May 18, 2026

An amazing autumn

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There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and far too much of it isn’t good. I doubt I’m alone in knowing people who have chosen not to watch, read or listen to News because it is so thoroughly distressing and dispiriting to take in.

An issue that continues to bubble away amidst all the stories of conflict, war, and destruction of the planet, is climate and how it’s changing. It’s like a juggernaut that keeps rolling along, and that’s getting closer and closer to impacting us to the point where there may very well be no tomorrow. As scientists have been banging on about for years. And certainly not a recognisable or comfortable one anyway, even if the bleak future described in Tim Winton’s recent novel ‘Juice’ may still be a bit extreme.



The scientists have warned us for decades about climate change, and how humans are causing it to escalate rapidly. The science about our over-reliance on fossil fuels for energy is well enough known, yet too many governments fail to take it seriously, or introduce the vital measures to minimise the risks. Although it should be obvious by now that Australia is on the frontline of the terrible consequences of ignoring the seriousness of this failure given the extreme fires, floods, storms and droughts that have battered the country in recent years. Politically the climate issue still divides the community.


Bringing the subject back to the most micro of levels, the last twelve months have included a comparatively mild winter, a drier than usual spring, and a very ordinary – and also dry – summer, where we live. Now we’re towards the back end of an autumn that has been both unseasonally warm and dry. Normally at this time our water tanks would be full to overflowing. Not this year. Garden plants are totally confused, witness the spectacular glory bush or tibouchina. While it certainly blooms in late summer and autumn, at this point in May, we can usually rely on some very cold nights, and even a frost or two, signalling the end of their flowering for another year.


Meanwhile buds are appearing on bushes generally dormant in winter, and spring bulbs are already sprouting. This is far from ‘normal’. As is the temperature forecast for today and each day this week: 17 or 18 degrees C.


The glory bush could be flowering for a while longer yet.

 

 

 


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