Large eyed lizards known as geckoes which dart about at night chasing insects are abundant in households across north Australia, including Darwin. Well known Darwin photographer, international ice hockey star, prominent member of the Darwin Rocksitters' Club , Barry Ledwidge , tells a great gecko yarn .
He once worked with journalist Colin Mann in the Australian News and Information Bureau office in Darwin , promoting the Northern Territory within the nation and overseas . Lanky Mann was the son of Cec Mann , an influential and leading journalist , prominent at the Sydney Bulletin. Cec Mann encouraged New Zealand journalist and poet Douglas Stewart to come to Australia in l938 where he became literary editor of the Bulletin , later literary adviser to publishers Angus and Robertson .
By Peter Simon
In his book , Springtime in Taranaki An autobiography of youth , Douglas Stewart described how he went to Sydney from NZ , was met by helpful Cec Mann , who took him home to meet his family, including young Colin .
Colin became a talented writer , and worked on the Sydney Morning Herald as a police roundsman , where I first met him . On the police beat , he was given confidential information about a situation which could result in a sensational scandal if it did not end . He told me how he had successfully handled the delicate task which involved passing a dire warning along a chain of command.
Angry over the way Donald Horne , author of the big selling 1964 book about Australia , The Lucky Country , had treated a fellow journalist, Colin also provided details of the event in which he had poured a glass of beer over his head in a pub . Hasty legal advice was obtained in the aftermath .
Angry over the way Donald Horne , author of the big selling 1964 book about Australia , The Lucky Country , had treated a fellow journalist, Colin also provided details of the event in which he had poured a glass of beer over his head in a pub . Hasty legal advice was obtained in the aftermath .
In Darwin, conscientious and imaginative writer Colin Mann found much colourful material for articles . Just this week , Barry Ledwidge especially remembered the one about Darwin geckoes .
It told how there were many of the noisy critters in Darwin houses , often disturbing conversations with their loud "tutt -tutt " calls .
At the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral , the minister had once delivered a sermon and paused for impact after outlining an unsatisfactory-sinful?-situation , rhetorically asking what was going on in the world .
In the silence , Colin Mann wrote , a gecko was heard respond , " Tutt -tutt !" To use an expression popular in newspaper reports of yesteryear, a titter may have run through the congregation .
It is not known if the cleric involved was the thirsty one known as " the Liquor Vicar " , who , after the church did not extend his tenure , left and joined the public service as a clerk . It was joked about town that it was hoped he would never commit a clerical error.
Genial Colin Mann went to America for the government and encountered a bumptious bastard in the office who performed like a gecko-tutt-tutting Colin's work , making life difficult .
On a lighter note , the Germanic Queen of the Jungle on Magnetic Island has a noisy , resident gecko which lives in the kitchen under a marble chopping board on which there are assorted jars , one containing honey, which the lizard licks about the screwtop edges . It also slips out and salivates on an over -ripe banana in a bowl .
