I’ve been absolutely fascinated, as have Boy 11 and Girl 13, by Beau Miles, Ph.D. He’s a professor of outdoor education at Monash University, chippie, cook, environmentalist, extreme sportsman, filmmaker, writer, etc. There just doesn’t seem to be anything he can’t do through sheer determination and endless curiosity.
On the same day The Sydney Morning Herald brought Dr. Miles to my attention, the front page featured a story about the removal of trees sacred to the Djabwurrung people of the Western District in Victoria. The pictures online by Justin McManus are haunting, shot at night as if by stealth, whilst the photos of supporters (protestors makes them sound too aggressive to save trees) illustrate the coming together or people from all walks of life to protect something priceless. One of the 800 year-old trees has already been uprooted, signaling the end for a marker of time and a significance of place.
On the same day The Sydney Morning Herald brought Dr. Miles to my attention, the front page featured a story about the removal of trees sacred to the Djabwurrung people of the Western District in Victoria. The pictures online by Justin McManus are haunting, shot at night as if by stealth, whilst the photos of supporters (protestors makes them sound too aggressive to save trees) illustrate the coming together or people from all walks of life to protect something priceless. One of the 800 year-old trees has already been uprooted, signaling the end for a marker of time and a significance of place.
Beau Miles plants trees in one of his YouTube videos. He walks 100km along freeways from his home in Jindivick to Monash University in Clayton. In others, he kayaks Bass Straight and in another, he collects wood on his walk from the train station to his office at the university to make a kayaking paddle. If his oeuvre of activities communicates just one thing to my children, I hope it’s that there’s always enough time to tread lightly and do something remarkable.
The supporters of the natural environment are guardians of our resources who donate time to protecting the irreplaceable. Notre Dame can be rebuilt and even the Parthenon is under constant rehabilitation. But a tree that’s 800 years-old can never be grown within a lifetime. It’s the result of patience and respect for something that’s survived fire, flood, erosion and wind. Like a centenarian – someone who’s survived war, scarcity, heartbreak, disease – a centuries old tree is something to be cherished and wondered upon, understood, appreciated and protected.
This past weekend, we took a 14 km walk on the horse track between Red Hill and the Merricks General Store. The complaints from the children were barely tolerable. The carry on by one in particular, who insisted on calling a car for the return journey might have embarrassed a more guilt-ridden parent and got me to the point where I pulled out my phone and looked for the app . As the thunder started cracking and the skies grew darker, I set the challenge. “Come on – let’s beat the rain! It’s only an hour or so to walk back; we can make it!’
The supporters of the natural environment are guardians of our resources who donate time to protecting the irreplaceable. Notre Dame can be rebuilt and even the Parthenon is under constant rehabilitation. But a tree that’s 800 years-old can never be grown within a lifetime. It’s the result of patience and respect for something that’s survived fire, flood, erosion and wind. Like a centenarian – someone who’s survived war, scarcity, heartbreak, disease – a centuries old tree is something to be cherished and wondered upon, understood, appreciated and protected.
This past weekend, we took a 14 km walk on the horse track between Red Hill and the Merricks General Store. The complaints from the children were barely tolerable. The carry on by one in particular, who insisted on calling a car for the return journey might have embarrassed a more guilt-ridden parent and got me to the point where I pulled out my phone and looked for the app . As the thunder started cracking and the skies grew darker, I set the challenge. “Come on – let’s beat the rain! It’s only an hour or so to walk back; we can make it!’
I marvelled that the sun shade of the towering trees on the walk towards Merricks was now an umbrella on the return to Red Hill.
Having made it one way, we knew the terrain. Mud, a slippery hill to run down, obstacles like the occasional horse, a family on bikes or a pair of excited dogs. I had no idea how long we had, but the car would be warm, so if we did get soaked, it’d only be for the 20 minutes or so it would take to drive home.
Just as giant raindrops and a plink of hail broke through, we made it to the car. There was silence for the briefest moment as we sat and listened to the coming storm on the windscreen of the car. I thought we must all be as happy as I was to be dry and exhausted and satisfied that we’d made a long walk, that dinner would be all the more appreciated. “How do you feel, guys? Aren’t you happy with what you achieved?” I asked. The boy was the first to say anything.
“Can we watch a Beau Miles adventure tonight?”
Just as giant raindrops and a plink of hail broke through, we made it to the car. There was silence for the briefest moment as we sat and listened to the coming storm on the windscreen of the car. I thought we must all be as happy as I was to be dry and exhausted and satisfied that we’d made a long walk, that dinner would be all the more appreciated. “How do you feel, guys? Aren’t you happy with what you achieved?” I asked. The boy was the first to say anything.
“Can we watch a Beau Miles adventure tonight?”