Exquisite nature writing by wildlife ecologist Dr Karlene Bain is here for you to enjoy. Lyrical prose and scientific detail about the gnow’s (malleefowl) nest building is our latest Heartland Journeys story:

“Once the eggs are laid, the male assumes a tireless vigil over their incubator. From first light, he opens the mound, raking away yesterday’s work to expose the dark, breathing core. Steam rises faintly in the cool air. On cold mornings, he scrapes the woody blanket thin to let sunlight penetrate. As the day warms, he shifts debris back over the top, shielding the eggs. He balances the cooling breath of wind against the fermenting heat within, maintaining the internal temperature with careful precision.”

Karlene’s story reveals an unexpected twist: these gnow are using a new material—blue gum plantation slash—to construct their mound.

Karlene’s story is available in the March 2026 edition of the Southerly Magazine and here on Gondwana Link’s Heartland Journeys website: Ancient feet, modern rows: Gnow in the Mettler Lake plantation | Heartland Journeys

Image: The gnow labour over their mound, transforming scattered debris into a carefully constructed thermal blanket for their eggs. Photo: K. Bain remote camera.