TIDAL SURGE

Palm Island.  Photo by Aeronautical Correspondent  Abra. 

 

STRANGE VOYAGE TO SPICE ISLANDS

Shipping  Reporter  sights  lost , drifting  matelot . 

Sporting a  skew-whiff seaman's cap and a  ticket  from  the  Australian  Naval Aviation Museum,  seasick  bear   snapped  aboard  a  leaking  gravy boat  in  North Queensland .

The  museum , formerly  the Australian Air Arm Museum , became  Australia's Museum of Flight, located at the naval  air station  HMAS Albatross, near Nowra, NSW.

The Fleet Air Arm Museum traces its origins to 1974 when a group of volunteers associated with the Royal Australian Navy  (RAN) obtained five obsolete RAN aircraft and began work to establish a museum for display of artifacts to  present the story of  Australian Naval aviation.

The museum houses aircraft used throughout the history of the Fleet Air Arm ,  along with other aircraft of relevance to  Australia's aviation history, and memorabilia relating  to Australian aircraft carriers. The museum includes 34 aircraft and helicopters in its collection.

(Voyage. Sailor. Gravy.)

DYNAMIC AUSTRALIAN GROCER , SPORTSMAN , POLITICIAN

The  battered  above  160 page  l935  anniversary  cookery book and   household  guide for  Crofts Stores, which  had   137  branches  in  Victoria and  the Riverina ,  provided  an   interesting   insight  into  the life of  Archibald  Croft (1875-1942).

Born in  Secunderabad, British India, son of  soldier  Benjamin Croft  and Jane Hemhilswood , Archibald was raised in  Victoria  and educated in Adelaide. 

In  1905, he opened a  grocery store  in  South Melbourne  which expanded into a  vast business that  also  manufactured  groceries  and   wholesale  dairy  products  which  provided   employment   for   thousands  . 

In country branches, it endeavoured to absorb as much of the district's products as possible .   It claimed that on Crofts prices  five  people could live as cheaply as  three. 

Big ?  A  full  page advertisement for Crofts Stores  in  the  guide  stated  100,000 thrifty housewives  regularly bought  Friday and Saturday  specials  from  its chain of  stores.  If all  of its customers clasped   hands they would form  a line more  than  100 MILES  and take more than  30 hours of ceaseless  marching  to pass  your  door. 

You  don't see  advertisements making claims like this  anymore... except on social media .

A circa l937 Crofts Store photo in the  Moorabbin Historical Society collection.

The spine  of the guide  , found in Townsville , sported  an advertisement for VITAMITE, plus a full page  color advertisement for the  ALL AUSTRALIAN  yeast extract  , which  seems to  have  been  a  challenge to   Pommie   Marmite  and  the wonderful  l923 invented  Aussie  Vegemite , made from brewer's yeast , known as Black Jack , which took off  during WWll when given to Aussie troops  because   Marmite was not available .  

Included in  the  many  advertisements   is one for  Shemen  olive oil  , made  in  Palestine , and  Bull Dog  Patty Pans .

Wealthy, community conscious , Archibald  Croft was mayor of South Melbourne  City  Council from 1934  to l935. He was  deeply involved in the Victorian  Aussie  Rules  clubs , using  his  money  to import  ll star   players, seven from  Western Australia,   employing  some in  his  businesses. 

 Horse racing was another  area of  interest .   Sounds  like another  Harvey Norman. Croft, representing the United Australia Party, was elected to the  Victorian Legislative  Council ; he  was reelected unopposed at the l940 Victorian state election.

At the  outbreak of WWll , Crofts started Crofts Radio Revels, a weekly concert for servicemen at the Princess Theatre , Melbourne, with the programme  broadcast  on  Melbourne radio station 3XY.

Croft  died  on  Queensland's  Surfers Paradise .

 (Grocer. Croft. Radio.)

HEAVENLY CLOUDBURST AFTER THE WET

Townsville.

 

Three  distinctive  Palm Island views with a touch of  the Orient .

(Clouds, Island, Wet.)

DEPARTING TOWNSVILLE

 

Aeronautical Correspondent  Abra  pix. 

(Townsville. Aviation. Abra.)

RED INDIANS ON WARPATH AGAIN

Shipping  Reporter narrowly  escapes  being  scalped  in unexpected  encounter  with  last of  the  Mohicans .

Always  on  the  lookout  for  oddities , our waterfront  roundsman  was amazed   at  what  he   found  in Townsville  at the  Castle Town  Vinnies  store, the  largest  in  Australia.

 After spotting many  items of  interest in  large, jam-packed   showcases  near  the entrance , the Queen Mother still for sale at $50 in one, he was stopped in  his tracks  by an unusual  display  which  included a  feathered  Red  Indian  rug , a  wooden carving  and  a Franklin  Mint  Indian  Warrior  vase . 

(Indians. Vase. Reporter.)

CROAKING CONCHOLOGIST IN THE RAIN

Fashionista  frog with  brolly and  seashell . Vallis  .

 (Frog.Fashion. Shell.)