After a bushfire, the Australian landscape erupts into colour, a mystery scientists couldn’t explain for decades. In 1992, Professor Kingsley Dixon AO, 2026 WA Senior Australian of the Year, helped uncover the answer. His team discovered that smoke triggers germination in many native plants, a breakthrough that reshaped conservation science and how we restore land after fire. Over 32 years at Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Kingsley has dedicated his career to protecting Australia’s unique flora,