Hooked on Nature

24/03/2025

Smaug is a great mate, I can’t believe that only three and a half years ago he was a tiny baby!

19/03/2025

FREE Nature Walks in the Cumberland Plain!

Come explore the wild beauty of our local national parks this April with free guided walks led by passionate nature lovers (that’s us!) and other awesome guides. From morning bushwalks to evening spotlighting adventures, there’s something for everyone.

Here’s where we’ll be:
• Friday 4th April – Spotlight Walk – Castlereagh NR, 6pm (2 hours)
• Saturday 5th April – Guided Nature Walk – Agnes Banks NR, 8am (2 hours)
• Thursday 10th April – Spotlight Walk – Windsor Downs NR, 6pm (2 hours)

Plus, even more free walks with other great guides are happening across the region!
Spots are limited, links below!

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/guided-tours/castlereagh-spotlight-tour

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/guided-tours/windsor-downs-spotlight-tour

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/guided-tours/agnes-banks-guided-bird-and-nature-walks

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/kids-tours-greater-sydney?utm_source=vera-tours-brochure&utm_medium=short-url&utm_campaign=printed-poster&utm_content=sydney-kids-bundle

04/03/2025

Allowing children to build a love of the wild is key to the future of allowing space for the wild. Nature pets like this Cunningham Skink can help people with fostering this interest and compassion.

thank you for the photos.

19/02/2025

Had an amazing time sharing the glow worms with friends last weekend the Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains Glow Worms are actually the larvae of a fly from the ae family, closely related to fungus flies. But instead of feeding on fungi, they’ve evolved into carnivorous hunters!






















Using bioluminescence, they lure flying insects into their sticky silk snares—like nature’s own little fishing traps. Once caught, the prey is reeled in and devoured by these glowing predators.
!

15/02/2025

Nothing better than seeing my old armoured friends, the Blue Mountains Crayfish (Euastacus australasiensis). These tough little warriors, with their spiny blue shells and powerful claws, are a true symbol of the cool, clean streams they call home. Found only in the Blue Mountains and surrounding regions, they grow slowly, some reaching up to 20 cm over many years.

But despite their rugged appearance, they’re surprisingly vulnerable. Habitat loss, pollution, and climate change are taking their toll, pushing their numbers down. Sensitive to water quality, they’re a natural indicator of a healthy ecosystem—if they’re thriving, the environment is doing well too.

Seeing them in the wild is always a privilege, a reminder of the resilience of nature, but also of the responsibility we have to protect it.

12/11/2024

Pets like my homing pigeons helped me to have empathy and respect for animals. Gee thanks was lucky to have my childhood.

I have always been fascinated with other life. When I take people into their local bush with the aim of getting them to see nature in ways never before, I often think about how I came to love nature. When I think back to it, it was through exposure unrestricted to the wildness of the creek, my unorthodox pets and lots of imaginary play.

19/01/2024

Just a morning watermelon, coffee and “Judo the Grappler” my young boy Spencer’s Monitor getting real sun 🌞

11/01/2024