Spy cameras - originally installed by a small Northern Territory school in the hope to film rare birds - have unearthed the hidden secrets of life in the Aussie bush.
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Meg Kleinig, junior primary classroom teacher of Manyallaluk School, more than 400km south of Darwin, on the outskirts of Nitmiluk National Park, said the school's students had originally used the cameras to track animal movement at a Gouldian Finch watering station the school had set up as part of a science project.
"We'd left these cameras out on a waterhole and kind of forgot about them," Mrs Kleinig said.
"The water had since dried up and we thought that there wouldn't be much to see. How wrong we were."
The educator said while there was 'no finch action' recorded on the recovered cameras, students got to explore a 'great range of animals and some really cute and interesting shots' that revealed a great variety of wildlife in the bush.
Images captured showcase herons, dingoes, buffaloes and even a feral cat visiting the waterhole at different times of the day and night.
For years, the small remote school has been working on a program to find rare, endangered Gouldian Finches and echidnas that hadn't been seen in the area for years.
And thanks to the help of spy cameras, drones and environmental DNA tests, the school has had a breakthrough in their endeavours - discovering both, finches and pokipains, in the Manyallaluk region.
"It really was a treasure hunt," principal and classroom teacher Ben Kleinig said. "There was a lot of celebration when we saw the first Gouldian finch and the first echidna."
For their work, which contributes to raising awareness, sharing knowledge and promoting participation of landcare amongst young people, the school was announced as the Territory finalist for the 2022 Woolworths Junior Landcare Team Award earlier this year.
"Being nominated for the Woolworths Junior Landcare Team Award is really special for our school and community because it recognises not only the effort that we all put into this project, but it also highlights Indigenous knowledge and skills and two-way learning," the principal said at the time.
"It celebrates the knowledge our kids already possess and helps blend it with the Australian curriculum, especially writing and STEM.
"But, what's most important is that the program gets the students inspired and confident with trying new things and using technology.
"And by giving the kids such hands-on experiences with new technology, it gets them fired up for real jobs later on.
"It also really fuels their imagination for writing and instils a can-do attitude that will serve them later in life."
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Annie Hesse
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books.
