Nature's Cry

Jack River (in collaboration w ACF)

The sounds of nature under threat.

Why we wrote this song

Nature’s Cry is a song about the devastating destruction of Australia’s native forests, with recently-discovered popping sounds from distressed plants forming the basis of the song. A collaboration with ACF, Nature’s Cry sounds the alarm on nature destruction as the government rewrites our environmental legislation after two decades.

Jack River and the ACF ‘want to let people know that nature is in trouble and it needs us now’. The song came out on the back of ‘Extinction Wrapped 2024’ report from the ACF, which found that 2,200 Australian plants, animals, and ecosystems are at risk of becoming extinct.

Jack River and ACF are calling on the Albanese government to urgently make strong new nature laws to better protect Australia’s incredible biodiversity. They are utilising the power of music to spread the word about the plight of Australia’s biodiversity, and urge others to take action.

About us as artists

Holly Isabella Rankin, who performs as Jack River, has not only proved herself as a powerhouse musician in recent years, but as a voice for change. More than just a successful musician, Rankin is a writer, entrepreneur and promoter, starting Grow Your Own Festival in her hometown of Forster promoting local and sustainable culture and advocating for more local music in advertising with a viral social media campaign resulting in Our Soundtrack Our Stories.

About the music video

“Australia’s stunning forests and woodlands are being destroyed at a devastating rate, and now we can hear Nature’s Cry.

When experiencing trauma through drought or damage, plants make sounds that can travel for several metres. For the first time ever, researchers have recorded these sounds using vibrometres (devices that measure vibrations) and incredibly sensitive microphones. They have discovered the almost frantic popping noises that plants make when in distress.”