Welcome to Ausemade… coming to you from the ‘heart of Australia’.

Ausemade 2024… saw a lot of new content for visitors and fans of our site…

The past 12 months has been very busy for us at Ausemade with plenty of new things offering a visual feast to whet the appetite, especially for the many flora and fauna fans. New categories appearing throughout the site, highlighting some of the things that travellers (even those within their own regions) can capture on their cameras and mobile phones.

For those planning a visit or living in Alice Springs in Central Australia, check out the ever expanding content of Alice Springs Birds at the Pond Index, Alice Springs Insects, Alice Springs Bees, Alice Springs Beetles, Alice Springs Butterflies, Alice Springs Moths, Alice Springs Wasps and Alice Springs Spiders.

Alice Springs Insects - Ausemade filmstrip
Alice Springs Insects – Ausemade filmstrip

For those in Queensland, you can check out recent additions to our Queensland Fauna, Gold Coast Fauna and Southern Downs Fauna. Our main fauna section also include a lot of content in our Moths Index and Spiders Index (that include some information on the delightful Maratus – Peacock Spiders).

Maratus Spiders - Ausemade filmstrip
Maratus Spiders – Ausemade filmstrip

If you missed out on the iconic Alice Springs Beanie Festival this year, you can see our 2024 Alice Springs Beanie Festival coverage (with more photos to come) and don’t forget to check out our growing list of Beanie Maker Artisan

'Alice' Queen of the Outback Crown, by Pat Robshaw, Banora Point NSW - Alice Springs Beanie Festival 2024
‘Alice’ Queen of the Outback Crown, by Pat Robshaw – Alice Springs Beanie Festival 2024

The huge growth of interest in Australia’s insects and spiders has seen Ausemade expand our content to highlight the amazing world that surrounds us here in Australia, with many people discovering the life in their own back yard. From native bees, wasps, ants, beetles, butterflies, moths or flies (among many others), there is plenty to observe, and to be found around Australia (so keep your eyes on the lookout for some of the fascinating insects in your travels around our magnificent country), whether it is the bush, the arid deserts, parks and reserves, there is plenty to see and photograph (and did you know that many photos on this page and throughout the site were photographed on the mobile phone…)

Golden-browed Resin Bee (Megachile aurifrons), Alice Springs, NT
Golden-browed Resin Bee (Megachile aurifrons), Alice Springs, NT

We would also like to acknowledge all of our fantastic contributors and authors, who have allowed us access to their photographs and providing articles and blogs, enabling us to share their love and passion of the world around us here in Australia.

Hylaeus alcyoneus (Banksia Bee) © Gary Taylor
Hylaeus alcyoneus (Banksia Bee), WA © Gary Taylor
Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp (Radumeris radula) on lemon blossoms, Alice Springs NT
Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp (Radumeris radula) on lemon blossoms, Alice Springs NT
Paropsisterna pictipes, Bermagui NSW © Deb Taylor
Paropsisterna pictipes, Bermagui NSW © Deb Taylor
Mydas Fly (genus Miltinus), Alice Springs NT
Mydas Fly (genus Miltinus), Alice Springs NT

As we continue to grow our bee section with a focus on native bees, check out some of the amazing photos in our Fauna > Insects > Bees section, many from our native bee contributors.

Amegilla (Asaropoda) bombiformis (Teddy Bear Bee) © Marc Newman
Amegilla (Asaropoda) bombiformis (Teddy Bear Bee) © Marc Newman

Our recent exploration of insects in Australia has led us down the road of the Buprestidae, an amazing group of beetles known collectively as Jewel Beetles.

Jewel Beetles - Ausemade filmstrip
Jewel Beetles – Ausemade

Among the family Buprestidae, in the order Coleoptera, is the genus Castiarina and our collection of photos from the many contributors. Among the beetles there are our Ladybirds with Australoneda bourgeoisi and Harmonia conformis, family Lucanidae, Paropsine Beetles, Paropsisterna sp, and the beautiful Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata), just to name a few.

Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata), Carine bushland/wetland WA © Michelle Dreher
Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata), Carine bushland/wetland WA © Michelle Dreher

Of course for bird lovers, Australia offers an abundance of locations to enjoy your passion for birds, from the coast to the arid heart of Central Australia. Check out our Bird Watching in Alice Springs and Central Australia. Sometimes you can be surprised at what you see, such as the Great Cormorant (rarely seen in Central Australia) and the Little Black Cormorant, enjoying the Redbank Waterhole in Owen Springs Reserve in the Northern Territory. Make sure you check out our main section on Birds (Aves).

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) and Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), Redbank Waterhole NT © Dorothy Latimer
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) and Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), Redbank Waterhole NT © Dorothy Latimer

Then there is our growing collection of spiders, from the Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis), the special Wrap-around Spiders and Twig Spiders (Poltys sp).

Check out some of the blogs about spiders, including The beauty and the… and A tangled web…

Wrap-around Spider (Dolophones) - Project Maratus, Central Coast NSW © Michael Doe
Wrap-around Spider (Dolophones) – Project Maratus, Central Coast NSW © Michael Doe

And who does not love the wonderful Peacock Spider Maratus volans

Maratus volans male dancing, NSW © Michael Doe
Maratus volans male dancing, NSW © Michael Doe

and the unique strangeness of the Common Bird-dropping Spider (Celaenia excavata).

Common Bird-dropping Spider (Celaenia excavata), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Common Bird-dropping Spider (Celaenia excavata), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor

Some of the photos also show the interaction between species, that was excitedly captured by our contributors…


Of course we have not forgotten the many other animals that call Australia home, belonging to the infraclass Marsupialia are the commonly known Marsupials that include the kangaroos, wallabies and koalas (just to name a few)…

Red Kangaroo with joey in pouch (Osphranter rufus)
Red Kangaroo with joey in pouch (Osphranter rufus)
MacDonnell Range Rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis subsp.) (MacDonnell Ranges)
MacDonnell Range Rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis subsp.), Olive Pink Botanic Garden NT
Juvenile koala with mother, Tasmania
Juvenile koala with mother, Tasmania

For those who love our Australian reptiles, keep a look out for those sunning themselves on the road. There are many species to be seen, from the smallest of geckoes to our large perentie.

Perentie (Varanus giganteus) near Rodinga (Rodinga Siding), NT
Perentie (Varanus giganteus) near Rodinga (Rodinga Siding), NT

BLOGS

Our blog sections continues with a wonderful collection of stories reflecting the lives and personality of the authors, from Popping the caps off Eucalyptus platypus flowers like champagne corks…, memories of my father…, Precious Jewels…, Strike a pose… potty wasp…, A beautiful life, Little Dave’s Story, a penthouse with a view…, a solitary performance, She wears it well…, Art of Birds – Sequel, Leafhoppers of Belair…, How do you like your Poached Eggs… and many more. Read about our Guest Authors.

Precious jewels (image source Marianne Broug)
Precious jewels (image source Marianne Broug)

SUPPORT LOCAL TOURISM AND BUSINESSES

Travelling somewhere for a holiday, a quick break, visiting family and friends, or even work, there is always something to look forward to, whether it is enjoying some of the local attractions at your destination, or just to relax at the location cafes and restaurants. So for a number of Australian tourism operators and even small business and local shops throughout Australia who have struggles through 2023, and are still struggling, they welcome your support and spend. As some may still be trying to recover from fires and floods, whilst others are struggling to find workers, remember that a kind word and a little understanding, as well as a smile, can go a long way…

As some of us travel where we can and when we can… many Australians are now exploring not only their own backyard, but further afield, within their own state and territories, and then crossing borders to travel interstate.

A Folly for Mrs Macquarie by Fiona Hall (2000), Royal Botanic Garden Sydney NSW
A Folly for Mrs Macquarie by Fiona Hall (2000), Royal Botanic Garden Sydney NSW
SYDNEY NSW

We have been expanding our content on Sydney and surrounds, with some Sydney Art, Sydney Attractions, and the iconic attractions from the Sydney Opera House, Queen Victoria Building, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Tower, Barangaroo and more… check out our Sydney Cityscape and our fun look at Sydney City of Escalators.

Marrinawi Cove, Barangaroo, Sydney NSW
Marrinawi Cove, Barangaroo, Sydney NSW

Travels to the Northern Beaches in Sydney, we have brought back some great information on the popular locally known rainforest habitat of the Stony Range Regional Botanic Garden.

Staghorn (Platycerium superbum), Stony Range Regional Botanic Garden, Dee Why NSW
Staghorn (Platycerium superbum), Stony Range Regional Botanic Garden, Dee Why NSW

ALICE SPRINGS / CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

As we are based in Alice Springs, our website main focus is on Central Australia, that include Central Australia attractions.

View over Ormiston Pound, West MacDonnell Ranges National Park, NT
View over Ormiston Pound, West MacDonnell Ranges National Park, NT

If you are coming to the heart of Australia, check out some of our information, as we continue to grow our content. Read some of our recent additions to Alice Springs Flora and Alice Springs Fauna, as well as the many attractions such as the Alice Springs Desert Park, Olive Pink Botanic Garden and the Araluen Cultural Precinct.

Camel (Lassetter Hwy at Uluru)
Camel (Lassetter Hwy at Uluru)

New content has been added to Alice Springs, including listing of accommodation, attractions and places to eat in Alice Springs. There are also topical stuff that reveals the not so arid heart as we talk about Water in Central Australia and our ever popular Aboriginal Symbols and Wildflowers of Central Australia page.

Tracks in the Sand - Aboriginal Symbols, Icons and Imagery
Tracks in the Sand – Aboriginal Symbols, Icons and Imagery

Central Australia remains a vibrant artistic centre, with amazing works from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists. From our archives, we introduce “art in the park” or as in the case of Alice Springs “Art in the Botanic Garden“. Some of these works are still amazing even after all this time and many Araluen public artwork are still on display. There are of course the annual art exhibitions including the Advocate Art Award, Desert Mob and other exhibitions held in Alice Springs.

Canapillar - Artist Al Bethune. 2008 Exhibition, Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Alice Springs
Canapillar – Artist Al Bethune. 2008 Exhibition, Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Alice Springs

If you are planning to visit Central Australia for holiday or short-term work, it is wise to ensure you have your accommodation pre-booked and confirmed. Check-out our Alice Springs Accommodation list of providers.

Sunset at Wurre / Rainbow Valley, NT
Sunset at Wurre / Rainbow Valley, NT
ALICE SPRINGS FESTIVAL / EVENTS

The heart of Australia is a very popular destination with their iconic events and attractions, such as the FABalice Festival, Parrtjima Festival, Alice Springs Beanie Festival, Red Centre Nats and the Desert Mob, just to name a few. Check out our Alice Springs Festival & Events page and follow some of the links.

If you missed the Alice Springs Beanie Festival 2023 or you want to revisit some of those memories of this wonderful event, check out out the many beanies that were there for 2023… and as this is a work in progress, we will be adding more content from the 2023 festival over time… enjoy.


THE REST OF AUSTRALIA

We continue to add content about the rest of Australia. We have been working flat out for the past 12 months and are still going through some great content from our former site to include in our revamp website.

View from summit of Mount Kaputar, NSW
View from summit of Mount Kaputar, NSW

Occasionally you will see pop-up things from our archive, with some expanded on the original article such as Bourke and the historic North Bourke Bridge.

North Bourke Bridge, Bourke, NSW
North Bourke Bridge, Bourke, NSW

For those planning a visit to the Queensland Southern Downs region, there is some great contributions from Marc Newman about the fauna that can be found in the Southern Downs district. And check out his recent blogs about Gnammas in the Granite Belt…

Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii, Southern Downs QLD © Marc Newman
Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii, Southern Downs QLD © Marc Newman
ADELAIDE HILLS SA

We are expanding content for Adelaide Hills and surrounds, including Belair National Park. Many of the photographs from our author/contributor Marianne Broug.

Sunset from The Hills towards Gulf St Vincent SA © Marianne Broug
Sunset from The Hills towards Gulf St Vincent SA © Marianne Broug

FLORA & FAUNA

Fauna and flora is one of our favourite subjects at Ausemade… indeed what a poorer world we would live in if there was not the beautiful diversity. In Australia there is an amazing array of life from the smallest of insects to the huge whales that swim up and down our coastline.

Juvenile Perentie (Varanus giganteus), Alice Springs Reptile Centre NT
Juvenile Perentie (Varanus giganteus), Alice Springs Reptile Centre NT

Our Fauna and Flora section have been steadily expanding, and we are now please to add a new section Funga (that will cover the different species of Australian fungi, lichen and more). A special thanks to the wonderful contributions from fans of our site, guest bloggers, friends and family. You will also find some flora, fauna and funga sections within specific destinations.

Pixie's Parasol (Mycena interrupta), Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Pixie’s Parasol (Mycena interrupta), Belair SA © Marianne Broug

Some of our most popular addition is the Golden-browed Resin Bee (Megachile aurifrons), the Caper White Butterfly (Belenois java teutonia), the beautiful Waroona Cuckoo bee (Thyreus waroonensis) and the informative life of our Australian Golden Orb-weaver. Make sure you check out our expanding Wasps section and the recent addition of the Crusader Bug (Mictis profana). Take the wildlife tour with us as we continue to expand the ever popular section on Australian birds, Marsupials, Reptiles, Spiders, Beetles, Native Bees, other Insects and more.

Waroona Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus waroonensis) © Gary Taylor
Waroona Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus waroonensis) © Gary Taylor

For bird lovers, we are continually growing our content on Birds with some wonderful photos from our contributors including Dorothy Latimer. We group some of the birds species into their own collection such as Australasian Wrens, Honeyeaters, Kingfishers, Parrots, Raptors, Waders etc.

Mulga Parrot (Psephotellus varius)
Mulga Parrot (Psephotellus varius)

Also the popular Insects and Spiders will open up our eyes to the wonder of creatures small and smaller. The popular Beetles, Bees, Wasps, Butterflies, Fliess (Diptera), Hemiptera bugs, Moths, Dragonflies, Spiders and more, continues to grow with some fabulous images from our many contributors.

Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Alice Springs, NT

Our section on Grass and Grasses, will highlight some of the great and not so great grass species that grown all over Australia, such as Kangaroo Grass and Silkyheads. If you peer closely at some of the grass species, you may be surprised at what may be hiding or resting on the grass.

Lynx Spider (Oxyopes sp) on Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra), Alice Springs, NT
Lynx Spider (Oxyopes sp) on Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra)

Then there is are growing section on native orchids, family Orchidaceae, with many great contributions from our friend Terry Dunham in Western Australia.

Cryptostylis ovata (Slipper Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Cryptostylis ovata (Slipper Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
Orchids of Australia (Orchidaceae) - Ausemade filmstrip
Orchids of Australia (Orchidaceae)

There is our growing flora sections with indexes on Banksias, Eucalyptus, Grevilleas and Hakeas.

Banksia - Australia - Ausemade filmstrip
Banksias
Grevillea - Australia - Ausemade filmstrip
Grevilleas
Hakea - Australia - Ausemade filmstrip
Hakeas
Red-bud Mallee (Eucalyptus pachyphylla), Central Australia, NT
Eucalyptus

There is the rare Waddy-wood (Acacia peuce) that can be seen at both the Alice Springs Desert Park and the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, and if you can travel, you can see the waddy at the Mac Clarke Conservation Reserve. Even in our own backyards, we can be surprised and delighted by what grows and lives there.

Mac Clarke (Acacia peuce) Conservation Reserve, NT
Mac Clarke (Acacia peuce) Conservation Reserve, NT

So the next time you are out and about in your travels, instead of what is that flower, what creature is that, or what is the name of that bug, you may have already seen information on our site that provides you with the information and knowledge.

Motorbike Frog (Ranoidea moorei), Pinjarra WA © Candice Cook
Motorbike Frog (Ranoidea moorei), Pinjarra WA © Candice Cook

BLOGS

Our Blogs have entertained and provided us with a variety of stories, insights and topics, with many of our authors sharing a little of themselves with you our readers. Our recently published The Definition of Mental Anguish…, Hylaeus mysterium puella…, To bubble or not to bubble…, and Peek-a-boo… from our writer Gary Taylor provides an insight into the inner character and wonderful Australian humour of the author. Whilst DaQua is currently back home in Wales, you can still read her blogs Alice to Auburn – the Audacity of Adventure, and her Autumn Passion poem sent to us whilst in New Zealand, along with the Waitati Wandering.

Bembix vespiformis, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Bembix vespiformis, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor

Our very first blog Treasures of our Western Bowerbird (July 2020) and sequel Looking forward… (1 January 2021) took us through the making of a bower and the journey we travelled.

Western Bowerbird, Olive Pink Botanic Garden
Western Bowerbird, Olive Pink Botanic Garden

2023 saw a lot of activity through the year at the bower and we are still happy to say the bower is in full use into 2024, the treasures are still being laid out meticulously by the industrious male Western Bowerbird.

Bower of the Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata) - 2024
2024 Bower of the Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata)

There is our blogger Dorothy L., who gave Fleeting moments of reflection and a solitary performance. Included is our flashback to 2010 with the Night of a Thousand Croaks, and more recent blogs Where there is goodness, there is magic!, In the folds of the Platypus buds our cheeky bees do it… and Morning Glory.

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida), Alice Springs Sewage Ponds © Dorothy Latimer
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida), Alice Springs Sewage Ponds © Dorothy Latimer

For dog lovers, there is Camp Dogs and Beanies by Andrew Turner, who also reminiscence in The Camouflaged Pisser, a cheeky I am a snotty gobbler and reflects in his Part of the family… A light is shone on the iconic Bird Watching at the Beanie Festival, that takes us to The Art of Birds from our blogger Koh Lin, who also writes how he was smitten by the Faces of the Blue Moon, My heart at the tail end, Golden moments, A hard life, A tangled web, Not so squeamish now…, Those White-plumed Unexpected Moments, Its a jungle out there! and the moment he Felted Love…

Blue Moon Butterfly
Blue Moon Butterfly

We would like to welcome Marianne Broug as a contributor and guest author. Her love of nature and the world around us are shared with us through her amazing photographs, with many of her works telling a story.

Leaf critters © Marianne Broug
Leaf critters © Marianne Broug

Check out Stefan Jones amazing photographs of the Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) and Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider (genus Deinopis), we look forward to more content from him. You can also read contributions from Marc Newman with his blogs that include Too much for Mrs Carpenter and Looking for Love… We like to thank David Rennie for his series of blog contributions about Little Dave’s Story (Prologue), and indeed a story worth telling of a life well lived.

Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider (genus Deinopis) © Stefan Jones
Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider (genus Deinopis) © Stefan Jones

We hope you enjoy our bloggers and their blogs, where we will be bringing our thoughts, our musings, our experiences… through articles and blog style quirky ramblings.

“Snow bees”
Author Gary Taylor â—¦ "Try catching the bee and put it in the freezer for a bit" they say, "it slows down their metabolism and you can get some good close up pics and then set …
we experienced something that reminded me of my childhood…
Author Jean and Fred Hort â—¦ As a child I spent many happy days with my brothers, sister and friends running to the top of sand hills and jumping off. Yesterday, we experienced something that reminded …
I am a snotty gobbler
Author Andrew Turner â—¦ When I was young, being called a "snotty gobbler" was not a good thing. Now that I'm older, I really enjoy being a "snotty gobbler". Snotty Gobbles (Amyema maidenii), Alice Springs Desert …
Snapshots from Australia
Snapshots from Australia

Take a stroll through our site, as we ‘showcase Australia’… See the places we have been, share our interest and those of our contributors and authors in flora and fauna, festivals and events that we have experienced, and learn about Australia from the coasts to ‘the living heart’.

Keep coming back to our Snapshots (as we grow and evolve this section), including Snapshots from Antarctica, Snapshots: The Breakaways, Snapshots: South Coast, Snapshots from the Northern Territory and Snapshots Road Trains in Australia.

Antarctica © Jennifer Cooke
Antarctica © Jennifer Cooke

We look forward to up-coming events and look back at those that have been and gone, such as Vivid Sydney, and those in Central Australia including the Parrtjima Festival and Alice Springs Beanie Festival,

Alice Springs Beanie Festival, 2019
Alice Springs Beanie Festival

Throughout the site we detail the source of our information, listing them in our Footnotes & References and on our publication page, we list books and other resources we enjoy here at Ausemade.

Cut-leaf Banksia (Banksia praemorsa), Alice Springs, NT
Cut-leaf Banksia (Banksia praemorsa), Alice Springs, NT

For those who cannot explore at the moment, we share what we can through social media and our own website, and hope that one day soon, you can experience what you find here…

Early morning over Rainbow Serpent Spring, Dalhousie Springs
Early morning over Rainbow Serpent Spring, Dalhousie Springs
WHAT’S NEW

As we add new and re-edit content every day to AusEmade… we will mention some of it here with quick links… Check out our expanded listing on Recent Additions… then take a stroll through the pages of our website.

â—‹ Beanie Maker Artisan â—‹ Alice Springs Beanie Festival 2023 â—‹ Alice Springs Beanie Festival 2024 â—‹ Alice Springs Moths â—‹ Beetles â—‹ Coleoptera (Beetles) â—‹ Buprestidae â—‹ Castiarina â—‹ Central Coast â—‹ Formicidae â—‹ Birds at the Ponds â—‹ Landscape at the Ponds â—‹ Landscape of Birds at the Ponds â—‹ Sapphire Coast â—‹ Western Australia Insects â—‹ Western Australia Moths â—‹ Western Australia Spiders â—‹ Stirling Range National Park â—‹ Bees â—‹ Southern Downs Native Bees â—‹ Spiders â—‹ Blogs

Mount Sonder, one of the iconic images along the Red Centre Way.
Mount Sonder, one of the iconic images along the Red Centre Way.