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Celebrity
TALK
A MAN ON A MISSION ISOBEL COLEMAN There was a time when the fight to protect and preserve Australia’s native dingo population met with opposition and hostility. But now it appears to have come of age. The Ochre Project - a proactive, collaborative effort, sparked off by the death of a young juvenile dingo called Inky from the Butchulla K’Gari camp [Fraser Island] – is gathering momentum, its aim to have all dingoes classified as a native animal Australia-wide. Noosa co-ordinator MarieLouise Sarjeant has won the support of several highly respected environmentalists, including Dr Jane Goodall. In fact, it was Dr Goodall
who asked Marie to organise last month’s National Day for Dingoes in Eumundi. The event was supported by multi-award-winning photographer, author and naturalist, Steve Parish. Steve’s story is an amazing one – and one that, by his own admission, could have had a very
different ending. With li le formal education, having left school halfway through his first year in high school, Steve was headed for trouble. “I was not on a good path – that angry youth energy can be volatile and destructive,” he told YLM. And if certain opportunities
A classic dingo shot by Steve Parish
hadn’t miraculously come his way? “It’s likely I would have been incarcerated.” Ironically Steve’s first brush with nature came through the seemingly incongruous sports of spear-fishing and hunting. Nowadays the only thing he shoots is his camera – largely thanks to a chance encounter at 16 with underwater photographer Igo Oak. “Igo was the adult who created a pivotal moment in my life. The opportunity to break through the idiocy of an angry youth and connect him to nature was created by Igo by replacing a gun with a camera, and I bless him every day for being there at the right moment,” Steve said. As a mentor, Igo encouraged Steve’s new passion for scuba diving and underwater photography, a passion which saw Steve go on to join the Royal Australian Navy