A lone motorist stretching by his car at the Brooks Hill Rest Area between Bungendore and Queanbeyan area gives us a sideways glance.

And you can't blame him.

I'm striding through the otherwise deserted rest area with Mark Lintermans. In his hand are four wooden stakes, a rubber mallet, spirit level and a tape measure.

The bewildered bystander is probably thinking we're off to mark out a shallow grave.

Sure, we're on a mission - but it's far from sinister.

We're heading into the adjoining Brooks Hill Reserve to measure a meat ant nest.

Yes, you read correctly. And no, it wasn't on my bucket list of activities planned for this year either.

Well, not until Mark recently contacted me to tell me about a particular nest in the reserve that he'd been eyeing off for the last decade or so.

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