In Defence of the Bush explores the complexities of Oatley Park, a wooded-peninsula containing a plethora of ecosystems functioning in one space. Oatley Park is an escape from the encapsulating urban scrawl surrounding it; a rare, beautiful occurrence in Sydney. Referencing Australian bush poet A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s poem, In Defence of the Bush, the book reflects on what native land within contemporary cities can truly be, and how moments of Australian bush remain within the continually developed Sydney Basin. Due to the holistic implications of colonisation and industrialisation, it’s important to embrace and return to spaces that have transcended thousands of years.
