INSPIRE NEWSCAST

Meet Captain Jack, riverboat captain, pelican whisperer, tour guide and poet. The Kalgan River is an ancient waterway that is more than just a river for Captain Jack who plies the Kalgan Queen up and down the Kalgan every day of the year.

It was great to meet Jack, to hear his stories, and to observe the close family ties that make the Kalgan so special for him and his passengers. Then there is the wildlife, Jack’s connection with Pelicans and his knowledge of the various birds that frequent the banks and skies of the Kalgan.

Then, there’s Captain Jack’s poetry …

Yakamia Forest is just down the road from where we live and from the time before we moved there I knew there was something I needed to investigate.

There was a dispute between those who wanted development and those who wanted to protect the forest so I needed to go and find out what made it so special. The outcome was a possum spotting expedition with a couple of representatives of “Friends of Yakamia Forest”.

Not only was it fun trying to get good quality video of possums at night, but it was particularly enjoyable to understand more about the secrets of the forest. It’s a unique location and I hope that this video provides people with a better picture of why this forest needs to be protected for the future.

There are many wonderful services around local communities, but when I heard about Fishability I knew I needed to give them a visit.

Of course, it was more than just a visit. I met the team on the jetty at Albany’s Emu Point, and I went out in the boat with them, to see first-hand how Fishability was making a difference in the lives of people who wouldn’t otherwise have such opportunities.

It’s all about providing real opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy some of the activities that many people take for granted. What a great team, and a wonderful opportunity to join them in this regular weekly activity.

It was a privilege to meet Howard Shapland. He took me to Torbay, west of Albany, to his former farm property. The current owners graciously let us film there and allow Howard to tell his story.

A pioneer in the artificial insemination of cattle, Howard spent many years working alongside farmers around the southern parts of Western Australia. He also had his own farm and his experience with growing vegetables led him and others to start the Albany Farmers’ Market.

It’s people like Howard that are the backbone of rural communities and he has made a substantial contribution to community life in and around Albany and the south coast.

I started this video by saying that sometimes you come across a place that just takes your breath away. When I discovered Sherwood Cottage and Helen and David Sugg, I knew it was a videographer’s dream.

In a few short years, the Suggs have turned both the cottage and the whole property into something quite astounding. They created a lake where there was no lake, built a waterwheel, and developed a place of beauty.

I loved spending time with Helen and David, hearing their story, and wandering the amazing grounds of Sherwood Cottage. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

One of Albany’s prime tourist attractions is the historic whaling station. The site of many years of whale catching, this is now an amazing place for visitors to discover the past and how the protection of whales has developed over time.

Having just won a prestigious tourism award, it seemed appropriate to find out more about this place and share some stories. Sure enough, the stories came thick and fast.

Albany’s Historic Whaling Station is worth a visit and I hope this video will contribute to its ongoing success.

One of the things I love about chasing video stories is the unexpected. I may start the process thinking the story will go one way, but by the time I’ve finished filming something unexpected has developed.

When I met Maggie Van Santen I knew straightaway that her Amaris Wildlife Sanctuary in Tenterden would make a great story. What I didn’t realise until we were well into filming that Maggie had written a book about one of her kangaroos.

I was able to release my video at about the same time as her book, “My Name is Jaffa” was published.

But I nearly missed it.

After filming for a few hours I was ready to go home and I hadn’t seen Jaffa, the kangaroo that had endeared herself to Maggie and was featured in her book. Then, just as I was heading to the car, Maggie announced “here she is”. Jaffa had arrived and I was able to film her and the story immediately took a new direction.

This was one of my favourite videos. It was the result of years of capturing tiny bits of footage at our backyard in Maida Vale, Western Australia. The Quenda (Southern Bandicoot) is a delightful marsupial that made its home in our backyard and over the years I had the opportunity to film them at various life-stages.

The quenda is a curious creature and over time my “quenda-cam” as I called it provided many opportunities to capture that curiosity.

This was my first video after starting regular filming in Albany. The chainsaw sculpture park is one of those places that you can drive through in your own time and there are surprises around every corner. I spent ages there and probably could have stayed longer.

One of the delights of this place is that it’s the work of one man who isn’t doing it for reward, but purely out of the enjoyment of what he does. The result is that everyone who visits the park can experience their own joy in his creations.

It’s been a long time since I have posted anything so it’s time to catch up. We moved to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia late in 2024 and started producing five-minute videos, telling stories about the fascinating people in this area.

It’s been a delight to meet new people and get to know more about the location in which we live, so it’s a pleasure to share these stories. I’ll be posting some of my past videos first, then hope to keep up to date each fortnight.

Enjoy.