Perenties are the world’s fourth largest reptile, and can be 2.5m long and weigh 20kg. Their head and neck has a distinctive reticulated pattern of black on a cream background and the body has light rosettes edged in black.

Perenties are found across the arid country in the centre of Australia. Their name comes from the Dyari language from the east of Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre. They eat eggs, birds, reptiles and small mammals.

Australia is a stronghold for monitor lizards, ...

I joined ABW in 1980, but I have no record of when Frank joined – maybe a year or two before that. From the time I joined ABW, Frank was a driving force in the Club. In due course, he was justly awarded Life Membership.

I formed a firm friendship with Frank, particularly as a result of the many walks and trips I shared with him Sadly, a debilitating illness took hold of him, and he saw out his days in a ...

We left at approximately 8 o’clock on the Thursday morning, but the train was slow and, of course, late, so that we had practically no time in Pt. Augusta. Fortunately, we now know the eating shops in Quorn, and so we dived for the nearest as the train pulled into the station and made short work of ham and eggs.

On again, reaching Copley at 5 a.m. we stumbled across the station yards in the darkness towards a glimmer of light ...