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Articles by Lish Fejer
Australian National Botanic Gardens conservationists cloning rare ice-age gum
Gum trees are synonymous with Australia, but only a handful of people have ever seen the Eucalyptus recurva. Known as the Mongarlowe mallee or ice-age gum, only six plants have been discovered in the wild, just south of Canberra. "When it was first found, it was a real botanical curiosity," said Genevieve Wright, a senior threatened species officer with the NSW Saving Our Species program.
Man-made clay burrows hoping to save Canberra grassland earless dragon
You would be lucky to spot a Canberra grassland earless dragon at the best of times, with an estimated 100 or fewer left in the wild. So saving this Canberra critter is critical. University of Canberra PhD student Ryan Colley, who has been studying the species' genetics since 2020, said the dragons were "very hard to see" outside their burrows. "You'll occasionally see one running around, but it's very rare," he said.
Children's author Andy Griffiths immortalised with sculpture at National Portrait Gallery
Andy Griffiths, one of Australia's most-loved children's authors, has been immortalised in a new portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. The 4-metre-high 3D-printed work by artist Ronnie van Hout, titled Andy Andy, captures how Griffiths' "inner kid" still runs riot while he's trying to be an adult. "That kid has a lot of time to waste and to wonder and to just enjoy the ride, rather than trying to get to the end," Griffiths said.
Lego-based exhibition RELICS: A New World Rises opens at Canberra Museum and Gallery
It's the year 2130, humans have left Earth and Lego minifigures have moved into the belongings we've left behind. At least that's how friends Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler imagined the future, while they spent years creating a whimsical, wonder-filled world for their exhibition RELICS: A New World Rises. "The characters of Relics live in a world that's set in the not-too-distant future … where humans have left the planet for reasons that are left vague.
Canberra women in construction having to leave job sites to find toilets and sanitary bins
Toilets and sanitary disposal bins should be a given at work, but many women in the construction industry are having to leave a job to go to the loo. Temperley Homes director Carly Dewey has been in the construction industry for more than 20 years and said basic facilities for women "should be the norm". "It would be nice if it was not even a conversation," Ms Dewey said. "We make up half the population.
Pregnancy involves many appointments, but this Canberra trial aims to change that
When baby Frankie was born in the early hours of Wednesday morning, he was something of a surprise. Despite being overdue, he came into the world very quickly. "Runs in the family, procrastinating, apparently," mum Sarah Fox said. "He came out extremely fast — we got here at 1:30am and at about 2am [he was born]," dad Sebastian Fox said. But not all babies land in the world so easily.
Uriarra Village residents are concerned about the impacts of a proposed battery storage site
Uriarra Village, at the foothills of the Brindabellas, feels removed from the hum of Canberra's city life just 30 minutes away, and that is why locals love it. Resident Alison Thomas has enjoyed the surrounds for almost 10 years. "So we came out to inspect the house ... and it's just this landscape of mountains and paddocks and gum trees, and there was a swarm of yellowtail black cockatoos," Ms Thomas said.
Uriarra Village residents are concerned about the impacts of a proposed battery storage site
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Hands On Studio celebrates 30 years as artist hopes Julia Gillard portrait will hang in parliament
Hands On Studio artist Stephen Corsini has big aspirations for his portrait of former prime minister Julia Gillard. He would like it to be exhibited in Parliament House. If displayed there, it would not be the first artwork by a Hands On Studio artist to hang on the walls of the iconic Canberra building. "[To] have this on Parliament House [would be] better than the other one 'cause it's coloured," Mr Corsini said.
Canberra apprenticeships hit a brick wall in the middle of a construction boom
Canberra is in the middle of a construction boom but if you're looking for a qualified bricklayer, there might be a bit of a wait. Currently there are only seven apprentice bricklayers training in the ACT, according to Housing Industry Association executive director for the ACT and Southern NSW, Geordan Murray. "That's alarming, and well below the level required," Mr Murray said.
Indian mynas were introduced to control pest insects but now they are the pest
There is one backyard bird nobody wants. The Indian, or common, myna, Acridotheres tristis, has a dark brown body, black head and distinctive yellow features. It was introduced to Australia in the 1860s to tackle insect pests. Now it has become the pest. President of the Canberra Indian Myna Action Group (CIMAG), Bill Hanke, said the myna outcompeted native birds for food and nesting sites, destroying eggs and chicks.
AI wildlife warning system trial aims to reduce animal-vehicle collisions on Monaro Highway near Canberra
An artificial intelligence-powered alert system is being trialled on a stretch of the Monaro Highway between Canberra and the Snowy Mountains in a bid to stop wildlife from becoming roadkill. The Protective Animal Warning System (PAWS) uses thermal and optical roadside cameras to detect animals close to the roadside, and an AI computer vision-aided model identifies common species such as kangaroos, deer and wombats.
Mystery violin willed to Canberra Youth Orchestra has style dating to early 1700s, expert says
When not-for-profit organisation Music for Canberra received an email from a family it had never met, it was intrigued to find that they had been gifted an old, and very special, instrument. It quickly became clear it hadn't just inherited a violin; it had inherited a mystery. The instrument is evidently old, but how old is a subject of much discussion. Was it a $5,000 hidden gem or a $50,000 Spanish masterpiece?
The ACT requires all packaging at public events be recyclable or compostable but most of it ends up in landfill
There is something very wholesome happening at ACT events when you are eating your food truck treats from a compostable plate, with compostable cutlery and sipping from a compostable cup. The ACT mandates reusable, recyclable and compostable packaging at all public events, but nearly all of it ends up in landfill because there is no facility to compost it.
Lights at Canberra's Manuka Oval lean inwards thanks to strict planning rule
If the six light poles skirting Canberra's Manuka Oval look like they're on a lean, that's because they are. The 47-metre-high lights lean inwards, because, if they were standing straight, they couldn't be approved under the city's RL617 rule. The strict planning regulation wouldn't bend, so the light poles had to. RL617 isn't a rule that most Canberrans would encounter on a daily basis, but developers, planners and architects know it well.
What 100 years of Australian soil samples in our national archive can tell us about our history and future
It's not your usual archaeological dig, but rifling through boxes of soil at the Australian National Soil Archive reveals more than meets the eye. The collection, stored in shipping containers at the CSIRO's Black Mountain campus in Canberra, holds a century of samples. Archive manager Georgia Reed's job is to sort through, archive, and store the 100,000 samples from over 30,000 sites across Australia.
Braidwood farm to turn seven tonnes of National Folk Festival waste into fertiliser
Truckloads of plates, forks and food waste from the National Folk Festival are being turned into fertiliser on a Braidwood farm in order to divert tonnes of organic waste from landfill. It looks suspiciously like illegal dumping, but within a year seven tonnes of organic waste from the five-day music festival in Canberra will be transformed into a pile of rich, fertile compost.
At this Canberra farmers' market, producers are making tough choices amid rising fuel prices
As fuel prices remain high amid the war in the Middle East, growers and fishers are among those having to make tough decisions to remain viable. Last week, farmers called on supermarkets to help relieve the pressure, and the government has been urging consumers not to panic buy. Producers at the Capital Region Farmers Market, which operates in Canberra, say the squeeze is only just beginning.
Two artists who created remarkably similar works 50 years apart celebrated at National Portrait Gallery
Australian artist Noel McKenna draws a lot of inspiration from dogs. Now, some of those "dogs he has known" are in the National Portrait Gallery's latest exhibition, John Brack x Noel McKenna: A face in the mirror. The exhibition brings together works of two artists who, despite practising almost 50 years apart, have striking similarities. John Brack, who died in 1999, first emerged in the 1950s as a painter of the people and life of Melbourne.
Art created to help Papunya children read in their language goes on display at National Library of Australia
More than 40 years ago, a program was created in the remote Papunya community, roughly 240km north-west of Alice Springs, to help local children learn to read in their own language. But unlike most school "readers", these books were created in collaboration with local pioneers in the celebrated Western Desert art movement. The result was a collection of Pintupi-Luritja bilingual literacy tools that tell stories of first contact, Dreamings, community life, plants, animals and more.
End of an era for Tharwa General Store after a century being owned by one family
On the edge of the Murrumbidgee River, about 40 kilometres south of Canberra, sits a weatherboard building that has outlasted floods, bushfires, and even a tornado for more than a century. The Tharwa General Store has been many things to many people: a post office, a mechanic's workshop, a fuel stop, a lolly shop, a watering hole, and above all, a place where a community comes together. It's been run by the same family for 100 years, but that's about to change.
Scientists want help to solve mystery after tagging 10,000 bogong moths
You do not often hear passion expressed for insects, but associate professor Kate Umbers, managing director of Invertebrates Australia, becomes emotional when describing the mysterious behaviour of bogong moths. "There's nothing quite like sitting on the top of Mount Kosciuszko at sunset, then suddenly 5 million, 10 million — who knows how many — bogong moths just emerge out of the rocks all around you. It's the most underrated wildlife experience in Australia," she said.
Everyday items from ancient Greece and Rome in the spotlight at ANU Classics Museum
It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside of the Australian National University Classics Museum is akin to peering into the cupboards of a kitchen from 2,000 years ago. The collection has all the latest interior decor, gadgets and gizmos for living during Greek and Roman times — a sieve used to make cheese, a plate, a bottle for oil, and something that looks remarkably like a Pyrex pie dish. The ordinary nature of these everyday objects is extraordinary. "This is a strigil.
Large glazed windows a popular design flaw in Australian apartments, expert says
Llewellyn McGarry's apartment fitted the bill when she was looking to buy an energy efficient, accessible dual-occupancy property for her and her mother. The apartment in Canberra's south has sunset views of mountains to the west, and moving in over winter, Ms McGarry was surprised the floor-to-ceiling windows kept the apartments warm. But the apartments are now sweltering through summer as indoor temperatures recently surpassed 40 degrees Celsius.
'Terrible job having to cuddle baby wombats': Behind the scenes as a wildlife carer
Wombat poo is famously cube-shaped, but over the past few days Lindy Butcher has discovered it can come in all shapes. The two six-month old joeys she's caring for have had bouts of explosive diarrhoea, after coming into her care when their mothers were hit by cars. They've been in perfect health for the past few months, but Ms Butcher puts the change in excrement down to the hot weather. "Even with the air-con on they don't cope well with the heat," she said.
Ladybugs set loose at Australian Parliament House in Canberra over summer to take out pests
When politicians and most staff are away from Canberra for the summer holidays, a ravenous group of fly-in workers descend on Parliament House. They come with a mission to suck the guts out of the pests around the symbolic heart of democracy. Nick Jordan walks through the halls of power carrying an important cardboard box. Inside are half a dozen punnets of ladybugs, which the integrated pest management officer will release in different outdoor courtyards around the building.
Canberra co-housing project home to three couples made possible by change to ACT Territory Plan
At a property in Canberra's inner suburbs, there is a barbecue, a snooker table, a workshop and a garden. In that respect it's like many other Australian homes. But what makes this place – dubbed Stellulata – unique is that it is a purpose-built co-housing development, recently completed on a residential block to be home to six Canberrans. "We've got three couples living on a block that previously had one house on it, so it's very efficient use of the land," co-owner Trish Macdonald said.
Museum of donated body parts helping train Australia's future doctors
There's a museum in Canberra that you can't visit unless you, or someone you have loved and lost, has donated something very personal. Lining the shelves of the Peter Herdson Museum at Canberra Hospital are more than 800 preserved organs and tissues. WARNING: This article contains images of real body parts. It's clinical, medical, educational and very personal — each of the exhibits has been donated by patients or their families.
Professional shooters patrol parks in Canberra in search of persistent pests
Rabbits are being shot in the area of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra's centre in an effort to keep their population under control. The thermal-assisted rabbit control program has been used in the Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo nature reserves since 2014, and in Canberra Nature Park reserves since 2023. "It's very carefully managed," Mark Sweaney of ACT Parks and Conservation said.
Thermal cameras helping aerial shooters 'effectively' cull feral deer and keep them out of Canberra
Rabbits may jump to mind when thinking of introduced pests causing problems in Canberra, but deer pose issues for the bush capital too. Feral deer can be found running wild not only in the ACT's Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, but also along river corridors and in nature reserves surrounding Canberra's southern and western suburbs.
Canberra breeding facility helping to bring smoky mice back from the brink
In a tiny climate-controlled shipping container in Canberra, researchers are trying to get a critically endangered, native mice to mate. But unlike common mice whose fecundity is renowned, smoky mice are complex social creatures and, as their declining numbers show, do not breed in plague proportions. "We don't know how many there are out there. They're very difficult to capture and to detect," said Kirstin Abicair, founder of the University of Canberra smoky mouse captive breeding program.
Penny farthing while playing classical guitar helping prepare for national championships
Perched atop a penny farthing, Simon Weir looks like he's escaped from a steampunk convention — but he's something of a local celebrity in Canberra. "Swirling" around Lake Burley Griffin, he spreads equal parts confusion and joy as he dodges dogs, cyclists, speeding scooters and pedestrians whilst playing his classical guitar. "Their mouth drops to the ground," Weir said.
Video cards, 'decimated' money found in wallet fished from Queanbeyan River after 30 years
When Tim Ceaser's wallet flew out the window of his car as a 19-year-old, he thought it was gone forever. But 30 years later a friend sent him a stranger's Facebook post in the Queanbeyan Community Notice Board group looking to reunite the wallet with its owner. "Like a lightning bolt struck me, it took me straight back to the time living in Queanbeyan and I lost my wallet," he said.
Canberra drone show start time moved later to accommodate threatened species
This year's Australia Day drone shows over Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin have had their start time pushed back to accommodate another flying object in the sky — bats. A camp of threatened grey-headed flying foxes live in Commonwealth Park from about October to June. Their habitat is located just along the shore from where the drones take off. Every evening, the 2,500 or so grey headed flying-foxes leave the camp at dusk and feed at night on fruit on trees in orchards and backyards.
Canberra’s secret society of magicians - ABC listen
Magicians have been entertaining crowds for centuries with card tricks, escape acts and stage illusions. And while the secret behind some simple sleight of hand techniques are available to the public, magic still remains a closely guarded secret. The International Brotherhood of Magicians is one society that keeps these tricks under lock and key and they have their very own ‘ring’ of magicians in the ACT.
Saturday Gardening 16 November
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Cash with Tash: Teaching kids how to invest
With Christmas coming up, many of our children will be asking Santa for cash this holiday season. In this Cash with Tash segment, Natasha Janssens discusses why this may not be the best way to teach children about financial literacy and how opening an investment account for them could be a better way to go. Natasha Janssens is a financial educator, behavioural money coach and the founder of Women with Cents. She sat down with ABC Canberra's Alice Matthews on the Afternoons program.
Koomarri to close gardening and cut cloth business
Koomarri has been a part of the Canberra community for 72 years providing employment, programs, support and services to the Canberra community and people living with an intellectual disability ... from cut cloth industry to gardening services.
How a piece of red gum from Wagga Wagga became a hand-crafted present for King Charles III
Scott Mitchell is a collector of timber. Over the years, the woodworker has stockpiled beautiful pieces of wood for the day when they could be turned into something special. "I don't collect stamps, I collect timber," he said. "If you see an exciting piece you don't necessarily need a job for it, but it's worth grabbing a rare piece and put it into storage." And this year, his habit paid off.
Lake Burley Griffin has played host to hovercrafts, bare bums and the Queen and today it turns 60
It has been 60 years since the jewel in Canberra's crown, Lake Burley Griffin, was inaugurated. Don't know what that means? Don't worry — neither did then-prime minister Sir Robert Menzies, when he arrived at the lake's shores in 1964 to formally open the attraction. "We've added a word to the vocabulary of the country," he said at the official ceremony. "Because when I knew that I had to do something about this new lake, I wondered what it was. Open it, close it, name it? What was it to inaugurate?
Gardening 12 October
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Bang for Buck: How a trade show for ‘pyros’ turned into the biggest and most obscure community firework show in Australia - ABC listen
Industry trade shows aren’t generally spectator events unless you’re selling something that is spectacular. It’s a crisp evening in Gunning, NSW. Over 6,000 people have gathered around the showground perched on car bonnets and camping chairs. 150 of them are in a roped off VIP area on plastic chairs. The grassy oval is almost completely empty apart from a few boxes scattered in the centre of the oval. These boxes are what everyone’s here for – to buy or admire.
Gardening 14 September
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Has spring come early? - ABC listen
A winter heatwave across much of the country hasn't just sent temperature records tumbling, it's also playing havoc with horticulture. Over the weekend, some parts of the country saw temperatures close to 40 degrees, and much of eastern Australia was up to 12 degrees warmer than the average for this time of year. It's creating mayhem for gardeners preparing for Canberra's Floriade festival, with all their spring buds blooming early.
The early arrival of spring weather means the flowers at Canberra's Floriade festival have started blooming a month before the gates open
Unseasonably warm weather means flowers have bloomed a month before Canberra's Floriade festival begins. ANU climatologist Janette Lindesay says winter is getting shorter and spring is starting earlier, and commercial horticulturalists like Paul De Jong are having to adapt to the changing weather. Floriade organisers are not planing to bring forward the opening and are confident the flowers will look vibrant throughout the month-long festival.
An old ABC News Theme is coming back - ABC listen
How well do you know your ABC news themes across the ages? On Monday the 19th of August, prepare for a blast from the past. On ABC News Channel and on every 7pm bulletin across Australia, you'll hear the revived and reprised much-loved ABC TV News Theme composed by Peter Wall and Tony Ansell, which was in use from 1986 to 2005.
Conservation detection dog Oakley patrols the banks of Canberra's lake identifying noxious alligator weed
Oakley the border collie is a conservation detection dog who sniffs out alligator weed in Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin for the National Capital Authority (NCA). Each small piece of the noxious weed can potentially lead to a new infestation, but Oakley can detect the smallest fragment — even when it's dormant. David Wright of the NCA says it will continue targeted weed control in the coming seasons, and use Oakley to audit the performance of the program.
Saturday Gardening 13 July
Bring joy to the start of your weekend by tuning in to Saturday Gardening with Lish Fejer filling in for Emma Bickley. Lish and gardening guru Graham 'Willow' Williams talk all things gardening and aim to answer all the curly questions!
Saturday Gardening 6 July
Bring joy to the start your weekend by tuning in to Saturday Gardening with Lish Fejer filling in for Emma Bickley. Lish and gardening guru Graham 'Willow' Williams talk all things gardening and aim to answer all the curly questions!
Are you struggling to make your mortgage repayments? - ABC listen
Are you on top of your mortgage repayments? Did you know that 1 in 8 borrowers in Australia have missed a repayment? Over one million Australians are at risk of mortgage delinquency. On the Afternoons program at ABC Radio Canberra, we sat down with financial educator Natasha Janssens to ask about how you can manage your mortgage defaults and deal with mortgage stress.
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