Bananas

Apart from digging huge quantities of copper, gold, and uranium from the scorched earth, Australia is mostly an agricultural country and the fruit and vegetables are fantastic. Much of it is also only available in season as very little fruit is imported. So right now we have no mangos but loads of big, juicy, and very tasty mandarins to go with the dozens of lemons which are weighing down the branches of the tree in our garden.

I mention this because, while taking a leisurely breakfast at a smart cafe this weekend, I was surprised to see slices of banana decorating my porridge. I have nothing against bananas in my porridge, quite the opposite; I was taken aback because this was my first banana for three months and normally I am near the front of the queue at the greengrocers.

In April, cyclone Larry crashed into northern Queensland and, by the time it blew out again, took the livelihoods of the banana farmers with it. The pictures of trees ripped out of the ground were pretty dramatic and over 80,000 houses had no power for a week.

Apparently the trees will grow back relatively quickly and the government have looked suitably concerned, which, while reassuring for the farmers, still leaves the country in the grip of a banana squeeze.

So, along with big gaps on the shelves at the greengrocers, there are signs in cafes which say ‘No Banana Milkshakes’ and if you fancy a banana and cinnamon muffin with your breakfast latte…forget it.

While a few bananas are still on sale, the laws of supply and demand dictate that the price is around £1 per banana. And those available are not the prettiest of fruit. At the moment you have to be a big fan of small black bananas to get your fix.

The obvious solution would be to import a few tonnes of bananas, but this is Australia and they are particularly wary of inadvertently introducing more virulent pests and diseases at the same time.

Australia is rightly very worried about importing new variables into its ecological mix. The place is a unique and fragile environment which has evolved largely in isolation and is vulnerable to imported species, be they cats, toads, ants, weeds or viruses.

But that’s a long story and the exploits of the feral camels will have to wait for another day.

Meanwhile, in the absence of reasonably priced, yellow bananas, Mandy has just about completed her apprenticeship at the wildlife park. After six months of sweeping up leaves and dusting out cobwebs in mortal fear of snakes and spiders, she has been offered a role working with koalas. This is a much sought after job which involves picking up droppings and fetching truck loads of eucalyptus leaves. It is the pinnacle of the volunteer’s career path.

Inbetween stooping to pick up marsupial pooh, she will continue as rat breeder in chief, a role very popular with the snake population of the wildlife park. This makes her lots of friends, as the picture shows…I reckon the smile is a little forced.

As for me, the highlight of my week was a narrow victory at the ping pong table over a very disappointed town planner. There really is nothing more satisfying than beating an Aussie at absolutely anything. I guess everyone must have a hobby.

Keep well
M&W