77 SUNSET STRIP ISLAND ENCOUNTER

Attracted  to   this    decorated   bus   on  Magnetic Island , with what looked like  an  inflatable   chook on top , an  unexpected   story   was   revealed .  These  are  the bare facts .... Along  the  side  of the snazzy looking vehicle was a  message : Comfortable  in  my  skin .  

Out  of  the  bus  bounced    the   friendly   owner,  subsequently  found  to be   nude  photographer  Ellie  Sedgwick,   advertised online  as  being   on My  Skin  Down  Under  Tour of   Australia .

 Peter  Simon  , the  somewhat taken  aback  writer of  this  post, who spotted  and snapped  the bus,  revealed  he  too  had  been   a "nude photographer. "

He  told  Ellie  that  after the recent  launching in Darwin of  his book , Big Jim, about the crusading   editor of the Northern Territory    News , Jim Bowditch, he had  been  given  an  online  site , Peter Simon  Book  as  a  contact  point .

When  this was punched  in  later on  to  see  if  hordes  of  people  were clamouring  for  a copy and he  was on  a  fabulous  bestseller , up   popped  :  Peter Simon  Books , offering   nude  photos !!!!!!  

Ellie   chuckled   when  told  this  , said she would look  up  Little  Darwin . In answer to  questions , she   said  she  was  up  from Byron Bay, New South Wales, and that the  attractive  bus had  been decorated   by  an  artist  friend of hers . 

In follow up research  on  Ellie , Peter Simon says he will never be able to look  at  a  Barbie Doll  again  without  blushing and or breaking out in a sweat .  Soon after the encounter with her on the waterfront there was  a  sudden spike in  LIttle Darwin readers in America and  we wonder if  this was due to Ellie mentioning  online  to her many followers  the  babbling, odd, decrepit , bug-eyed  "nude  photographer " she  had  met  on  Magnetic Island ?    

SUNBIRD ACTION

 

Vallis .

THE INSPIRING WORLD OF PLANTS

 The  foliage  of   native  and  exotic  plants   has  inspired   a  range  of  unusual   artwork  in   Northern   Australia , according  to  our  Art Correspondent , Ponsonby  Willis   

  Leaves and seedpods  are  being  used  to  make   striking   botanical  prints   and   eye  catching   patterns on   silk scarves.  The  following  prints    are  by  Sara , of   Darwin  ,  known  for  turning    discarded  roadside   cans  and  feral  hubcaps into  works of  art, some of which adorn  Little Darwin's  den. 

      

Botanical printing  is something  of  an  advanced   art  in Townsville ,  North  Queensland  , where  Barbara of   Dream  Adornments  Botanical  Eco Prints   turns  out   striking   scarves   like   ones   below , and ceramics   

 

CEYLON INFLUENCED EARLY TROPICAL GARDENS AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

 Originally published in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ) in 1935 , updated in  1943, this   1952 reprint , a previous  owner  R.R. Bryant, of   Port  Moresby , was  a  recent   find  in the  Townsville  University Hospital  volunteer   shop  book  section .

Profusely illustrated,560pp including index , it has  the above    coloured  frontispiece , named after Lady  Amherst ,wife of a  former  Governor of Burma  ,   and was a guide  for  those going to the tropics for the first   time wishing  to  cultivate  plants  for  ornament, utility  or  commercial  purposes. 

The author was encouraged   to write the book by his  late chief,   Sir Frank A. Stockdale, the first Agricultural Adviser to the Secretary of State for the  Colonies in 1929.  Sir Frank (1883-1949) was a leading British agriculturist who served   in British Guiana, Mauritius  and Ceylon,  in the latter Director of Agriculture  from  1916 to 1929 and a member of the  Legislative Council   from  1921  to  1929. 

There are references  to Australia  in several places , the author having  received   assistance  in  preparation for the last edition from the  Australian Trade  Publicity Agents.  There is mention of  the  beautiful  Waratah ; Australian noxious weeds listed include  Cape Weed, Water Hyacinth ,  Bathurst Burr , Prickly Pear (Queensland ) , Bracken Fern. Paddy's Lucerne   Australian Daisy  and  Cockle Burr.

Dealing with garden and   estate  enemies, it says  large numbers of Flying Foxes were killed with strychnine  in Queensland  ; White Ants are another  problem  in Australia , there being a photo of a " gigantic" termite hill  , a bicycle  nearby  to  give  an  indication  of  size. 

JETSKIS ON THE GO AT HORSESHOE BAY

 

TERRITORY RESEARCHERS BACK IN ACTION

 

After  major disruptions  caused by covid  and  not having   an office to work    from  , the Genealogical Society of  the  Northern  Territory has  produced   a swag of  interesting  information  in  three  issues, above,  of  its  journal , Progenitor,  just received .

Topics covered include early nursing in the NT   and nursing personalities; ANZAC  Day  traditions and ritual, with  details of  four Territorians  killed  in the l914-l918 War ; Cornish food riots of 1847; preserving Ukrainian Heritage; a poem about the  February 19,l942  bombing of Darwin  ; amusing tips about how to  survive in Australia -never put your hand down a hole, always carry a stick ; several   well  researched  articles by the late Vern O'Brien  about  early Territory  settlements and pioneers, rice and sugar growing ; an illustrated special about inventor David Warren, first white child born on the Groote Eylandt  mission station, educated in Launceston, Tasmania, who invented   aviation's  inflight  black  box .  

A FLOATING TERN

 Vallis .

SAILING HALL OF PASSING FAME #2

 

Magnetic Island . Shipping Reporter series. 

MOVIE MAD NATION

 No  wonder  they said  populate  or  perish - everyone  was too  busy  packed   into  the   theatres,  rolling Jaffas down the aisles  ,  as  this   l923  advertisement  reveals , 89 million "odd" Aussies   went  to  the  flicks  in one  year !!!!

SAILING HALL OF PASSING FAME

Hundreds of  yachts  have  sailed into  Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island , over the years  and  left  behind  a  colourful  range  of  calling cards,   using  a  variety of    materials ,  attached  to  a   beachfront   shelter  .  Our   Shipping   Reporter   selected  the   following  display .      

The yachts came from  various  Australia  ports , New Zealand and elsewhere,  with an extensive   range of  names .

UPCOMING : Another   selection  .

COMING BACK FOR SECONDS

 

SUMO WRESTLING LIZARDS

 

Vallis 

MONA LISA'S SMILE EXPLAINED

 In a  sensational  scoop  which will rock the art  world, we can reveal the  reason why Mona Lisa   had  that strange  expression on her face  when  painted   by   Leonardo  da  Vinci.

In an  exclusive  interview    with  Mona   Lisa  in  the  Little Darwin cluttered  den  , she giggled and said she could not help  smiling at the latest crazy  object  added to  the  dusty  blog  premises -a  large , knitted, tipsy clown,  placed  up  against   her   priceless  portrait, bought in an op shop . 

                    

In a strong Italian  accent, Mona Lisa  went on to say : "Fair dinkum, mate, the things that go on in the Little Darwin madhouse   would  make  a  saint  laugh  like a   jackass." Smiling was  a  painful  daily  act , she  added. 

Cheers to  all our readers !

THE BUTTERFLY PATCH

 

Vallis .

ANOTHER PUZZLING ISLAND WARNING FOR MARINERS , INCLUDING HMAS ADELAIDE

An  earlier version on  Magnetic Island.

 

Shipping Reporter  on  patrol .

.

MICALLEF INFURIATES NEW KING !!!

 With another bloody leaking pen , angry  King Charles  lll  has  ordered that renowed   ABC   madman  Shaun Micallef  be  manacled and flown by Qantas to the mother  country  and  there be  thrown into  the dreaded Tower of  London , or  the  lost  luggage warehouse, never  to  see  the  light of  day again . The newly minted  King of Australia  was outraged by the last  Mad as Hell  television show hosted by Micallef  in which he was lampooned as  a   monarch  with large ears on  the proposed new  Australian   five  dollar  note   

In an exclusive interview with LIttle Darwin's Royal Roundsman, Ned  Forelock,  furious  King Charles  said that as further  punishment   for  disloyal  Micallef, he would be  tortured with non-stop videos of  Michaelia Cash   media  conferences  in  his rat- infested, damp  cell .

The king had to abruptly end the interview with our man Forelock  as he had to dash off to sign  a lucrative contract to appear in a  royal  Bic biro advertising  campaign  for  refugees  in  Kenya . 

PETER BLAKE'S GREEN , MAGIC FINGERS

 Still   growing  with  gusto, like the person who first kicked it off in a small pot,  is this Banyan    at   Arnhem Nursery , Humpty Doo , Darwin, It is  an  unmarked memorial  to    ace  reporter ,skilled layout subeditor , master of  zany headings for  articles , keen fisherman  and   great  raconteur ,  the  late   Peter  Blake , who  died  in   America .

His   distinguished career  included  working   for  the   ABC , a spell in Hong Kong ,   and  during  time in Darwin  at the Northern Terrirory News  with the crusading editor  Jim Bowditch,  and  on the independent    Darwin Star ; he also played  a  creative  part in  the  production of  two   spoofy  whimsical  publications, Troppo and  Fannie Bay Whisper, and  fielded  as  a bookie at the Fannie Bay  Races, below

Because of his skill at writing   racy, colourful stories, he was likened to American  Damon Runyon who wrote Guys and Dolls, about the mobsters, chorus girls, gamblers  and racetrack hustlers of Broadway. In fact, Pete , at times, used Runyoneque  expressions  in  copy  and   speech.   

Pete  also  played  a large part  in  in  the  fabulous  success  of   Sydney's  outrageous   King's Cross Whisper satirical  publication.

He  liked  growing plants in  pots and   the  Banyan was  left behind in Darwin when  he took off  for America  where  he  worked  on the New York Post and went  on  fishing  trips.  

CHANGING MONARCHS IN KIWI COINS

 

KEN AND KOKODA IN GHOST FLEET

 

Another  exclusive  by  the Shipping  Reporter, the only one north of  Coogee, NSW,   highlighting the  interesting    vessels  which come and go in  the  Port of  Townsville  without   the   media   noticing .

FORESHORE AND BEYOND

 

Vallis