Author(s): Mikaela Hetherington (Illustrator)

Art | Mythology

Until now, contemporary literature has failed to adequately document the existence of fairies in Australia, theorised to be at least partly due to sabotage from the fairies directly. However, with expanding zones of human habitation and the adaptive behaviours of both fairies and now humans, it has become easier to detect and work with the local fairies, reawakening scientific interest. After heading out into the field, a group of scientists collated information on the twelve identified Australian fairies, answering many questions, not just about their existence, but also about their habits and habitations. The dwellings for each fairy species differ depending on the Australian landscape that is most suited to their unique features and abilities. The erudite fairy enchants forests, the blush hooded fairy protects the reef, and the silk pulvari fairy makes fairy dust by eating the sand in the central Australian desert. The [sometimes lazy] tooth fairy navigates the cloak of night with its bioluminescent tracks on the skin. Australia's isolated continent has meant that these fairies have evolved to be like none other found on the planet. Supporting each fairy description is detailed imagery of the individual fairies displaying their very unique features and some of the key indicators of their presence and preferences. This information can now be used by the general public who wish to go fairy spotting or to attract fairies to their local area.