iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 7h

share.google/wsPXLHxH0SY8... Even though it's 50 years hence, as soon as I played the 'Blue Hills' theme it came back to me. I never got into it, but utter silence was the response required of me as the program played in our kitchen. It must have made my parents & their rural cohort feel 'seen'.

share.google

Blue Hills - ABC Radio Theme

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Walking the dog down our road this morning, and we came across this beautiful patch of nodding greenhood #orchids (Pterostylis nutans) happily nestled in the leaf litter at the base of a messmate tree, and caught in the clear light of a #Ballarat sunrise.

Nodding greenhood orchids, Smythes Creek, near Ballarat, Victoria. Indigenous September wildflowers.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/educati... There's a lot in Toni Hassan's article. In 2014, when the #DigitalRevolution was flooding into our schools, there was no time for caution; it was "Luddites, get out of the way". British neuroscientist Susan Greenfield raised the alarm re screen time back then.

thesaturdaypaper.com.au

The legacy of Rudd’s digital revolution in schools

As Australian students record historically poor results on key cognitive measures, states are moving to reduce screen time in classrooms, unwinding a key initiative of the Rudd era.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#Hanami 花見 time in #Ballarat. An edible cherry, rather than ornamental sakura, but this year it's outdone itself in flowering. Might even get some 🍒! It's intriguing that the cherry flowers are being visited mainly by hoverflies; the honeybees are focussed on the prune that's flowering nearby.

Peak flower display from one of our cherry trees after a wet winter.

Close up of cherry flowers. I've forgotten the variety name.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Sad that the trust behind roadside honesty boxes is being abused. Still a few around Ballarat, mostly for eggs or bagged manure. My experience (putting out strawberry plants c. a note giving Landcare Group bank details) has been positive - plants go, & donations turn up later in the Group account.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The #spring #equinox without (so far) equinoctial storms - instead #Ballarat is hidden from view by morning fog, and there's a light frost at home.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s... During my time in Aotearoa NZ, the recovery of the Chatham Island #robin from the brink of extinction was a gripping drama. This win is testimony to the hard work in the 1970s by the team led by the late Don Merton. @forestandbird.bsky.social #birds 🪶

theguardian.com

The black robin, once down to just a single breeding pair, wins NZ bird of the year

Fondly known as the ‘goth’ of New Zealand’s bird world, the black robin now has a population of 350 adults thanks to a pioneering breeding programme

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Celebrating a sunny spring day in Ballarat with Prunus 'Elvins'.

Prunus 'Elvins' - Mrs Elvins' gift to gardening - originated in her Melbourne garden. The flowers open white, then turn pink.

This specimen of Prunus 'Elvins' is about 5 years old. It has settled in nicely next to a native Westringia. I got one fruit off it last year. This is a variety of cherry plum, but the fruit tasted much more like a cherry than a plum.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

It'd be good to see this "see-saw" explained in daily tv weather forecasts. Ditch the gormless "summer is here" (urban beach footage required), then "winter is back". No, this is spring weather. But even that will be made more extreme by El Niño + climate change. Bumpy see-saw ride ahead.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... With you 💯, Rebecca. The travails of the northern hemisphere - its human population & its whole ecosystem - as it has endured a long, hot summer are likely a harbinger of what lies ahead for us here. Not looking forward to it at all.

theguardian.com

Australia’s approaching summer fills me with dread. I’m not equipped to battle 40C | Rebecca Shaw

When people say they love the heat, I presume they either have air conditioning or are lying

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

My immediate thought on reading this re the endlessly self-promoting Senator Babet was to think of the word "staunch" as a verb. Thanks to @merriam-webster.com for its help. Let's hope voters in #Victoria go with meaning 2a on the upcoming election.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... I'm really beyond being disappointed with this @albomp.bsky.social government. So they consulted "with industry" over the cost of recycling, but not with Councils who manage waste? Not with our children & grandchildren, who will live with the consequences? /2

theguardian.com

Labor ditches new packaging laws to cut plastic waste, sparking unprecedented ‘scale and breadth of outrage’

Federal environment department tells industry representatives the government does not want to ‘exacerbate cost of living pressures’

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

thesaturdaypaper.com.au/life/gardeni... This #gardening article by @margaretsimons.bsky.social resonates. Soil is soft after a wet August, tanks are full, fruit trees in bloom, native birds singing. But El Niño could turn all this dry. We've seen the new extremes of the Eurasian summer. Foreboding.

thesaturdaypaper.com.au

Springtime conjures nightmares and miracles

The return of spring brings an unfettering of the garden and intrusive thoughts of how precarious our plans really are.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

www.commongrace.org.au/faithful_in_... #CommonGrace brings a Christian and Indigenous perspective to discussion of #ClimateChange. I appreciated especially Pastor Ray Minnieconn's insight on the words of John 3:16: "God so loved the world" isn't about me as an individual.

commongrace.org.au

Where Are We, And Where Are We Going?

In our first episode we're asking: where are we and where are we going? Lets take stock of the current crisis we're in, and then, by listening to the science, to Country and to lived experience, imagi...

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Reposted by David Neate

Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 04/09/2026

Australia's PM is blurting out climate delay talking points at a climate conference. Here's the latest - something I like to call 'The Overnight Rule'

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

From @news.abc.net.au #Animalia is one of those precious #books that delights equally younger and older readers as they delve into its wonderful pages. Happy 50th birthday, and thanks Graeme Base for all the joy it's brought. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...

abc.net.au

As Animalia turns 40, its author reflects on its extraordinary success

Graeme Base's lavishly illustrated alliterative alphabet book has captured the imaginations of generations of children around the world since it was published four decades ago.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Did you have a #lockdown tree in 2020? Each September, this cherry plum reminds me of the hours we spent together while I taught classes from home. As I watch the fairy wrens pop around under its blossom, I'm aware that in 2026, it's the #birds that enliven our garden who face their own pandemic...

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

theconversation.com/your-house-m... The #pardalotes are back to nest in our extendable clothesline; & mud #wasps continue to build nests between the bricks in our walls. But I'm sure that when we finally leave this place, neither will be a selling point. Can #conservation #covenants cover your home?

theconversation.com

Your house may be a haven for wildlife. It’s time we design homes with nature in mind

A new study reveals thousands of native animals are taking up residence in Australian homes.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

This is not the best photo, but it was a special moment today while I was at a #TrustForNature tree planting at @birdlifeoz.bsky.social #Clarkesdale Sanctuary, SW of Ballarat. My first ever sighting of a powerful #owl (the wonderfully-named Ninox strenua). #Birds at Clarkesdale in full song today.🪶

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

youtube.com/watch?v=xXm-... A thoughtful discussion on the significance today of the American Declaration of Independence, on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. From a Christian perspective per Australia's @cpx-media.bsky.social, but with much to ponder for those of any faith, or none.

youtube.com

City on a Hill? America’s 250 Year Experiment

YouTube video by PublicChristianity

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

This came last week from @wilderness.org.au, and sums up many of my 3 a m. thoughts, and reasons to keep on with #Landcare work. Is it hoping too much that the same thoughts may niggle in the sleepless small hours for those in positions of power?

Mailed out by the Wilderness Society, Australia, August 2026

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

There'd be few former typing teachers around now, but surely many of their students recall learning to use a #QWERTYUIOP keyboard. Back then, it was to prepare (female) students to be office secretaries, but for me, being in a typing "club" at high school set me up for adult use of a laptop. /2

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... I'm one of the minority of #SBS OnDemand subscribers who've already opted out of #gambling ads on that platform. If only one could opt out on #YouTube too. Just love the use by those bought by the gambling "industry" of the phrase "gamble responsibly". Whaaat???

theguardian.com

Labor pledges opt-out register for online gambling ads as Pocock calls out shortfalls in government’s bill

The new measure falls short of calls for gambling ads to move to an opt-in model, or for an outright ban

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Reposted by David Neate

Gary Buckley @garybuckley.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) are powerful single-feed poisons used to kill rats and mice. Secondary poisoning: Slow-dying, disoriented rodents are easily caught by predators and scavengers, transferring lethal doses up the food chain.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... From @australia.theguardian.com : The #ASIC suggests that customers challenge insurers on the increase in premiums beyond inflation, but have they tried to challenge insurers? I tried with RACV, but my objections were brushed aside. /2

theguardian.com

Car owners should challenge insurers on steep price hikes and ‘call their bluff’, Asic says

Regulator finds many insurers raising premiums faster than inflation and advises customers to ask for better deals

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Reposted by David Neate

Rohan Connolly @rohanconnolly65.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Yes. Yes. Yes. An Australian trends section please!! Retweet if you agree. #aussietrends

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Superb work from the #RBG #Melbourne to save this and other #orchid species from extinction. A fitting story for #LandcareWeek. There are so many "tree-changers" whose blocks may harbour native orchid plants. On our place, they've come up even in paddocks long cleared and previously grazed.

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Reposted by David Neate

Michael West @michaelwestbiz.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

"Segal holds power over what Australians may say, teach, report and believe. No election gave it to her. No Parliament ratified it .. Nobody asked you." Andrew Brown #auspol #antisemitism michaelwest.com.au/the-segal-st...

michaelwest.com.au

The Segal State: the office Australia never voted for - Michael West

Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal holds power over what Australians may say, teach, report and believe. No election gave it her. Andrew Brown

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

www.theguardian.com/environment/... Thanks to Patrick Greenfield @pgreenfielduk.bsky.social for this beaut article on the #fungi in, um, ordure - one of a great #NatureHeroes series from @theguardian.com . Some wonderful work done by enterprising #scientists with more exciting discoveries likely. 🧪🌱

theguardian.com

‘I have an understanding housemate’: the student who makes videos of fungus on faeces

Alfred Drummond-Herdman’s extraordinary timelapses have been viewed by millions – and led him to identify new species

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

The @andrewdessler.com article addresses facts that seemed to have only a momentary impact here in #Australia. Those 2020 fires did something never seen before - they extended from the sclerophyll forest into (normally wet) rainforest. And our gov't is spruiking cheap fossil fuels worldwide.

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Reposted by David Neate

Blakandblack @blakandblack.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Hanson told Tommy Robinson that Australia’s migration problems started in 1973 when Whitlam scrapped White Australia. The timeline is wrong & so is the tidy story of this history. New post on what actually happened — and what it does and doesn’t tell us about 2026 blakandblack.com/2026/07/27/t...

blakandblack.com

The White Australia Policy: Origin and Evolution as Present-day Warning

The White Australia Policy enabled the usuary maltreatment of South Sea Islanders and Indigenous people, ultimately excluding them from society.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Just watched #IfYou'reListening on @news.abc.net.au tv with @mattbevan.bsky.social . Investigated so well the crypto dealings of a cynically corrupt presidency. A beaut show, but disturbing stuff. I don't get how American evangelicals still support this bloke. iview.abc.net.au/show/if-you-...

iview.abc.net.au

If You're Listening: Trump's rise from bunker boy to billionaire

In 2020, Trump was rushed into a bunker with just $92 million to his name. Now he's made $2.2 billion in just a year, through crypto hype and access-selling podcast bros. So is this just what being pr...

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Ups & downs of biodiversity across 24 hours. 1. Members & friends of our #Landcare group spent a winter's day yesterday alongside 60 enthusiastic school kids planting a biodiverse mix of grasses & forbs alongside the school wetlands. Photo shows part of our planting, viewed from the birdhide. /2

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Longitudinal studies of nature, like this #CitizenScience, are invaluable. We're coming up 26 years in our present locality, & still discovering "new" #bird species I've never noticed before. I hope Mr Connor shares his records with @birdlifeoz.bsky.social 🪶

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

One of the blessings of having a dog is their relentless enthusiasm for a morning walk, whatever the conditions. So one gets to see views like this - morning light diffusing through the distinctive silhouettes of #eucalypts, #Ballarat.

Smythes Creek, outside Ballarat. Winter morning sunrise silhouettes gum trees, reflected in a local dam. Harbinger of a clear day ahead.

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Reposted by David Neate

The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 08/07/2026

Australia Institute research shows that almost one in three 12-17 year-olds gamble. In fact, Australian teenagers are more likely to gamble than to play soccer, basketball, cricket or any other sport. ✍️ Add your name now to join the call for gambling reform: theaus.in/4vg4wvS

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Yesterday, skies around #Ballarat were filled with silken strands carrying #ballooning #spiders. They were only visible when I looked sunwards, hence no photo. Got me researching - I didn't know that this relies on electrostatics! See 2015 @news.abc.net.au article: share.google/rAlUYx6f8dVY...

share.google

Sea of cobwebs covers farm in ballooning phenomenon

Spiders have begun falling from the sky in south-western Victoria, as cooler conditions make way for a phenomenon known as ballooning.

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Ross Creek #Wetlands, #Ballarat hail.to/woady-yaloak... Posting this particularly for @toritorihkd.bsky.social - you can finally see the photos of #LathamsSnipe that you shared with us last year, used in wetlands signs (scroll down the report until you reach the heading "Ross Creek wetlands"). /2

hail.to

Acting Principal's Message (Week 10, Term 2) — Woady Yaloak Primary School Term 2, Week 10 Newsletter

Welcome to Week 10 of Term 2. Please take a moment to read our latest school update below

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

There's not *one* mention in this @news.abc.net.au article on the effects of the record heatwave on Europe's human population of how it has affected the wider environment. What has been its effect on forests, on birds, or on mammals that can't turn on an air conditioner? You'd think we lived alone.

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Reposted by David Neate

Blakandblack @blakandblack.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Australia has never been culturally homogeneous. First Nations plurality predates European settlement by 65,000 years. The First Fleet’s own diversity — African, Bengali, Jewish, Irish, Scandinavian — 1973 policy choice formalised what was always structurally true blakandblack.com/2026/06/25/i...

blakandblack.com

Impossible Monoculture: Diversity, Pluralism and the Australia That Actually Exists

I. Two Arguments That Must Not Be Confused The case against monoculturalism in Australia rests on two distinct foundations that are often conflated, and the conflation weakens both. The first is a des...

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David Neate @neatedavid.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

It's been a wet, mild winter so far in #Ballarat. These are the #fungi I found today along a 500m section of our roadside. Some, like the earthstar and puffball, clearly past their best, others looking beautiful.

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