Friday, 27 June 2008, 7 p.m.Consulate-General of the Republic of Poland, 10 Trelawney Street, Woollahra.

RSVP: consul.polonia@poland.org.au ph. 93 27 86 00

When you think of the Australian outback and see red dust, heat and endless horizons … think again.

It is our experiences with nature and our interpretations of nature that help us develop our love and passion for the environment. The Australian landscape has enchanted and inspired us endlessly. What started as a fear of the unknown, the heart of darkness, when the first settlers came, grew to become a fascination and passion for the land. The Australian landscape has grown to become a legend. “I love a sunburnt country, a land of red dust plains…”

But our interpretation of the landscape is changing and maturing, there are increasingly competing values for an increasingly scarce resource. If we are to remain committed in protecting the environment that we are passionate about, we need to begin thinking about new strategies for conservation. Australia is at a pivotal moment where it can adapt policy and institutional change to include local community values and consequently build a conservation ethic that is resilient to global change and truly unique to this land.

This presentation is about how politically and socially accepted norms are changing right from under our feet and will take you on a journey to show you a part of Australia that has always existed, but never been explored.