Early morning is a great time to walk up our hill. Facing east, we can watch the sun leave a shimmering trail across a vast lake; facing south, treeless paddocks, ragged quarries and dry lagoons sometimes look magical thanks to a mantle of sea-mist; facing west, we can just make out the long ribbon of Kurangk dunes; facing north, another vast lake shrinks to reveal white sands and the ancient technology of Ngarrindjeri fish-traps. Beside this hill, nestles Pullewewal, ancient home of Wyangari. Traditional Owners, the Ngarrindjeri say that the lagoons are formed from the kangaroo skins this great hunter stretched out, which is not so mythical when you consider that mega-fauna once roamed here. It is awesome to stand on the hill and look over a landscape shaped by ancient story. But each day from this hill, I see the Australian story with its inappropriate technology turn more disastrous. Diesel pumps keep the vast lake from collapse; a dredge battles a growing island of grey silt; dust blows across what was once the wetland home of swans, spoonbills, stilts and sand-pipers; crowds of crows caw and clamour around abandoned dwellings, abandoned cattle carcasses, while beer cans, bottle shards and shreds of plastic adorn the road verge with careless disrespect. One day, unannounced, a telecommunications’ tower was built on this hill. One day my head began to ache. It aches so often now, I am virtually housebound. The internet provides the means for me to order food, shop, do banking, pay bills, and keep in touch with family and friends. Life here would be tough without access to the internet, seeing as the local general store, bank agency, fuel pump, school, church, and police station are now all closed, and the local ferry runs irregularly. But if given a choice between my health and the stealthy encroach of all this technology, without any doubt I’d choose health, especially a healthy environment and a healthy community. Some things no amount of technology can replace.

We use the computer for our bookwork farm business. Using Quicken Cashbook. Also use it for fun and letter writing.

Hi there, I am the aboriginal arts worker for the South-East region of SA. I would be so lost without my mobile phone and also internet connection. Having these helps set up meetings and networks, so from there the grapevine effects starts.

Recent events in Victoria have shown the value of technology, but I believe we need to address the issue and uses of mobile technology. Australia is a land of complex weather conditions and as such we rely on communication for warnings about fire, excessive heat, flooding and so on. The problem is we are also a mobile community. I would like to think that one day our mobile phones will alert us to the impending dangers around us. Some people would see this as invasion of privacy but as a rural dweller i see it as invaluable. I propose that people who need this notification be allowed to subscribe as an option for this information, i am sure it can save lives in times of natural disaster.

I went driving out in the country hoping to get a little lost looking for places unvisited by the masses. I use google maps satellite view to scour nearby areas looking for odd areas and go drive there on the weekends for photographs. In my treks, I’m discovering everyones been everywhere. I’d have to go somewhere difficult and hazardous to get to uncommon ground. Maybe I should use a GPRS unit and go to areas it doesn’t have maps of