Spy cameras - originally installed by a small Northern Territory school in the hope of filming 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 animals at a Gouldian Finch watering station 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."
She said while there was no finch action on the cameras, images captured show herons, dingoes, buffaloes and even a feral cat. Thanks to the help of spy cameras, drones and environmental DNA tests, the school has had a breakthrough - discovering finches and pokipains, in the Manyallaluk region.
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.
