michael norris wrote:
"But here we also have a pioneer mentality of conquering the bush.... "
I think that this is closer to the real reason. My father was a forester and
spend much of his working life in the bush, I then found it to be a natural
progression to do the same. But after moving from inland NSW to the Blue
Mountains, and area surrounded by national parks etc I was amazed at the
fear expressed by many about going into the bush, 'there's snakes in
there..." The whole idea was foreign to my neighbours to go the 200m from
home into the bush beyond the train station.
Even the other day I took my brother in law and his son down to the river
nearby, though mostly cleared land, he didn't say anything but was clearly
uncomfortable (maybe I shouldn't have pointed out the snake track in the
sand).
But its the big bad unknown of the aussie bush, something to be conquered,
tamed, cleared and asphalted that seems to come from the colonial past. And
for the birds, they're just something that wake you up in the morning, or
eat your house (e.g. white cockatoos).
Or maybe its just a hang over of the cultural cringe.
Cheers
Graham Turner
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