GIANT OCTOPUS COMES ASHORE

Strollers on   Magnetic Island's  Picnic Bay  jetty  received  a  shock   when they  were  greeted  by  what  appeared  to  be  a  gyrating octopus.

A nervous check revealed  it  will   be  the  centre of  a  spectacular 24 hour  site specific installation art  display, Illuminated Waters , a sculpture  by Jo Stacey , beginning this  Friday , running  through  to  the  l8th.

It is a giant Pacific  octopus , two metres high, whose body and tentacles  will entwine the jetty shelter and five nudibranchs,soft body molluscs , will form a lit trail to the  centrepiece. 

The octopus highlights the beauty of creatures  found in the natural environment off  Yunbenun - Magnetic Island - and draws attention to  the important  ecosystem of  the Great Barrier Reef.   

The sculpture is part of the Pop Up North Queensland  (PUNQ) biennial which activates and engages  with spaces,histories and  futures  through  art, and  runs  from August 1 -18 in a variety of locations . 

(Octopus,Art,Queensland.)

REPAIRING BLACK HOLE IN THE SKY

Townsville. Sara photos.

(Townsville, Port , Crane.)

 

FRUSTRATED LOTHARIO GOES TO WATER

 Obviously still frantically  trying to attract a  female  member of  the  glitterati to his  colorful, decorated  nest , the Bowerbird  which has  been  unsuccessfully   trying to  steal  Little  Darwin's  highly  desirable , shiny  metal clothes pegs has turned to new  bright possible  attractions to wow  the flighty women .  He was recently  photographed  closely   eyeing off   part  of  the   nice green , mainly covered,  irrigation   hose  in  the  citrus  patch, but , thankfully,  decided  not  to  rip  it  up,which would have ruined our plan to corner  the  pink  grapefruit  market. 

At a  nearby residence there are signs  that  he  rummaged through a  hanging  basket of  clothes pegs  and  chucked  out  colorless  plastic ones. 

(Bird, Nest, Women .)

TINY TIM MAKES NORTHERN TERRITORY HORTICULTURAL HISTORY/ EAST TIMOR DISPLAY / KAMALA HARRIS WIN OMEN

 To the accompaniment   of  deafening trumpets, the town crier today  announced  that  the puny pumpkin grown by agronomist Robert Wesley-Smith  actually won the  giant   melon  section  at the Royal Darwin Show  and   he  has been   awarded  the  $500  first prize !!!!!!!!

Champion  pumpkin, named Mari.

 Admittedly  it was the only  pumpkin  entered in  the   contest  and officially  weighed in at a mere 53.85 kilos , well  short of  his rough  estimate of   "about 80" .  A  woman in  Katherine  recently  grew  a pumpkin which weighed 240 kilos. 

Wes says he   feels  somewhat embarrassed by  his win , but that is the way the pumpkin scone  crumbles . However , he  is  going  to donate  $100 of  the prize money  to  the  Horticultural  Hall .   

Another  100 bucks   will go  to  a  friend , Lurdes  Pereira  , a member of  Darwin's  Timorese  comunity, who  went to the showground in  her  car to take delivery of  the winning melon . 

A  well- built helper , from the Philippines,  is said to have  picked  up the melon , held  it   above his  head  , like Atlas   holding up the world , and  then placed it in  her  car. It  is  hoped  that  a  photo of  the  weight  lifting   will  be  provided  .

The  champion melon is destined  to  be included in a special  exhibition  in Darwin next month  highlighting the East  Timor struggle for freedom in which Wesley-Smith  and  his twin brothers, Peter and Martin, played  a  big part, all three awarded  the  Order of  Timor Leste , in Dili .  

Furthermore , it is intended  that many of  Wes's  large  collection of  East  Timor  campaign  T-shirts , about 30,  will  be  displayed  along  with  the victorious   pumpkin. 

Wes  has had a  long involvement with the American political  system . He took  Jimmy  Carter, Henry Kissinger  and others  to task over East   Timor . In recent times he donated small amounts to  the  Democratic Party. It is possible that some of  the remainder of the   pumpkin  prize money  could  be  sent  to   Kamala's election  kitty. 

(Pumpkin, Timor, Kamala ) 

PROMINENT BRITISH WAR CARTOONIST

A  folder of  soiled  and  damaged  pencil  drawings  by  Thomas  Bert ,  MBE , who  drew for  the  British  Punch magazine and contributed  to  wartime propaganda ,   unearthed   in  South  Australia .  

Wikipedia  states  that  in  1918  Bert  became  nationally known for his cartoon "Arf a mo, Kaiser", drawn in ten minutes for the Smokes for Tommy Weekly Dispatch  campaign.

The cartoon raised nearly a quarter of a million pounds towards "comforts" (tobacco and cigarettes) for front line troops and the image was re-drawn and used during the Second World War with the caption "Arf a mo, 'itler".^] The Germans banned the "Arf a mo, 'itler" cartoon and to ensure British prisoners did not have their comfort parcels confiscated, he created a variation with the caption "Are we downhearted?"

One of Bert's sons, Peter, also contributed to Punch. 

Three of the  21 drawings in the folder  shown below  illustrate Thomas Bert's  wide rang  of  subjects , beginning with a version  of  the Roman legend ,  the Rape of the Sabine  Women,  strangely  with  the  title  The  Raid   On  the  Sabine Women .

A noisy neighbour seems  to  have  inspired  the  following   artwork  then a  farrier  with  a  difficult  horse .

(Cartoons, War, Bert)

HOUSE OPENING CEREMONY AURUKUN

In accordance   with  tribal custom, a number of houses - closed and vacated after  a  death  in   this  Indigenous  community  on  Cape York  Peninsula- were    opened  in  an impressive   ceremony.

There  was  a strong Torres Strait influence  in  the ceremony , evident in some  of  the  dress , basketry  and weaving  on  display .

The house opening ceremonies of Aurukun are drawn from ancient tradition, from when people camped in the bush on their traditional lands in temporary shelters. Traditionally, access to the camp area in which someone had died could be “closed” for up to two years. Eventually a ceremony would be held near that place shortly before the wet season to send the deceased person’s spirit back to his or her traditional lands and to set the place right for people to live in again. The immediate family and the in-laws of the deceased would hunt and gather food for a large feast and groups from other clans would be invited to participate. Those who came, all well dressed and decorated, would demonstrate their condolences to the close family in moving expressions of grief.

(Aurukun, House, Tradition )

SHIPPING REPORTER RESUMES HUNT

 Obsessed with mermaids, our waterfront roundsman  went  looking for   more  stray  ones   at   Townsville's monthly Mundingburra  State  School  market, part  of  his  regular beat . While no mermaids were found sunning themselves in the  playground,  he  did  spot some interesting seahorses 

Several migrating   whales  were  also   seen  passing  through  the wide array  of  items for sale. Was that a china   corncob owl ?  The Shipping Reporter  finally found a  fabulous  , vain  mermaid  on  the  Antiques  Roadshow,  crafted  from  gold and an  oddly shaped freshwater pearl , valued  at  1500 pound.

BYGONE OVERSEAS CRUISES

 Shipping  company   postcards  sent  by   passengers  in  the   l960s.

Posted at  Thursday Island on  May 13, l964 , with a  five cent  Queen  Elizabeth   stamp ,   by   a  couple  heading overseas  aboard  Flotta Lauro  TV Roma , sister ship TV Sydney included .

Apparently  heading  for  Australia  aboard  the  Lloyd Triestino vessel  Gallileo Galilei ,   postcard, with  Queen  stamp,    posted  in  Aden on  September  11, l963. 

Despite it having been  terribly windy and  raining for four days,everyone was  having  a lovely  time  aboard the Sitmar Line  MV Fairsea, postcard sent from Singapore  May 15, l965.

Sporting  two Japanese stamps , posted  at  Beppu, Kyushu,on April 22,1963 ,  par avion, to Australia , by passenger  who sailed  through the Inland Sea on the Kanzai Line  MS Kurenai Maru.

EYEBALLING KOOKABURRAS

 

Blue-winged Kookaburras , Anderson Botanic Gardens , Townsville. Vallis  pix.

SPOTLIGHT ON NORTHERN TERRITORY #1

A   batch of   postcards  sent  by  travellers between   the l960s and 1980s provide   a  panoramic   view  of  the   Northern Territory  in   all  its  glory .  A  sample   follows .  

 
Darwin is   presented  as   part  of  Paradise in  this  artistic production by  Wayne  Zerbe, actually sent from Hall's Creek, Western Australia, to Mareeba, North Queensland .  

Close to  Christmas  l967 , this  shot of the Darwin post office  was by Uwe Steinwald , the  city  described as a  lovely place.   

The  Katherine  Gorge   stars  in  this  postcard  sent  in  l980  . The  weather was  beautiful, but the    barramundi  were not  biting .  The sender had just taken  up  a new  job  in  the area  and  was  looking for a  cheap  caravan .

                            

Barras were obviously biting in  this Alice Springs produced  postcard  , the sender  telling  Tomasich family back in  Dimbulah, Queensland, he  was  enjoying Northern Territory  draught  beer  at  every  possible opportunity . 

DRAMATIC TWIST IN PUNY PUMPKIN SAGA

 Believe  it or not,  the lightweight  pumpkin  agronomist  Robert Wesley-Smith grew , hoping to win the monster melon  section  at  the   Darwin Show , could  actually come  out  on  top.

The  about 80 kg  melon  is  shown   above  having just been loaded into   Wes's  little Honda Jazz  sedan, on top of  a  mattress ,  with the help  of  Ted  Whiteaker , despite  him  having recently  had a  hernia operation.  

Whiteaker  then drove  Wes and  the pumpkin  to the showground  to   make  a  late  entry .

Upon arrival at the  busy  showground  ,it was hard to find a  spot to unload  because   there  apparently were no other   pumpkins  entered  so far ! This  could  result  in  Wes , at  long  last , taking  out  the equivalent of an  Olympic  Games  gold  medal. 

A show official  said  people  had  experienced  difficulty  growing  melons  this  year , 

It took two men to  place  the pumpkin on  a  bale of hay.  

As reported in an earlier  post, Wes had become   downcast because  a  240 kg pumpkin had  won   the  recent  Katherine  Show.

Unless there is  a sudden rush of  people  descending on the  showground  with melons  at this late stage, Wes could  become  the  default  king  of  the Top  End  pumpkin  patch . 

SCOOP : NOSTRADAMUS PREDICTS DONALD TRUMP WILL CROAK, BE FLUSHED AWAY

 This sensational  prediction is backed up  by  the following   postcard  of  a   cute  Australian  Green Tree  Frog  in  a  White House  dunny !!! 

In  an exclusive French  retirement village  interview  with  Nostradamus  , the wise old gentleman  warned , "God  help and  defend  America  if  Trump  gets the  keys  to  the  White  House  ablution  block ."     

However,  he  hastily  added  that  due to the  new  beaut  Maggie Beer  catering service at the  retirement home, which does not include tasteless  croissants, he   keeps on  getting  vivid  visions  of  Trump croaking  hysterically and  clapping ( repeat clapping )  madly   as  he  is  sucked  down  the  tubes  in   the   presidential election. 

Nostradamus  predicted  Donald Trump will look like a battered and  dessicated  toad   after  the  vital   election .  

The  exclusive  postcard   shown  at the top of  this report , from the   Paul Arnold Bush Photos  series, proudly published by Coleman Printing , Darwin , was  discovered  in  Townsville  by our  Shipping Reporter,   who   flushes out  many  oddities . 

He  has  had many close encounters  with  green  tree  frogs in  Darwin conveniences, going back as far as  1958 . On one occasion  he did  battle with a  deadly brown snake which slithered into his  toilet  and  began eating  the  loudly  protesting  frogs  that   lived  under the lip of  the  toilet bowl . 

This literary gem  is  dedicated to the memory of Sydney's high class   King's  Cross  Whisper  team , especially  Peter and Terry Blake , Jim Ramsay , Jim Oram,  Maori Barry , Max Cullen  and  others .   

(Spoof, Trump , Nostradamus .)

CAIRNS STROLLER

Possibly a  Striated  Heron .  Abra  photo.

 

NEVER TEASE OR SMILE AT A CROCODILE

 Northern Territory  postcards  recently captured  by  our snap-happy Shipping  Reporter.  

The top  dramatic  photo came from the Northern Territory News , the caption opening , Snapped! It shows a startled and agile backpacker on a South Alligator River fishing trip discovering that  teasing a four metre crocodile  has explosive  results.  

The  crocs in the following two postcards are from the  Paul Arnold  Bush  Photos series , Coleman's  Printing, Darwin . 

TASMANIANS DECLARED LOUSY CAKE MAKERS / MANY BUNS IN THE OVEN

 A  passenger  on   the  Empress  of   Tasmania, above ,  possibly a  tourist  from  North  Queensland with  an apparent interest  in cooking and baking , in  October  l966  had   a  nice cruise up the Tamar  River . However,  she  was not  impressed by the "ghastly"  cakes   displayed  at  the  Launceston  Show.  A  message on the back of a postcard sent to her mother and  father contained the following  critical comments :

The 10,000 ton  passenger and  vehicle liner Empress of Tasmania was the largest passenger ship to have been built in Australia and was on the   Sydney to  Tasmania run, carrying 250 passengers  in cabins, space for 91 cars  in  the  vehicle deck . 

Another postcard  sent  October 10, l972  by a  traveller, after a  trip to Magnetic Island , Queensland ,  said a  bakery had  been visited  which made 41,000 loaves of bread , 18,000 dozen  rolls  and   buns  every  week .  

DARWIN CHINATOWN LINK IN FABULOUS OFFERINGS AT MELBOURNE FAIR

 The  above  ornamental   fan ,  on sale for $12,000,  made  in Australia in  the l880s  from  the red tail feathers of  Black Cockatoos, with a carved  ivory handle , may  have   been  produced  and  sold  in   Darwin's  Chinatown .  

It is one of  the unusual  items  that  will be offered  by  Douglas Stewart Fine  Books  at the weekend's  Melbourne  Rare  Books Fair .

The  fan  , with  a maximum diameter of 622mm  open  , has an original camphor wood box , a hinged  lid with  relief  carved decorations, the interior  lined  with  blue  silk  and  red  paper . 

The  bookshop says the  fan was made in Australia in the 1880s by Chinese artisans, probably produced and sold by a Chinese commercial enterprise in the Chinatown district of Palmerston (Darwin), the cockatoo feathers being traded from local Indigenous people.

It is described as  a rare survivor that interweaves Chinese artisanal and social  traditions , indigenous culture and European cultural  taste .  

Another unusual  offering  in the bookshop list  is a  water colour portrait and snuff box  of  Midshipman William  Harvey , a  sailor   on all three  voyages  of  Captain Cook,   $48,000. 

Other important  maritime  items   are   a First  Fleet  manuscript  map showing  the  route  of Scarborough on its  return  1788  voyage  from  Port  Jackson , $275,000 ; an autographed  letter  by  First  Fleet  Midshipman  Newton Powell, at sea, off  Rio  de Janiero , August 6, 1787, sent to his father , $150,000 ; William Bligh  ( of  the  Bounty ) 1754-1817, his  personal  copy , $95,000.

One of only three extremely rare known publisher's  copies  of   Patrick White's  The  Ploughman and other poems is  priced  at  $35,000..

THE UPLIFTING CASE OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY PUNY PUMPKIN

Although  agronomist  Robert Wesley-Smith has a  calloused  green  thumb,  knows a lot about fertiizers and the nutritional value of cycads ,  don't  expect  him to  win  the   giant   pumpkin  section  at   the  looming  Darwin Show .  He  is  despondent  after hearing a  woman  recently  won  the  Katherine  Show   melon  event  with  one  that  weighed   a  whopping  240kgs.  

Wes is  shown above seemingly  putting  the  boot   into  his "puny pumpkin"- which  he admits  is  only about 70-80 kilos. As  he  can no longer  drive  because  of   the  disputed  loss of his licence  , he recently bought  an  Ebike, not   designed  for   transporting  farm  produce . 

Needing to  get a  lift  to the   showground,  Wes  asked a  friend   with  a station wagon  to   come  to  his rural  property  and  help  load   the  awkward  pumpkin   aboard.  It seems  the  request  for  the  two-way  lift  date   got  mixed  up  as  his  friend responded  by  saying  he  was to have a hernia  operation  on  or  about  that  day.

Therefore it  would not be advisable  to  go rolling  and  lifting  the  blessed  pumpkin all over Darwin .  Wes  informed  his  mate operation pumpkin uplift  would not  clash  with his  hernia op .   In any case ,the mediocre melon  will end up being donated  to  an organisation  which  supplies  meals  for   locals   in  need  of   tucker.

On  display above  is a variety of  motley melons Wes grew in the past. Needless to say, none of them won a prize at the show .         

BAD NEWS FROM AMERICA

Sent  from  America  to  a woman in  Sydney , then redirected to Dimbulah , North  Queensland ( Sans Souci and  Cairns misspelt ),  the  above  postcard ,  found by  our   rummaging  Shipping  Reporter,  shows a speedboat on  Otsego Lake  ,Cooperstown ,  New  York .

The sender , C.? F. Hogg ,wrote that  the Susquehanna  River ,which begins in the lake, is at the back of  the  house .  Rainfall could  be  heavy there , but  not in the last three years. The message   continued : " I  hope  the news that  you  hear is  not  all  bad  from  this  country ."

There  appears to be   first  day cover postal history information  on the postcard -to the left of  the stamps.   

SMOKO AND TIME FOR A BISCUIT

Vallis .

 

BLOOD RED SUN TAPESTRY

 

Aurukun, Cape York Peninsula . Abra  series .

CRUISE SHIP DISASTER

In  a  Townsville market  , our  Shipping  Reporter  discovered a   batch  of  interesting  nautical  postcards  sent  from  America , Japan , Gibraltar ,  Italy ,  various   Australian ports . One  is  the following   l962  shot  of  the Italian  Cogesar Line  Aurelia which in its  59 years  of  service  included, starting in l958, a   decade of  bringing  immigrants  to  Australia.

Formerly a German freighter, it was seized after  WWll and awarded to Canada. it  was then   sold to  Cogesar who  converted  it to  a smart  cruise ship  and  used  on  the  Australia run.

It was  later  sold to the  Chandris  Line, and on October 4 , l997 , near Cyprus , a fire broke out  in the engine room which spread rapidly, the vessel   developing a  list of  20 degrees to starboard .  To prevent  it from  capsizing,  tanks  were  flooded. 

British helicopters  took part  in the rescue of the 482 passengers and 182 crew . The   badly damaged  ship  , see  below, was  towed to Alexandria, Egypt, where  it was  broken up . 

UPCOMING: More offbeat items dredged up by the waterfront roundsman.  

COSMIC EXCLUSIVE : DONALD TRUMP , JOE BIDEN BOTH OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL RACE !!!

WASHINGTON : It can be   revealed  that   President   Joe Biden    and    Donald   Trump   will  not  run  in the   mad , mad  election campaign - much  to  the  relief  of  God   Almighty .

President  Biden  has secretly agreed   to  take up  the star  part of a  confused   Santa  Claus   in  an  hilarious   new  Kiwi  Christmas  movie  to  be  filmed  on  New Zealand's  oyster  encrusted  Stuart  Island , where it is understood he will also undergo an extensive course of crustacean injections to  improve  his  stamina  and staying  power on  his  Knucklehead   Harley   Davidson. 

.

Stumbling  Biden rehearsing Santa with a  star spangled cricket  ball .

Convicted  felon Donald   Trump  decided to  withdraw from the  election  after he  was offered  the lucrative  part of  a  beach inspector  in   a new  Down Under  television   series   of  Bondi Rescue . In  it  he will be in charge of  checking  the   modesty  of   bikinis  worn  by  beach  babes .

The  Russian Buggerup  America  Bureau is about to post the  above  repulsive  scoop  photograph of  Trump's  naked body  , sans the daily  44 gallon drum of imitation suntan spray,  the  scars from  at least  57 cosmetic surgery operations  clearly visible , minus  his  latest made in  China  wig , which  shows  him  about  to slip  into  a  neck  to   ankle  fake Mr Universe  blow  up   bathing  suit   on  the   Bondi  Rescue  film  set  . 

(Spoof,Trump, Bondi).