It is a rare experience to converse with a witch . This lucky blogger, however, has recently been in contact with no less than two of these fascinating individuals. Just last week I was engaged in diverse discussions with an artistic witch on Magnetic Island . In years gone by , nervous children , she told me , used to slip notes into her letterbox addressed to the Witch. In those days she had long green fingernails .
While she has never had a cat as a pet , she speaks fondly of Ponsonby , a Beagle . And of course numerous agile wallabies still bound onto her roof from nearby granite boulders , Kookaburras with names from Shakespeare line up to be fed .
While she has never had a cat as a pet , she speaks fondly of Ponsonby , a Beagle . And of course numerous agile wallabies still bound onto her roof from nearby granite boulders , Kookaburras with names from Shakespeare line up to be fed .
My Kiwi wife lived near a witch when she was a child in Auckland and has just unearthed further information about the woman . This person had resided - "like a witch" - on her own , in an old , overgrown house , with many cats , at which some naughty children threw stones.
A bit of a romantic , my wife said the poor woman reminded her of the spinster Miss Havisham who lived in a ruined mansion in the Charles Dickens novel , Great Expectations. Recent research revealed that the Auckland " witch" , who died aged 89, had a father who played the organ in the Catholic Cathedral .
While talking on the phone to Darwin , I asked after the health of the well known local political witch - Dawn Lawrie, above, being sworn in as an Independent . A former Northern Territory Chief Minister, Paul " Porky " Everingham , dubbed her the Witch of Nightcliff .
While I am not sure if she had a cat at the time, she certainly owned a Boxer dog which she chased about the electorate to prevent it ending up in the pound , making her fit enough to compete in the Hash House Harriers , overcoming dehydration by sitting on a rock with mysterious recuperative powers .
While I am not sure if she had a cat at the time, she certainly owned a Boxer dog which she chased about the electorate to prevent it ending up in the pound , making her fit enough to compete in the Hash House Harriers , overcoming dehydration by sitting on a rock with mysterious recuperative powers .
It should be pointed out that this so called Territory witch was also a journalist , a human rights advocate, became the virtual Queen of Cocos (Keeling ) Islands when appointed the Administrator and has held many other important positions . Her daughter Delia , another journalist , held ministerial portfolios in NT ALP governments and was Leader of the Opposition in more recent times before resigning .
Dawn Lawrie revealed her wickedly funny witch side in 1975 when she posed for this photograph defending the ABC's little bleeder Norman Gunston against criticism from some of her Legislative Assembly colleagues by delivering them a cross-eyed and feathered raspberry .
The pith helmet wearing , cigar chomping former mayor of Darwin, Harold "Tiger" Brennan, said he turned the television set off when the Norman Gunston Show came on . "I can't understand the blinkin' bod ," he explained .
Dawn's impressive track record and packed flight log clearly indicate she has been a nice witch, still involved in community activities , a volunteer JP , the recipient of a well deserved gong . When contacted on the blower , during cyclonic rain , about to venture out into a dark and stormy night for a meeting of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra , she joined in the frivolity of the moment .
It was good to know that this blog was going to give neglected witches in general much deserved coverage as they had had a bad image down through the centuries .
For the record , she said she had been proud to have been called a witch by Porky Everingham , "glad to wear the hat " . Even now some Nightcliff residents , who remember earlier times , address her as the friendly neighbourhood witch . The witch , unfortunately , is no longer available as a marriage celebrant .
The pith helmet wearing , cigar chomping former mayor of Darwin, Harold "Tiger" Brennan, said he turned the television set off when the Norman Gunston Show came on . "I can't understand the blinkin' bod ," he explained .
Dawn's impressive track record and packed flight log clearly indicate she has been a nice witch, still involved in community activities , a volunteer JP , the recipient of a well deserved gong . When contacted on the blower , during cyclonic rain , about to venture out into a dark and stormy night for a meeting of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra , she joined in the frivolity of the moment .
It was good to know that this blog was going to give neglected witches in general much deserved coverage as they had had a bad image down through the centuries .
For the record , she said she had been proud to have been called a witch by Porky Everingham , "glad to wear the hat " . Even now some Nightcliff residents , who remember earlier times , address her as the friendly neighbourhood witch . The witch , unfortunately , is no longer available as a marriage celebrant .
