A Request From The Museum.

Hi there,

I just received a request from the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
They asked me if I could relay on my blog their need for some very specific catfish...
So here is the email that I just got from them:

Hi Rambling Expat,

The Museum is keen to get some genetic samples of eel-tail catfish (Plotosids) from around Darwin in Salt Water (have plenty from freshwater rivers). They are an interesting group and occur from muddy estuaries to reef habitats including rock pools. If anyone should come across any we would be grateful if they could pop it in the esky then freezer  and bring it in – I would happily provide a behind the scenes tour at the same time and perhaps a special edition lure J (or can arrange to pick them up).

Here’s some pictures borrowed from the net of some of the different species, they vary in size from 10cm to about 30cm, and would be grateful if you could mention this on your blog.

Cheers

Michael

So here are the links to some of these great little fish:

Fish Number One

Fish Number Two

Fish Number Three

Fish Number Four

All these links (blue text) redirect to the images of a great Australian web site called Anima, wich is a great destination of fish imagery. A great place to ID a fish, or order a hand signed print.

So if you are fishing in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, this is for you.

And as I am sure many of you would have said or heard in the past: This is all in the name of science!

And this is why, they also would love to get as much information as possible in regards to where the fish were caught, dates and times, in what kind of depth, with lure or bait. Even GPS marks would be welcome.

Also did you catch it land based or from a boat?

If you catch one and bring it to the museum in good condition, that would be great, thank you. 

Your name would then be kept for posterity as a donor to the museum collection.

Think, at how much bragging right that would give you to face the grand kids...

Yes I know, this is a post without any nice fishing photos...

But hey, it could be worse.

Have a good day,

Me.

The First Gone Fishin' Fishing Lure.

Hi there,

Not long ago the Gone Fishin' exhibition opened at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
Yes, it is an exhibition about fishing, about the history of fishing in the NT.
This is a great exhibition, and it is free to get in, so if you are in Darwin go and see it.
The show will be on till September 2012.
As part of the merchandising for this exhibition the museum shop now stock some lures branded with the exhibition logo.

The lure is a Big B52's from Reidy's, a very popular lure in the Top End of Australia.
I did get one of them, and intend to use it on my next fishing outing, very soon.

What does it look like?
Have a look:

Nice and silver.

Close up of the logo.

This is for one side of the lure, the other side is marked with the logo of the Northern Territory Government, with the Sturt's Desert Rose:

Northern Territory Government logo.

Here is a fishing lure that will certainly end up in the realm of fishing Australiana.

A good one for any collector and anglers.

In this shinny silver livery, this lure should produce the goods.

I just can't wait to test it.

The museum shop assistant, told me that another lure with the exhibition logo, a Taipan, from Reidy's again, was going to hit the shelves very soon.

I am quite impatient to see it, and yes, to had it to my tackle box too.

As soon as I will have one, you will be able to see it on this very blog.

But we may have to wait a bit before it happens, as I really don't know when the new one will be delivered to the museum.

But hey, it could be worse.

Have a good day,

Me.

No Cyclone For Us.

Hi there,

Yes this is a good news, we didn't get any cyclone this time around.
We just lost one banana tree in the backyard due to the wind, and that was today, once the cyclone threat was gone for good...

The fallen banana tree.

And this is a very good thing for every body.
Especially for the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, who will have tomorrow night the opening of it's fishing exhibition called Gone Fishin'.

So this is with a happy mind that I am now waiting for this event to unfold.

Even if for my lunch break yesterday I had to watch the beach from inside of the car.
Like the old folks, who eats fish and chips from the front seat of their sedan. Parked at the end of the wharf, with the horses race on the radio and the air cond purring along...

View from my car yesterday, during lunch.

Yes there might not be much fishing to be done this coming weekend, and we had to postpone the little one birthday party because of the heavy rain. And as said before we did lost a banana tree.

But hey, it could be worse.
Have a good day,
Me.

The Fishing Exhibition Is Coming To Town.

Hi there,

The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin, Australia, will soon have an exhibition about fishing in the NT.
To say that I am excited about it and can't wait to see this exhibition, would be a slight understatement.
Here is a copy of how they announced the show on their web page:

Gone Fishin’ – The Reel Top End story

17 March – 16 September 2012

Cleared and stained specimen of the Bluehead Demoiselle, Chrysiptera rollandi, Natural Science collection, Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

‘Gone Fishin’...The Reel Top End story’ explores how fish and fishing tell the cultural, scientific and social stories of the Northern Territory.

Fishing has featured heavily in the lives of Territorians from Indigenous peoples, Macassan fishers, the first European explorers, and early Chinese settlers, to modern commercial operations, and the weekend warrior or recreational fishers. Displayed alongside Indigenous fishing technology are a multitude of colourful lures, jars of weird and wonderful scientific specimens, rock art, natural history art and modern depictions of fish and fishers.

‘Gone Fishin’ charts both the development of fishing and the culture that surrounds it whilst also exploring the future of fishing through sustainable fisheries management, Marine Rangers, conservation, ecology and taxonomy.

On display are objects drawn from the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory’s diverse collections, enhanced with important loans from recreational fishers, NT Fisheries Division and local artists.

Public Program

Curatorial Floor Talk
Gone Fishin’
Dr. Michael Hammer
11.00 – 11.45am
Saturday 17 March 2012
Gallery 4, MAGNT

Lunchtime Talk
Weird and amazing fishes!
Dr. Michael Hammer
12.30 – 1.30pm
Wednesday 21 March 2012
Theatrette, MAGNT

Free, no bookings required.

A Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory exhibition

For the mad keen anglers and fishers of all sorts, from the north of Australia or from faraway lands and seas, this will be like a very early christmas present.
And there is still a lot of sleep before opening day...

But hey, it could be worse.
Have a good day,
Me.

My Blog In The Art Magazine.

Hi there,

Yes The Rambling Expat as been cited in an art magazine.
And not any art magazine, but the very good Art Monthly Australia, which as its name's point out, is an Australian magazine.
Could we deduce from this, that fishing is starting to be recognised as an integral part of the Australian culture?

Now why did they feel the need to write about the blog in the magazine?
Was it for my writing talent?
No.
Was it for my photographic talent?
No.
I think that it was because of a post I did last month about a fishing exhibition being prepared by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, often referred to as MAGNT.

So do you want a proof?
Here is a little photograph of the short piece in which the blog was cited:

Cool, no?

This was a simple, funny and very kind way for the editor to announce the upcoming exhibition. 

This is published in the "Sultry Summer Issue", for December 2011 to February 2012.

Here is a copy of one of the magazine cover for this issue:

One of two...

Yes I did write one of the magazine cover for this issue, and then captioned the image with "One of two"... Why? Simply because for this very issue, the editor choose to have two different cover for the magazine. Depending of your luck you could have this one or the other one when you buy the magazine.

What does the other cover look like?

Just go to the newsagent to find out, or check them out online, they have an electronic version of the magazine available.

And no, I do not get any royalties on the sales or subscriptions to the magazine.

Even if I have to say that yes, this is among the few magazines that I enjoy reading, so this is great.

It is true that after being cited in this magazine, I better have to lift my game in regards to fishing photography. And this worry me a bit, as when I am happily fishing, I do find it hard to focus on the image making thing too... 

But hey, it could be worse.

Have a good day,

Me.

Fishing at the Museum

Hi there,

Yes you read it right, fishing is going to enter the realm of the museum institution...
In Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory of Australia, at least.
This past week saw the following media release being circulated to the press, and on some fishing forums.
All I can say is that I am very excited by this project.

So here is the media release:

Send in your fishing picture to be part of Gone Fishin’ exhibition

Territorians are being invited to submit their favourite fishing related photo to be part of an exhibition for fishing enthusiasts at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).

The best 100 photos will be featured as part of the exhibition to be held at in March next year.

Minister for Arts and Museums Gerry McCarthy and Member for Fannie Bay Michael Gunner said Gone Fishin’…the reel Top End story will showcase the origin of fishing in the Territory and explore the biology, diversity, and impact fishing has had on the lives of Territorians.

“Territorians have a strong history with fishing from the cultural history through to our present day love of recreational fishing which is pivotal to our great Territory lifestyle,” Minister McCarthy said.

“We want to get more Territorians through the door to the Territory’s museums and this is an excellent exhibition that I’m sure Territorians will flock to.”

The Member for Fannie Bay Michael Gunner said the exhibition will include objects that inform the   historic, cultural and scientific fabric of fishing in the Top End.

“A range of public programs for visitors are being planned and will include specialist floor talks and school holiday activities,” Mr Gunner said.

“Territorians can send their photo in for the chance to be part of the exhibition and the chance to win one of 100 copies of the North Australian Fishing & Outdoor Magazine.

“The exhibition will feature representations of fish and fishing from the earliest rock paintings through to the contemporary visual arts.

“The exhibition will chart the course of the development of fishing technology as well as the types of crafts used by different cultures,” Mr Gunner said.

“This exhibition is part of our Territory 2030 target to continue to see Territorians attending our cultural institutions at a very high rate,” Minister McCarthy said.

The exhibition will be open at MAGNT from 17 March – 16 September 2012.

Call for entries for photos are now open and will close on the 31st January 2012. Images can include fishing lures/equipment, favourite catch, favourite fishing spot and fishing trip.

Entries can be submitted to MAGNT via email: museum.magnt@nt.gov.au postal: GPO Box 4646, Darwin NT 0801 at the front counter of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.

For more information go to www.nt.gov.au/magnt

How exciting is that?
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is going to present an exhibition about fishing!
I can't wait to see this show.
The only thing... Is that we will need to wait till March 2012 to see it...

But hey, it could be worse.
Have a good day,
Me.