“It’s a lifetime’s work”

Jane BLACKWOOD

Growing up in Brisbane, Jane Blackwood was an outdoorsy kid. “We rode bikes and horses and roamed the bush,” she says. “Our parents didn’t want to see us!” That’s how Jane’s passion for nature was ignited, and that passion has taken her to some of Australia’s most remote environments.

Today, Jane works as the manager of Cravens Peak, a 233,000-hectare Bush Heritage nature reserve on the remote Northern Territory-Queensland border. At the edge of the Simpson Desert, where summer temperatures nudge 50 degrees, Jane lives and works alone, repairing fences, managing feral animals, weeds and controlled fires. She plays a pivotal role in defending this desert habitat from the erosion and invasive species that plague the surrounding cattle properties. “It’s like caring for an ancient patient,” says Jane. “It’s work that will continue long after I’ve gone.” Largely unspoilt, Cravens Peak is home to one of the world’s richest reptile communities and boasts an extraordinary 500 million-year-old fossil record.

It’s a hard, lonely existence, but one that Jane relishes. “I’ve lived remotely for years. I like the independence, the spiritual and physical fulfilment,” says the 56-year-old, who began working in the outback when her son, Sam, was still at school.

“Then I was a ranger and we travelled a lot. Sam’s been on some very remote places,” she adds.

The solitude and nature also feed Jane’s creativity. “I paint maps, I read and grow things,” she says. Despite the isolation, Cravens Peak has regular visitors, and Jane looks forward to the volunteers, mostly retirees, who arrive during the cooler months.

“They love the sunsets and sand hills,” as she does.

Working in extreme heat can be dangerous, and Jane admits Sam, now 29, worries about her – especially the risk of vehicle breakdowns in the desert. “During summer I don’t go very far at all,” she says. “You can’t think properly when it is 50 degrees. It can disorientate you.” Jane waits for the cool of evening to venture out. “I often walk the dogs late at night.”

Like a desert flower, Jane thrives in this remote, sometimes dangerous but beautiful environment, and intends staying as long as she’s physically able. “It’s a wonderful challenge,” she says. “It’s a lifetime’s work and I’d like to continue that.” Bronwyn Phillips