Australian hobby, and it sees everything that moves in the Top End.

It’s been estimated that raptors have eyesight up to eight times as powerful as that of a human. So much information gathered with every glance. What would you choose to remember? Not an easy choice, in this fantasy forest of fire and graves.

Well, not exactly graves, although they certainly startled the first Western explorers. These bizarre monoliths are the work of compass termites, which align their mighty constructions with the poles. It is thought that they do this to prevent their nests overheating, which might easily happen if one side faced the full wrath of the southern sun. As it is, only the narrow side is cooked.

But everything here is strange to a non-Australian eye.

Agile wallaby

Night falls and wakes the dingoes – one lopes across the road in front of our car, but there’s no time for a photo. Australia’s only native canid leaves us with a memory in our minds instead.

Other hunters do tarry. A southern boobook – a small owl – pauses in a tree.

It has only been a brief trip to Australia, but the tantalising glimpse of the forest leaves its mark.

Fire, water, termites and heat.

It is good to know that somewhere out there, right now, a hawk is watching them all.