‘Of course not.’ A smile tugged at his lips. ‘So you’re saying you regard the bush as a passive entity, not an aggressive one?’

‘Mmm – maybe “indifferent” is a better word. It’s been here forever. When you think that those rocks,’ she pointed as they passed an outcrop of boulders, their surfaces pitted by weather, ‘would’ve been lying there when William Dampier was stooging around the north coast – well . . .’

‘Or even when the pyramids were being built,’ he suggested. ‘You’re right. As a species we haven’t really made much of an impression on this bit of the earth’s surface – a few tracks that half-a-dozen monsoons would swallow up as if they’d never been. A pristine canvas. Just as it was, in fact, before the first white man set foot on this country.’

‘Well, I hope our work means a bit more than that!’ Tilly protested. ‘We’re here to protect the wildlife. The land couldn’t sustain itself without its birds and animals, you know.’ She caught herself. ‘Sorry, I was forgetting that you’re a botanist, and know all about the interrelated chain of . . . Dear me, I’m beginning to sound like one of Luke’s lectures!’

‘That’s all right. Those who believe in what they’re doing have a right to be passionate. So, does Matt lecture too? Somehow he doesn’t strike me as the type.’

Tilly smiled. ‘I think he’d sooner cut his tongue out! No, Matt’s better with his hands than his voice. He’s our fixer – everything from the radios to the vehicles. I think he grew up on a farm, but that’s just an impression. He never talks about himself. I’ve always assumed he had an unhappy childhood – only because he was asking me about mine,’ she added quickly, ‘so I could be quite wrong about that.’

‘And was yours happy?’

‘That’s what he asked too. Why’s everybody suddenly interested in my past?’

Connor shrugged. ‘Just making conversation. You all seem to mesh quite well together, though you’re obviously all different. Is that hard – living as isolated as you all do, I mean?’

Tilly shook her head. ‘Not really.’ She pondered the matter, squinting a little, eyes thoughtful as she considered her answer. ‘It hadn’t crossed my mind before, but we all give each other space. That’s probably why it works. That and having our own interests. Sophie’s passionate about the job, Luke’s got his birds, and Matt his tinkering and his chess.’

‘And what about you, Tilly? What keeps you going?’