Simon Grove: Naturalist chronicles fascination with Tasmania’s wild beauty and how it helped him recover from cancer

Simon Grove was in a battle for his life when he realised that Tasmania’s natural beauty was the best tonic for his recovery – and now he’s decided to chronicle his journey in a new book.

Author Simon Grove with his book titled Seasons in the South. Picture: Chris Kidd

In the midst of a life-threatening battle with blood cancer, naturalist Simon Grove found solace and peace in the Tasmanian wilderness and now believes he was saved by the “healing power of nature”.

Originally from England, the distinguished Dr Grove is a senior curator of invertebrate zoology at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and has recently written a book chronicling his long-time fascination with Tasmania’s natural world.

Seasons in the South: A Tasmanian Naturalist’s Journey of Discovery – and Recovery, published by Forty South, is at once a sweeping survey of the island’s wild landscape and colourful critters and a love letter to the state.

Dr Grove, who has lived here for the past two decades, said his life had been “enormously enriched” through his connection to Tasmania and he believed he had the “drive and writing ability” to relay the remarkable stories of the state’s “little creatures” to the broader public.

Author Simon Grove with his book titled Seasons in the South. Picture: Chris Kidd

“As I am now into my seventh decade of existence, and with some major recent health scares still front of mind, there seemed like no better time than the present to write it all down, since I’m a living testament to the idea that in life, one never really knows what lies around the next corner,” he said.

As he recuperated from treatment at the Royal Melbourne Hospital during his cancer fight, Dr Grove said a lack of access to nature left him feeling adrift.

And while he gives enormous credit to the care he received at both the Royal Hobart Hospital and in Melbourne, as well as the support of his family and friends, Dr Grove feels that he wouldn’t be here today “but for the … healing power of nature”.

Front cover of Seasons in the South, a book by Tasmanian naturalist Simon Grove. Picture: Supplied

“It was only on returning to Tasmania that the healing could begin,” he said. “I was able to immerse myself in nature by walking out the door and down the street to the beach and coast path, as well as through my work at the museum.”

“I honestly feel that the healing power of nature saved me from myself (it was a close call). We are so lucky in Tasmania to have such ready access to nature – it should never be taken for granted.”

Dr Grove said he was deeply affected and inspired by Tasmania’s 40,000 years of Aboriginal history and also fascinated by the still evident “tangible links to our Gondwanan past”.

With illustrations by Keith Davis,Seasons in the South is available at most Tasmanian book stores for $59.95 and can also be ordered directly from the author via southernseasons.com.au.

Originally published as Simon Grove: Naturalist chronicles fascination with Tasmania’s wild beauty and how it helped him recover from cancer