Off Track

INTRODUCING — What The Duck?!

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Australia is full of weird plants and animals. And Dr Ann Jones is on speaking terms with most of them! Each week Ann explores the most unusual eleme...

The end of the track

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Off Track adventure has come to an end.

Antarctic blue whales and their amazing hums

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The song calls of Antarctic blue whales are so deep that they're almost infrasonic - you feel them as much as you hear them.

Live long, little lizard [RE-ISSUE]

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After 35 years, some of the same sleepy lizards are still alive, still with the same lizard partner.

The bilby, the moon and the Birriliburu Rangers

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A bilby dreaming story guides a mother with a sick child to an outback town. Decades later, the child returns to repay the favour and look after the ...

The Blythe Star sinks off Tasmania [RE-ISSUE]

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While all ten crew members of the Blythe Star got out alive after she capsized, not all would survive the ordeal that followed.

Growls, grunts and currawong songs [Earworms from Planet earth XIX]

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is Australia and the world, as heard by you, the listeners of Off Track.

Nature tells us who we are

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nature can be sanctuary, as well as family and guide.

Sounds fishy [RE-ISSUE]

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just under the surface of the ocean, a cacophony of sound awaits.

Any louder and that frog will explode [Part 2 RE-ISSUE]

26 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's all very well recording frog sounds, but what are they trying to say?

Any louder and that frog will explode [Part 1 RE-ISSUE]

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Murray Littlejohn first recorded the moaning frogs of WA on a device made from a gramophone mechanism in the early 1950s.

Fire, fire everywhere

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How can you appreciate the ecological importance of fire, but also fight fires with all your might? 

Circling piranhas and a kangaroo fight [Incident Report 06]

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just when you thought it might be safe to get back out into nature, you get zapped back to reality.

From Darth Vader to Mardi Gras

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can you defend yourself against a predator more than 200 times your size with a costume change?

Slipping away in the South West

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What's been dumped on our beaches and what's been taken away?

Making every bird count

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why are the birds in our neighbourhoods changing?

The lone fisher

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a tiny town called Windy, a woman seeks a life of isolation.

Kukenarup: Possibilities of place

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This site of huge ecological significance has a violent history.

The river visitor making a splash

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Melbourne's Yarra river has an unexpected inhabitant, and its bringing joy to people in the locked-down city and beyond.

Spineless swimmers and crawling crustaceans

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the groundwater beneath the Nullabor, there are billions of tiny crustaceans crawling between the grains of sand.

Crickets and sprickets 

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the tiny creatures who live in the earth beneath your feet

Slime in the city

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tanya Latty kept a slime mould in her desk drawer at the University. And that got her thinking – are there other slime moulds living their best ur...

Ticked-off in Sydney

27 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Northern Sydneysiders might not like the sound of the latest research into tick hosts in their backyards.

Going home to a mice plague

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When a final visit to the family farm is rudely interrupted by rodents

Hunting for hoots

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you listen closely you might just hear something you've never heard before.

Owl with attitude [UPDATE]

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lurking in the tall trees of our busy cities and suburbs is a powerful hunter.

And your bug can sing [RE-ISSUE]

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The underwater sounds in this creek near Brisbane are like an eclectic jam session.

The butterfly and its goldilocks ant [RE-ISSUE]

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The survival of one of the rarest butterflies in the world is entirely reliant on an ant.

In honour of moths

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Let's study moths so we can celebrate them properly

Conserving small things on a big scale 

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If invertebrates make up over 90% of animals on earth, why do they receive so little conservation funding?

Like a field of blue popcorn

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

During summer on top of Australia's highest mountain, fields of brilliant turquoise skyhoppers bloom.

The BFG of the insect world

25 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What’s built like an armoured vehicle, but is super-dooper maternal, has a career as an architect AND is an environmentalist? You’d never guess t...

Listening to the Natural World

18 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's World Listening Day so we are taking a journey through sounds recorded by the audience and one of Australia's most successful nature sound recor...

Do your friends make you smarter?

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Magpies might be boosting their bird brains with friends.

The real magpies of Western Australia

04 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When our favourite black and white birds bring the drama!

Sounds fishy

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just under the surface of the ocean, a cacophony of sound awaits.

The point of zoos [RE-ISSUE]

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At the Bronx zoo in New York, Lynne Malcolm explores its potential as an agent for conservation and public education about the natural world.

Ethics, extinction and modern day zoos

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With often complex and cruel histories, can we trust zoos to have animals' best interests at heart?

A tiger, a tortoise and sounds of the zoo

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You might have heard an elephant trumpet but have you heard one fart?

Suction bogs and stealing eagles [Incident Report 05]

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just when you thought it was safe to get back out into nature, you get bitten on the eyeball and bog the car next to a crocodile infested river.

A majesty peculiar to the species [RE-ISSUE]

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There is something about the Wedge-tailed Eagle which grips this man in the guts.

The other lyrebird and its anthems 

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Albert's lyrebird has a tiny range, but an epic song repertoire.

Lyrebirds: Equality now! [RE-ISSUE]

09 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Female lyrebirds should be rock stars in their own right.

Lyrebirds: Lyre, lyre, dancefloor on fire [RE-ISSUE]

02 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Triple Blue is a superb lyrebird stud muffin.

Lyrebirds: Repeat after me [RE-ISSUE]

26 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You might think you know the story of the lyrebird. Think again.

Traps, lies, and covered eyes

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lyrebird deception just got deeper.

Woof-woof, boo-book [Earworms from Planet Earth XVIII] 

12 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Endangered animal sounds and scientists imitating them. 

Will the Aussie bush really kill you?

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Venomous trees and angry snakes - just what we need.

Drying without dying

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Urban greening takes a tiny turn

Are we 'burning in ignorance'?

19 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In South West WA, there are concerns that prescribed burning is negatively impacting an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot.

It's not a koala bear, it's a koala boom

12 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've all heard the stories of the koala on the brink of extinction, but in parts of Victoria, is the exact opposite – the koalas are booming and i...

Clapping witches hiding in swamps and other weird sounds [Earworms from Planet Earth XVII]

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An Italian folk tale comes to life in an Australian swamp and a meditating man fails to control his ferocious whippets. Welcome to the latest episode...

Flower pots for biodiversity [RE-ISSUE]

29 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A simple flowerpot making a difference to biodiversity in Sydney's harbour.

It was a mulga snake that got him [RE-ISSUE]

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you get bitten by a snake in the middle of the bush don't do what this bloke did

How to be a bat [RE-ISSUE]

15 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is it ok to squabble over watermelon?

The banteng paradox [RE-ISSUE]

08 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Banteng are an introduced species in Arnhem Land, but in their home range, they are in danger of complete extinction. So, what to do?

And your bug can sing [RE-ISSUE]

01 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The underwater sounds in this creek near Brisbane are like an eclectic jam session.

Karajarri calling [RE-ISSUE]

25 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Over the course of the week, three pairs of shoes bite the dust, soles detached from uppers in the 45 degree heat, one microphone's glue melts and th...

Birds that sound like a haunted house [Earworms from Planet Earth XVI]

18 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you about to get murdered, or is it just a gang gang saying hello?

Frogs with tusks, whistlers in lust [Earworms from Planet Earth XV]

11 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What sounds like a hiccup, but is actually a lusty mating call for a lothario without a lover?

Bommies and black coral

04 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ancient creatures hide on Tasmania's secret reefs.

Coral city

27 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On a coral reef, everyone works to keep the city from crumbling.

Requiem for Wildlife

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To accompany ABC TV's Wild Australia: After the Fires, here is a minute of nature sound.

We all know frogs go 'bonk'

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

But do they really say 'bonk' or is it 'tonk',’ and does a foreign accent make a frog sexy?

Off Track presents Days Like These

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine spending your whole life searching for the elusive, perfect fiery opal. And then, one day, you realise you're holding — literally in the pa...

Lynne's lungs and other adventures

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lynne Malcolm lost half a lung, and it was *probably* as a result of a radio story about birds.

Banana box frog rescue service [RE-ISSUE]

06 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Unwittingly shipped almost 3000km across the continent in a hand of bananas, this small frog is going to need help getting home.

Monster in the forest [Earworms from Planet Earth XIV]

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ever heard a sound echoing through the forest and thought, "well crikey, that's gotta be a dinosaur"?

Where dragons float

23 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dragon by name, seaweed by nature

Were-willy wagtail

16 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You find yourself awake in the middle of the night and there is a willy wagtail singing to the moon. Are you loosing your mind, or does this bird occ...

Always wear the gloves and other lessons [Incident Report 04]

09 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

More quollity drama for your ears.

Who would ride a motorbike on Antarctic sea ice?

02 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

His name is George and he's a bit of a legend.

Balancing Nature: New Zealand [RE-ISSUE]

25 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A pioneering experiment to rid New Zealand of its pest problem.

Balancing Nature: Philippines [RE-ISSUE]

18 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippines is a reef fish biodiversity hotspot, but it's a delicate balance between livelihoods and sustainability in some fishing communities.

Balancing Nature: Vietnam [RE-ISSUE]

11 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you protect Vietnam's pristine forests from the fast-expanding road and dam projects?

Balancing Nature: Australia [RE-ISSUE]

04 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Take a look back at some Australian conservation efforts, from tiny reserves to landscape-scale restoration.

Behind the scenes of natural scenes

28 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered how they get those gorgeous shots of nocturnal animals on the TV?

An unscheduled Antarctic adventure

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When the icebreaker runs aground and leaves you stranded in Antarctica, what's a scientist to do?

Love song for a changing ocean [RE-ISSUE]

14 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After years of discussions with scientists, a composer writes a symphony for the sea. He calls it ex Oceano.

Sounds and showers of Macquarie Island [part two]

07 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Where endangered wildlife watches you showering with a bucket in the Antarctic wind.

Sounds and smells of Macquarie Island [part one]

31 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Where elephant seals smell like feathers and petrels sound like dragons.

He hitch-hiked with a snake in his hand

24 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin Budden was only a young bloke when he left Sydney for North Queensland with one goal in mind: to find a coastal taipan and bring it back alive....

Nipple cripples and other nibbles [Incident Report 03]

17 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Just when you thought it might be safe to get back out into nature, it gets you where you least expect it: your nipples.  

Never smile at a crocodile and other fails [Incident Report 02]

10 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Just when you thought it might be safe to get back out into nature, there’s a bite from a huge, unknown carnivore and a leech on your eyeball. This...

Fieldwork fails and flops [Incident Report 01]

03 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s not get too romantic about nature. There’s plenty of times when you end up covered in mud, at the end of your tether and on the receiving e...

Live long, little lizard [UPDATE]

26 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After 35 years, some of the same sleepy lizards are still alive, still with the same lizard partner. This episode was first broadcast in 2017, but ha...

A squirrel that glides like a magic carpet in the Himalayas [UPDATE]

19 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Gliding over a glacier in the Himalayas is a metre long squirrel with a smallish head, silky fur and a fluffy tail - but it's hardly ever been seen a...

All aboard Australia's super science ship [RE-ISSUE]

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's as if this ship has invisible cat's whiskers extending off her hull - pricked and at the ready, they sense the weather and temperature and map t...

It was a mulga snake that got him

05 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you get bitten by a snake in the middle of the bush don't do what this bloke did

[NATURE TRACK] Water Flow

05 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

No music, no voices, just the sound of a stream and frogs calling on a still, cool night in regional Victoria.

[NATURE TRACK] Shore Sounds

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

No music, no voices, just the sound of the Roebuck Bay mudflats near Broome, WA. Hear breeze across the water, crabs and mudskippers flipping and flo...

[NATURE TRACK] Forest Songs

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

No music, no voices, just the sing of the forest coming to life early one morning near Canberra.

[NATURE TRACK] Mountain Music

02 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

No music, no voices, just the sound of a valley halfway up a Tasmanian Mountain. This soundscape is full of birds and breeze echoing backwards and fo...

Off Track presents Nature Track

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Right now, more than ever, it’s important to stay in touch with nature.

How to be a bat

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is it ok to squabble over watermelon?

Western whips and a ruff duet [Earworms from Planet Earth xiii]

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Right now, finding joy in nature is just the ticket.

The perfect little rock

15 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A piece of pumice floats across the ocean like a school bus picking up young organisms – tiny planktonic corals, some barnacles, maybe a crab, an o...

Barking gecko, boop-ing emu

08 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Every evening at homes in Northern Australia, a tiny yip yip yip can be heard. And, on the other end of the spectrum, a boop boop boop can be ...

The banteng paradox

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Banteng are an introduced species in Arnhem Land, but in their home range, they are in danger of complete extinction. So, what to do?

PREVIEW RN Presents — Hot Mess: Why haven’t we fixed climate change?

30 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you are here in the Off Track feed, then, we're thinking you're probably a person who is engaged with the natural world. So, it follows that you m...