Veronika Wild

The last of the Waratahs The tinsel is sagging. Real Christmas trees are wilting in the heat. You’ve spent too much. You’ve eaten too much and you’ve had too much to drink. The stuff you bought before Christmas is now on sale at half the price and despite great restraint, you have put on at least a Kilo in weight. One should be thankful for small mercies. At least I don’t have a hangover. It is however the season of drunk drivers, car accidents, drownings and suicides and there is very little sign of the Peace and Joy we sang about. Wars and catastrophes continue across the globe – tsunamis always seem to come at Christmas, and usually an earthquake or two as well, not to mention bushfires and floods. The homeless are still homeless, irrespective of the bountiful Christmas Dinner put on by local charities, businesses and volunteers and Africa’s children are still starving, despite all the chicken and goat cards we bought last year.   The fighting never stops, whether...

Have a wondeful Christmas Everyone and a  healthy prosperous and Happy New Year Two little boys waiting for their Mum in the Shopping Centre Laneway Art by Fahan School reminding us not to forget the Homeless

Meet Centurion, Australia's largest tree. Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to photograph tall trees? Click here for much better pictures by Brett Mifsud. They are a magnificent sight Tall Trees and where to see them   While a California Redwood called Hyperion weighing in at 115 m remains the tallest tree in the world, Centurion, Australia’s tallest tree and the tallest flowering plant in the world, is rapidly catching up, having just been measured at 100.5 metres.  Centurion, a Mountain Ash ( Eucalyptus Regnans ) can easily be seen on a short detour on the way to the Hartz National Park or Tahune Forest Adventures just west of Geeveston. It is believed to be over 400 years old. Tasmania is home to a number of other exceptional trees. In the South you can admire them in the Styx Valley or the Florentine Valley where there are Stringy Barks around 78m tall but with enormous buttresses. The "White Knights" -White Gums/Swamp Gums or Ma...

Not a local snake, but a python seen in Canberra - Cluan's photo. My friend wanted to walk to Gunner’s Quoin this week, but I declined as it starts off on the same route as Mount Direction about which Tyrone Thomas wrote in “100 Walks in Tasmania” that the whole area “is alive with snakes.”  Instead we went to Kingston again in similar weather to our last walk – that is, there were a few spots of rain and some very dark clouds which completely obscured the beautiful views of sea and mountain which we were promised upon reaching the top of Picket Hill. Still, quite a pleasant walk amid rustic scenery and flanked by flowering dog roses. It wasn’t till we got home that I read the article my son had sent warning about  snake sightings in Kingston as well.  The walk started well enough View to the west w here the mountains are View from the top I have an unholy fear of snakes. It's a bit irrational really as I have in fact seen very...