A Tawny frogmouth, often mistaken for an owl. Mat: “They’re beautiful and so well camouflaged.”
Story by Julie Nance, photos and video: Mat van der Aa
Mat van der Aa swapped detonating explosives in the Air Force for life as an outdoor educator and guide. His ‘office’ is the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, and his mission is to inspire teenagers to respect and love the bush as much as he does. The lower Mountains resident shares some of his favourite wildlife photos and videos, including his most memorable moment – a Superb Lyrebird mimicking other birds and dancing.
Mat immerses himself in nature every week and enjoys motivating young people to gain the physical and psychological benefits he does.
Mat was having a rough day when he chanced upon a lyrebird on Prince Henry Cliff walk in Katoomba. He had spotted lyrebirds in the bush plenty of times but this was the first time he saw one dance. The biggest bonus was being able to sit and watch its performance for 15 minutes.
“It actually moved me quite a lot,” Mat says. “I was a little bit emotional driving home and it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever witnessed. It was magical.”
Carol Probets, Blue Mountains birding guide of more than 30 years, explains what the lyrebird is doing in each of the videos:
Video 1: This is a typical stream of mimicry of other bird calls interspersed with the lyrebird’s own territorial song. Other bird calls include Pied Currawong, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Shrike-thrush and Satin Bowerbird.
Video 2: Male lyrebirds generally display on a scratched-up mound of earth, but they also display on logs and in trees, as this bird is doing. Here, his tail is inverted over his body and spread wide. You can see the right lyrate feather is broken off with only a short stub remaining. A new feather will grow the next time the bird moults. The repeated clicking sound is part of the bird’s normal breeding display and may serve as an invitation to females.
Q and A with Mat
You are a 19-year veteran of both the Army and Air Force, the latter part working in explosive ordinance disposal. That sounds more nerve-racking than your current role.
I wanted to give back to society. Defence around the world has put a lot of explosives out there and I wanted to get rid of at least some of them. It didn’t end up agreeing with my body so I thought of another path and that’s what I’m doing now.
I help facilitate school camps and Duke of Edinburgh programs which involve a hike but at times a paddle too or just a paddle program.
It has an emphasis on service, volunteering, learning new skills and sport. It’s an adventurous journey which basically puts the students outside their comfort zone and builds resilience. I get to have fun and run around in the bush as well. For the school camps I run activities including confidence courses, kayaking, canoeing, bushwalking, abseiling, climbing, a bit of archery and an obstacle course.
Mat climbing in his spare time: “I grew up on a dairy farm in New Zealand. Since moving to the Blueys, I’ve developed a strong appreciation of the Australian bush.”
How important is connecting to nature for you?
It’s integral to good mental health. We’ve come a long way from sticks and stones and having to run our prey down but we didn’t evolve to live inside four walls.
I just know that previously dealing with depression and anxiety, if I’m out in nature it really helps. A Sydney Red Gum loves a good hug and it’s super nice when it’s a really hot day and the tree is quite cool. It’s the same if I’m in a kayak, canoe or on a stand-up board; you realise you are very small in the grand scheme of things. While my problems are very real, they don’t particularly matter a whole lot to everything else that’s going on. Being out in nature just gives you a bit of perspective every now and then.
“Some kind of cool caterpillar. He was just down below Martin’s Lookout where there’s a rock climbing crag, Slab World.”
Are students nervous in the bush?
I obviously do a brief on snakes before we start running around. All the usual things like stop and back away slowly. Snakes aren’t by nature aggressive and they’re not going to attack unless you step on them or they feel threatened or cornered. Normally though, they’ll go the other way quite quickly.
You definitely get a lot of squeals with spiders and that’s something we have to drum into students, that a spider is not an emergency. Don’t wake us up if there’s a spider in your tent.
Diamond python: “That was the second one I saw that morning. You respect their space and they won’t enter yours.”
What on earth is that? Mat: “Sawfly larvae. They love gum leaves.”
What do you like most about sharing your bush playground with students?
A lot of kids are book smart but don’t venture outside much. Some haven’t been exposed to the bush at all. At the start of a camp everything seems very unachievable to them. When we’ve gone up a hill, down into a saddle and back up and you’re sitting there looking back at the hill; it’s not particularly high by an adult’s standards but these kids look back in disbelief. And then there’s a little light in their eyes like ‘I just did that. I can do these things’. It’s pretty cool to watch the evolution of the thoughts in their minds and the looks on their faces.
The group I had last week, it was wonderful watching the growth from the first day to the fourth day of camp when they were leaving. I like being able to impart a little bit of love and curiosity about the environment, how to have minimal impact and all the different animals we come across.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Thank you Blue Mountains community for the generous donation of 11 sewing machines which we`ll be using for our free sewing workshop with Boomerang Bags at the Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 November at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. It`s an opportunity for the whole family to make free Christmas presents that `don`t cost the earth`! Register here if you`d like to attend (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J (and you`ll get a free fire retardant plant from Santa while you`re there!)
Did you know that Australia has the world`s highest incidence of asbestos-related diseases per capita in the world, killing more than 4,000 Australians every year - three times more than the annual road toll; and that asbestos-related deaths are predicted to rise! Asbestos isn’t just in fibro homes and sheds - it was used in the manufacture of more than 3000 asbestos containing products with many of these products remaining in any brick, fibro, weatherboard, clad home or apartment built or renovated before 1990. Asbestos was used everywhere in homes - lurking under floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, home extensions, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even in dog kennels. Exposure to asbestos fibres during home renovations has been linked to 51% of mesothelioma deaths. There is no cure for mesothelioma. The average survival time following diagnosis is just 10-12 months. Homeowners, renovators and tradies are most at risk of exposure if they disturb asbestos containing materials. On Saturday 22 November, “Betty – The Asbestos Education House” will be a prominent feature of the Blue Mountains City Council’s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo to help educate local homeowners and tradies about the dangers of asbestos that remains lurking in 1-in-3 Aussie homes including many throughout the Blue Mountains region as part of National Asbestos Awareness Month (November). There will also be workshops and stalls on asbestos and a range of other hazardous materials and how you can manage them to protect youreself, your family and your community. Find out more and register here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Emily from @handsheartfeet will be leading a free drumming workshop at the Planetary Health Centre Expo and Family Day in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. It`s suitable for all ages and so much fun! Places are limited so reserve your spot here: https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J (link in profile)
The Planetary Health newsletter is now out! Read it here: https://bit.ly/4o1FflK (link in profile)
It includes: • Expo and Family Day on Nov 22 • A Story of Purpose & Mental Health with Rotarian Peter Joseph AM from the Black Dog Institute on Nov 29 • How to Use a Sewing Machine Workshop on Nov 29 • Qigong, Upper Mountains Seed Saving & Gardening Group and Planetary Health Bushcare on Dec 6 • Legalising human composting as a sustainable death care option in NSW • The Climate Risk and Adaptation Plan for the Blue Mountains
We are so excited to be launching revolutionary new fire protection coatings that can stop your home burning down and slow the spread of fire. Learn more and pick up a sample pot at the Planetary Health Expo on Sat 22 Nov at 10am. FIRECOAT interior and exterior undercoat has been developed by scientists at UNSW and is already available for this fire season but new products will also be shared at the Expo, including a flexible fire-protective covering designed for temporary use on windows, doors, poles, fences, vehicles, equipment and other small assets. There is even a product that can create a fire-protective barrier around your home and these assets. FIRECOAT is waterproof, non toxic and game changing. Register here to attend the launch (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J and PLEASE SHARE. This breakthrough technology can help make our communities safer.
We’re thrilled that engineer Mark Liebman, who built a green roof in Blackheath, will be giving a free talk at the Planetary Health Centre Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 November. Green roofs cool buildings, reduce stormwater runoff and increase biodiversity. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and get tips on how to do it yourself. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Are there native bees and insects in your garden? Today is the first day of Australian Pollinator Week and native bee ecologist and musician @amelie_ecology has just released a new single with Costa Georgiadis @costasworld called ‘Not all Pests’. We’re thrilled that Amelie will be performing her songs and running a free interactive workshop on what we can do to support our native pollinators at the Planetary Health Expo and Family Day on Saturday 22nd November. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
and you can stream ’Not all Pests’ here (link in profile): https://amelieecology.bandcamp.com/track/not-all-pests
There are so many ways to have a greener healthier Christmas! Ever thought of giving a voucher for Tai Chi and Qigong classes? You can try out one of our Qigong classes at the Planetary Health Centre this Saturday at 9am. Tutor Virginia Field is currently introducing Qigong`s 5-Animals Play, an ancient practice which developed from observing animals and mimicking their behaviour. Reserve a spot here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3JlOAXh Find other ideas for a greener Christmas on Council`s website here: www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/greenchristmas
Or come along to our Expo and Family Day on 22 November and try out some other great options like drumming classes, sewing and fashion upcycling! Register to attend here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/disaster-risk-awareness-expo-or-full-cycle-2025
We’ve had some great news! Santa is coming to the free Community BBQ at the Planetary Health Centre Expo in Katoomba on Saturday 22 November. He’s arriving early to help us celebrate Christmas in a way that’s safer and healthier for us and the planet, and he’s let us know that he’ll be giving everyone who comes a free fire-retardant plant for their garden. We’re so thrilled we’re putting on fun family events for the day: from a fabulous free drumming workshop with Emily from Hands, Heart and Feet, to live music and a pollinator hunt with Amelie Ecology, and workshops to create plastic-free Christmas presents. There’ll also be an opportunity to meet the RFS, NSW Fire & Rescue, Red Cross and other emergency services. Come and learn ways to keep the family safe while also having fun, enjoying a coffee, sampling some plant-based sweets and a free BBQ lunch, and taking home lots of useful information about hazardous materials and preparing for extreme weather events! Register here to attend (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/disaster-risk-awareness-expo-or-full-cycle-2025?
Do you feel overwhelmed about preparing your home for bushfire? Come along to the free Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit Workshop at the Disaster Risk Awareness Expo (and pre-Christmas Family Day) at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on Saturday 22 Nov. Meet the team who developed the Toolkit and learn to use it in a free, 2-hour interactive workshop. You will have the opportunity to work on case study properties in small groups and ask the team questions about your own property. Free afternoon tea provided. Bookings essential here (Disaster Risk Awareness Expo link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/disaster-risk-awareness-expo-or-full-cycle-2025/tickets #beprepared #bushfire #retrofit #disasterriskawareness #planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains #bushfireretrofittoolkit...
When we pulled up some old lino we were shocked to learn at the Katoomba Resource Recovery and Waste Management Facility that it was made of asbestos. There are so many parts of old homes in the Blue Mountains that contain asbestos, so, to help keep everyone safe, we`ve invited Betty the Asbestos Education House to the Planetary Health Centre on Saturday 22nd November as part of our Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and pre-Christmas Family Day. Betty is a purpose built, mobile model home designed to demonstrate where asbestos might be found in and around any Australian home built or renovated before 1990. Her exterior resembles a typical fibro home but when opened up, she has extensive audio and visual information including a bathroom, kitchen, living room, man shed/garage and a dog house. You can learn more and register to attend this free event here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
Yesterday we launched the Upper Mountains Seed Saving and Gardening Group at the Planetary Health Centre. It`s the perfect time to get planting so we shared locally acclimatised seeds for a variety of beans (they don`t cross-pollinate so you can plant as many varieties as you can fit in!), round yellow zucchinis, Japanese pumpkins and Roi de Carouby peas. Seeds are arguably one of the best return on investments you can make in your life. Plant one tiny celery seed and when that plant goes to seed you can harvest thousands to replant and to sprout and add to your salads. We`ll be meeting on the first Saturday of every month as part of Skill Share Saturdays at the Planetary Health Centre. Our next meeting will be Saturday 6 Dec. Register here if you`d like to attend (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-upper-mountains-seed-saving-and-gardening-group?
Julie Nance is a community storyteller with the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. In her coverage of the Lower Mountains area, she brings 30 years’ experience in communications, publishing and journalism.
After specialising in health and social issues as a journalist, Julie led creative teams in the government and not-for-profit sectors including the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, YMCA NSW, Cancer Council NSW and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Julie is passionate about empowering people with quality information to help them make informed choices.
The South Eastern Glossy Black Cockatoo is one of Australia's rarest native birds, with a population of just 8,000. Happily the staff and students at Glenbrook Public School were not willing to give up on the flocks who make their home in the Blue Mountains region, with the Glossy Black Cockatoo as the theme for their recent National Science Week program.
