The idea for LANDSCOPE began in 1985, with inspiration from two existing publications—the Forests Department’s Forest Focus, which had been running since around 1970, and SWANS, State Wildlife Advisory News Service, a newsletter from Western Australia's Department of Fisheries and Fauna.  

Dr Syd Shea, Executive Director of the Department of Conservation and Land Management as it was then named, decided to start a publication that would amalgamate the spirit of scientific focus and community engagement into something new. Initially established as a free publication, LANDSCOPE proved so popular that after 18 months, Syd made the decision to sell the magazine for $2.50.  

Thanks to the communications branch of DBCA, including Ron Kawalilak, John Hunter, Kevin Kenneally, Rhianna King, Carolyn Thomson-Dans, Marie Duthie, Estelle de San Miguel, Zoran Jovanovic and Cathy Birch, LANDSCOPE continued to evolve with fantastic success. 

“Over the years, my role evolved from designer to LANDSCOPE production coordinator, a role shared in later years with Senior Graphic Designer Sonja Rose. Every issue has been a chance to collaborate with an incredible team of graphic designers, editors and authors.  

“Having the opportunity to lead our creative team and partner with photographers, illustrators, cartographers and printers has been an absolute joy, turning into lifelong friendships I deeply cherish. Special thanks to Maria Duthie and Sue Marias, Senior Graphic Designers who helped mentor me in all things LANDSCOPE during my early years at DBCA.” 

The graphic design team has been integral in showcasing the incredible beauty of our State’s flora and fauna. By curating the perfect photos, infographics, maps and flow of each article, LANDSCOPE’s visual identity is something to be proud of.  

Undoubtedly, it was the fantastic array of high-quality photography that made the magazine come to life. Local professional photographers Jiri and Marie Lochman and Sallyanne Cousans were in attendance, as well as long-term contributor Cliff Winfield, who gave a speech at the event. Cliff’s stunning images have featured in almost every edition of LANDSCOPE (read more in LANDSCOPE’s Winter 2025 edition, Forty years of contributing to LANDSCOPE).

Equally important were the thousands of intricate and scientifically accurate illustrations. Displayed gallery-style at the event were beautiful original artworks by Philippa Nikulinsky, Gooitzen van der Meer and Gwendolen Monteiro. Both Gooitzen and Gwendolen were also Senior Graphic Designers and part of the LANDSCOPE design team at DBCA for many years.  

Hundreds of talented people have contributed to LANDSCOPE over the last 40 years and it’s not possible to list them all. Such is the nature of a publication with deep and broad roots across the community, reaching so many people across a wide range of industries.

Thanks to conservationists, foresters, photographers, illustrators, scientists, librarians, graphic designers, authors, editors, and more, LANDSCOPE magazine is a journey of likeminded individuals coming together for one great reason—their passion for conservation.

Many acknowledgements were made during the celebration event, including from DBCA Director General Stuart Smith, who welcomed former heads of the department, Dr Syd Shea and Jim Sharp.  

“The success of the magazine is not down to one person. It is thanks to a team of writers, editors, graphic designers, photographers, cartographers and printers, and that team ethos will continue,” Stuart said.

Lauren Cabrera, editor of the magazine from 2013–2025, emceed the event and gave her final speech before heading off on a new adventure.  

“Editing LANDSCOPE has been an honour and something I have taken really seriously, knowing that I was handed the reigns from a long line of people that I have so much respect for,” she said.  

“I have had the great pleasure of speaking to and meeting with passionate people who genuinely care for the environment.

“To me, LANDSCOPE has always been more than a magazine. It’s difficult to categorise—is it science? Outdoor recreation? Conservation and threatened species? Where does it even sit on the shelf at the newsagent?  

“The reality is that it’s all of these things. And the value of the magazine is more than the sum of its parts. It’s a collection of valuable content and that has a broad appeal from intellectual academics to everyday bushwalkers.” 

Lauren acknowledged and thanked some key contributors, including Aaron and the team at Advance Press for producing the high-quality printed magazines and the team at Workpower (formerly Activ Foundation) which distributed the magazine for the entire 40 years.  

The Public Information and Corporate Affairs team was also thanked and recognised for being crucial to the production and promotion of the magazine, from conception to publication. This included the Audiovisual Production Team, which has been instrumental in creating wonderful videos, interviews, and podcasts accompanying and expanding LANDSCOPE’s digital presence.  

Lastly, the importance of scientific robustness and editorial merit cannot be understated.  

“A big thanks also to Fran Stanley, John Huisman, Lesley Gibson, Carl Gosper, Steve Dillon and Danielle Ayres for their scientific checks,” Lauren said.  

“As a scientific editor of LANDSCOPE since 2019, it has been a joy and a privilege to review such a diverse range of articles—each one reflecting remarkable knowledge, stunning photography, and a genuine passion for Western Australia’s natural world,” said Lesley Gibson, Principal Research Scientist DBCA.

“I have also greatly enjoyed writing for LANDSCOPE, using it as an important platform to share how our research contributes to protecting WA’s extraordinary biodiversity so that future generations can continue to appreciate and care for it.”  
 

Interactive displays and videos at the event spoke to the ever-changing times we operate in. With the change to online-only editions has come a new spark of excitement for science communication and the opportunity to be flexible, dynamic and far-reaching. The new fully digital era of LANDSCOPE started with the 2025 Spring edition, reaching existing subscribers and branching out to new ones, too.

LANDSCOPE is welcoming a new phase of free and accessible articles for all to enjoy. But don’t worry—scientific checks and editorial rigour still apply, continuing the quality and trustworthiness of LANDSCOPE’s legacy.  

From all of us in the LANDSCOPE team, thank you for supporting this wonderful publication for so many years. And to new readers, welcome! Tell a friend, colleague, family member, and reach out to us at landscope@dbca.wa.gov.au with any feedback and ideas.

We also encourage you to explore our WA Naturally offerings, like bush books, calendars and illustrations, to continue supporting and sharing our State’s natural beauty.