The three green ants.
(Industry/Government, Aboriginal People and Aboriginal Bush Traders)
are working together towards creating a secure and sustainable
economic future(The nest) for Aboriginal People.
The logo features the racik (cross hatch) which is typically found in Top End cultural art ,
signifying our regional interest.
You can’t build a strong nest without working together.
So our focus is on creating strong partnerships with all stakeholders
to ensure objectives are met.
We had breakfast yesterday morning at the Aboriginal Bush Trader’s Cafe in the CBD in the historical Lyons Cottage. It was Darwin’s first stone residence, having been built in 1925 to house executives from the British Australia Telegraph company. The cottage survived the Darwin bombing during WW11. The US army also occupied it for a while at that time. In 1974 the cottage sustained some damage from Cyclone Tracy, which was repaired. The cottage was heritage listed.
Housed in the cottage is also a gallery and a shop showcasing authentic and ethically sourced Indigenous products – art, gifts, clothing, bush food products, bush medicines and homewares.
Having enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and coffee in the garden, we set off to look for Darwin’s Marine Discovery Centre. We had both noticed it whilst driving around the other day. Fortunately it was not hard to find. Located right next to the Darwin Water Front, the facility itself is rather jaded. However, the proprietors are passionate and keen to showcase Darwin’s marine life. Housed in the main entrance to the various displays is a rock pool of Darwin’s coral life. The water is crystal clear. The large pool contains a living coral reef ecosystem. Specimens have been sourced from the Darwin Harbour. What is fascinating about this display, apart from the many unique and beautiful corals and fish, is that the crystal clear water has not been changed in the whole of its 24 year existence. The evaporated salt water is replaced by rain water, as it is in nature, thus retaining the original salinity levels. It is a self sustaining environment with the sea life feeding on plankton. Did you know that different species of corals are awake and feeding during the day than at night ? The delicate fronds of the live coral wave gently in the soft flow of the water as the fish lazily swim in and through them.
One of the other fascinating things about coral is that they synchronise their spawning. ALL of them spawn on the same night, at the same time, under the full moon. Not just in Darwin. Everywhere. One giant orgy of corals releasing eggs and sperm into the sea. And amazingly, each species finds its own as they pair. How cool is that!
© Raili Tanska
a measure of hope for the destroyed Coral reef…
Indeed. It is so exquisitely beautiful.
How interesting that water is so clear and has not been changed. Strange and wonderful at the same time .
We were impressed! But when he explained it, it made perfect sense
Do they spawn at the same tie as out in the reef?
I do believe so. According to the video we were shown it is a world-wide phenomena.
Hope you get some images of aboriginal art.
I have – there are some featured in this post – https://soulgifts.com.au/2018/06/25/darwin-sightseeing/
Great photos 😊
Beautiful and fascinating article, thank you Raili for all that wonderful information.
🙂
Fascinating video. Another natural miracle.
It really is quite amazing, isn’t it !
Yes!
Beautiful!!
What an amazing example of the incredible diversity of life. It’s humbling to see the ways that other lifeforms quietly reproduce and survive. It’s so complex, and yet so pure and simple.
I was gobsmacked !
That lovely Asian girl in the video said it all. She said “It’s awesome… like snowing… ahh, it’s nice…” but it was the expression on her face that said it all. My heart melted 🙂
🙂
Just marvellous!