The charm of cane toads, AG 44, 1996
How can anyone be charmed by a cane toad? I can. That’s because cane toads are Queenslanders and I’ve always had a soft spot for them. When I came to Australia 30 years ago, I set off with my husband on an archaeological expedition to outback Queensland. For a greenhorn from Los Angeles, this land of true adventure was a culture shock.
During the cane toad assignment for AG many years later, I recalled those first adventures. Even though I was now studying toads, not ancient artefacts, the people there still represented those uniquely Aussie values that I had come to admire so much: doggedness, laissez-faire, irreverence, a wry humour, and coping against the odds. Of the many assignments I’ve done for AG, I voted for this pic as my favourite because the cane toad job moved me the most.
Photography is about the moment, and though I strive for beauty and design, it’s emotion that’s primary. That assignment was my first opportunity to rediscover what I loved about Australia. I only planned to stay three years. Why did I keep postponing my return “home” to California? I finally realised I was charmed by the people, specifically those sporting my favourite value, which is so well represented by outback Queenslanders. Sure they have loyalty and all the other good stuff, but always there’s irreverence. Let’s not take anything too serious, mate. And yet somehow, despite the words and jokes, and no matter how tough, the job always gets done. But will they ever get rid of the cane toad?