Awards

CBCA Book of the Year Awards: Notable Picture Book 2010, My Mother's Eyes, The Story of a Boy Soldier

CBCA Book of the Year Awards: Notable Book, Eva Pownall Award for Information Books, 2010, My Mother's Eyes, The Story of a Boy Soldier

Whiteley Award, Children's Picture Book, The Last Tree

Lothian/Hachette Livre Australia, 2007.

Notable Australian Children’s Book, C.B.C.A., Young Murphy

Author; Gary Crew, Lothian, 2006.

Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, Shortlist, Rodeo Darcy

Author; Alison Gregory, University of Western Australia Press, 2005.

Whiteley Award for children’s literature, 2004, I Saw Nothing, The Extinction of the Thylacine

Author; Gary Crew. Lothian/Hachette Livre Australia, 2004. Said Nothing, The Extinction of the Paradise Parrot

Author; Gary Crew. Lothian/Hachette Livre Australia, 2004.

Wilderness Society Environment Award for children’s literature, series

2004, for the extinction series, I Saw Nothing, The Extinction of the Thylacine

Author; Gary Crew. Lothian/Hachette Livre Australia, 2004. I Said Nothing, The Extinction of the Paradise Parrot

Author; Gary Crew. Lothian/Hachette Livre Australia, 2004. I Did Nothing, The Extinction of the Gastric Brooding Frog

Author; Gary Crew. Lothian/Hachette Livre Australia, 2004.

Notable Australian Children’s Book, C.B.C.A., 2004, I Saw Nothing, The Extinction of the Thylacine

author; Gary crew, Lothian/Hachette Children's Books.

Wilderness Society Environment Award for children’s literature, 2002, Yellow-eye

author; David Spillman, ERA Publishing.

Notable Australian Children’s Book, Children's Book Council of Australia, Yellow-eye

author; David Spillman, ERA.

Notable Australian Children’s Book, The Penguin Shore

Author; Tim O’Brien, The Five Mile Press, 1996.

Rotring National Art Award for Drawing, 1990.

Westernport Art Prize, Painting, 1989

Attellier National Art Award, (painting), 1988.

Undine Award, Melbourne Town Hall Collection, painting, 1987. 

A.C.A. Award (Applied Chemicals Australia), V.A.S., painting, 1987.

This is me painting the mural on the YEA MARC Library truck early this year. It was great fun, as mural commissions don't come along that often, so I enjoy them when they do.

Illustration

  Published fiction illustration

  Published Educational Illust.

Teacher's Notes

The Last Tree                                                               

Updated January 2008.

Introduction

Students will learn a great deal from The Last Tree, as the book imparts knowledge of our forests in general, our dwindling old growth forests in particular, as well as the flora and fauna of the South-east coast of Australia.

It is written in simple language for very young children, but the story and the sub-text also deal with the wider issue of deforestation, urban sprawl, coastal development and conservation, which should appeal to older readers as well. The story has a positive outcome as we learn the complex nature of survival in our forests.

The Setting

The forest in the story could be anywhere on Australia’s south-eastern coastline, but is based in the old growth forests of East Gippsland in Victoria, near where I lived as a child. The forests there are currently being extensively logged for wood chip exports. In the past 150 years, much of Gippsland has been cleared for farming, forestry and development. The role forests play in the supply of clean water to our creeks, rivers and water catchment areas can’t be underestimated as Australia faces yet another long period of drought. All types of forest in Australia are under the same threat, but old growth forests are the most vulnerable.

Old Growth Forests

An old growth forest is an area of forest that contains a significant number of very old trees, but also includes a variety of aged trees down to young saplings. It can be Box / Ironbark forest, quite open and dry, or it can be quite mountainous, containing Ash or Messmate forest with extremely tall trees, as featured in our story. It can also be coastal or rainforest. However, old growth forests are unique in being complete biological ecosystems which have had little human disturbance.

The tree featured in the story is a very old eucalyptus tree, of which there are more than 600 varieties in Australia. Eucalyptus species dominate the coastal forests of Australia, from tall giants such as Eucalyptus Regnans, the tallest flowering tree in the world, or Eucalyptus Oblique (messmate), to small trees of only a few metres in height. They are the dominant and most important canopy species in all Australian forests, but particularly in our dwindling old growth forests. Many are fire resistant and the leaves are designed to retain moisture, even in Australia’s harsh dry climate. Older trees form hollows that a variety of wildlife live in. They also produce a wonderful variety of flowers that provide sweet nectar for a large variety of animals, birds and insects. Different species of eucalyptus trees flower at different times of the year, so there is a continuous supply of nectar all year round. Even the seeds are a food source to Black Cockatoos, and possums eat the insect larvae hidden beneath the bark. These older trees are vital to Australia’s wildlife, as 49% of our birds and animals rely on this type of environment for survival.

Using the visual and literary elements of ‘The Last Tree’, the following notes provide an opportunity to explore and develop the student’s knowledge of Australian forests, including those areas designated ‘old growth’. This includes the nature and makeup of our forests, their ecology and conservation.

Illustration Technique

I started all the paintings in grey-lead pencil and left a lot of those as they were throughout the book, mainly as borders. There are also lots of background washes in ink. I absolutely loved the chance the spend three weeks drawing and playing around with the paint and inks, long before I even think of final colour.

The cover is acrylic paint on canvas as are pages 12, 22-23, 26-27, and 31. Some of the small canvas paintings throughout are done as studies, but if they work out, I paste them in on the final art. The paint is Mattisse 'Flow formula' acrylic in 750mil. tubes.

All the other paintings are acrylic paint on archers watercolour paper, 180 gsm hot press. They are then finished in Derwent coloured pencils to varying degrees (p.6-7 and 14-15). The title page and page 5 are black ink on coated paper. I then scratch back into it with etching tools (similar technique to scraperboard) to get the etching effect, then add light brown Derwent pencil and chalk to finish.

All the double pages are paper and canvas glued down as you see them in the book.

Teacher’s Notes

The reader will come across key words or phrases throughout the book. Talk about their meaning within the context of the story.‘eucalyptus’ (p.4), ‘pollen’ (p.20), ‘season’ (p.16), 'centre of life’ (p.16), ‘forest’ (p.4), ‘survived' (p.13), ‘seed pod’ (p.24), ‘shelter’ (p.6), ‘endangered’ (p.31), ‘extinction’ (p.31), ‘old growth forest’ (p.31)

What is the real name for a ‘gum nut’ and where are they found? (fruit)

Gum nuts contain what? (fertile and infertile seeds.)

What are some of the animals and insects that collect eucalyptus nectar?

Ask students what they think a forest is. Look up and discuss the various types of Australian forest.

Look at the illustration on p.2-3 and discuss old growth forests.

After looking at the illustration on p.22-23, discuss why the old tree may eventually die?

Discuss the broader issues of forest clearing for the woodchip industry, for timber and farming and the expansion of our towns and cities.

Why are old growth trees, such as the one in the story, so important to forest ecology?

After looking at the illustration on p.2-3, discuss how old the tree in the story might be. Many eucalyptus trees can grow to be over 300 years old.

Discuss the need to retain remnants of our forests for wildlife corridors.

Discuss how forests protect soil and water supplies. Example; the canopy protects the ground from floods by slowing heavy rain.

The under-story and groundcover slows flow and prevents water gathering destructive speed. The forest soil layers act as filters for suspended solid particles (contaminants).

After studying the illustrations on p.16-17 and 20-21, discuss the carbon, water and nutrient cycles, to show the various roles trees play in forest ecology.  

Discuss a future without forests.            

Reading

What is a eucalypt tree and what makes it unique in our forests? (See notes at end.)

What is an old growth forest?

There are six general groups of eucalyptus tree. The stringy-barks, boxes, gums, ironbarks, peppermints and bloodwoods. Choose one and describe what makes it unique.

Look up the meaning of ‘forest community’ and ‘forest ecosystem’.

What is required for the growth of a tree?

Look at the illustration on p.24-25. Look up the different ways eucalypts regenerate, such as coppice shoots, lignotubers, seeds or epicormic buds. (Drawn in background of illo.)

Research what importance forests and trees are to our planet. Example; They clean the air that we breathe. Find out how they do this.

Look up and identify the growth rings of a tree such as; Cambium-growing layer. Heartwood – non-living tissue and the backbone of tree. Sapwood – draws water and nutrients up to leaves.

Look at the illustrated border on p.20-21 and research how trees are pollinated.

If the tree in the story was over 300 years old, what has happened during its lifetime? Example; pre-European settlement including Dutch exploration, Federation, the invention of the motor car, the first aeroplane to fly and two world wars.  

Forests also help to stop erosion, salinity and floods. How do they do this?

Visual Literacy

Ask students to look for examples of unwritten text in the story.

What does the illustration of the Flame Robin and chicks symbolize on p.22-23? (Death of the tree.)

What is the significance of the little illustration on p.23 of city buildings? (No light for things to grow)

Ask students what is happening in the illustration on p.20-21. What do the pictures around the border tell us about old growth forests? (Pollination, decomposition of matter to enrich the soil and nutrients for the bees etc.)

What is the visual connection between p.10-11 and 18-19. Why is this important? (The same scene, but the animals turning away from the tree, then in the second one, the introduction of the city in the distance, p.18-19.) 

What does the illustration on p.6-7 tell us and what does the use of color suggest? (The ancient custodians of the forest in reds, yellows and ochres of native art.)

The seed is used as a symbol throughout the book, what does this convey? (Life/growth.)

What does the little illustration of a woodchopper on p.32 symbolize?

Which illustration best shows what a typical old growth forest is like?

Writing

Ask students to write a short piece on what they think the story is about?

Write a short piece about what you learnt from the story.

Write about what you felt when you were last in a forest.

In ‘The Last Tree’ there are many birds and animals that live in and around the tree. Choose one and write about how it relies on the tree for survival.

Make up an article as it would appear in your local newspaper about trying to save the last remnants of old growth forest in your area.

In own words write a short piece about the circumstances leading up to the old tree dying.

Look up and write a description of each of the following: forest canopy, forest under-story, forest ground cover.

Imagine you are a small animal living in a forest that is being cut down. Write about how you feel. What you will do and where you will go. 

Art

Paint a picture of one of the big eucalyptus trees, and try to emphasize its size. 

Design a poster for the book as you might see in the window of a book shop.

Include heading, layout and color. Include a catchy blurb about the book, some notes about author (look up website for information) and the price.

Paint a picture of what you think an old growth forest looks like.

Individually or in groups, do a project on what your area might have looked like 100 years ago when the tree was already very old. Take into account vegetation, transportation, clothing, buildings, trees, plant life and wildlife. (Research at library, local council, historical society or internet.)

Draw what you might see if you were sitting in the top of the tallest eucalyptus tree in the area where you live. Emphasize the height, angle and size of things below and around you.

Draw what you think the smallest living thing in a forest is, then draw the biggest thing.

Draw or paint what the tree might look like if you were sitting directly underneath it near the trunk, looking up. Discuss perspective and other ways to show the height of the tree.

Draw what you think an old growth forest might look like in a storm, fire or flood.

Activities

Ask students to identify as many of the animals, birds, reptiles and insects as they can throughout the book. Following is a check list of species:

Pages 2-3;Lorikeet, 4-5; King Parrot, Eastern Quoll, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, 7; Thylacine, 10-11; Eastern Whipbird, Galah, Mistletoebird, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet,  Velvet Gecko, Turquoise Parrot, Antechinus, Ringtail Possum, Ulysses Butterfly, 12-13; Grass Yellow Butterfly, Cicada, 14; Leadbeater’s Possum, 15; Superb Lyrebird. 16-17; Ringtail Possum, Goneptirus, Australian Native Bee, Yellow-footed Antechinus, Springtail, Pardalote, Echidna, Eastern Quoll, Wombat, Green Frog, Weebill, Turquoise Parrot, Orb-weave Spider, Eastern Honeyeater, Ringtail Possum, 18-19; Phascogale, swift parrot, Mistletoe bird, Leadbeater’s possum, Bluetongue, Eastern Yellow Robin, Little Lorikeet, Ulysses Butterfly, 20-21; bee, grasshopper, Brown Frog, Tiger Beetle, Jewel Beetle, Mountain Brushtail Possum, 22-23; Flame Robin, 28; Green Frog, 32; Skipper Butterfly, Ground Beetle, Olive Whistler, Australian Kestrel, butterfly    chrysalis, Brown Thornbill, caterpillar, Helmeted Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Brown Hawk, Swallowtail Butterfly, Curl Grub, Damselfly Nymph, Hawk Moth.

After looking at the illustrations:

Ask students to identify the highly endangered animals on p.14. ( Leadbeater’s possum.)

What page features a bird seen more often on the forest floor than in flight. (p.15.)

What extinct animal featured in the book was last officially seen in Hobart zoo in 1936. (Thylacine.)

Ask children to look up and compare maps of forestation in their state from 200 years ago, to those of recent times. They could interpret their findings in a pie chart or graph or map. (The A.C.F. and the Wilderness Society both have this information.)

Identify areas of old growth forest in your state today.

Look up and contact some of the following groups to find what is being done by these groups and others to protect our forests. Parks Victoria, Land Care, Australian Conservation Foundation, Wilderness Society, Australian Nature Conservation Agency and Greening Australia.

Identify the oldest eucalyptus trees in your area or nearby, and list type, age, location etc.

Find out and document what is being done, if anything, to protect them. What wildlife they support and how healthy they are.

Research and list any areas of old growth forest left in your area or nearby, if any. Find out what types of forest they are and make a list of tree types, wildlife and other characteristics.

Why Old Growth Forests are Important                        

There are different types of old growth forests, from Box and Ironbark forests, to Alpine and coastal woodland areas, as well as areas of rainforest. What they have in common is that they thrive without human interference, and have done so for hundreds of years.

They contain large old trees with hollows, and others of various ages, including new young saplings. The forest flora contains leaf litter and rotting matter which supports a huge diversity of insect and fungal growth. There are a variety of flowers, trees or shrubs that provide nectar for a variety of wildlife. These elements form a complete biological ecosystem that takes hundreds of years to form. All Australian wildlife depends on features of old growth forests, such as hollows, for their survival.                                                                           

The dominant trees in alpine areas containing old growth forest can be Alpine Ash, Snow Gum, Mountain Ash, Cut-tail and Shining Gum. Mountain forests contain Mountain Ash, Messmate, Stringybark, Mountain Grey Gum, Peppermint Gum, Southern Mahogany or Red Bloodwood, among others.                                  

These trees can be veterans of 300 years or more, others are new young seedlings. Eucalypts can regenerate in a number of ways. Some grow new shoots from specialized woody structures known as lignotubers. Buds in the lignotubers can survive all but the most intense fires. For others, coppice shoots provide a means of regeneration. A number of eucalypts can regenerate from buds beneath their bark after fire, or naturally by seed. 

The under story above 900 metres can be shrubby legumes, low shrubs or grasses in Snow Gum woodland or Alpine Ash forests. In Mountain Ash or Messmate forests you will find tree ferns, broad-leafed shrubs and climbers, or Blackwood/Wattle, Rough Barked Apple, Prickly Tee-Tree, Sweet Wattle, Common Correa, Wedding bush, Scented Paperbark, Bushy Hakea and Hairpin Banksia. There are native orchids high in the trees, on rocks and on the ground.

Fauna

The diversity of our old growth forests enables them to support a great variety of wildlife. In gullies you are likely to find Greater Gliders and a variety of Possums and many species of birds including Lyrebirds. Streams and creeks support Platypus, native fish and many insects, snakes and lizards.

On the other hand, Yellow-bellied Gliders prefer to move up and down the slopes of our forests in search of food. There are Cockatoos and Rosellas, Lorikeets and Galahs. On ridges and slopes, as well as gullies, you will find Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Echidnas and Tiger Snakes, along with Scarlet Robins, Swamp Wallaby’s, Eastern Quolls, Spotted Quail Thrushes and Buff-rumped Thornbills.

At night you will hear the strange calls of  Sooty and Masked owls, Nightjars and Frogmouths, mingling with the sounds of possums and gliders, above a background chorus of frogs and tree-crickets.

There are over 113 endangered or threatened species living in Australia’s forests (that we are aware of). Many of these rely on the features of old growth forests for survival. They include the Sooty Owl, the Tuan, Regent Honeyeater, Leadbeater’s Possum, Giant Burrowing Frog, Glossy Black Cockatoo, Yellow Bellied Glider, Long-footed Pottoroo, the Smokey Mouse and the Spotted Quoll, to name just a few.

Logging and clearing is the main threat to survival of these little creatures. Many are destroyed when their area is cleared. It is estimated that ninety percent of our old growth forests have disappeared in the last two hundred years, and many of our creatures with it.

Teachers Notes for My Mother's Eyes, The Story of a Boy Soldier and Journey of the Sea Turtle will be posted here soon.