The Plains-Wanderer and friends, on a sheep station somewhere in the Riverina.
Two summers ago I set off to the Hay Plain in southern New South Wales to explore and draw the remarkable Plains-Wanderer and its grassland habitat. Ray and I stayed in the old homestead at Oolambeyan National Park while I did the preliminary work for the Riverina Grassland Ramblings colouring book. I wrote about the old homestead in The ghosts of Oolambeyan, and of my process for making the colouring book in How to draw a grassland Part One, Part two: Ecology in pictures and Part three: What lies beneath?
What lies beneath the grassland?
Riverina Grassland Ramblings was commissioned by Matt Cameron of the Office of Environment and Heritage, New South Wales. Matt saw the value in using the colouring book format to communicate the wonders of this grassland ecosystem, and also how it could be managed for wildlife and sheep production at the same time. Of especial importance is the protection of the Plains-Wanderer, a small but remarkable bird that is threatened with extinction. Riverina Grassland Ramblings is currently being distributed to landholders as part of a Plains-Wanderer stewardship program.
Wildlife, sheep (and kelpies!) can coexist in the Riverina grasslands of Australia.
Since this project was a government contract, I am not permitted to sell copies of the colouring book. But many people have requested a copy, so I’m very pleased to make the electronic version of this book available for free, through the link below. All you need to do is enter your email address and download the PDF. Then you can colour or just peruse to your heart’s delight!
(One day I might use the email you submit to send you a message about my next book. But I don’t use these email lists very often and I certainly don’t pass your details on to anyone else.)
The book can be used as a find-it book too: An illustrated index in the back lists all of the plant and animal species illustrated, and how many you need to find. Happy Ramblings!
Part of the illustrated index to species at the back of the book.
Riverina Grassland Ramblings (2016) illustrated by P Peeters (PDF 46 MB)
Click on the hyperlink above to download your colouring book. Can you find all of the species?
Thank you for this beautiful resource!
No problems!
Fabulous Paula. I didn’t get to see the final product, so I’m so thrilled to see it now! It’s just lovely, and I love the details and images of species on the final pages so we all know what we are looking at!
Thanks Belinda 🙂
Thank you Paula what an exciting project! So interesting.
Thanks Dorothy! Yes it was great fun to do, and I learn a lot about those grasslands.
What a lovely idea Paula! Thank you for your fantastic contribution to inspiring a love of nature! So marvellous for kids and adults too! I’ve heard its the whole new trendy calming thing to do! Brilliant! Love your art!
Thanks Denise, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Thank you Paula for the beautiful work you create. It was perfect timing to find you had published this booklet. I could give my nephews some colouring-in that relates to their back yard of the beautiful plains country.
Lou
Hi Lou – Thank you too – it’s lovely that you are inspiring a new generation of nature lovers! Cheers, Paula
Thanks Paula for making this book available to people…it is so rich and interesting, and your drawing is so fresh. Love it!
Sue
PS Hope it was in a milder season of the year!
Hi Sue, thanks! I’m glad the drawings look fresh, as everything was very brown and crispy when we visited the Hay Plains that February. We were a bit wilty too :). Cheers, Paula