The Australian bush at first sight looks like a very messy jumble of tall trees, shrubs and grasses and tangled undergrowth.

What I found on closer examination was a whole world in miniature with wonderful native plants, insects and detail that rewarded my patience.

One of the things I love about the bush is the wonderful range of colors and textures in the native trees. I am also fascinated by their ability to resist and survive the savage heat of the bushfires that can roar through the forest with terrifying speed and intensity. The blackened tree on the left suffered burnt bark but is still alive and growing, several years after the last fire.