Wall color:
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The impact of humans on the environment is ever present, often inconspicuous and only apparent with understanding. In Australia, introduced plants and animals have had significant environmental impacts. In this painting, the Common Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) is at peace in its environment, yet its environment is vastly different to that of its pre-European settlement ancestors. The vegetation is Beach Daisy (Arctotheca populifolia), an exotic pest plant introduced from South Africa to stabilize sand dunes after the native scrub had largely been removed. It now competes with Australian native plants for space and affects sand movement and shorebird nesting. For me, this image serves as a reminder that conservation issues are not straightforward and conspicuous.
