‘Do you want to see something marvellous, Ashleigh?’ he said.

I nodded. He placed the fork back down carefully in its place, stood and walked over to the far reaches of the area in front of the building, to the right of the entrance gates, still securely padlocked. I followed. Mr M stopped and pointed into the bush.

‘What do you think of that?’ he asked.

I squinted, but couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

‘I can’t see …’ But then I could. It must have been the slight movement of my head and the way the setting sun was positioned, but I saw it and it almost took my breath away. A huge web, at least a metre in diameter, interlocking filaments glowing golden in the dying light. And there, right at the centre, was a massive spider, its legs long and splayed, mottled red, grey and black, its swollen abdomen gunmetal grey. The web shimmered slightly in the breeze and gold danced in the evening light. I wasn’t scared. Maybe I should’ve been. This was the biggest spider I had ever seen and its web looked big enough and strong enough that if I put my hand into it, I might never pry it loose. But it was so beautiful.

‘A golden orb-weaving spider,’ said Mr Meredith. ‘Isn’t it magnificent?’

I nodded.

‘They used to be really common in Australia,’ he continued, ‘but changes in the climate over the last fifty years have drastically reduced their numbers. Like so many insects and animals. I thought you’d like it, Ashleigh.’

‘It’s stunning.’

Mr Meredith took a step towards the web and beckoned me closer. I followed, but cautiously. The spider was colossal and trembled slightly in the centre of its home, like it might be preparing to jump. But I trusted my teacher to keep me safe.

‘See there, Ashleigh?’ he said. ‘At the top of the web?’ It was another spider, a tiny one this time. Maybe it had been caught itself and was moments away from becoming a meal.

‘That’s the male,’ said Mr M. ‘Weird, isn’t it, the difference in size between the female in the centre and the male hanging around the edge? Oh, and see those little bundles of silk lined up just beneath the male? That’s the larder. Insects caught in the web that the female has wrapped up for dinner later.’

I found my mouth was hanging open, so I shut it.

‘Some creatures in nature have the most beautiful, intricate homes,’ he continued. ‘Glorious creations that they built themselves with hard work, skill and against all odds.’ He put a hand on my shoulder. ‘Makes you feel quite humble, doesn’t it?’

I nodded.

‘Please don’t tell the other children about this, Ashleigh,’ Mr Meredith added. ‘Though your brother would be an obvious exception, if you insist he keeps it secret as well. You see, some people might destroy it, rip the web apart, not because the spider is doing them any harm, but because they have the power. Some people, sadly, like to wield power. And I’m not sure if we could live with ourselves if we ripped up the life of another living creature for no good reason at all. You’re not that kind of person, are you, Ashleigh?’