GALMARA-SPIRITUAL HOME OF WILDLIFE WARRIORS # 1

Special Little Darwin  series  about exceptional wildlife  conservationists, Arthur and  Margaret  Thorsborne ,  and  their  army  of   supporters .

From inside  this  restored  close to 100  year  old  cedar wood  house, Arthur and  Margaret Thorsborne, supported by a growing band of supporters,  spearheaded  a  long  and  effective  campaign  to  save  the  flora  and  fauna   of   the   Queensland  wet  tropics, in  particular  the Pied Imperial  Pigeon,  also known  as  Nutmeg  Pigeon. 

The unique dwelling  was  named  Galmara  after  the Aboriginal guide and  songman who accompanied  ill-fated  explorer  Edmund   Kennedy on the 1848 expedition that  passed  through the area .  Also known as  Jacky Jacky, Galmara  was  one of  the  few  survivors of  that expedition and the only one to reach their  final  destination  after  Kennedy  was  speared to death. 

In the l960s, when  the Thorsbornes  first  saw  the  property, north of  Meunga  Creek , near  Cardwell, accessed through a side road leading to  the  Edmund Kennedy National Park,  the  overgrown   house  was  a   wreck .  Undeterred ,  they  restored  the  main building  and  then  filled it  with  an eclectic collection  of books, paintings, prints, antiques , trinkets , a  growing number of   items  related  to  the  wildlife  of  the area .

 

 A  legion of people  flocked to  the cause . One , Sydney artist , Peter Kingston , provided a  sign  over  the front door of Galmara , see at top ,   which  said : Bib and Bub say please don't hurt  dugongs. Bib and Bub are from May Gibbs' famous Gumnut books ;  Kingston had  been active in the  campaign  to save  Gibbs'  Sydney  harbourside   house ,Nutcote, recently the subject of  coverage in  the  ABC   Gardening Australia.  

In the  campaign to save the dugong, Kingston  organised the Dugongs of Hinchinbrook Art  Exhibition in Sydney which  raised money for the cause. He also drew dugongs and slogans  on  the  pavement  where  Prime Minister John Howard went for  his morning  power  walks  from  Kirribilli  House . 

Today the  Peter Kingston artwork website includes a view from the Galmara verandah  in  torrential rain , a  Cassowary outside  peering over the rail, a Blue Wren on a rail, a frog on the table, an Echidna  waddling in  and  a Pied Imperial Pigeon at home. Another painting, entitled Rain Warden, depicts a Curlew in gumboots , pelted by rain.
 

 

 

 

An outer, small , restored building , Wren  Cottage ,below , served as a  guest  house , open  to  the  air  and  wildlife , a  mosquito  net  over  the  bed .   



 

A New Zealand company made an impressive film  about  the house in which Galmara, the  poet , spoken  by  a  mellifluous   Maori , told the story of the dwelling  from  its re-enacted original occupants, the arrival of the Thorsbornes ,  the  creatures   which   flitted , crawled and hopped   in  and  out  at  will  during their time , the  encroaching  embrace  of  the  rainforest, floods  . It  included footage with  Margaret  Thorsborne  and  the  small  cedar  trees she  had  planted early on to replace the ones cut down to build Galmara  which  by  then   had   grown  considerably. 

 

 

Cyclone  Larry  blew a  tree  across  Galmara, repairs were carried out . In early  2011 , Cyclone Yasi , above,  eventually brought  about the  end  of   Galmara which  is  shown surrounded  by  stripped  trees. The  driving force and the beat continue on  many  fronts . Photographs by Allan Watson.

 

 NEXT: A fateful trip north,save the  pigeons, and  the Hinchinbrook Nightmare .