A BIBLICAL YACHT / POPE SELLING UP / FAMOUS TALE TELLER

The  weathered   lifebuoy  on  this  yacht in the Magnetic Island marina    could    not  only  save  somebody who  had  fallen  overboard  but   also  save  the souls  of   others  through its  very  unusual   name ,  The Joshua  C  .  The letter C  stands  for  Christ.

 In  other  religious news , an  area  of  land on the island  known  as the Pope's Land  , left to the Catholic church , is  up for  sale as  a  possible redevelopment    through expressions of interest by March 14 . Covering   slightly more than four hectares ,with three street frontages, one  opposite  the Nelly Bay supermarket and shops,it is near the  beach  and  close to the ferry terminal . 


 It is currently waterlogged  , a stream is running   through it , likely to  do so  for  weeks to  come . Included in the land are  several  clumps of  tall bamboo , one of which  threatened a  nearby house  . Townsville church  authorities   did  not   respond  to a  letter  about the  matter , so  a  trusty  chainsaw resolved  the  problem .    

Our  Shipping Reporter , the only one north of  Botany Bay , NSW,  drew our attention to another  interesting  yacht  , also  in the   Magnetic Island marina  , bearing a famous  Samoan   literary  name -Tusitala - bestowed   upon  Scottish novelist  Robert Louis Stevenson .   Stevenson , who wrote    Treasure Island , Kidnapped  and The Strange Case  of  Dr Jekyll and  Mr Hyde  , spent the last years of his life on an island  in Samoa , where he  was  given  the  name  Tusitala  (Teller of Tales )   by the islanders .  He died there , aged  44, soon after having difficulty opening  a  bottle of  wine  in  1894.   

NORTH QUEENSLAND PREPARING TO ROCKET CANBERRA , LNP

 One of the  many notices   going   up  across   Townsville and Magnetic Island     for  a  School Strike 4 Climate  protest  on The  Strand  March   15,  so far apparently  not picked up  by the local  media . When  similar  demonstrations were held in  other parts of  the  nation,  scoffing   Queensland  senator  Matt  Canavan , a government minister, described by Barnaby Joyce as possibly the  brightest man in parliament ,   said  the  schoolchildren  taking  part  were  learning how  to line up  for  the  dole .
 

Other  Queensland politicians regularly bash anyone concerned about global  warming / climate change , Adani  , variously describing them as  terrorists , southerners , bearded ,  unemployed ,  on  the  pay of  overseas  masters, etc.,  etc., etc . 

A member of  the Katter rump ,  obsessed   with crocodiles , recently made the bizarre  claim  that  Queensland kids  are turning to crime and booze  because they can't swim  due to  crocodiles .  Old  Bob  Katter regularly gets  media  coverage   by  going  down to the seaside and   glaring  , mouth twisting , nose  twitching ,   declaring   crocs  ,  cane  toads  and  anything else that takes his fancy   should  be  given the  Gatling  gun   treatment .
 

 No wonder  Queensland  kids  want  to strike   when  they see  what is happening to  large parts of  Queensland , the Great Barrier Reef, the city recently blanketed in red dust  , bushfires and drought prevailing in   other parts of the nation . Listening to   the  climate change  sceptics in  the  Coalition ,   LNP  and   assorted    boneheads  whose   text  messages  flood   Queensland  newspapers  is firing   up  the  thinking  schoolchildren . 

 

SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT 
 

 Notices  have gone up in the north  advertising  a  UA3 series of  talks    about  Australia's  rocket  research , especially in  the  field   of   guided  missiles . 

WAR AGAINST WAR MEMORIAL NEGLECT RESUMES

Shipping  Reporter  fires  yet another broadside

The  day before  Australia Day , January  26    ,  once more  Townsville's  Victory  Fountain  , launched  in 1995   to mark the  50th anniversary of   Victory in  the   Pacific  ,  had   rubbish  floating about  in the  memorial , see above ,  and he said  it was working  erratically . 

 

A  similar scene , above , was discovered   on  February  28 -discarded  food and drink  items visible  in  the  bottom chamber  along with  what  seemed to be    a small   butane  gas   bomb ; top  chamber  appeared  to  be   crumbling  in one area ; signs  of   leaking   in  several  places .

 

Decidely off - putting  was  a  large used  band  aid , above ,  stuck  to the  brickwork . Nearby in the  grotty  bus shelter , sporting much graffiti in which  SUCK   features in several messages ,  a McDonald's   drink  container in  the roof  , there  was  either  a   discarded  large   bandage   or   a   knee guard  under  the  seat . 

 

And at  the nearby  old  railway ticket office , well worth a visit,  with  its  WWl  memorial  to   railway   staff , as usual , it  required a  good sweep , leaves   and  dust  visible , bits of paper ,  the  old  wooden   garden   seats  which been there  for  possibly decades  had   gone .   

 

Both  these  memorials , the Shipping Reporter    again  reminded us , are on  Townsville's  Civic Pride Trail.  In addition , the  Australian War Memorial , Townsville  City Council and local military  organisations had been made aware of the  shameful  neglect  of  these  and  other  war memorials  , in  this  a  garrison  city . Still , the  city could not get its act together to look after  the war memorials, part  of  the  nation's  shrines . 

  

For some time , our  reporter  highlighted the   fact that  rust was showing through   the  large  anchor  off the   aircraft carrier  Coral Sea  , a  gift to   Townsville by  America  , a  reminder  of  the  war link   between the  two countries .  He also pointed out   plaques  with wartime   details of  port  activity  at the anchor site were  illegible.  In  desperation , he  invoked the name  of Admiral Harry Harris (several times ) before   the   rust patches were painted over and  the plaques made  readable .  There was even a   threat  that the Admiral , without him knowing ,  would send in the Marines  if the  civic authorities  did not  act  to rectify the situation.  Admiral Harris , Donald Trump's pick  as   US Ambassador to Australia ,  did not get a chance to come to  Townsville and kick arse  over   war memorial neglect   because he was recalled to put  pressure  on  Kim  Jong-un .

 

For at least a  month , rust has been visible in a new spot  on the anchor  , near the ferry terminal ,  but it seems  nobody  in  the  media  and   authority  in Townsville   has  noticed .  Dream  and  dither  on .

JAPANESE FIND SIGNS OF LIFE , EASTER ISLAND ON ASTEROID

First  pictures  from  historic  space  landing  

Dubbed the  Sushi Monster , strange life  form .

Chopsticks in cooking  container  indicate  advanced  civilisation .

 

 Crumbling figures like those on Easter  Island

 Meanwhile , Australian geologists  say the rocks  are similar to ones at Alma Bay , Magnetic Island,North Queensland , some of  which  pictured below.

SNOWY RIVER COALITION BRUMBIES ON THE RUN

Looking   saddle sore and grim  , as  if  they had been  galloping all over the  nation  and  the South Pacific  ,  chasing  votes   and  the  colt   from  old  Regret,  Prime  Minister   Scott  Morrison's  group  was  snapped   soon  after  applying horse liniment  to sore parts  at  the  Snowy Hydro  2.0  project  photo opportunity .  

 

As  the next stage in  the  Snowy River  project, much loved by  Malcolm  Turnbull  before his  stablemates sent him to the knackery ,   is   shovel ready, the  PM  decided  to shovel  a  heap of  money  on   it   to  try and save   the Coalition  from   going   down   the   gurgler  at  the  election , in  large part  due to its fake   climate  change  policy  in  which  the  Shetland pony   riding school  expression "canter " was  repeatedly and  erroneously  used .   

 

 It   followed  the  PM's  announcement  in  Hobart   to  run  an  umbilical  cord    from  Tassie   to Victoria   to  guarantee  the  lights  stay  on  during the  Moomba Festival  and Lygon Street  cafes and massage parlours always have  power.   Finance  Minister    Senator Mathias   Cormann    looks  as  if  he  would rather be  on  a holiday in Singapore  floating about in  a  pool  on  a  VIP  inflatable   horse   ring   than  taking  part  in  the  announcement .


Energy  Minister  Angus  Taylor always looks   as if   he  has a  prickle  under his  saddle cloth  which  causes his mount to  pigroot while he is  vainly explaining  the  Coalition's  energy policy in  public . A representative of  the military brought up the  rear  to  check  the  river for  illegal  boats. All  four men , it will be noticed, presented themselves as unbranded  cleanskins-their   ties  discarded .---(Apologies  to  Banjo Paterson  and  Mr  Ed ,  the talking horse, also   Mr  Ed ,  a  former  talkative  US  ambassador  to  Australia .)        

EVANGELIST AND ATHEIST ATTRACT STRANGE CONVERT

Looking somewhat moth-eaten , like the presenter of   Radio National's admirable  Late Night   Live, Phillip  Adams , AO,    this  tattered butterfly  plonked down on  Little Darwin's  battered  portable  radio  while   Phillip  was  conducting   an interesting interview  about the   Australian  crusades of  American evangelist   Billy Graham, the first in   l959 ,  which took in New Zealand,  attracting vast  crowds. At a  glance , markings  on  one  damaged  wing    looked  like   a wise old owl . 

  Only last week thought had been given to writing something about  a  large  folder of material   from the Australian  Billy Graham   Crusades , probably  the only collection of its  kind north of  the  southern  sinner  belt .  Readers of this  blog know  many  unexpected    oddities  come  our  way , this just one of many piling up in the den.   Graham , said to have been  the most respected  man in America , who could have become president,  came  back to  Australia in  l968  and 1979 . As Adams is interested in  the evangelist  , we might send   the  crumpled   bundle  to  him via  his  farm -COD.

 

Some of the extensive promotion  and follow up  material  displayed for the butterfly  to  peruse  in between  interesting and informative   ABC programs.  It  shows  fashion was used as  a  way of  getting   people    to sign  up for  donations of  up  to  $100  to  meet the  $1600  a  day needed  to conduct the   crusade .  The fashion card was  attached to  the  1968  Billy Graham  Sunshine State Crusade letter  from the Queensland  Council of Churches Evangelistic Committee ,  the patron of which was  G.F.R. Nicklin, M.M., Member of the  Legislative  Assembly .

 

UPDATE : Phillip  Adams has just had his pacemaker  serviced . Long may his lum reek. In the case of the butterfly, being aerodynamically out of shape  , it  took  off  and flew like  a  tottering  drunk .   

LOVE , MOULD AND OTHER DANGEROUS THINGS IN THE AIR AND WATER

Wicked car  portraying The  Beatles  and their song All You  Need Is Love , the lyrics declaring  love is in the  air ,   was   spotted  recently on Magnetic Island  after  the  downpour  which   caused  flooding and a massive  outbreak of  mould . There  was  so  much mould  that  a special  tanker  filled with  22,000 litres of free  anti mould  fluid , below, was sent  to the island .  The stated  content  of  the  tanker could  be incorrect  due  to wax  and  mould  in  ears.     

This blog was  informed  that  after the Townsville flooding   disaster  two or more   tanker  loads  of   the mould  killer  a  day were  dispensed in the  city .  Large  amounts of   white  vinegar  were   also  used  in  the  clean up .  

Of concern    is  the  outbreak of  the potentially deadly   melioidosis , at least one  case on  Magnetic Island , reported   in  this blog. Mainland  media   reported   13  cases , some  in  intensive care , one   death . Then  the  subject  seemed to  fall  off  the radar .  

The  infection  is  caused by a bacteria which lives in the soil  which can be  brought to the surface  by rain , entering  the body through  muddy water  , cuts  and grazes .   It  can also be inhaled  or  caught  due  to  drinking  groundwater.

A  Darwin  follower of  this  blog , agronomist  Robert Wesley-Smith ,  knew a man who in  2018  was "saved  by the skin of his teeth "   from   melioidosis  in Darwin .  The man  said  he  would have died for certain if  he had   gone for medical  treatment  in his  hometown down  south , where they  knew  nothing  about  the  disease.  Just treating  a  symptom , not aware that it was melioidosis ,   with  ordinary  antibiotics  was   dangerous .

Wesley-Smith had been so  concerned about the man's statement that he contacted  the  ABC  and  spread the  word about  melioidosis  and  its treatment .

The recent  heavy rains in North Queensland , he said , would be a classic  situation for the bacteria   to rise up  and spread in muddy water . The infection caused a range of  symptoms  such as  coughing  and  difficulty in breathing , fever or sporadic fever , confusion , headache , weight loss .

Other  information he supplied   included   the fact that in 2012 there were  50 cases in the Northern Territory  leading to three deaths . Preventative measures  include wearing waterproof  boots  when walking in mud or puddles, gloves when handling muddy items ; if  you have a weakened immune  system , avoid  going outdoors  during  heavy  rain .

Some years ago, this  writer visited a  bedridden  friend  suffering from cancer  in a Darwin  retirement village    during   which  time  a   gardener  went about    cutting   lawns  and   using  a  noisy  leaf  blower .    Days  later,   my friend  was  found to  be suffering  from   melioidosis , the  finger  of  suspicion  was  pointed  at  the  leafblower .While not  proven , the possibility that leaf blowers  can spread the  disease   is   a matter which  needs   attention  

In Townsville and on  Magnetic Island  leaf  blowers have been and  are still  being  widely used  in the  massive  clean up . A leaf  blower was seen  being used  by  a young  girl  to  disperse  soil  and  sand  deposited  near the front of  a  popular   tourist   attraction , not far from  a bus stop .  If   leaf  blowers can spread   melioidosis ,  then  the  users of   such  devices  should  surely  themselves  be  advised  to   wear  protective  face  masks. It is a  subject  which requires a prompt investigation  by  health  authorities .              

EXCITING JOB OFFERS FOR TALENTED DE-FROCKED BISHOP

"The  world  is  her oyster "- glittering  future predicted  on  ABC Insiders. 

Knit one , pearl 100

CANBERRA:The renowned former Australian  Foreign Minister ,  Julie  Bishop ,  is  seen here  farewelling the  lowly  Coalition  oyster  spat  grimly clinging to the slippery pylons in the House of Representatives, wearing a dazzling pearly  white  shift   bought  from   a    Vinnies op  shop  in  the  Curtin electorate . 

 Her undoubted  brilliant   future  career  is  unknown at this stage . However , award winning  political  journalist Argus Tuft  claims  she  will  become  a  roving ambassador   for internationally famous   Paspaley  Pearls  or  Mikimoto ... no relation to Mickey Savage , a former  New Zealand  Labor  Prime  Minister .

It is well known  that Ms. Bishop  has a vast wardrobe of  pearls, said to be greater  even  than   those  in  Davey Jones's Locker,   some of which she  flashed  in the United Nations  in   New York

  According to  Argus Tuft  , Paspaley Pearls  has  made  a  lucrative  offer to  Bishop   to  travel the world  draped  in   ropes   of  fabulous   pearls promoting  its  exotic  range of jewellery .  Tuft says the sporting Paspaley people  will even  allow her to  use  as  many  chokers  as  she wants   on   those  who  did not  vote  for  her  when  Malcolm Turnbull was  reduced  to  seafood chowder . 

  

  In addition , they will  permanently  project her   final   appearance  in  parliament , in that pearly white  sheath and red shoes  ,  on one  of the Paspaley  towers  in  Darwin .   

 Another interesting  proposition  being  examined by her   is  the star  role in  a    film,  backed by a  major shareholder in Helloworld , with the  fetching title , The  Parliamentary Adventures  and  Perils  of  Pearl Pureheart .

GHOST TOWN COMES TO LIFE

Little   Darwin  disinters  body matter.

While  ratting  through  musty files  trying  to  find  a  particular   item  ,   its  whereabouts  still  an  annoying   mystery , up  popped  the  above  1973  working  typescript    about   the   tiny  town  of   Borroloola  , in the Northern Territory   Gulf country , which in  early days was  like the  Wild West,  the area plagued by   a    "band  of  outlaws "  known as  the  Ragged Thirteen .
 

By Peter Simon
 

It  was written  by the  late    Colin Mann ,   a onetime  Sydney Morning Herald reporter,  for distribution  overseas   through the Commonwealth  News and Information  Bureau  ; photographs  were  by  Danish  cameraman  Michael  Jensen  . 
  

I came  into possession   of  this  rare   document , entitled  AUSTRALIAN GHOST TOWN WON'T LIE DOWN ,  composed  on the back of  Bureau    letterhead writing paper ,  some  portions   stapled   onto the page  , through  my habit  of  regularly going   through  the  Bureau's  office   rubbish  bin  in  Darwin .

 

The scavenging  was  mainly intended   to  retrieve  reject photographs  which  Jensen , with whom I imbibed ,  regarded  as  not  being  up  to his  high standards; some were duplicates ,  discards .  His brilliant photographs  had been used by Qantas  to promote  Australia   overseas , a  reject  photo  of   his  a  work of  art  as  far  as  I  was  concerned. 

 

He  referred  to   photographs  I  took as " happy snaps".  This  was his disparaging description  for  so  many  photographs  taken   by   average  button clickers .  Over  the  years , he  mildly  taunted  me  , most   recently on the blower from  Canberra, by  asking  if  I  was still  taking  happy  snaps .
 

The  rough  nine page  Borroloola  article  I   snaffled    had  obviously been given  to  the  typist  by  Mann  to  turn into  a   pristine  copy , dumped  on  completion .  The   intro to the  feature article cleverly sets  the scene  : If there is such a place  as  the Last Frontier  , then  Borroloola  would  be  on  the other  side . It  went  on  to  say that while authorities  listed it  as  a  ghost town , it did have some permanent  residents , who  could be  spectres capable  of  much  swearing . The best  place to  meet  them was  in  the pub ...

 

Of the many characters mentioned in the  article , one  is  "lotus eater " Bill Harney ,   who at one time had spent time in the Borroloola clink   for cattle  duffing . The above page refers to that episode  and the fact that  there was  a well stocked  Carnegie Library from  New York  in the Borroloola  Police  Station , much used by  the locals and  prisoners  .  Strangely  , Karl Marx  is  crossed out in  the  list of works  available  in  the  library . 

 

  The   article says that  Harney , later  in charge of Ayers Rock  (Uluru ) and an  author  , confessed he  had   read  the  Roman poet Horace  (from the  library ) in the  dunny behind  the   Borroloola  Pub , which  helped  develop his  urge to  write . For the  benefit  of  overseas readers , a  dunny was  described , in brackets,  as   lavatory .

  

Many  authors wrote about  Borroloola   over the years , including  Ernestine Hill ,  Glenville Pike , Douglas Lockwood , Keith Willey , Ted Morey , George Farwell and  Vern O'Brien .  

 

CARNEGIE  OR  NOT ?  

 

A  slim  volume with much  information and photographs of  interest   is   Borroloola  Isolated and Interesting  1885-1985 , by  J. A. Whitaker , written  to  mark   the   town's  centenary. In a chapter dealing with the town's "renowned  library " ,  it  states that  Borroloola may not have had a  specific  Carnegie  Library.

 

Instead, it could  have   received  books   from  the  Tennant Creek Library  , near the  geographic centre of  Australia ,  which had  some books  purchased with funds provided by  the  Carnegie  Corporation   and  were  stamped   as   such  .  It  continues :  " Bill  Harney and  Douglas Lockwood popularised the  story of   Borroloola's  Carnegie Library  in  their  books about  the  Gulf" .  

Doomsday  Book  Borroloola .

DRAMATIC WILD WEATHER IMAGES

 

Blood red in parts ,spectacular, churning  thunder cloud formation , from which  lightning flashed,  over car  ferry in  Cleveland Bay , off  Townsville , North Queensland . 

  Days later, another  storm front moves in , bringing heavy rain to Magnetic Island,  as a  cargo ship headed for  Townsville; more heavy rain on the island overnight .Rain drumming on the roof  as this post is being composed.

Vallis  photographs .

CATTLE EXPORTS RESUME ? GHOSTLY VISION IN SKY

After  the  massive loss of stock  due   to  flooding  and cold weather  in   large parts  of   Queensland's  prime  cattle country  it comes as  something of a  surprise   to see   the  cattle carrier  Ganado Express  in  Townsville,  without any mention by the media . Maybe it brought in  replacement stock  ?  If it is loading  cattle  here  for shipment overseas , where  will they   come    from ?   Lots of  reporter  like  questions to be asked  for  an interesting   story , says  our Shipping Reporter .  
 

Meanwhile , on Magnetic Island DRY  SAILOR  RIDING THE  SKY  

INNOVATIVE MAGAZINE LINK WITH NORTHERN TERRITORY

The first edition of  this magazine launched in l983  included  articles and photographs by Richard H.  Timperley ,  former Publicity Officer for the Department of the Northern Territory , Darwin , back in  the l970s . An ex-Army officer , from  Western Australia , he  was irked by the fact that  people frequently mispronounced  his  surname : Trimperley , Trompoly , Italian sounding  Trimboli ,etc .

He had a yacht  anchored  in Darwin  and  one  day he  was  shocked   when  another  sailed up and  he was pleased to hear that  a   member of the crew   correctly  pronounced  his  name : "Timperley ! You old bastard !"...

It  was prominent   Sydney columnist , ( Charles) Ron Saw ,   probably on  his l974 world  yacht  tour  ,    who  ordered  Timpers   to   come aboard    for a drink .  Saw began  as a  reporter   in  WA  , moved to  Sydney  in the l950s , working  for the Daily Telegraph,  The Sun , Daily Mirror ,   Bulletin . He wrote several novels  and another book  with probably one of the longest titles  in the world : Brief Encounters with Uncles,Great Aunts, Wombats, Womcats,Tomcats, Randy Bantam Roosters, Ducks, Pigeons, Seagulls , Elephants, Horses , Dogs, Flora and Fauna , as well as Rare Specimens  of  Humanity.

The first edition of UP NORTH  contained   two illustrated  articles by Timperley, one about  the  annual  Whitsunday Village Yacht Race in which he participated , the  winner   the  America's Cup  entrant   Gretel . The other unusual piece , across  seven pages , dealt with the interesting life and art of  former  researcher for the Yugoslav Institute for the Application  of  Nuclear  Energy , Dr Peter  Petrovic .

TOADMASTER CROAKS

Former schoolteacher  Verne  Jack, who   had a  mind like an adding machine  and  organised  toad  races on Magnetic  Island , has  died  .  Mad keen on golf  , he attending overseas major   competitions,   ran  an open air  vegetable market on the island  at which  he  rapidly toted  up  in  his head    customer  buys. 


 Impressed by his  prowess to add  up and  call the amount to  an assistant who took the money , this writer once told him he would make a good SP bookie . The response  was  illuminating  .  As  a schoolboy , he said he had  worked  in  an SP bookie's shop  which had been raided by police . A newspaper  report  had  listed   Verne Jack , student, as one of those  arrested .  Modern day kids, he complained ,   arrested on  charges  of any kind  did not have  their  name  published .
 

For years , he ran cane toad races at  the Arcadia Hotel , thus becoming  known as  the  Toadmaster   of  Magnetic  Island.  Some  residents   said  such  races with  creatures   dangerous  to  native animals should not be conducted on  an  island  in the  Great  Barrier Reef  Marine Park .  In one confrontation , a  female  conservationist  was  sloshed in the face by Jack .Over the years he helped raise money for many charities .  Toad races are still  held on the island  today.   

 

Jack , who lost a leg due to diabetes in recent   years , surprised  when he  took part in an open air  mixed market  and  midst  his offering for sale   were   interesting items , including   postcards . One  which I bought  marked the beer can  boat  voyage  from Darwin  to  Singapore  by  former   Labor  Lord Mayor of   Brisbane   Clem Jones and  Darwin  used car dealer Lutz Frankenfeld , of the  Darwin  German  Club . Called  the Cantiki , the  vessel , a publicity stunt, made  Singapore in 12 days.   Jones  was  the  chair of the Darwin Reconstruction Commission   after   Cyclone Tracy .     

   

FERAL FUNGI

 

 

 

 

Rain  and  heat  make  the  tropics  pop .

HOLY MOSES ! JOSHUA SAILS IN AFTER BIBLICAL DOWNPOUR

Shipping  Reporter  Atones  for  Foo Fiasco

The  blessed  24 metre  tall ship , The Joshua C , above , is one of many interesting vessels  currently  in  the Magnetic Island marina .  From Mooloolaba , on the  Sunshine Coast , it was  built   over   13 years  by   Robin Cooke, an experienced  sailor . In an  ABC interview  he said the  40 tonne   vessel's name   stood for Joshua, who  succeeded  Moses  as    leader of   the  Israelites , the letter  C  for Christ.  Timber from a 1950s house  and rosewood  formed most of the hull , a sawmill donated the  masts .  During  the interview  Captain  Cooke   said he was dyslexic  and  many troubled teens  had  helped  build  the  sailing ship .

Another yacht   moored off  Magnetic Island  in  Cleveland Bay  .  

ISLAND BIRDLIFE BOUNCED

The  last  place  on  which to  dry out  and rest  after  prolonged  rain is the rock  wallaby  pad  near  the  Magnetic Island  ferry terminal .

 A white Egret , far right , foolishly plonked down near the  wallabies and proceeded to soak up the sun . The trouble is wallabies   tend  to  suddenly explode into action  for no particular  reason  and  bound all over the place . The  somnolent    bird   got  a shock each  time  this  happened. It  was  like  trying  to  snooze   with   a   family  of   jumping  jacks . To escape , the  bird  kept on moving to a  new location , but  the wallabies followed , ricocheting  in various directions .  Finally , the  bird  gave  a  screech  of  frustration  ,  flew  away ... possibly to  Siberia  for  some  peace  and  quiet .  

A DAY AT THE BEACH

Last one in is a chicken .

Vallis  photographs

CBD TURNED INTO RAINFOREST, UMBRELLAS FOR UMBRELLA AS CAVITIES FILL WITH WATER

There  are  many aspects of   the  Townsville  deluge  which did not  get picked up  by the media . The   long closed   above  property in the Townsville CBD , with its  bright  tropical  painting , appeared waterlogged , signs of extensive mildew , parts of  ceiling likely to collapse . Together with  the artwork on  the wall, the soggy scene   could  now  be  taken to  symbolise  a large part of North Queensland . In  Flinders Street, it  was  once part of   a busy shopping centre  ,  which  included  a Dimmy's Store . 

Due to the monsoonal  downpour the Umbrella Studio , not far away ,  took down artwork    from  walls  to  prevent  them  being damaged ,  the premises closed , a sign in the  window explaining  the situation   . 

 

A  colleague reported that  a   new   dental clinic in  Flinders Street was  partially   flooded .   

FORGOTTEN ISLAND DELUGE PICTORIAL DAMAGE REPORT

Nelly Bay Bakery closed after ceiling collapse . Tree   collapsed near footpath  at Nelly Bay.    Creek at  rear of Horseshoe Bay  commercial centre became a raging torrent which cut into the  bank,  depositing driftwood . Debris was spread along the  main beach.     At Alma Bay,  still  bedraggled eagle  photographed  surveying its  nest atop  a  hoop pine which  had  tilted  during  the  deluge. In addition road to West Point closed;access to wallaby feeding area restricted ; traffic  hazard sign    at   Horseshoe  Bay .  Creek at  rear of Horseshoe Bay  commercial centre became a raging torrent which cut into the  bank,  depositing driftwood . Debris was spread along the  main beach.     At Alma Bay,  still  bedraggled eagle  photographed  surveying its  nest atop  a  hoop pine which  had  tilted  during  the  deluge. In addition road to West Point closed;access to wallaby feeding area restricted ; traffic  hazard sign    at   Horseshoe  Bay .