Mirriuwong Elder Ju Ju “Burriwee” Wilson & Dana visiting ancient rock art now threatened by “controlled burning” of the Kimberley by the Western Australia government. Aboriginal leaders and environmentalists are working to change this policy.

Watch this video on YouTube.

Song available on iTunes.

The “Cows With Guns Guy” now brings you “Cane Toad Muster,” the story of the brave Australian people battling a ruthless invader, the cane toad.

The cane toad (originally from South America) was brought to Queensland, Australia by government bureaucrats (surprise, surprise) at the urging of the sugar cane industry. Instead of eating the beetles in the sugar cane, the cane toads ate everything else, and anything that ate them (goannas–large lizards, crocodiles, dogs, etc.) died, wiping out much of the large fauna across Australia.

But now in an amazing turnaround, the people of Australia are fighting back, using copious amounts of beer and a twisted new sport: “Cane Toad Muster.” Led by the outback cowboys of the eastern Kimberley (Kimberley Toad Busters:  http://www.canetoads.com.au), the cane toads are on the defensive. Will the cane toads prevail on eating all of Australia? Will the beer-swilling sports-rabid Aussies manage to make it off their sofas to battle back the cane toads? Stay tuned as this reality TV show involving an entire continent and at least 30 breweries unfolds. Cane Toad Muster!

Song and video available for download:

Video: http://cowswithguns.com/product/music-videos/cane-toad-muster-music-video/

Song (digital download): http://cowswithguns.com/product/digital-singles/cane-toad-muster/

No caption necessary.

You can learn about the boab trees at the Outback Australia Travel Guide site.

It’s tough to find a good swimming hole in the Top End of Australia.

Don’t try this at home! Never stand close to a crocodile stream. Only highly trained musicians should attempt this.

Dana tames Charlie, the now-stuffed water buffalo from the Crocodile Dundee film. Adelaide River Inn, Northern Territory, Australia.

Charlie’s story:

A BUFFALO which attained Australian stardom by appearing in the film Crocodile Dundee is to be stuffed at a cost of £8,000 and displayed outside a pub in the outback.

I never thought I’d be fighting back tears at a karaoke bar. Musician Bernie Flynn took me to Kirby’s Outback bar in Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia where our friend Jono was coordinating the weekly karaoke session, timed to coincide with the release of government checks given to people in need. The place was packed, mostly with Aboriginal people, who came for beer and to sing a few tunes. At one point an Aboriginal man did karaoke for Midnight Oil’s “How Can We Sleep When Our Beds are Burning.” Everyone in the place (some 200) knew every word. Elder women danced. Everyone sang. “It belongs to them, let’s give it back.”

Midnight Oil, “Beds Are Burning”:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejorQVy3m8E

Dana & John Seed

With John Seed at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia discussing The Chikukwa Project, one of the most successful permaculture projects in Zimbabwe which brought 7,000 people from hunger to abundance, and the efforts to stop a giant dam in the rain forests of Cambodia.

20-minute trailer for a longer 50-minute film called THE CHIKUKWA PROJECT:  http://vimeo.com/33761246

Dana and John are doing a fundraiser for this project in Sydney on July 6th. http://cowswithguns.com/shows/benefit-concert-with-john-seed/

Chinese planning to build a dam that would flood the heart of the rainforest in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia. You can read about the issue here: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013020861238/National/last-days-of-a-valley-damned.html

Dana & Taran

First day on my Australian tour!