User Profile

Amanda De George

Backyard Zoology: Towradgi beach gets the seal of approval

Were you lucky enough to see the seal hauled out at Towradgi beach last week? A haul-out is when a seal temporarily leaves the water to rest or recuperate. If you’ve seen the seals down at the break wall in Narooma launching themselves out of the...

Amanda De George

February 2025

Science & Nature

Backyard Zoology: A bandicoot in the hand is worth two in the bush

There’s no way around it, when we live with nature, we affect nature and it affects us. It’s in the front of my mind when trimming back plants around our yard. Tiny crab spiders launch themselves on silken ropes, and plant hoppers leap skyward...

Amanda De George

February 2025

Science & Nature

On the hunt for unseasonable ghosts

The thing with writing about nature is that you quickly learn how little you actually know. I thought I had a pretty good grasp on the basics of Omphalotus nidiformis, aka the ghost mushroom. Ghosties fruit in rotting or dead wood and at night, to...

Amanda De George

February 2025

News

Stories that Stir to begin in Woonona

If you love being inspired, learning about members of your local community and above all connecting with others, Entelechy Living at Woonona has been announced as the Illawarra home for the Stories that Stir movement.

Amanda De George

January 2025

Science & Nature

A rare corpse flower and why it’s okay to do your nature watching online

Putricia can be visited from 8am until 6pm daily. Once she blooms, Palm House will be open until midnight the following day.

Amanda De George

January 2025

Science & Nature

The joys of nature watching

Oh what a difference a month can make. In the December edition I wrote about a nest of Tawny Frogmouths, the much-loved, odd-looking nocturnal birds, that appeared across the road. As chicks, these birds are even more hilariously funny looking...

Amanda De George

January 2025

Science & Nature

Births, deaths and marriages: the perils of nature watching

You’ve heard it, I’ve said it, we all know that spending time in nature is good for us. But as I spent the last few days on tenterhooks, using my camera’s telephoto lens as proxy binoculars, watching a tawny frogmouth family of four swiftly...

Amanda De George

December 2024

Food & Travel

Where to satisfy Christmas cravings and find festive feasts

If you’re staying in, catching up with friends or spending the Christmas season by the beach, we have you covered. Stay in Can’t live without Miller’s Local Bakehouse iconic croissants, mince pies, sourdough and lemon layer cake over Christmas?...

Amanda De George

December 2024

Science & Nature

Where have all the Christmas beetles gone?

To add this season’s Christmas beetle sighting to the project, head to iNaturalist, the Christmas Beetle Count

Amanda De George

December 2024

What's On

Lights, carols and action: 6 festive things to do

Late to the Christmas fun this year? There’s still time to find your Christmas Spirit™. Our round up will have you jingling your bells and reaching for the eggnog. Christmas Carols You can keep your presents and your trifle (okay, maybe share your...

Amanda De George

December 2024

Science & Nature

Here come the cicadas: Don’t miss summer’s best show

There’s a pulsating shriek, the call of dozens of cicadas yelling into the heat of the early summer morning. Their big, fat bodies thud against the house before careening back off into the sky. Many become food for our local growing family of...

Amanda De George

December 2024

Science & Nature

The magic in Macquarie Pass and why you shouldn’t miss it

I’m not a huge fan of the dark. Sure, I love wandering around my yard at night, especially as the weather warms and the cicadas start to emerge, shirking off their hard shells and transforming before my eyes. I love wandering down the street...

Amanda De George

November 2024

Arts & culture

Attention and Devotion: A workshop with Ailsa Piper

With each step around the room there’s a squelching exhale from her shoes as she insists, “Keep writing. Keep writing. Keep writing”. The sterile room is filled with people I won’t say much to; artists, a teacher, writers of various ilk...

Amanda De George

November 2024

Food & Travel

Thirroul has a thriving food scene? True story

If you’re in town for the True Story Festival or just here on the lovely Coal Coast for the day, rest assured Thirroul has all your food and beverage needs covered. But first you need to get the lay of the land. ‘Little Thirroul’ is south of the...

Amanda De George

November 2024