‘Tilly’s right,’ Sophie said soberly. ‘Disease, extinctions, infestations – it’s what we’re here to control, or stop if we can. Laugh if you like, Luke, but losing habitat starts with the flora. Connor’s work is as necessary as ours.’

‘He seems nice,’ Tilly said, ‘and very interested in you all. He was asking me lots of questions about you. I’m sure he could help you with your bird records, Luke. How many species are on the list so far?’

‘One hundred and seventy-two. But I’m not claiming anything on his say-so until he’s proved he knows the difference between a crow and a tree-creeper.’

‘Well, you can teach him if he doesn’t,’ she said lightly. ‘It seems like he’ll be around long enough.’

By day’s end the water tank was full, and Tilly had repainted all the signs. She spent the last hour with a pitchfork helping Luke clear the cut grass from the camp sites.

‘Thanks,’ he said when they’d finished. He took the fork from her hand to toss onto the vehicle tray, and gave a tired grin. ‘Bet you didn’t know what you were letting yourself in for by coming along today.’

‘I’ve enjoyed it,’ she said truthfully, wiping her sleeve across her damp face. She smelled of dust and sweat and her shoulders ached, but the day had been deeply satisfying. She was tired, yes, but she felt more alive than she had in a long while. ‘I’ll be sorry to get back to just cooking and cleaning again.’

‘And people,’ he reminded her. ‘You’ll be knee-deep before the week’s out.’

‘Yes, I suppose.’ Sophie had phoned Bruce at Spadgers Creek the previous night telling him that the camp would be open this week. Bruce would remove the ‘closed’ sign from the noticeboard on the boundary and what would start as a trickle would soon become a flood of campers. ‘When do you plan to release the possum?’

He considered. ‘Might do it tonight – he’s ready.’

‘That’s good.’ Once the camping season began you needed eyes in the back of your head with the animals. People either wanted to love them to death or else put themselves in danger of attack. Wild animals bit and scratched, and even bottle-fed marsupials could turn on humans, while signs about trespassing and privacy were simply ignored. ‘I suppose we can hang the joey bags in the laundry until they need to be out more, which only leaves the birds.’

He nodded. ‘Good thinking. They can look out for themselves. You riding with Sophie?’

‘I guess so.’ Tilly stifled a yawn. Shower first, she thought, then start the garden sprays, feed the animals and ready the evening meal, which she’d follow up with an early night. Ranger work was exhausting.