Save Our Strzelecki's

Artist: Tony Middleton
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Save Our Strzelecki's

as always – click image for a larger more detailed view.

Located and defining South Gippsland is the Strzelecki Ranges – once one vast rainforest which was a unique blend of cool temperate forests that amazingly contain isolated pockets of warm temperate rainforest.
When early settlers began ‘opening up’ the region, South Gippsland was known as the’land of the lyrebird’ as this vast rainforest was home to the Superb Lyrebird in such great numbers – the majestic mimicking skills not only had the repertoire of everything that lived around them but quickly took on the sounds of the new comers with inpeccable calls of camera shutters and chainsaws. The Strzeleckis are not only home to Superb Lyres… but endemic Koalas and native Fish,Quolls, Gliders, Platypus, Wombats, Bandicoots, Potoroos,Echidnas.Wallabies..the fauna list goes on….
The Flora of the region no less impressive with it once being a stronghold for the largest flowering plant on Earth – Eucalyptus Regnan. It has been reputed that the tallest tree on the planet once grew in the heart of these ranges – some 120m+ it measured when it lay on the floor near Thorpdale earlier in the 20th century.Very few pockets of these old growth ‘emperors’ remain – but where they do surely they rival their protected cousins in the world famous and hard fought for forests of Tasmania.
Now less than 20% of this bioregion remains with an alarming 2% protected – the lowest of any region in Victoria. Election promises of 30,000 h NP’s or ‘Cores and links’ have not eventuated after many years… Instead we see logging and clearfelling rates INCREASE. With Hancocks been the major forestry operator – a US company.. Is this really worth it ?

With the latest BLUNDER from the Victorian Brumby government failing to renegotiate ANY protection in the renewed forestry contracts with the US company – Hancocks timber…

Someone PLEASE get rid of this state government – fast ! ! !

Speak up and have a say in our country – our planet – for our future generations…

100% of any profit from print sales I may happen to make here will be donated to the ‘Save Our Strzeleckis’ campaign.

Fuji G617 – Velvia 100F.
©T.Middleton2008

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see more of my TRUE panoramic photography by clicking on the image below

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Save Our Strzelecki's belongs to the following groups:

Australian Bush and Rainforest Photography, Conservation Photography, Environmental Awareness, Green!, Medium and Large Format Film Photography and Panoramas

LisaG, about 1 month ago

The lush of green ferns and trees that reach the sun light….this is my idea of heaven….

Well done, Tony…...glad you’re getting the message out….
Tony Middleton in reply to LisaG’s comment, about 1 month ago

thanks Lisa ! your thoughts and words are always treasured..perhaps we could collaborate one day…

:)
TriggerHappy, about 1 month ago

Niiice. Agree with LisaG all the way)
Cain Doherty, about 1 month ago

nice depth in this, cool trail of ferns – must be quite an effort to work vertically in this format. i assume you’ve seen the david attenborough clip with the lyrebird and it’s sounds that you speak of?
Carmelh, about 1 month ago

Rainforests like this are so precious…..and need to be protected at all costs…..your doing a magnifcent job Tony bringing it to everyones attention….I can’t believe that the state gov has got away with this…..is criminal.
Kristina Kitch..., about 1 month ago

great shot, i too love this area, i grew up in the area, so also like photographing it as well.
Kathleen Hill, about 1 month ago

Stunning and bravo for speaking up about these endangered areas
wstsiderose, about 1 month ago

How gorgeous are all those green ferns. so deep and beautiful, I hope things change for the better in our silly government…soon
Tony Middleton in reply to Cain Doherty’s comment, about 1 month ago

thanks Cain :)
I know of the one you are referring to, but there is also a CD you can purchase that is really awesome and it is all recorded locally from different parts of the Strzelecki rainforests and their lyrebirds ! It is available from the Bunurong environment shop in Inverloch and various other crafty type shops throughout Sth Gippsland – only ~$8 with proceeds towards Save Our Strzeleckis
Tony Middleton in reply to Carmelh’s comment, about 1 month ago

thanks Carmel ! I can’t believe this governments continous arrogance, ingnorance and contempt towards the people of Victoria…

grrrr !
Cain Doherty, about 1 month ago

i’ll keep an eye out – i took mum up to the australian gardens at cranbourne on mothers day – i wonder if they have it there?? and if not, they should, there was a heap of people there.
louise, about 1 month ago

When will they ever learn…...

Magic image Tony
cheers!
andrew cowell, about 1 month ago

awesome image – totally empathize with your sentiments
Lucindawind, about 1 month ago

so lush and green .. beautiful !
Hien Nguyen, about 1 month ago

I didn’t know about this, and thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Kelly KMA Berm..., about 1 month ago

Wonderful picture! Wasnt aware of the plight ? Well done!
stevendesiow, about 1 month ago

A very effective images.
By: Cheri Perry, about 1 month ago

This is very nice…excellent capture.
Gary L. Suddath, about 1 month ago

stunning work,thanks for bringing its plight to us
Tony Middleton in reply to Cain Doherty’s comment, about 1 month ago

you are right Cain – it’s very difficult to work in the confines of a rainforest with the 6×17 ! the fixed 105mm lens makes it hard no matter the orientation – vertical or horizontal. all fun though :)
elm321, about 1 month ago

what an unique panoramic! i like the way its vertical. the forest looks so lush and green. great job.
Jodie Elchah, about 1 month ago

Awesome image, The more you bring this to peoples attentions the more hope we have of stopping the govenment from destroying our beautiful rainforests. Good on you Tony!!
Louise Cooke, about 1 month ago

makes you sick to the core. It’s inconceivable that so little remains. I have awesome memories of visiting this area nearly 20 years ago…just gobsmacking to think it’s disappearing. Stunning capture, does the forest great justice :)
Ushna Sardar, about 1 month ago

awesome image!
Michael Walters, about 1 month ago

Fantastic comp.
retepk, about 1 month ago

Great shot and I agree with the sentiment. I remember seeing an old photo in a cafe in Loch that showed what we now see as the bare hills that surround that town were once covered in thick forest. And I mean really thick forest. The trees would have to have been many centuries old by the girth of them. That entire area was, I believe, similarly forested. A tragic loss. The photo was taken in 1906 I think.