Despite Townsville being overlooked by the above figure of a saint on Castle Hill and there being a large portrait of Australia’s own saint, Mary MacKillop , beaming down on Ross River Road , the gods did not smile upon the Cowboys in the match against the devilish Manly maulers. In fact, North Queensland’s capital city and the cowpunchers wuz robbed by the Cockroaches . As a result , the weeping , wailing and tearing of raiment by the faithful is awesome to behold. This correspondent watched the match on TV from a bed in the friendly Island Leisure Resort on Magnetic Island , channel jumping from time to time to watch a bit of wholesome British and Scottish crime, while the Cowboys were being murdered by dubious refereeing decisions.
The vital footy match came not long after I had set out to reverse my defeated attempt to reach the summit of Castle Hill on foot via the goat track ( see IN THE COMPANY OF SAINTS, Little Darwin, August 14 ). The fresh assault was launched with the help of an automatic hire car to negotiate the winding road. Arriving at the carpark near the top, cool , not buckling at the knees, ready to fall down in a swoon , as before , I sallied forth, eager to reach the highest vantage point to obtain a heavenly view of Townsville and environs, Magnetic Island , the Coral Sea and Cowboy Territory . The views are truly spectacular and one wonders if Castle Hill and its panoramic views could be used in a new drive to boost the depressed Australian tourist industry. Coming back , I genuflected to the stick figure with the halo representing shonky Simon Templar , The Saint, on the hill , who could easily assume the role of a perfidious NSW footy whistleblower.
The vital footy match came not long after I had set out to reverse my defeated attempt to reach the summit of Castle Hill on foot via the goat track ( see IN THE COMPANY OF SAINTS, Little Darwin, August 14 ). The fresh assault was launched with the help of an automatic hire car to negotiate the winding road. Arriving at the carpark near the top, cool , not buckling at the knees, ready to fall down in a swoon , as before , I sallied forth, eager to reach the highest vantage point to obtain a heavenly view of Townsville and environs, Magnetic Island , the Coral Sea and Cowboy Territory . The views are truly spectacular and one wonders if Castle Hill and its panoramic views could be used in a new drive to boost the depressed Australian tourist industry. Coming back , I genuflected to the stick figure with the halo representing shonky Simon Templar , The Saint, on the hill , who could easily assume the role of a perfidious NSW footy whistleblower.
Soon after, on yet another trip to Magnetic Island aboard the ferry , The Saint was visible from the afterdeck. Unexpectedly, there was another reminder of saints when a bulk carrier bearing the name WHITE HALO came into view . It was probably loading zinc or lead from the hinterland. It is hard to associate saints with cargo vessels and base metals . Any further manifestation of saints and there may well be a move to rename the city of Townsville a variant of Los Angeles- city of the weeping angels and football fans.
