August 2005 - Sight and Sound Library

One of the world's largest collections of Australia's unique natural history is meticulously being compiled and catalogued by north Queensland cinematographer and naturalist John Young as a lasting legacy to conservation.

August 2005

Queensland’s Wild Detective builds sight and sound library

One of the world’s largest collections of Australia’s unique natural history is meticulously being compiled and catalogued by north Queensland cinematographer and naturalist John Young as a lasting legacy to conservation.

The collection output of 40 years of John’s work contains nearly six thousand photographic images, more than two hundred hours(?) of edited film and video, and thousands of digital sound grabs of some of Australia’s most unusual and rare animals and plants from the Centre’s centre’s driest deserts to the densest  jungles of northern Australia.

‘Just as the famous naturalist John Gould studied and sketched many Australian animal species in paint and ink during the early 1800’s, I have tried to capture unique moments in Australian wildlife on film and video,’ Mr Young said.

‘The many sleepless nights I have spent camped on a makeshift platform of sticks and rope 30 meters above the forest floor with my camera has given me a glimpse into the world of birds and mammals few ever see.’   

The collection contains the first images of the endangered Eastern Bristlebird and, the Red Goshawk at the nest, and the White eared Monarch.

‘The collection also contains calls of mammals, birds and frogs encountered while I’ve been out filming – many are new to science and have never been recorded before,’ Mr Young said.

John Young is an acknowledged expert at locating breeding birds in the wild having found more than 600 Australian species. He discovered the first nests ever found for several species including the lesser sooty owl, the red boobook owl and the green-backed honeyeater. He leads a number of specialist bird tours each year.

His work has featured in numerous documentaries, films, videos, television programs, books and newspapers. Renowned naturalist David Attenborough sought John’s expertise for two of his popular BBC television series, Trials of Life and Life of Birds.

The digital film library has been catalogued and digitised, and the stills and sound libraries will be completed by late August 2005 and housed in Brisbane the end of 2005.

For further information:
Iain McIndoe
John Young Wildlife Enterprises
Ph: (07) 3870 4308     m: 0409 347 150         e: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it