Ian Thompson
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Ian Thompson
@iantho.bsky.social
820 followers 700 following 1.3K posts
Once practiced natural resources management and conservation, in government. Now largely an interested observer in Australia
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Bland Australia, Boring Oregon and Dull Scotland formed an alliance they called the League of Extraordinary Communities
A blue and white council sign with a map Australia locating Bland in the south east
November 21, 2025 at 5:58 AM
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Poppies self sown on Anzac Day for Remembrance Day, rosemary for Anzac Day in April.
A crowded garden bed with red Flanders, mauve common poppies, an orange common poppy, mauve Aquilegia, a corner of snow in summer, a dark desire crimson rose and a couple of red Gallipoli roses (royalties to disabled veterans and families)
November 2, 2025 at 8:33 AM
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Someone (Margaret Cook) wrote a book about this problem by design. Mitigation reaches its design, then economic and human cost is huge. Applies to just about every east coast river. We’ve been warned, since the 19th Century and it’s getting worse.
A river flooding a city book cover. ‘A River with a City Problem’ A history of Brisbane floods
October 27, 2025 at 11:42 PM
iantho.bsky.social
Keeps popping up for me too. I presume you can still get this series as an alternative
A 18th Century English naval officer waist deep in water with a seagull on his hat doing what seagulls do
October 24, 2025 at 12:53 PM
iantho.bsky.social
If you have kindergarteners this Wainwright children’s prize shortlisted book Flower Block, Lanisha Butterfield (author), Hoang Giang (illustrator) is a good read on the power of gardens wainwrightprize.com/shortlisted/...
A block of flats with two boys looking out of the window on the first floor with a sunflower growing all over the building
October 14, 2025 at 10:20 AM
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Wild dogs dressed for the Lilac Festival taking over the streets of Goulburn
Bronze dogs draped in local scarves on the street of a country town
September 28, 2025 at 12:00 AM
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The wildlife enjoying the view from a wedding. The whales came past too.
A kookaburra brown body with white head sitting on a rusty wire fence admiring a sea cliff view.
September 27, 2025 at 11:55 PM
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All places can be memorable for one reason or another. Just need to take the time to look or learn. I am saddened by the destruction of memorable places by fire, tasteless development or conflict. Have been going back to this spot on south coast of New South Wales for many years.
A small stream running across a sand bed and into the ocean. The stream is fringed by scrubby trees
September 17, 2025 at 4:40 AM
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There were environmental champions in the 70s.The National Library of Australia supports short fellowships for scholars to rat through an archive. John Morrissey of Galway University had a look at Judith Wright. Squattocracy to environmental advocate. Good talk.
www.youtube.com/live/uAolpA6...
Speaker, middle aged man and images of older Len Webb and Judith Wright The speaker and text The speaker and text Speaker, Judith Wright. Her former home Edge near Braidwood. Controversially disposed of by the ANU, sold by the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Now in a conservation area and owned by an architect who is restoring it.
August 17, 2025 at 8:41 AM
iantho.bsky.social
To facilitate mistletoe recovery, need a bit of useful messiness.
August 12, 2025 at 6:34 AM
iantho.bsky.social
This was a great webinar. Mistletoes matter, a lot. Pretty too. Thanks to Birdlife Australia and presenters.

youtube.com/watch?v=pDiu...
Text on why mistletoes matter A bright yellow mistletoe in an umbrella shaped mulga A bright red mistletoe flower, spidery looking. And the recommended book. A red flowering spidery mistletoe and text on misconceptions about them
August 12, 2025 at 6:34 AM
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Dave Watson’s mistletoe book is approachable, entertaining, authoritative, informative. Find a talk - same. I had a curiosity about mistletoes but am scarred by plant books. I have a copy of Black’s Flora, all there was. A CSIRO botanist agreed with me, Black stimulated computer-based Euclid keys.
Cover of a book Mistletoes of Southern Australia with a sprig of green leaves supporting some red flowers Five ill matched, differentially faded, poorly printed on even poorer paper and bound only in slightly thicker paper in early 20th century museum layout. Hope you never have to use it. Five way branching keys!
August 8, 2025 at 4:42 AM
iantho.bsky.social
Marvellous places. Best viewing is from a boardwalk and they exist in urban areas or a canoe at high tide. But do neither in crocodile country. We are just food.
Crocodile warning sign on three languages, with a picture of open crocodile jaws. Looks like a land mine warning sign in post WW2 movies.
July 31, 2025 at 7:29 AM
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Every deciduous garden needs one of these. The web doesn’t do scent.
Yellow pendulous flowers and basket like seed pods on leafless boughs. Winter sweet, grown for the scent in midwinter.
July 22, 2025 at 4:18 AM
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A lot of blue connects around a bower bird bower in a bushy garden
July 14, 2025 at 7:22 AM
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Dog sitting. Can’t find the off button.
A black and white Border collie dog with bright eye and tongue out waiting to be thrown a toy
July 12, 2025 at 8:23 AM
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Tried this? It’s on Audible too. A story of dispossession.
Book cover showing sulpher crested cockatoos flying above a placid river on the western slopes of NSW in winter (it looks like) as the sun starts to set.
July 4, 2025 at 2:56 AM
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Found it on their website. That’s a fair price, even allowing for the exchange rate.
A wine label showing the wine at A$27.50 cellar door
July 4, 2025 at 12:07 AM
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People may have different views about truth telling. But, this is a powerful and moving story. The audiobook is very well read
A bunch of sulphur crested cockatoos flying above a river with a sunset sky. They would be screeching.
June 23, 2025 at 11:03 AM
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Sunny warm last day of autumn and the garden is telling me it’s spring. Snowdrops. My last rose of summer hasn’t dropped yet.
A white English snow drop. Yellow miniature daffodils. A small pink rose and a larger yellow rose
May 31, 2025 at 6:36 AM
iantho.bsky.social
This is brutalism. A giant snake hoke. Actually an exhaust airshaft in Broken Hill. In the NAA Jim Fitzpatrick, photographer of some fame.
Two workmen inside a large concrete tunnel
March 22, 2025 at 11:58 AM
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A few of these on the wider streets? There are neater deciduous options for narrower roads
A large eucalypt by a country roadside, one of an avenue.
March 20, 2025 at 8:13 AM
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Not Africa, but a lot of water in Weereewa
A scrubby hillside, a large lake under a blue sky and line of clouds
February 24, 2025 at 11:40 AM
iantho.bsky.social
Been forest bathing again. This area on the NSW Southern Highlands was burnt five years ago. Sound up.
February 12, 2025 at 2:37 AM
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It could be worse, maybe (humidity) but some people on here are on the road
The forecast for Oodnadatta
February 3, 2025 at 6:31 AM