Avianation | Building a Natural connection with birds

Growing up as a ‘Tottenham Twitcher’ in the early 1970s I loved exploring my local parks and waterways and was also fascinated by Australia’s ‘exotic’ wildlife. So, 200 years after the first fleet, I left London for Botany Bay to start a new life in western Sydney. It was like moving from ‘Eastenders’ to ‘Neighbours’, such was the optimism of Sydney of 1988.

Settling on Darug land, my own block of Cumberland Plain near Bells Creek. Long since replaced by the asphalt and concrete of Buckwell Drive, Hassall Grove

My Graphic Design career was progressing well, learning the new Apple Mac system. Despite this positivity I couldn’t help being saddened by the loss of bushland I saw all around me, be it the loss of the PGH Brickworks in Doonside, or the Emus and Kangaroos of the ADI site, I knew I had to do something.

The 2000 Olympics were the next high point, I had a young family, was working for Sony Music and teaching TAFE courses at the Nepean Art & Design Centre. Yet, despite living the dream, there was still something missing…my connection to nature.

I originally obtained a B.A. (Hons) in Graphic Art & Design inspired by LP covers and can recall a colleague at Sony Music saying that our profession was responsible for turning trees into landfill.

An afternoon shift saw me volunteer for BirdLife Australia’s Birds in Schools program, THIS is what I did best and was my true vocation. Sharing my passion for birds and hopefully making a difference. I used my inheritance to upgrade my car, computer and photographic equipment, registering my business name AVIANATION!

I used my print-based graphic design and photography experience to create photo guides as a take-home component for walks and talks. Several reprints have seen over 10,000 printed to date with x3 versions currently available (Western Sydney, Wetlands & Blue Mountains).

Over the next 10 years I set up three different programs to design and deliver bird workshops engaging over 400 students from K1 to High School, creating a photographic checklist for each of the nine schools. I run regular birdwatching events for a number of Councils, opening up the ‘invisible’ world of birds to 100s of Sydney-siders.

‘Avianation’ in progress (L-R) NPWS Schools Program, CVA Biodiversity in your Backyard, Parramatta CC Get into Nature, Camden CC ‘Bird is the Word, Penrith CC Birdwatchers Breakfast, Blacktown CC Seniors week, Willoughby CC Mosaic Walk, Campbeltown CC Birdweek walk, North Sydney CC Spring Birdwatch, Cumberland Plain Restoration Project Birds & Bushcare.

Overpopulation and loss of habitat is a major threat to our wildlife, but ‘Avianated’ people connected to nature could be the solution…now, more than ever, is the time to make Australia an Avian Nation!