Book

Wild Places: Wilderness in Eastern Australia

📖 Overview

Wild Places explores wilderness areas across eastern Australia through photography and detailed habitat descriptions. The book documents flora, fauna, and landscapes from Queensland to Tasmania. The text combines natural history information with location guides and conservation context. Maps and technical details support Morcombe's firsthand observations and photography of each region's distinct ecosystems. Morcombe provides access information and hiking recommendations for featured locations, while addressing threats to remaining wilderness areas. Field notes and species information allow readers to identify key wildlife and plant communities. The work serves as both a celebration of Australia's remaining wild spaces and a reminder of what stands to be lost without conservation efforts. Through its dual focus on appreciation and protection, the book creates a compelling case for wilderness preservation.

👀 Reviews

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Michael Morcombe's overall work: Bird enthusiasts and researchers rely on Morcombe's field guides for their precise illustrations and detailed identification keys. Readers note his field guides are practical for both beginners and experienced birdwatchers. What readers liked: - Clear, accurate illustrations that highlight key identification features - Logical organization of species information - Inclusion of distribution maps and habitat data - Compact size suitable for field use What readers disliked: - Small text size in some editions - Limited coverage of behavioral information - Price point higher than some comparable guides - Some found the layout cluttered Ratings: Amazon: 4.6/5 (87 reviews) Goodreads: 4.4/5 (42 reviews) One reviewer on Amazon stated: "The illustrations capture subtle differences between similar species better than photographs." A Goodreads review noted: "The distribution maps need updating, but the identification information remains reliable."

📚 Similar books

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson A naturalist's trek across Australia reveals remote wilderness areas, unique ecosystems, and encounters with wildlife from coastal regions to the outback.

The Living Forest by Robert McFarlane The book documents British Columbia's old-growth forests and their indigenous inhabitants through seasons of change and human impact.

The Last Wild Places of Tasmania by Peter Dombrovskis Through photographs and field notes, this work captures Tasmania's remote wilderness regions, from rainforests to alpine peaks.

Nature's Strongholds by John Terborgh and James A. Estes This field study examines the world's last intact wilderness ecosystems and their ecological significance.

The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane The text chronicles journeys through Britain's remaining wilderness areas, from Scottish mountains to Welsh coastlines.

🤔 Interesting facts

🌿 Though published in 1970, this book was one of the first comprehensive photographic surveys of Australia's eastern wilderness areas, documenting many regions before they were altered by development. 🦘 Michael Morcombe is renowned for his bird and nature photography, having authored several field guides including the influential "Field Guide to Australian Birds." 🌳 The book covers remote areas from Cape York Peninsula to Tasmania, capturing unique ecosystems that have since been impacted by climate change and human activity. 📸 Many of the photographs in "Wild Places" were taken using a Pentax Spotmatic camera, which Morcombe had to protect from extreme conditions while trekking through challenging terrain. 🌏 Several locations featured in the book were later designated as World Heritage sites, including sections of the Wet Tropics of Queensland and Tasmania's wilderness areas.