Author Archives: Geoff Vivian

About Geoff Vivian

Geoff Vivian is a freelance journalist based in Perth, Western Australia with a particular interest in the Kimberley and Australia's north. He has worked at various times as an art and theatre reviewer, science writer, and general rounds journalist for several local newspapers. He has managed an Indigenous radio station where he was breakfast announcer, and more recently completed a university degree with a journalism major. He is a regular contributor to Science Network WA and The Koori Mail, and maintains the news digest KimberleyPage.com.au

‘Bushtucker’ fruit standout in Broome ecological survey 10/4/2013

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THE WA Government has listed an ecological community on Broome’s outskirts as Priority 1 PEC (Priority Ecological Community).

The dominant species is a small tree that grows on the top of relic sand dunes in the Broome Peninsula.

Broome Advertiser 4 July 2013It is commonly known by the Bardi name Mangarr and in English as wild prune (Sersalisia sericea)formerly (Pouteria sericea).

“It is an important and renowned local bushtucker species and does not occur in such frequency and longevity in other locations,” says ecologist Louise Beames.

Science Network [read this story]

This story first appeared in Science Network WA on 10/4/2013 and it has been republished by Broome Advertiser on 4/7/2013

Shakespeare, sex and violence – November 1994

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GEOFF VIVIAN

from The Western Review November 1994

Shakespeare, sex and violence

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There are several good reasons for avoiding opinion pieces.

One is the fact that opinions do change!

I wrote this in the mid-1990s before glassings came into vogue in Northbridge pubs.

Disclaimer: the author no-longer holds these views.

Well, some of them perhaps.

Body parts mixed up 22/6/2013

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POST Newspapers

Text by GEOFF VIVIAN

Transplant organs sent to the wrong cities

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Human organs removed for transplant had been mislabelled and sent to wrong cities, a worker’s compensation arbiter heard this week.
In a second incident described to the hearing, a donor liver due to arrive in Perth from interstate was found in a courier van with other parcels while the local surgical team waited in theatre for an hour and a half.

Body parts mixed up - continued

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It emerged this week that three of WA’s most experienced organ donor coordinators were no longer working in the public health system.

Burning the bush helps conserve animals and plants 26/07/2012

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STANFORD University researchers have produced hard data to show desert Aboriginal bush-burning practices result in smaller, cooler fires and help conserve reptiles and small mammals while promoting plant diversity.

bush_burningEcological anthropologist Associate Professor Rebecca Bliege-Bird says key game species are more plentiful near Western Desert communities and well-used roads, where people frequently light hunting fires.

“Where people are lighting fires and making small fire mosaics you tend to find more kangaroo (Macropus robustus) and you also tend to find more sand goannas (Varanus gouldii),” she says.

Science Network WA, now defunct, originally published this article. –GV 21/5/2017

Continue reading →

Archaeological sites ‘easier to destroy’ in WA 22/5/13

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Two stories from The Koori Mail.

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In the first, a consulting archaeologist and a KLC heavyweight say it is getting easier to destroy archaeological sites in Western  Australia.

In the second, the National Native Title Council CEO weighs in along with the WA Aboriginal Affairs minister and another consulting archaeologist.

 

 

 

Archaeology at Barrow Island 1/6/13

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GEOFF VIVIAN

Barrow Island, off the WA coast, was once part of the mainland. As sea levels rose, the Aboriginal inhabitants would have visited less and less often. It is likely that they didn’t go there at all for some 7,000 years, until the pearling industry brought a few people back to the island in the 19th Century.

Archaeologists are about to start excavating several ancient habitation sites. This should give us a rare glimpse of what life was like in the ice age.

Science Network WA, which originally published this story, is now defunct so I have reproduced it below. –GV 21/5/2017 Continue reading →

Tasmanian Devils on the mainland 2012

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PICTURE AND TEXT BY GEOFF VIVIAN

The escape of three Tasmanian devils from a private zoo near Pinjarra captured our imagination.

Tasmanian devils at Peel Zoo

The idea that they might start breeding was quickly squashed when we found out all three were males. However they were part of a breeding program designed to preserve the species, as a lethal facial cancer is decimating the wild population.

You can find my Inkwire story on the subject here.

Should the Tasmanian devil be re-introduced to mainland Australia, where it has been extinct for 7,000 years? University of Tasmania Devil specialist Dr Menna Jones says it could be done over the next few years, if the money and political will are there.

You can find my Science Network WA story here.

Grave victim wants more theft alerts 11/10/08

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This is a 2008 story I did for POST newspapers about Karakatta Cemetery’s security.

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Thieves were targeting visitors’ cars. Warning signage was very poor.

The story contains an interview with a Dunsborough woman whose car was rifled as she visited her grandmother’s grave with her children.

Magnificent four – Bindjareb Pinjarra October 1994

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This was the first ever review of the play Bindjareb Pinjarra, which has since become a classic.

Bindjareb Pinjarra

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Kelton Pell, Geoff Kelso, Trevor Parfitt and Phil Thomson first performed their interactive play at The Actors’ Centre in Northbridge, Perth.

Actor and stage manager Craig Williams says the play is opening in Adelaide this coming week, before touring regional South Australia.

“Kelton Pell’s back in the cast, which now consists of Sam Longley, Isaac Drandic, Nigel Wilkes, and myself,” he says. “Last year I stage managed a short season, which included Geoff Kelso and Phil Thomson from the original cast. (Phil and Geoff not available for this tour. Shorty Parfitt is sadly no longer with us.) The show has been continuing with various combinations of casts, and that loosely improvised script, for almost 20 years, touring all over Australia, and is still just as well received everywhere. Looking forward to being in the cast this time. If you’re in SA, hope you get to see it!”