Issue 51 Aurora Magazine October 2022

cultivate
But Steve’s love of research was ever present and each year he’d return to WA to
continue working on his research projects; being able to do so was a condition he
insisted on when he accepted the job in London.
Eventually the pull to return to Australia, and the offer of another new job, saw Steve
move to Albany and into his current position at UWA. With his key interest in biodiversity,
he says this region is “Heaven on Earth” for a conservation biologist like him.
“Many of the threatened species grow on granite outcrops and this part of the Great
Southern has so many of these. They’re like islands on a sea of terrestrial vegetation.
They not only offer a place of discovery but the opportunity to care for them.”
While Steve’s position at UWA is relatively new, his research into life on the rocks is
certainly not. He first became interested in rock life back in the 1970s while working
as the State’s first Flora Conservation Research Scientist for what was then called the
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.
“That’s when I first discovered there was an unusual concentration of rare plant species
on the outlands like granite so I started exploring this more to gain better understanding
of their flora.
“The plants and animals on these rocks, particularly some of the mosses and
invertebrates, go back 400 million years. These places are an evolutionary laboratory.
These rocky outcrops may look strong and harsh but they’re actually very fragile. Sadly
a lot of weeds and other introduced species are invading these areas and we really
don’t know how to repair and restore these places yet so I’m really keen to work with
Elders and research students to see if it’s possible. Cross-cultural biodiversity research is
paramount in halting the decline of species on these outcrops.”
Steve is incredibly passionate about his current work and his finely tuned ability to
connect with people has stood him in good stead in his collaborations with local Elders.
“You need to be able to walk together, yarn together and exchange knowledge. Most of
the oral history from First Nations people has focussed on social aspects but with me
being a biologist I’m interested in documenting the role of plants.
“Merningar Elder, Lynette Knapp, is just one of the people who’s opened up a world of
knowledge to me. We’d go for a walk and I’d ask her about various plants. Her memory
is incredible and her knowledge is compelling and encoded in her head like a book.
She’d tell me the plant’s name in her language, its significance, uses and seasonal
changes. I’d then tell her the plant’s Latin name and other biological information so that
there’s a genuine exchange of knowledge.”
Steve adds that his current research has given him a profound insight into the Albany
area and it’s reminded him of what a humbling experience it is to be a scientist. It has
also reinforced in him the realisation that Western science is not at the forefront of
knowledge; it’s purely playing catchup to the knowledge of those that were here way
before Europeans arrived.
TOP LEFT: Steve with his wife Chris at Kew Gardens. MID LEFT: Steve meeting Queen Elizabeth II
at Kew Gardens in 2009. LEFT: Steve also worked with Sir David Attenborough on his Kingdom of
Plants television series.
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