Arcadia

by Di Morrissey

  ‘So was I!’ said Sally, looking alarmed. ‘But I can’t imagine my life without Toby or Katie.’

  ‘That’s because you and Toby are so right for each other. You two hit the jackpot.’ Jessica reached over and rested her hand on Sally’s. ‘You’re the couple that proves the case. And gives the rest of us hope that we’ll have what you have. One day.’

  Victor stuck his head through the hatch. ‘Approaching the island, come and see the cliffs. Bloody spectacular.’

  Standing beside each other as the spray slicked over them, the two girls felt insignificant and the small boat fragile as it pitched in the swell rolling against the massive cliffs that towered above them.

  ‘They look like giant sculptures,’ Jessica shouted into the wind.

  ‘The surfaces have been beaten by the weather and the sea for millennia, I guess,’ said Sally. ‘Do you suppose they were volcanic, exploding up from the bottom of the sea? And look at those crevices and caves. I wonder if anyone has ever set foot in there. Makes the hills near us look pretty tame.’

  ‘Makes me wonder what the sea floor below must look like,’ said Jessica. ‘And see, up there, a plant is growing. How does it survive on that minuscule ledge?’

  ‘There’s a sea eagle’s nest over there,’ said Victor, who was standing next to them. ‘See, where there’s a tree hanging on, in the dip between the cliffs. And there are seals around here too. You see them over the other side, on the beach and rocks where it’s more sheltered. The island is rugged but there are also some calmer spots. It’s interesting to explore.’

  ‘I don’t think I want to climb to the top of that peak,’ said Sally, clutching at the railing as the boat dipped to starboard. ‘What made you move here, Victor? Hardly anyone seems to know about this island.’

  He shrugged. ‘There’re no trendy bars, hotels or many people here. No entertainment, other than Mother Nature, or what you make yourself. Doesn’t suit everyone, but I love it.’

  Sally glanced at Jessica. ‘I think even honeymooners might like some diversions.’

  ‘Yep. No swim-up cocktail bars on this island, I’d say. But I’m keen to see what’s here,’ said Jessica.

  ‘Another adventure you’ve got me into.’ Sally smiled.

  Victor nodded. ‘I have one secret I’ll share. There’s a freak spot where you can get satellite reception. If by chance you need to make a phone call, let me know. And by the way, we have a couple of others visiting at the moment. Well, Dan isn’t a tourist. He’s a friend of Carmen’s and often comes to do some fieldwork. There’s another fellow here as well, and a fisherman comes in regularly.’

  ‘Right. Thanks,’ said Sally.

  She looked at Jessica, who shrugged and whispered, ‘I wonder what sort of people wash up on this rock?’

  ‘Nice people, I hope,’ said Sally, and they both knew she was thinking of the anonymous caller.

  ‘Let me answer your phone if it rings,’ suggested Jess. ‘Well, it won’t now; we’re too far away from reception. So that’s good. Forget about it.’

  Carmen steered the small boat around the towering peak of the headland, and suddenly the wind died down. It was more sheltered here, and the bay was dotted with pockets of pristine sand.

  ‘Well, there won’t be any queues for service at mealtimes,’ said Jessica. ‘I can’t see a single building.’

  ‘That’s the whole idea,’ said Victor.

  ‘There’s a jetty,’ said Sally. ‘I can’t believe how calm the bay is after those wild seas.’

  ‘Yes, we’re on the leeward side and the cape protects this bay. The airstrip is over here too.’

  ‘Wow, look at all the birds,’ said Sally.

  ‘Bit of a circus when a plane comes in,’ said Carmen. ‘We all get out there with brooms to chase them off. Cape Barren geese, mostly. There’s something of a zoo left here by the old-timers.’

  ‘A family once lived here,’ added Victor. ‘They farmed cattle and sheep in the old days, and a few seafarers have washed up and left their mark.’

  Carmen jumped down onto the jetty, helping Jessica and Sally with their backpacks as Victor started unloading supplies.

  ‘Do people get together in the evenings?’ asked Sally as they hefted their bags and followed Carmen along a sandy track towards a stand of trees.

  ‘Sometimes, except for one odd bod who thinks he’s pulling the wool over our eyes.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Jessica.

  ‘Says he’s a geologist or some such. Brought some shiny new tools with him last time. But we know what he’s after.’ Carmen chuckled.

  ‘What’s that?’ asked Jess.

  Carmen turned around and winked at them. ‘Buried treasure. Seriously. Back in the 1800s a ship was wrecked and as the story goes, the skipper sent a few men ashore with barrels to be buried, down by the Ti Tree lagoon, we believe. But then they were rescued and the captain never made it back to the island to retrieve his secret stash.’

  ‘Was it rum?’ asked Jessica.

  ‘Nobody knew until the 1950s when an old beachcomber fellow came here, and then went back to the mainland and started paying for drinks with gold coins. After that he turned up here a few more times. Apparently there are rumours he left a map with a mate in Launceston. We still get the occasional hopeful treasure hunter, such as the man who is staying here now.’

  ‘So there’s no treasure here then?’ said Jessica.

  ‘Oh, there’s treasures of all kinds here. Depends what you’re looking for,’ said Carmen quietly.

  Jessica and Sally exchanged a glance.

  ‘I’ll show you to the guest cabin . . . and point out where my joint is. Victor will get you anything you need, including some provisions if you want to cook tonight. Otherwise, come over later for supper, if you feel like it,’ she said. ‘The geologist mostly keeps to himself, Dan is here again, Laurie, the cray fisherman, sometimes calls in, but please yourselves. Victor has maps of the walks and scenic spots on the island.’

  The cottage Carmen showed them had been a family home back in the 1950s but was now updated in a simple rustic style, set among trees but within earshot of the sea.

  ‘There’re some basic groceries, clean towels, beach gear, fishing stuff, hiking gear. Plus water, soft drinks, milk and some wine and beer in the fridge. Also, there’s wood for the pot-bellied stove if it turns cold, a few books and magazines, some games. Well, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how to entertain yourselves. Make the most of the island; you’ll find there’s a lot to see,’ said Carmen.

  ‘Thank you,’ said Jessica. ‘Where do we find Victor, if we need him?’

  Carmen pointed to where the track divided. ‘Left to the other guest quarters, right to my place. Victor is in Cabin 3, Dan next door to Laurie, and the geologist has his tent. There’s the old barn and farmhouse in the middle of the island, but nobody is up there at the moment. Come over at around six if you want to meet the others.’

  ‘Thank you, Carmen,’ said Sally.

  When they were on their own, Jessica said, ‘Do you get the feeling we’ve dropped off the world map for a bit?’

  ‘I do. This could be an adventure for Toby and Katie and me, when Katie’s older,’ said Sally.

  ‘You mean when she’s old enough to rough it, no screens, no internet?’

  ‘Well, yes, but I think she’d love this. She’s such an outdoorsy girl. Remember how we used to disappear for hours and hours when we were kids, exploring and playing in the woods and the creek?’ said Sally.

  ‘I loved those times. And there’s no reason we can’t do the same now. Let’s take water, bread, cheese and some fruit and go exploring,’ suggested Jessica. ‘It’s why we came, isn’t it? It’ll be fun. I’m going to pack my rain jacket. At this time of year it might turn cold or wet before we get back.’

  They took the map of
the island Victor had given them and decided to hike across the middle and up towards the headland. However, after three hours, they found they hadn’t got very far as they were sidetracked by a beautiful golden lagoon surrounded by paperbark trees. The water, tinged brown by the button grass, was cool and fresh as they dangled their feet in the sandy shallows in the shade of the trees.

  ‘People would pay a fortune for a treatment here,’ said Jessica. ‘Look at the colour of the water. It’s like a mud bath.’

  ‘So refreshing after that walk.’ Sally sighed. ‘I wish it was warm enough to go for a swim. Perhaps I’ll come back in summer.’

  ‘Right, which way next?’ Jessica stood up and grabbed a towel to dry her feet, and then put her socks and runners back on.

  The two girls were studying the map when there was a shout from the rise above them. ‘Hi there!’

  They glanced up in surprise to see a man giving them a wave. He looked to be a hiker, wearing sunglasses and a hat, with a canvas bag slung over one shoulder and carrying a bulky camera. He started to pick his way down the slope.

  When he reached them he pulled off his hat, showing fair hair that flopped across his forehead, and gave a disarming smile. Jess recognised his friendly, handsome face immediately.

  ‘You’ve found the best spot on the island. Hi, I’m Daniel Sullivan. Carmen mentioned she’d brought over a couple more guests.’

  ‘Hi, actually we’ve met before,’ Jess said with a smile. ‘At the Botanical Gardens the other day. I’m Jessica and this is Sally.’

  ‘Wow, of course. What a coincidence.’ He reached out and shook their hands. ‘You got shanghaied by Carmen to see this place, eh? It’s pretty special.’

  ‘Very unusual, such a mixture of landscapes,’ said Sally. ‘Before we came over, our friend Chrissie told us there’s farmland, savannah, meadows, cattle grazing, this lagoon, massive peaks, and rocky overhangs. Is that where the caves are?’ Sally pointed to the rocks behind him.

  He nodded. ‘I came down as the tide was going out. Have you walked around the rock shelf? It’s stunning. There’s a muttonbird rookery over this side. It’s not muttonbird season, so there shouldn’t be many snakes around. There’s a lot of penguins, too. They breed around the island. Would you like me to show you?’

  ‘Yes, sure,’ agreed the girls.

  ‘Better put your shoes on; the shells on the rocks are very sharp,’ he said to Sally.

  The three of them trailed slowly across the broad exposed rock shelf, marvelling that they were stepping over ancient natural sea art. The limpets were scattered like flowers, and the whorls and pools and holes carved by the ocean looked like abstract paintings. Each rockpool was a small underwater theatre, a stage of swaying seaweed, shy creatures, sand and coloured shells. They lay on their stomachs, waiting for small crabs and trapped fish to dart onto centre stage.

  ‘I think this one looks more like a ballet,’ said Sally. ‘We just need music!’

  ‘Have you heard the ringing rock?’ asked Dan. Seeing their incredulous faces, he explained, ‘There are some special rocks at a couple of Aboriginal petroglyph sites on the island where, if you tap the large rock, which has carvings cut into it, with a smaller rock, it rings and sings.’

  ‘How amazing,’ said Sally.

  Jessica glanced at him as Dan stood up. ‘What else is around here?’ she asked as she pushed herself up.

  ‘Lots. I’m getting hungry. Should we have something to eat first?’

  ‘Great idea,’ said Sally, scrambling to her feet. ‘We have some picnic things.’

  ‘And I have this!’ He suddenly brandished a knife from his canvas shoulder bag, and laughed as the girls recoiled.

  He pointed at the rocks where the water was beginning to wash over the edge. ‘Do you like oysters? Can’t beat them shucked right off the rocks!’

  ‘Oh yum, and we have bread. Perfect,’ said Sally.

  ‘Damn, no fresh lemon juice,’ said Jessica.

  ‘I can help with that. Let me show you.’ Dan pointed into a rockpool where seaweed was growing in a cluster like a bunch of grapes. ‘Pick a couple and squeeze. Tastes salty sweet, better than lemon.’

  ‘I’ll get the bread,’ said Sally.

  They sat at the edge of the wide rock ledge, their legs dangling in a pool, the bread and bottles of water spread on a jacket between them, as Dan shucked the oysters still attached to the rocks, handing the shells filled with succulent meat to each in turn.

  Jessica sighed. ‘These little beads of seaweed are amazing; so juicy.’

  They talked easily because of their mutual connection with Chrissie and Paul, and now Carmen.

  ‘So, do you know if there’s any news about the plant samples we brought in?’ asked Jessica.

  Dan concentrated on lifting a fat oyster from its shell. ‘Kind of. Firstly, I have to say I think the paintings are terrific. So they were done by your grandmother, Sally?’

  Sally nodded. ‘Yes, her name was Stella Holland. I want to do something with them, but I’m not sure what or how yet.’

  ‘But you don’t know where Stella painted them? I mean, where she sourced the subject matter?’

  Sally looked at Jessica. ‘Well, I assume it was at Arcadia, my family home. My husband and I, and my mother, now farm the land there; mostly saffron and truffles.’

  Dan nodded. ‘Makes sense. You have old trees?’

  ‘We planted new trees.’

  ‘The Far Forest is untouched,’ Jessica reminded her.

  ‘Yes, it’s a mysterious place, and probably full of plants that’ve never been identified,’ Sally said to Dan.

  ‘It’s an ancient stand of old-growth forest, covers quite a few acres, actually, on Sally’s home down south,’ Jess said. ‘I grew up in that area too.’

  Dan glanced at her. ‘Ah, that makes sense. It’s the fungi, the mushrooms in the photos of the painting your mother emailed me, Sally, that interest us. The little flower is uncommon, but I think it’s a described species. Your grandmother has painted a ladybird known to eat fungus and a small cluster of the fungus itself.’

  ‘Oh, how intricate! I’ve never noticed it, it must be very small on the painting,’ said Sally.

  ‘What’s so interesting about it?’ asked Jessica.

  ‘Actually, it’s quite involved. It’s to do with the soil where these mushrooms grow. Do you know about the mycelium network?’

  ‘Mycelium . . . that’s the cobwebby stuff that spreads in the soil under mushrooms, isn’t it? We noticed it around the truffles and fungi in the forest,’ said Sally.

  ‘Yes, that’s right. For a while now I’ve been in contact with a mycologist guy from the States, Sean Hyland. We’re still learning about the magic of mushrooms.’ Dan smiled.

  ‘You mean like fairy rings?’ said Jessica.

  ‘Ooh, Jess, remember our fairy ring? The one we found in our forest? A perfect circle of wild mushrooms. Jessica wanted to pick them and take them home to cook and I thought it was bad luck,’ Sally said to Dan.

  ‘There’s a lot of superstition about them. Some people think they’re bad luck, others think they’re lucky. They sprout from the network blanket of mycelium and the middle dies off, leaving the mushrooms around the edge in a circle. Those rings keep re-growing. There’s a fairy circle in France that’s believed to be hundreds of years old.’

  ‘Is this what you’re researching?’ asked Jessica rather incredulously.

  ‘Sort of, along with some other stuff. One of the mushrooms in Stella’s painting is rare, so its spores would be valuable. Research about possible uses for mushrooms and mycelium has been going on for years, but it’s becoming more important, so identifying where they can be sourced is of some interest.’

  Jessica reached for another oyster. ‘So are you attached to the Botanical Gardens, a museum, or a university?’

/>   ‘At the moment I’m working for the Botanical Gardens in Hobart, but I also work for an international organisation, not quite not-for-profit but it gets some philanthropic funding to develop green farming practices on a large scale. Plus a few other projects that are a bit more my passion.’

  ‘Like what?’ asked Sally as Jessica studied Dan.

  ‘There’s a lot of people researching mycology, uses for fungi, mushrooms. The guy I mentioned, Sean Hyland, is an international expert. He’s also Carmen’s step-cousin. Lives in Canada, but he’s working here for a month, in Hobart.’

  ‘So what’s the big interest in mushrooms?’ asked Jessica.

  ‘Ah, well, I know it sounds corny, but that’s classified information.’ He smiled. ‘What I can say is that there’s a bit of a race to get new products onto the market. Everything from products that enrich soil, enhance plant growth, clean up toxic waste, chemical spills, agricultural and industrial waste and radiation, to medicinal products for human health. And they’re working on cures for diseases.’

  ‘You’re joking. All from mushrooms?’ exclaimed Sally.

  ‘Yes. Have you ever noticed how wood rots down in the forest due to the fungi? Fungi inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, as we do, and they are susceptible to many of the same germs. The mycelium network is like an underground computer system. Sean describes it as a neurological network of nature.’

  ‘You mean the white mould under the mushrooms, like Sally said?’ Jessica asked.

  ‘Yes, it’s actually thin, one-cell threads that interconnect and spread like a woven network of membranes, under the soil as well as on top. For every cubic metre of soil there’s a kilometre of mycelium beneath.’

  ‘So the trees and plants can talk to one another,’ joked Jessica.

  Dan smiled but nodded. ‘Yep. It’s a fascinating field to study. Mushrooms are the recyclers of the planet, essentially building healthy soils. They also filter water, help plants and trees to grow, and control insect pests. But fungi has also evolved natural chemical defences – anti­biotics – against bacteria and viruses that cause diseases in humans. The study of mycology is huge and goes back to ancient times.’