Famous Australian people and landmarks on Burke’s Backyard
Don visited Jane Davenport at Wollongong Botanic Garden, where she is Artist-in-residence. Jane has a passion for insects and they are a recurring theme in her artwork. She introduced Don to one of her favourite subjects, a spiny leaf insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)...
Most women believe that wearing black makes you look slim, and Burke’s Backyard resident scientist, Graeme Quirk, agrees. In our segment Graeme explained the science behind the theory. If you wear black trousers your bottom will look smaller, at least if viewed...
Many people think that the fastest way to get out of a restricted area, such as a sportsground, is to follow the people in the centre of the group. However, as Graeme Quirk explained, crowds are not like grains of sand in an egg timer, where the fastest flow is...
Our celebrity gardener this week is Olivia Newton-John. Olivia, who is deeply concerned about the environment, showed Don around her property in northern NSW. She and horticulturist, Michael Waite, have planted thousands of native rainforest trees on the property to...
Singer, songwriter and producer Ross Wilson has been a major force in Australian rock music for more than 30 years. Ross was front man for rock bands Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock. His most memorable songs include ‘Daddy Cool’, ‘Come Back Again’...
Eccentric Art House Artist and teacher, Andrew Hayim De Vries, has completely rebuilt a small, 1920s timber worker’s cottage using what he calls ‘urban rubble’. Andrew purchased the house in 1986, and over a period of 12 years he transformed it into...
Don and the Burke’s Backyard team visited film director, Phillip Noyce, at his home near Sydney’s Palm Beach. Phillip talked to Don about the difficulties of gardening so close to the ocean, and how hard it is to select plants that will withstand harsh,...
Don visited the beautiful, tropical-style garden of Dennis Hundscheidt. Situated at Sunnybank in Brisbane, this is one of the best private gardens in Australia. Clever design Although the garden is only the size of a normal suburban block (around 1000...