Wildside festival event blown away

The Wildside "Art in the Field" event that was to be held last Saturday had to be canceled due to the second dust storm to hit the area in two weeks. I still managed to get up to Tea Gardens on the Sunday for an early morning Field trip and to do the second day with Julianne Gosper.

Even though the wind was still blowing a gale, there was still a good gathering at the Hawks Nest Surf Club. What a beautiful spot overlooking Boughton Island. Julianne showed us some wonderful techniques and everyone went away inspired.

Margaret Gooding, an active local Natural History artist is taking on the Wildside Drawing workshop as from next year. She has also done the Natural History Illustration Degree and is completing her Honours year this year. Margaret came along this year to help and see how it all works. Best of luck Margaret.

The Hunter Heritage Flora Collection

14 botanical illustrations, better now known as the "Hunter Heritage Flora Collection" commissioned by the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens has just completed two months of being on show at both the Gardens foyer gallery and the Mezzanine Gallery at Port Stephens Council, Raymond Terrace.

The show was well received and attracted lots of good publicity by the local papers. Jill Stowells from The Newcastle Herald H2 (12th September) wrote a half page including artwork about the exhibition and the Natural History Illustration course.

Many thanks to Jan Noble, Chloe Beevers (See inset photo) and everyone that came and supported the launches. Especially Herman and Trish for your help with setting up and running. With a special thanks to the Port Stephens Community Choir who entertained all who came to the second opening.

Prints in both black and white (10) and colour (4) are available for purchase in the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens. Price $35 and $40 respectively, unframed.

They will be again be on show in August next year when the Gardens will be host to the Botanic Gardens Conference. I'll will post more details as they come to hand.

Bill Haydon - The Cedar King NEW Book published

A good friend and fellow illustrator Kathleen Davies has just launched the publication of a new book "Bill Haydon, The Cedar King - The man behind the legend". Kathleen co-authored the publication with Bill Haydons' granddaughter Geraldine Yabsley. (However her name is strangely missing from the front cover). Kathleen was also the one who organised and persuaded me to run the Glenn Innes workshops back in 2007/2008. She is pictured here with one of her drawings from the March 2008 workshop.

She's spent the last five years compiling information on the disappearance of bushman Bill Haydon. Bill mysteriously vanished into the wilderness of Washpool National Park near Grafton on April 28th, 1965. The search for him lasted several weeks and involved hundreds of people including the army. There was many local stories and folklore about the disappearance and a coronial inquest was released last year. Being a journalist at many of the surrounding areas meant Kathleen knew avenues to find out the fragments of information needed to pull together the last hours of Bill Haydons' life. She has contributed the final 20 chapters including the final hours and the mysteries surrounding the disappearance.

“This publication is also a dedication to every person who has contributed in even the smallest way towards the completion of this project, and to every source that has been uncovered in the search for the true story of events,” Kathleen said.
The Macleay Argus - 18/09/09

The far north coast (NSW) is full of mysteries and strange happenings. The Emmaville panther, the Glenn Innes Yowie and Barraba a well known UFO sight.

The book is being promoted and sold across Mid North NSW at the moment and more information about Kathleen, Geraldine and the disappearance of Bill Haydon can be found in the websites below.
Daring to Dream - Kathleen Davies- DPI Rural Womens Network
Official Website
The Macleay Argus Press release (dated 18/09/09)
Timbertown website - Talks about Bill Haydons' reputation for the collection of Cedar (Toona ciliata).

Mallees finally published

Eucalyptus sweedmaniana and Eucalyptus brandiana (previously Euc. gradybrandiana) were published in Australian Systematic Botany by Stephen Hopper and Nathan McQuoid on the 10th June 2009. I was commissioned by Wildlife Encounters back in 2006 to do two illustrated plates of the new species for the proud WA botanists who came across these knee high Eucalypts, Luke Sweedman (Curator for the WA Seed Technology Centre at Kings Park, Perth) and Grady Brand (Kings Park, Perth). Congratulations Luke and Grady, great to see it's all finally public!!

See paper: Two new rare species and a new hybrid in Eucalyptus series Tetrapterae (Myrtaceae) from southern coastal Western Australia

New dinosaurs found in Australia

It looks like Winton Queensland will be the home of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, due to be completed in 2015. This is due to the recent discovery of three new species of dinosaur found in the Winton formation (central western Queensland) and another more recent discovery found in nearby Eromanga.
The museum already boasts a great website and stage one of the physical museum opened on the 3rd of July, 2009. They are a not for profit venture driven by volunteers. As such they offer great volunteer opportunities in specimen preparation in their labs. You can qualify as an honourary technician after the completion of ten days preparation. See Prep a dinosaur.

Zac (a large plant eating sauropod)is the most recent dinosaur discovery (read more). With the three dinosaurs discovered in July this year named in honour of the popular Australian song Waltzing Matilda. Banjo (Australovenator), Matilda (Diamantinasaurus) and Clancy Wintonotitan.
Read more about the discovery:
Plos One journal article
BBC News release - 3 July 2009
Queensland Museum

Hunter Botanic Gardens Workshop (March)

The first of the four workshops went very well. Everyone seemed to get a lot from it and came up with some nice work at the end. Hope to see some of you at the next one in April.
Cheers
Chris