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Donald Knowler

Dancing on the Edge of the World

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New Nature Writing

I strayed from the path of traditional, or pastoral, nature writing years ago when I discovered not only urban landscapes rich in wildlife, but anthropomorphism, irony, and bottles of red wine and bourbon with birds on their labels. As a young reporter, I had been impressed by the New Journalism of the 1960s which took reporting into the realm of the novel and short-story and a few decades on I found what were termed New Nature Writers breaking with tradition and exploring similar territory.

Although I still treasure the book that was my introduction to words about nature, Gilbert White’s The Natural History of Selbourne published in 1788, I now find inspiration in one of the new journalists, Hunter S Thompson. Thompson might not have written of nature as such but his words “I write with rage and ink” have an irresistible resonance that carries far beyond the suburbs to the wooded hills of the horizon.

Ley lines plot a flight of fancy

March 28, 2024 Don Knowler

Over millennia, the rich diversity of birds inhabiting the Hobart area have followed ancient ley lines shaped by the landscape and the seasons. The first Tasmanians, the Muwinina people, and Charles Darwin in his ascent of kunanyi/Mt Wellington followed them, too. And even today the marathon runners participating in the Point to Pinnacle share the same route negotiated in spring by migrating crescent honeyeaters and eastern spinebills, moving from winter territories near … [Read more...] about Ley lines plot a flight of fancy

New Nature Writing

War of words over wilderness

January 9, 2024 Don Knowler

A battle is shaping for the soul of environmentalism across the planet. The danger to our world heritage areas worldwide comes not only from politicians who use semantics to redefine what’s wild or not, if comes from a breed of modern naturalists trying to put a human value on pristine places. In fact some of the world’s most powerful conservationists are giving up on wilderness. They argue that most of these far-flung corners of the universe which somehow have escaped … [Read more...] about War of words over wilderness

New Nature Writing

A memory carried on fragile wings

May 21, 2023 Don Knowler

I’m sitting on a bench looking up at kunanyi/Mount Wellington, the peak wreathed in the fine blue haze of eucalypt oils which ooze from blue gums and stringybarks on hot days. The mountain has the hue of the satin flycatcher. The gums on Mount Wellington might cement time and place in Tasmania, but I’m not thinking of this island state at the tip of Australia, next stop Antarctica, and the things you see from a park bench there; butterflies and birds with names like the … [Read more...] about A memory carried on fragile wings

New Nature Writing

Our birds surviving on a wing and a prayer

October 31, 2022 Don Knowler

Our neighbourhoods are falling silent as birds suffer dramatic declines in number, writes Don Knowler A green rosella sang a tuneful melody on my return from the Sunshine Coast, where I had travelled to escape the tail-end of winter. Together with my feathered friends, some of my other neighbours were also in tune as I made the rounds of my street to thank members of the unofficial neighbourhood watch for keeping an eye on my house, and the resident over the road who put … [Read more...] about Our birds surviving on a wing and a prayer

New Nature Writing

Gangsters of the bird world

October 12, 2022 Don Knowler

Thugs, muggers and bullies. The worst of Melbourne’s gangland violence may have passed but the standover men, and women, are still fighting their corner in the backstreets of St Kilda. I’m not talking here about the notorious gangland families – the Morans, Williams and Sunshine Crew – but the gangsters of the bird world: the mynas and miners, the crows and currawongs, the wattlebirds and the magpies. Added to the nefarious mix is a bird that hides its aggression behind a … [Read more...] about Gangsters of the bird world

New Nature Writing

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PUBLISHED BOOKS

The Shy Mountain

shy mountain

Silent and brooding, the Shy Mountain does not have to speak her name. We know she’s there, watching … [Read More...]

The Falconer of Central Park

Although written more than 30 years ago, The Falconer of Central Park has remained popular ever … [Read More...]

Riding the Devil’s Highway

Tasmania might be known internationally as the home of the Hollywood cartoon character, Taz, based … [Read More...]

Dancing on the Edge of the World

Dancing on the edge of the World by Donald Knowler

Dancing on the Edge of the World is a collection of essays that had their genesis in the “On the … [Read More...]

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Recent Posts

  • Lovely honeyeater flies beneath the radar
  • Ancient beacon of hope for urban wildlife
  • Solitary grebe rides the waves
  • Heron makes a meal of science
  • Crescent honeyeaters emerge from the shadows
  • The seasons are a-changing
  • Magpies separate friend from foe
  • Life’s a beach for ‘odd couple’
  • Musk lorikeets a fun-run distraction
  • Explosion of gold on a summer’s evening

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