Please stay tuned for more.... Thanks for reading

Hit the ground running

2008-07-07T14:36:00.001-07:00

Hugh Spencer, Station Director, feeding a Tubenose Bat we caught one evening.
One of our resident Spectacled Flying Foxes.
Hugh with a blossom bat, on the same evening we caught the tubenose, in the same net.
Two of the climate controlled research trailers.

We hit the ground running at AUSTROP. We began the day Wednesday at about 8am and worked through till about 5 pm, in preparation for the ISV students who were set to arrive at the station for a two week stint beginning Saturday. That gave us three and a half days to clean their cabins, the kitchen, and put clean linens on all of their bunks.

Hugh, Sarah Hughs, Eike, and myself spent the next three days frantically cleaning all the cabins, washing every dish in the house, scrubbing the walls , shelves and drawers, in the kitchen, and preparing tasks and a meal plan for the two weeks the ISV students would be spending with us.

Pictures: Top, We caught a tube nose bat one evening, this pic is of hugh feeding a very upset tubenose a mixture of honey and water, this prepares them for flight once they are released.Next, one of our resident spectacled flying foxes, we have 6 here at the station, all rescued and unable to be released back to the wild . Next, we also caught a blossom bat, the smallest of the macro bats. Macro bats are different than the micro bats most are familiar with in that they are vegetarians and do not have sonar. Bottom, two climate controlled trailers used for research. The wet tropics are very hard on electronic equiptment, along with everything else, and anything of value must be kept in controlled conditions.

AUSTROP First 14 days...

2008-07-07T14:13:00.001-07:00

Well, I made it to the Station. Dr. Hugh Spencer(top photo with coconut) retrieved myself and volunteer Sarah Hughs from the Cairns City Library on Tuesday, June 23rd. We stopped at a workshop in Cairns before heading north to Cape Tribulation, our final destination. The workshop featured representatives of local environmental groups interested in the North Queensland land use development plan. Its purpose was to give voice to the concerns of these groups to policy makers regarding the plan for growth, development, and conservation in north Queensland, specifically, the greater Cairns area. It was a wonderful introduction to the environmental concerns of the area, and to the local political processes surrounding conservation and land use issues.

There was consensus among the group that the plan needed to address issues such as peak oil, climate change, endangered species protection, and establishment of urban agriculture, in an attempt to prepare the area for what scientists see as the impending crash of many of our support systems due to the aforementioned issues.

After the meeting it was off to Cape Trib!

We arrived at the station late in the evening in a downpour, hence the term "rain forest" We had a wonderful dinner and hit the sack!

Contrary to popular belief, the rain forest here is quite safe. We have seen a couple of snakes, many spiders, and a monitor lizard. All these animals were not aggressive and had no interest in us humans whatsoever. The above picture of a estuarine crocodile was from a wall display from the Daintree Park Discovery center, and most locals would count one lucky to get a glimpse of a live croc.

A Few Days Around Cairns Before Getting Down To Bussiness...

2008-06-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I have arrived and settled in, I felt pretty cozy around the hotel, got unpacked (note to self, pack lighter next time!!!!!) and thought it was time to hit the town and see what was the haps. I was not quite used to the time change, so I was heading to bed around 7:30 p.m. and waking at 5:30a.m., by the time the bus arrived to shuttle us to town at 8:45a.m. I was raring to go.

Cairns proper is filled with all sorts of tourist shops trying to sell you every kind of adventure package you could dream of; pet the koala's, swim with the sharks, dance with the aborigines, dine on the Kangaroos, and I wasn't sure who to trust, or what to buy, but I was hoping to plan a trip for the following day, Sunday.

The culture shock was hitting me hard. There was no doubt I was an American, I stuck out like a sore thumb. Maybe it was the wide brimmed hat I thought all Australians wore, but only the rest of the tourists and I actually donned. It could have been the hip pack, stuffed with bug repellent, sunscreen, 6 forms of I.D. , 2 maps, and a picnic lunch. And if any of the locals were naive enough to think I was an Aussie for even a second, the moment I opened my mouth it became shamefully honest, "Eh Mate, you from the states, or Canada?", "Canada" I replied with a grin.

This wasn't the only thing that made Australia different from the U.S. Try this one out - THE METRIC SYSTEM - the fact that we Americans are still using a system of measurement that makes absolutely no sense at all seems to me to be a ploy by our government to keep us stupid and possess no ability to communicate with people from the rest of the world. Ever tried to convert miles to Kilometers in a split second? How about Celsius to Fahrenheit, pounds to kilograms, feet to meters. It might be easier if, like the metric system, our English system was all based on something, and all connected in one grand system as the metric system is, based on the number 10, the easiest number to multiply, divide, add subtract, all in units of ten. We may be so lucky.

My culture shock was perpetuated further by the Australian monetary system. The systems small notes are dominated by coins. 2$ coins are smaller than 1$ coins, 50cent pieces are huge, yet 10cent pieces are even smaller than 2$ coins. The money is beautifully colored and all contains clear spots in the corners. I can't wait to ask someone what all the amazing symbols mean and who are all the interesting people on the bills.

Anyway, after a few days I am already getting used to these things and learning a few more. Now, back to my story. I decided to wait on the reef adventures, and I hadn't yet prepared myself to dine on the famous roos, so I decided to take a historic train up the mountain into the rain forest to Kuranda, and return on the Sky rail.

The train ride was amazing, with a stop at Barron falls, and views galore. Kuranda was a sixties refuge for old Aussie hippies turned tourist shopping haven. I must admit, that for a tourist mall, it was quaint and beautiful, the people were kind and mellow, and the location was without a doubt a sacred and special spot. I avoided the shopping since I am low on coin, and instead took a wonderful walk along the river and back through the jungle. The trees, flora, and fauna were unsurpassed in majesty and beauty. There were few blooming flowers but the giant ferns and palms made up for it.

Pictures: Above top is a photo from Barron Falls describing the history of the place as told by the local indigenous people. Below is yours truly on the historic train, and finally, giant pine in the rain forest.

Arrival in Cairns !!!!

2008-06-22T23:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it! After a short ordeal in customs, They turned me loose onto the street. It was a beautiful sunny day in the tropics and I was weary and weathered and ready to find my hotel, The Palm Royale, check in, and get accustomed to the local flora and fauna. Note to future interns: you do need a visa to enter Australia, you can purchase one at the airport upon departure, it's worth it for only 25$$ US and will save you lots of hassle upon entering the country.

There was a little hassle with customs, as I was a little to liberal, honest, and thorough when filling out my customs form. It turns out that if you claim to have beef jerky in your bag, make sure you can actually produce said jerky and didn't just finish eating eat on the plain. Australia has no desire to have animal products brought across their borders that they do not commission themselves.

Also, if you bring in camping supplies, boots, tools, or any gear that may contain soil, seeds, or any such foreign material, be sure to scrub it with vigor before trying to bring it in to Australia. Be vigilant as well, that you get your story straight as to where you are planning to stay, who you know, how you plan to get around, how much money you plan to spend, and have your return ticket and all other documentation of such facts ready, especially if you are a haggard looking 6ft 200lb male with a giant pack stuffed to the brim with everything but said bag of beef jerky. But no worries mate, they will help you repack!

The top photo is the Cairns airport (note the arrivals sign), below is my hotel, The Palm Royale, next, yours truly above Baron Falls, and lower the Mareeba Shire, part of the Atherton Tablelands, just a few Km outside of Cairns. More about that, and more pics on the next post!

Departure

2008-06-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

Departure from the ordinary can often be challenging, and this case is no exception. I was dropped at the Train station by Star my love and there were some tears shed, but that is normal, as we are in love and will miss each other. The train was late and Amtrak graciously provided a bus to transport those passengers with tight schedules on one of their buses. We cruised up interstate Five all the way to Portland without stopping. Within minutes of arriving in Portland I was on the cities convenient light rail train that cost a mere 2.05$ and without hesitation, and in a quiet and efficient fashion, arrived in good time at the Portland international Airport.

Here was where the confusion began. I was told I needed a visa, which was not the case. After about 1/2 hour of finding managers, etc. I was granted my boarding pass and sent on my way. Second, United Airlines was out of the large plastic bags the provide to those traveling with backpacker type bags with lots of tie ons and straps that get caught in the airlines baggage transferring infrastructure and can lead to problems both for your luggage, and for their equipment. I did some quick rearranging, securing, tying, tucking and praying, and was on my way, shouting a quick "good luck" to my baggage as I scurried away, with a hope to meet again at least semi unscathed at the Cairns Airport in about 26 hours.

With that finished, my large bag of insulin and I made it through security, and to a seat at the airport version of The Laurelwood, a local Portland favorite brewpub, at which I am listening to Hank Williams the 3rd on my laptop, and sipping a pint of IPA as I type this entry.

So, in short, all is well that ends well, and this is the end, for now...

2008-05-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

Preperation For Departure, "The Grove" 5-26-2008

2008-05-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

This Is my first Blog.

I sit at my laptop on a dreary spring day here at the end of Kenady Lane in the hills southwest of Cottage Grove, Oregon. I am dreaming and preparing, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically, for my Journey to Cape Tribulation, Far North Queensland, Australia.

Creating this blog will help me to communicate to my Family and friends abroad, as well as share pictures, thoughts, and data describing my work, research , and adventures at AUSTROP, Cape Tribulation Tropical Research Station.

Please stay tuned for more, I invite the reader to come along with me on my adventure...

TO BE CONTINUED...