Dr Phill: Nature quiz at Bruny kids and nature projects' film premiere

What is this? 

"Is it a moon?"

Close!

"Oh, is it a meteor!"

Yes! Well done! 

But this is no ordinary meteor, it is quite a famous meteor. It exists right at the very edge of our Solar System. It is famous because it is the furthest object in the entire Universe that humans have ever been able to take a close up photo of. 

The name of that very famous rock is "Arrokoth". 

Humans are incredibly clever. We live on amazing planet that has plants and animals and all sorts of wondrous things. But we wondered if there might be another place in the Universe quite like our planet. 

So we built a satellite. 

We attached a camera to that satellite. 

We shot that satellite from the Earth right up into space to explore our solar system. And that satellite was travelling so fast it could travel around the whole of planet Earth in just an hour. 

As it travelled through the solar system it went past Mars, past Jupiter, past Saturn and took amazing photos. 

The planets looked beautiful but it didn't look like they would be nice places to live. And there certainly weren't any trees or plants or animals. 

So it kept going. 

Then it went past Pluto at the edge of the Solar System before it came to an asteroid belt right at the edge of our Solar System. That's where it took a close up photo of Arrokoth the furthest thing we've ever taken a close up photo of - before it kept going drifting off into the Universe. 

Do you know how long it took for the satellite that was travelling so fast it could go around planet Earth in an hour, to get to Arrokoth? 

"A day!" 

Longer!

"A week!"

Longer! 

"A month!"

Longer! 

"A year!"

Longer! 

"Two years!"

Longer! 

"Five years!"

Longer! 

"Ten years!"

Longer! 

That's right, even though it was travelling super fast, it took 13 years for us to get to the furthest object we've ever taken a close-up photo of. 

And what did they find there? 

[Silence]

That's right. Just a rock! There were no plants. There were no trees. And there were definitely no white wallabies! 

Where is this? 

"A beach!" 

That's right. It's a very beautiful and special beach, do you know where that beach is?

"Umm... quiet corner!" [In Adventure Bay]

Wow - that is very close - you're right - it's a beach on Bruny Island.

"Oh I know, I know... TWO TREE POINT!" 

That is right! This is a photo of Two Tree point, a special beach on a special island, Bruny Island. And there is no place in the entire Universe exactly like Bruny Island. There is nowhere that has the incredibly different beautiful array of plants and animals and landscapes quite like those that live here on Bruny Island. 

And what bird is this? 

All in unison: "THE FORTY SPOTTED PARDALOTE!!"

That's right! The 40 spotted pardalote is one of the rarest birds on planet Earth, and Bruny Island is perhaps the most important place in the entire Universe for the 40 spotted pardalote to live. And everyone here is looking forward to learning more about the 40 spotted pardalote from the kids and the very special film we're just about to watch

And who is this? 

"US!!!" 

Yes! And do you know what? There are no kids in the entire Universe who know more about Bruny Island and the nature of Bruny Island and what makes Bruny Island so special, than you! 

And that's why we're so very happy to be supporting the Bruny Kids & Nature project and the work of you and the school and your parents, and the wonderful teacher Claire Boost and film-maker Claire Gorman on this project. Congratulations and thankyou to you all, and to the Tasmanian Community fund for generously supporting this project. 

The Bruny Kids & Nature project is a special project on Bruny Island coordinated by teacher Claire Boost, supported by film-maker and Cloudy Bay Groms President. It is supported by generous funding from the Tasmanian Community Fund and supported by the Kuno Foundation.