Arcadia

by Di Morrissey

  ‘Where’re you going?’ asked Jessica.

  ‘It’s kind of a secret.’ He grinned. ‘But come along, I think you’ll find it pretty eye-opening. We could have dinner back in Hobart tomorrow night and then you’ll be there to meet Sally and Toby the following day. I spoke to Carmen yesterday and she said you could stay at her city place; she’s coming over to hear Sean, too.’

  ‘Now that sounds very mysterious!’ said Sally.

  ‘I can tell you this much – it’s to do with my work, and it’s a chance to see something really rare,’ said Dan.

  ‘Okay, I’m hooked,’ said Jessica with a smile.

  ‘Pack a jacket, might be cold up there. Misty. It’s up a mountain, hence the chopper,’ were all the clues he’d give her.

  ‘So where do we rendezvous?’

  ‘We’ll need to leave here early in the morning. Then afterwards, late afternoon-ish, we’ll drive to the city.’

  ‘Right, so I’d better go and pack,’ said Jessica. ‘It’s been a great evening, Sal. G’night, all. See you for an early breakfast, Dan.’

  Sally followed Jessica as Dan and Toby finished their drinks. ‘Well, sounds like you’re in for a treat,’ she said to Jessica. ‘You okay about zooming off to the wilds in a chopper?’

  ‘I think so. I’ll see you at the talk, and text you before then.’ Jessica hugged Sally. ‘Sleep in, Dan and I can get ourselves off in the morning.’

  *

  The sun was up and the early morning mist had cleared by the time Dan parked the car beside an isolated airstrip. The only buildings in sight were a tin shed and a hangar.

  ‘Who owns this place?’ asked Jessica.

  ‘Government environment agency. An official from the agency is coming with us. There’s my mate Leo, the camera­man.’ Dan waved at a man standing outside the hangar, who began to head towards them. ‘We’ve worked together a few times before. I’ve even acted as his sound man.’

  ‘Why is the official guy coming?’ asked Jessica.

  ‘Ah, top secret!’ he joked. ‘Seriously, though, you’ll find out soon. By the way, you’re my associate for today.’

  ‘I’m not carrying anything,’ retorted Jessica.

  Leo arrived and slapped Dan on the back. ‘Long time since I’ve seen you, buddy.’ The older man smiled at Jessica and held out his hand. ‘Leo Andrews.’

  ‘Jessica Foster,’ she replied.

  ‘Dr Foster is helping me out,’ said Dan.

  ‘Good to meet you, Dr Foster,’ said Leo.

  ‘Just call me Jessica,’ Jess laughed. ‘No one at home here in Tassie ever uses the “doctor” part.’

  ‘How’re things with you, Leo?’ Dan asked.

  ‘Up and down. Been doing some interesting stuff for National Geographic and one of the streaming channels. They’d love this.’

  ‘Today’s just a check-up. Don’t think we’ll see anything too dramatic. I’m looking forward to it, though.’

  ‘I prefer run-of-the-mill over dramatic when it comes to helicopters,’ said Jessica firmly. ‘I’ll just enjoy the view.’

  Leo raised an eyebrow and chuckled. ‘I don’t think so.’

  The pilot, recognisable by his khaki shirt with an insignia on the pocket, came out of the hangar and walked towards them. ‘G’day. Let’s get ready, we’re cleared weatherwise.’ He shook their hands as they introduced themselves. ‘Tony Lord.’

  ‘Known as his lordship,’ Leo said, and smiled.

  The pilot gave a brief smile. ‘The government guy can’t come, so it’s just the four of us today. Okay, let me stow the gear. Leo, you better nurse that machine of yours. Here you go. Shoes off, easier here than at the other end.’

  ‘Bare feet?’ said Jessica.

  ‘Nah, socks with special rubber soles.’ He handed them each a pair of soft booties. ‘And the blindfolds. Sorry, but regulations. I’ll let you know after take-off when to put them on.’

  ‘Blindfolds?’ Jessica looked at Dan, who shrugged.

  ‘Sorry. Can’t afford just anyone going in there and contaminating the area, or finding out where it is. Too rare and precious. Right, hop on board.’

  Tony showed them where to sit; Leo beside him, and Dan and Jessica in the back. Then he ran through the safety drill, adding, ‘After take-off I’ll instruct you to put the blindfolds on. It’s not for too long.’

  Seatbelts clicked on, then the helicopter lifted off the strip, circled and rose into the blueness towards the mountain ranges.

  ‘It’s rugged country down here in the south-west,’ Leo said, his voice crackling through their headsets.

  ‘Where on earth are we going to land?’ wondered Jessica, looking at the blanket of green below.

  ‘There’s a handkerchief strip cleared for us in the scrub,’ said Leo. Turning to Tony, he asked, ‘Can I take a couple of quick shots from here?’

  ‘Yep, but make it quick and no landmarks.’

  After what seemed to Jessica just a few minutes’ time, Tony instructed them, ‘Put the blindfolds on, please.’

  It felt weird sitting in the vibrating helicopter, sensing its change of direction but unable to get her bearings. She clutched her seat as she felt them tilt.

  ‘Okay back there, folks?’ Tony’s voice crackled. ‘We’re starting to descend.’

  Suddenly there was a scraping noise and a bump as the skids hit the ground. ‘Stay seated. Right, you can take off the blindfolds.’

  ‘You okay?’ asked Dan as Jessica drew a deep breath.

  ‘Was that absolutely necessary? The blindfolds?’

  He gestured around. ‘Any idea where we are?’

  ‘Nope. I can only see scrub and a distant peak.’

  ‘That’s the idea. I suppose we could be almost anywhere in Tassie.’

  As the rotors stopped, Tony and Leo jumped out. Cradling his camera, Leo ran from the chopper and, turning, quickly began filming Jessica and Dan getting out and staring around.

  ‘What’s Leo doing?’

  ‘Ah, bit of human interest, I guess. Is that okay?’

  Jessica shrugged. ‘What’s it all for?’

  ‘The university or Botanical Gardens, I s’pose. He does a lot of stuff for them.’

  ‘Ready?’ Tony called across. ‘Follow me. You’ve been here before, Dan?’

  ‘No. I’ve seen a sample in the Seed Conservation Centre. I know what to check for.’

  ‘We’re looking at seeds, a plant? Why the secrecy?’ said Jessica.

  ‘It’s rare.’

  ‘Must be,’ she muttered as she stumbled slightly on the rough track in the thin booties they had to wear. Then she paused, looking at the rainforest peaks above them and the thick understorey. ‘We’re not so high up, are we?’

  ‘No, there’s a river below us. Do you hike?’ Dan said.

  ‘Not really. I prefer the water or the forest on flat land. Hate this wind.’

  ‘I’m a water man. Used to have a boat in Sydney. Had a dream once to sail around the world. I’ve put that on hold.’

  ‘Yes. We like sailing too.’

  ‘We?’

  ‘Sal and me. We used to take her grandfather’s boat out. Classic Huon pine. The Charlotte-Ann.’

  ‘Nice.’

  Tony paused in front of them. ‘Leo has gone ahead to get into position. He wants you to say a few words, bit of a description.’

  ‘Now he tells me.’ Dan laughed. ‘I’ll talk to you about what we’re seeing, if that’s okay, Jess?’

  ‘I have no idea about anything, so sure.’

  ‘It’s closed in a lot, and it’s much wetter than it was when I was here last, a couple of years ago,’ Tony said.

  They slowed as they came to a tangle of bushes and trees where Leo was busily filming.

  ‘All right, let’s just wing it,’
he called, signalling to Dan.

  Dan led Jessica towards the closest bush and pointed to the spiky shiny green leaves. ‘Lomatia tasmanica,’ he said to her, and Jess stepped closer and stood beside him. Dan spoke quietly, reverentially. ‘This plant and its clones – they’re all connected as one – has been growing here for at least forty-three thousand years.’

  Jessica gasped. ‘This plant? All that time? Here?’

  Dan nodded with a slight smile. ‘It’s the world’s oldest living plant. It’s also known as King’s Holly.’

  ‘It does look like holly, does it have red berries?’ asked Jessica, awestruck.

  ‘We’ve never seen seeds and only once a flower sample. It was discovered by a wonderful local man, Deny King, in 1937. He was mining for tin around here and was something of an amateur naturalist. It wasn’t formally identified till 1967.’

  ‘It’s so hard to believe!’

  ‘We’re here to check on it, as the plant has been suffering root rot. Maybe the overstorey has shaded it too much, and climate change is affecting it.’

  ‘May I touch it?’ When Dan nodded, she reached out and lightly stroked a leaf with the tip of her finger.

  ‘What was the world like when this plant was young, I wonder?’ Dan said softly.

  Jessica couldn’t speak, and felt tears spring to her eyes. ‘This is so . . . special,’ she managed.

  ‘I’m taking samples for the Botanical Gardens in Hobart. Scientists there have been slowly propagating it from tissue samples, which is unusual. It’s been a very difficult process, but they have maybe fifty plants in the nursery now.’

  Leo moved in with the camera as Dan looked in his shoulder bag for his sample materials.

  ‘Thank you, Dan,’ said Jessica quietly.

  He glanced at her. ‘I thought you’d appreciate seeing this.’

  By the time the helicopter had taken off and they’d removed their blindfolds, Jessica realised it was well into the afternoon. Time had seemed to stand still when they were doing the filming.

  ‘Sorry we’ve missed lunch. What do you fancy for dinner?’ asked Dan.

  ‘I’m easy. But I’ll buy you a glass of champagne first up to thank you for today. It was just incredible.’

  *

  Dan and Jessica drove to Carmen’s house after dinner, and she had just come in from Lone Island when they arrived. Her city house was as eclectic as her island cottage, but far more upmarket. ‘Parents’ and grandparents’ furniture,’ she explained, waving an arm at the beautiful antiques and baby grand piano Jessica admired.

  Over coffee and cake Carmen said, ‘Dan, don’t forget that Sean has made arrangements to go up to Mt Field tomorrow. He’s meeting one of the science guys up there. Would you like to go too, Jessica?’

  ‘Absolutely, I’ll put my hand up!’ said Jessica. ‘There’re those glacier lakes up there, right?’

  ‘Yes, the Tarns, and beautiful waterfalls as well as hikes through the rainforest,’ added Carmen. ‘It was the first nature reserve in the state.’

  ‘Isn’t it where they caught the last thylacine?’ Jessica said.

  Dan nodded. ‘Yes. Though Sean reckons he knows people who say they saw a thylacine up there a few years back. But there was a baiting scheme with 1080 poison some years ago that would have wiped them out, as well as wallabies and whatever else,’ he said with a grimace.

  ‘Why is Sean going there?’

  ‘Fungi,’ said Carmen and Dan together.

  ‘There’s a great variety up there. We’ll be back in time for you to relax a bit before his lecture,’ added Dan.

  ‘Count me in,’ said Jessica.

  ‘See you around eight in the morning, then. I’ll bring Sean with me,’ said Dan.

  ‘Wonderful, I’m looking forward to meeting him. Thanks for today, Dan.’

  After Dan had left, Carmen led Jessica upstairs. ‘Come and I’ll show you your room, you must be pooped,’ she said. ‘Victor sends his best, by the way.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Jessica yawned.

  ‘How was dinner with Dan?’

  ‘Lovely. I couldn’t get over where we went today . . . that plant . . . it was so sweet of him to think of inviting me.’

  ‘He likes you. Thinks you should be working in the field. Move out of a lab and in with the plants.’ Carmen smiled as she handed Jessica a fresh towel.

  ‘Botany? I’m not sure where my experience would fit in. But I will have to start thinking about picking up my life again.’ She sighed. ‘Getting a job.’

  ‘Hang out with Dan a bit,’ suggested Carmen. ‘He seems to know people in a lot of different fields. And he is good company.’

  ‘Yes, he is,’ said Jessica.

  ‘Here’s your room. See you in the morning. Bonne nuit. Sweet dreams, Jessica.’

  *

  ‘Dan’s just arrived,’ called Carmen.

  Jessica grabbed her jacket and bag and gave Carmen a quick hug at the door. ‘Thanks for everything, Carmen. See you later.’

  ‘Enjoy the mountain.’

  Dan opened the garden gate for her as Sean Hyland seemed to explode from the front seat of Dan’s car. He was tall and solid, with a ruddy complexion and hair that struck Jessica as ‘electrocuted’ – frizzed and standing on end in a bushy red-grey halo. He was beaming and chuckling as he talked. ‘Splendid, wonderful. You’re Jessica. Lovely to meet you.’ He grabbed her hand and pumped it.

  ‘This is Distinguished Professor Dr Sean Hyland,’ said Dan.

  ‘Call me Sean, call me Sean, now that you know I am “distinguished”.’ He laughed. ‘Here, you take the front.’

  Dan winked at Jessica as he got behind the wheel and Sean settled himself in the back seat.

  The hour’s drive to Mt Field melted away as Sean talked and laughed. Occasionally he railed in mock horror and despair, but almost every sentence was punctuated with a peal of laughter, even as he described his frustration with the tourism industry’s tactics in wilderness areas.

  ‘The great shadow of ecotourism, garnished with gourmet food and vintage wines, is served up to lure people to pay exorbitant rates for experiences they could have – and have better – for free!’ On a roll, he continued, ‘It’s development at all costs from government and business, no matter how tacky or tawdry, or even tasteful, so long as it caters to tourism. It will ruin more than we realise.’

  ‘And you’ll hear more about that tonight!’ said Dan as he parked and they all got out.

  They were walking through the great forest of tall swamp gums on the mountain when Sean sprang into a pose like a Samurai warrior.

  ‘Aha! Here, behold, the beauties!’ He pointed to a cluster of bright yellow mushrooms. ‘Cortinarius sinapicolor. Also called Slimy Yellow Cortina,’ he said to Jessica with a chuckle.

  ‘I can see why,’ she said. ‘And we’re standing on kilometres of mycelium filaments under there, right?’ She pointed to the roots of the trees.

  ‘Brava!’ He laughed. ‘Yes, the superb inter­connectivity of fungi, they’re unique in fulfilling ecological roles not provided by other organisms. Mycelium is a framework, literally and metaphorically, for nature and society, from making soil to providing food and medicine. It’s an example of interconnectedness in all conceivable ways. Miraculous, magic and mysterious, eh?’ He chortled.

  Two hikers standing close by came over to see what they were looking at and one said, ‘They don’t look edible!’

  ‘Too pretty to pick,’ added the woman.

  ‘Definitely. Don’t eat these guys,’ said Dan.

  ‘They’re too important working just where they are,’ said Sean cheerfully. ‘You know how to tell if a mushroom is edible?’

  When they shook their heads, he laughed. ‘Don’t risk it! Go and look up Fungimap. Tells you everything you want to know about fungi. Join them, it’s
a great organisation! You’ll be amazed. There’re about three hundred species of fungi in this national park alone. See if you can find some more. Become a citizen scientist!’

  His enthusiasm was infectious, and the hikers were grinning. ‘Really? Terrific. Okay, we’ll check it out.’ The couple wished them a good day and walked on.

  Sean clapped his hands. ‘How’s that then? C’mon, there’s more to look for. We have to get the park’s management to promote the fungi up here, make it an attraction. People need to know that fungi rules!’

  ‘Do we have time to go to the waterfalls?’ Jessica asked. ‘I remember that Horseshoe Falls are spectacular.’

  ‘Yes, we can head that way now,’ said Sean. ‘Let’s go.’

  *

  On the drive back to Carmen’s, Jessica was feeling overloaded with the endless stream of information and laughter from Dr Sean Hyland. She could imagine his talk that night would be just as insightful and entertaining.

  ‘I hope Sean didn’t overwhelm you,’ said Carmen, almost reading her thoughts when she arrived back. ‘Would you like a coffee or something stronger?’

  ‘Thanks, Carmen, a coffee would be great. Well, I am just amazed at what a broad subject mycology is, how it covers so many disciplines, and how little awareness there is about fungi.’

  ‘Its time is coming. You know how it is when you put something out there into the universe and it just starts to build its own momentum. Suddenly something you think only you know about is being talked about and written about, and so on. Sean isn’t alone; many other people have been following their own path to this for decades, and there’s a young Canadian guy in his thirties who’s working with Sean, who is writing books about fungi and doing wonderful things.’

  ‘Sean said that some important mushroom products are starting to be manufactured,’ said Jessica.

  ‘That’s right. Products that can help clean up toxins, save our soil and trees and water. Sean’s been working on some, and he’s the kind of person who shares his research, motivates others, and tries to have altruistic bodies market it freely.’

  ‘But the cost of researching, experimenting and producing these products has to be paid by somebody,’ said Jessica.