As spring officially wraps up and we head into the heat of summer, take a look at some of the photos that illustrated our news coverage across November — from a brush with a suspected great white shark, to the mammoth task of reconstructing 46,000-year-old caves.
Depicting people differently
The use of long shadows and high-contrast subjects is seen in some of the best street photographers’ works, tapped into here by journalist Lauren Smith to anonymise the parents. (ABC News: Lauren Smith)
Sometimes legal or ethical restraints mean we can’t identify people who we interview for our stories.
Journalist Lauren Smith took a creative approach in depicting two parents, who spoke to the ABC as part of an investigation into alleged child abuse in the daycare sector.
They remained anonymous to preserve their privacy amid the highly sensitive topic.
Bad bunny business
While they’re cute, wild rabbits can start breeding at four months old, spreading out and eating crops. (ABC Mid West Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)
While they may be adorable, the rabbit population in WA appears to be booming and destroying farmers’ crops.
It prompted a warning from the Invasive Species Council, as one Kojonup farmer described her crops as being “absolutely nuked” and left bare by the furry-eared mammals.
Shark scare
It’s the close-up visual details that depict the extent of Andy McDonald’s near-miss with a shark. (ABC News: Anthony Pancia)
Margaret River surfer Andy McDonald’s near miss with a suspected great white shark saw him and his board become international news.
Andy was wing-foiling off Prevelly, 280 kilometres south of Perth, when the shark lunged at his board, taking a large chunk out of the rail before momentarily dragging the 61-year-old underwater as it got tangled up in his leg rope.
Shaken but otherwise uninjured, Andy slowly paddled back to shore in the company of good mate Neil Mattinson, relieved to have a story to tell despite his damaged board.
Banksia Hill
A telephoto lens was used to photograph detainees on the roof of Banksia Hill Detention Centre. (ABC News: Andrew O’Connor)
Late in November, several detainees at Perth’s juvenile detention centre were involved in a rooftop protest in a disturbance WA’s Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia described as “inexcusable”.
It promoted renewed calls from the Commissioner for Children and Young People, Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, for a new facility to be built, saying Banksia Hill was not “fit for purpose”.
Cat fight
A hungry Indian Ocean red-tailed tropicbird with its mother. (ABC News: Mietta Adams)
On Christmas Island, these rare red-tailed tropicbirds are some of the native species under threat as cats wreak havoc.
Dealing with cats has been a huge task for authorities in the wildlife haven, with the complication that four-legged predators are sacred to the island’s significant Malay population — a symbol of purity and cleanliness.
Submarine tour
US Navy personnel conducted a tour of a nuclear-powered submarine in Perth. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
This is what the inside of a submarine looks like, captured by political reporter Keane Bourke on a tour of the nuclear-powered USS Vermont.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and WA Premier Roger Cook attended a US-led tour of the vessel after the media, before spruiking Australia’s submarine deal with the global superpower.
Ashes ambitions
Steve Smith and Ben Stokes share a special moment, surrounded by a frenzied press pack. (ABC News: Bridget McArthur)
Australia and England skippers Steve Smith and Ben Stokes shared a rare moment at a photo opportunity in Perth ahead of the first Test, staring deep into the Ashes trophy as if it were a crystal ball.
For sports reporter Bridget McArthur, the glow of the trophy and its reflections looked a bit like the glow of a treasure chest typically seen in movies.
Rebuilding culture
A small desk replica of the Juukan Gorge rock shelter. (ABC News: Mitchell Edgar)
Five years after Rio Tinto legally blasted 46,000-year-old rock shelters in Juukan Gorge, a plan is in place to build a replica at the original site.
With help from French designers, engineers and artists who have already made replicas of ancient caves in Europe, this small replica is just one part of reconstructing the culturally significant site.
Classroom colour
Asma Alol is framed by some colourful decorations as she takes part in the HIPPY program. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
Perth mother Asma Alol is a mentor for the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY), where her youngest child is enrolled.
The initiative involves play-based home learning and helps parents get involved in early education for their children, especially for Indigenous and multicultural communities in WA.
Cooling off
Onslow’s Karlon Parker, 11, cools off at Jirndawurrunha Pool. (ABC Pilbara: Kelsey Reid)
The state government has struck a partnership with the Yinjibarndi people, providing $12 million to reallocate bores from culturally sensitive areas of the Millstream aquifer in the Pilbara.
It comes amid concerns from locals about the impact over-abstraction has had on the environment.
Eleven-year-old Karlon Parker is pictured here enjoying a swim, which is only permitted by traditional owners until a certain age.
Fire season
This week’s Geraldton blaze came close to many homes, destroying one. (ABC News: Piper Duffy)
Capping off our list is the bushfire that started in Geraldton on the final day of spring and continued burning into the start of summer.
One home was lost in the blaze while hundreds more came under threat amid the hot, dry and windy conditions.
Authorities suspect the fire was deliberately lit.
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