CAIRNS DELUGE

 

Low cloud views from the Esplanade by Abra  . 

(Cairns.Rain. Abra.)

BALI GOES ITALIAN

 

From  our  travelling  gourmet . 

(Bali. Italian. Window.)

BRISVEGAS ON SHOW

 

Brisbane series by Aeronautical Correspondent  Abra 

(Brisbane. Views. Abra.)

QUEEN MOTHER FOR SALE !!!

Forelock-tugging  Shipping  Reporter makes right royal  discovery in op shop. 

The  Queen Mother  beams from a  letter  , on sale for  $50, in  a display  cabinet  in  the Vinnies shop   at  Townsville's  Castle Town .

The letter  was sent  by a Lady- in- Waiting  on behalf of the Queen Mother    thanking a Townsville couple, Mrs and Mrs  R.  de Graaff,   for the kind   message   they  sent   Her Majesty on  her 100th  birthday in  2000. 

Our  Shipping Reporter   had a  fishy  close  encounter with  Her  Majesty in  New  Zealand .  She was  on a royal visit , and the Shipping Reporter , with  a British photographer ,  was  covering  part  of  a 1960s  tour  in  the  North Island .

From memory , he said  the overland  royal  entourage was  delayed  because  a   sheep  transporter  had  overturned  , causing  a   road  blockage.

Late  in  the  day ,  Her  Majesty ,   dressed to   give  the impression  she  was  about to  go  trout  fishing , looking  like  Vera  in  the  current   television  detective series, graciously  agreed  to   pose  for  the  reporter  and  cameraman   for   a   fake   photo  in   Rotorua , then  quickly  retired to change  into  something  more  comfortable  

(Royal. Fishing. Vera.)

HOLY MOUNTAIN

 

 Gunung  Agung , Bali's active volcano. On  the  weather front,  there  is much rain  and  lightning  up  that  way . Monsoons are said  to be  coming  down to North  Australia  and  possible  cyclones  forming . An  indication of  a weather change is  the fact that ants are emerging  from  the  computer and running  about  the  screen  . No  sign of  action  in  the   rain orchids ,which confuses the  weather outlook . 

(Bali.Volcano.Weather.)

EBB AND FLOW WITH A MOOSE

 

Shipping  Reporter  log.

(Tides. Tropics. Reporter.)

WATERFRONT DRONE TOUR

Shipping Reporter zooms in on Townsville , Magnetic  Island .

(Drone. Townsville. Shipping.)

WET SEASON

Townsville  casino pool.

 

Vallis  photos.

ROAD TO MANDALAY BUSY

 Described  as  Townsville's  jewel in  the crown, Magnetic  Island  now  has  a   closed  section  of  a  main  road  which  it seems  only  an  Army engineering  team  with  a  spare , portable, pre- fabricated  Bailey  bridge  could  ease  the  situation  in  the   near  future.

Flooding  caused by heavy rain  in  December  damaged  the   Sooning  Street  bridge  , underneath  pipes  and roadway  over Gustav Creek, Nelly Bay. The  roadway   at  the  crossing  was  closed  and  there  is  no indication  when  it   is  likely  to reopen  or  when  reconstruction  work will even  start . 

Because of  the closure ,  traffic  is  now  diverted  up  and  down  Mandalay  Avenue and there is concern  that   heavy trucks  could  damage   another  bridge . 

(Bridge .  Island.  Army.)          

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT

During a  night  flight  from Cairns to Townsville  passengers were   alerted over the  PA that  the plane  may have  to  return  to Cairns because  the tarmac  lights  were  not   working  on the Townsville runway.  The  plane , with a Little Darwin team member aboard,  went into  a   holding  pattern south  of  the  city  while  the  problem   was  eventully  fixed.

LOOSE GOOSE

Vallis.

 

MEDIA DISABLED , DISMEMBERED .

When  our  Shipping  Reporter went along to cover the Townsville arrival of the cruise  ship  Queen Elizabeth  he  discovered  that  usual   parking  spaces  for  vehicles with disabled  passengers  at  the  main wharf  had   been  converted  to   media  use  only  which   was  really   an  indication   of   the  current  tough  financial  times in  commercial  media , not  to  mention  its  obvious  shortcomings.  

Since then, Channel Nine has   axed its  Darwin bulletin  and made changes to  its  Gold Coast office ,  involving  11  full-time employees  , three made  redundant.   

Nine Entertainment  announced it  would lay off  up to 200 employees ,38 from television  news and current  affairs , about  half  from publishing ,  some from  digital  and  head  office. 

 Murdoch's News Corporation this  month embarked upon  a $65million  restructuring  which resulted in  the removal of  many senior News executives  and  a split into three  publishing  divisions. 

 At Seven West Media, run by Kerry Stokes,  150 staff members are to depart under a plan to save  $100million.

Commercial media is fighting  falling revenue as advertisers  slash marketing  budgets  plus the  decision by Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, that it would no longer provide funding to traditional media outlets under deals struck in the wake of Australia's landmark legislation in 2021 that required  technology  companies to  pay   for  news content.

To quote moaning  Donald Trump, suffering from RSI after signing all those  decrees,  thank  God for the Australian Broadcasting  Corporation which is  constantly  shot   at   by  News  Corp , especially  by  Sky . 

(Media. Disabled. Trump.)

VISION SPLENDID

Gulf of Carpentaria flight. Aeronautical Correspondent  Abra  photograph. 

 

( Carpentaria.  Flight . Abra .)

QUEEN IN NIGHT ATTIRE

 Townsville - Queen City of the  North- by night .

 Castle Hill , centre , subject of light  display . 

Waterfront view. 

(Night. Castle. Queen.)

EMUS AT WAR

 Part of  a  display in  the   Australian  Army  Museum  at  Townsville's   Jezzine Barracks  which  explains  the  background to  the  attachment  of distinctive emu  feathers  on  slouch  hats  worn  by   Australian   Light  Horse   Regiments .  

Slouch hats  were  first adorned with emu feathers by the  Queensland  Mounted  Infantry in l891 .They   were   officially  allowed  to wear  the plume  as  a  mark of distinction  for the first  time while on  active  service in  the  Boer  War  in  South  Africa. 

The  plume was   used to  identify  the Queensland Regiment  among the British forces. 

In 1915  all   Australian LIght Horse Regiments  became eligible to wear the plume.

(Army. Museum . Emus.)

EARLY CHINESE , MODERN KOREAN BUSINESS INVOLVEMENT IN NORTH

 Plaque in  English and Chinese   at   the  Earlville  Stockland  store  ,Cairns, highlights  the  Hap Wah  Company  plantation  which used to  be on  the site and in  l882  produced  the   first  sugar in  the district   . The shopping complex  is  on  Mulgrave Road, once  known as  Hap  Wah  Road.

In l878 and l879 , Andrew Leon (1840-l920) , born in China, who had been involved in agiculture in the West Indies and spent two years in Cuba,  took up  1250 acres of  land  near Cairns  for  tropical farming .

He had  settled in  Queensland in  the  l860s , and  during the  later   Palmer   River  goldrush , which involved many Chinese,   had  dealings with  Hong  Kong  business  interests in  Cooktown , at one stage   manager  of  Sun Yee  Lee  and  Company. 

His involvement with  the  Chinese community grew and he became a  partner in  the  Cairns trading  firm  Sun Chong Lee.  

The Hap Wah Company consisted of  Chinese traders in Hong Kong and local businessmen who   invested £45,000 in the plantation  , growing  cotton and sugar.

 With a  workforce of  up to  200, the plantation was mainly  Chinese run , except   for a  European  engineer  and   sugar boiler.  

The  Australian Dictionary of  Biography says  Leon  represented the Chinese community in many matters, organising much of their business, acting as an interpreter, and serving as a trustee of the Lit Sung Goong Temple.  His achievements and his social status posed great problems for anti-Chinese enthusiasts  of  the  day.

Falling sugar prices and the lack of capital hit the highly regarded   Hap Wah Company and the rest of the industry in the mid-1880s, resulting in the  plantation land  being  sold for £15,000  in l886 to the Charters Towers mining magnate,  Thomas Mills.    

The following  photograph  is  the  new   Korean  Mart   which  recently opened  in Townsville  , the  second  in  the  city  .

(China. Korea . Australia.)

CREATING RIPPLES

Vallis.

 

FLYING FOX ADVICE

 

North  Queensland  Burdekin  park sign with foxes.

(Foxes. Warning. Sign.)

WITCH LANDING ON RUNWAY ONE

Another  flight  of  imagination  by  Aeronautical  Correspondent  Abra. 

(Witch, Airport, Abra.)

SUNNY SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

The   British-Australian pop group the  Bee Gees  once  lived   at  Redcliffe , near Brisbane,   and  are  the subject of  a  70 metre  walkway  there   which features  life- sized statues and a  musical  light show.    The  three  Gibb brothers  were  born on  the  Isle  of   Man  and  came  to  Australia  with their family  in  l952.   

Redcliffe  views  by Petros .

(Pop. Redcliffe. Bee Gees.)

WAYWARD WAYSIDE CHAPEL

 Photo by unbalanced  Vallis.

THIRSTY PENAL COLONY

A  November  1839  letter   from  the owner  of  the  Hawkesbury  Brewery , Windsor ,  Sydney, New South Wales , provided  an  insight  into  the  great  demand  for  libations. The  letter , in the   Douglas Stewart  Fine Books , Melbourne  , latest  January acquisitions ,  for  $1750.  , was  written  by  Thomas  Cadell , from a  family  who  had been  involved  in  the  Edinburgh  brewing  business for  generations. 

He   started the Windsor brewery  on the southern bank of the  Hawkesbury River  in  about  1834- a year before Tooth and Newnham established their Kent  Brewery on  the  Parramatta  Road. 

In the letter Cadell told   an uncle back in Scotland  the brewery was a financial  success  by 1839, owing to the high demand for harvest beer among the  settlers  and  the  ‘incessant  cry of  the Publicans for Ale’.

The  youngest son of  John Cadell, of Cockenzie, near Prestonpans ,Scotland, Thomas joined the Royal Navy at 14  as a midshipman -wonder if he was entitled to  a  daily  grog ration ? In   l801   his ship was  captured by the  French .

After  being  a prisoner of war  for seven years, he escaped  across the Channel and went  into the  Edinburgh brewing business. In l832 he emigrated with his  family to  New South Wales .    

The brewery booming, Cadell  also  had a  two storey residence , named  Cockenzie House, built at Windsor, where he married . His parents and  other relatives  joined  him  at  Windsor and contributed to the success of the business  .    

There was a  suspected  arson attack on  the  brewery in  l836. 

The bookshop says a combination of factors, including the discovery of gold in New South Wales in 1851 which led to an exodus of much of the male population to the diggings, contributed to the demise of Cadell’s brewing business in  the   1850s. 

(Brewery. Letter. Colony.)

BLUEY SAVED FROM DEATH

Thanks to the  quick action of  a  motorist , the  above Blue Tongue lizard  was saved from certain death  when   pulled  off   a  busy Townsville   road   and  released  into  the  bush , no doubt  somewhat  dazzled  by  the  rescuer's  bright  shirt . 

 (Lizard. Rescue. Shirt.)

DREAMTIME ENCOUNTER / ARTIST DEDICATED TO UNITY , PEACE

 

The Gubulla Munda  - Carpet Snake-  totem  and  protective Spirit of  the   Biri Gubba  people in the  Plantation Park, Ayr, North Queensland . It  is  a sacred site , occupied for thousands  of years before Euopean  occupation  , during  which  time  children were  born  on  the  creek  banks  and  elders  were buried there  , including  remains  of   some    returned  from   the  United  Kingdom  and  placed  to  rest in  their traditional land. 

The monument was  designed, constructed  and sculptured  by the late  Dr Farvardin Daliri  OAM  and  painted by  many  Aboriginal  artists. 

An Iranian born Baha’i who migrated to Australia in the 80s, Dr Daliri had a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a PhD in Education and a background in community development. He spent more than 30 years in the community services sector across Australia, initiating projects and programs towards a more cohesive and harmonious society.

Background information states he drew his knowledge from working in culturally complex situations in remote north Indian communities, his experience as a survivor of torture and a refugee, and over three decades working in remote communities from Tasmania to Far North Queensland with culturally diverse communities, service providers and government agencies.

Dr Farvardin used large scale public art to give a voice to marginalised communities and issues that were close to his heart. His sculptures included Indigenous Australians, Australian native animals and cultural symbolisms of peace.

Through his original abstract paintings, to giant crocodiles and a viral laughing kookaburra, which was featured on worldwide platforms such as The New York Times, CNN, and Buzzfeed, Dr Daliri was committed to bringing unity and cohesion to society through his artworks.

(Dreamtime. Snake. Peace.)  

ROADSIDE TAKEAWAY

 

Red-Tailed Black-Cockatoos  feasting on  nuts next  to busy  road . Vallis .  

(Cockatoos. Feeding. Road.)

CYCLONE TRACY TRAIL

 Darwin's Cyclone Tracy Trail memorial sculpure at East Point . It includes five depictions of frangipani flowers scattered by the l974 disaster which killed 66 people and destroyed a large part of the city .

Photos  by  Craig.

The flowers represent their dominant place in the treescape at the time and the resilience of the community and the spirit of the people of Darwin to rebuild their city.

The sculpture is the work of local artist Techy Masero , who was born in Chile and trained there as a fine arts teacher, came to Australia in l958 .

Another structure is inspired by the thousands of corrugated iron sheets stripped from Darwin homes in the cyclone.

(Cyclone , Darwin, Trail.)

EARLY MIGRATION INFLUENCES

 The wide  interests   and   extensive  network  of  contacts  of  Darwin agronomist and  activist  Robert Wesley-Smith  are  apparent yet again  in  recent emails  received  from  him  by  this  blog . One  of  particular  interest included   the   following  release .  

A new study from the University of Adelaide and The Australian National University (ANU) has outlined the first genomic evidence of early migration from New Guinea into the Wallacea, an archipelago containing Timor-Leste and hundreds of inhabited eastern Indonesian islands.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, addresses major gaps in the human genetic history of the Wallacean Archipelago and West Papuan regions of Indonesia – a region with abundant genetic and linguistic diversity that is comparable to the Eurasian continent – including the analysis of 254 newly sequenced genomes.

In combination with linguistic and archaeological evidence, the study shows that Wallacean societies were transformed by the spread of genes and languages from West Papua in the past 3500 years – the same period that Austronesian seafarers were actively mixing with Wallacean and Papuan groups.

“My colleagues at the Indonesian Genome Diversity Project have been studying Indonesia’s complex genetic structure for more than a decade, but this comprehensive study provides confirmation that Papuan ancestry is widespread across Wallacea, pointing to historical migrations from New Guinea,” says lead author Dr Gludhug Ariyo Purnomo, from the University of Adelaide’s School of Biological Sciences.

“By connecting the dots between genetics, linguistics, and archaeology, we now recognise West Papua as an important bio-cultural hub and the launching place of historical Papuan seafarers that now contribute up to 60% of modern Wallacean ancestry.”

Genomic research is also becoming increasingly important for developing new medicines tailored to specific genetic backgrounds.

“In the era of precision medicine, understanding the genetic structure of human groups is vital for developing treatments that are helpful rather than harmful, with Wallacea and New Guinea having been poorly represented in past genomic surveys,” Dr Purnomo says.

Associate Professor Ray Tobler, from ANU, says Wallacea had been isolated for more than 45,000 years since the arrival of the first human groups, and the more recently arriving Papuan and Austronesian migrants reconfigured Wallacean culture by introducing new languages that diversified and intermingled to create its rich linguistic landscape.

“Our findings suggest that the Papuan and Austronesian migrations were so extensive that they have largely overwritten the ancestry of the first migrants, making the recovery of these ancient migrations from genetic data challenging,” says Professor Tobler, who is also an Adjunct Fellow at the University of Adelaide’s Australian Centre for Ancient DNA.

According to the researchers, there are challenges in reconstructing past movements of people using modern genetic data due to historical migrations and movements.

“There's also been so much movement in Wallacea in the past couple of thousand years, due to the spice trade and slavery, that it obscures the relationship between geography and genetics,” Associate Professor Tobler says.

“What we know about Wallacea and New Guinea is just the tip of the iceberg, but the use of ancient DNA can help to overcome some of these challenges and help us to understand the origins and legacy of human journeys to the region stretching back tens of thousands of years.”

( Wallacea . Papua. Study.)

CAN DO SUGAR TOWN

 

Sardine  can   public art work  with the  title  Open  To  New Ideas , by local businessman  and artist  Ull Liesmann , installed  in   a   Home  Hill , Burdekin Shire ,  North  Queensland ,  park  during  the  2018 annual  Harvest  Festival

(Burdekin. Festival. Sardine.) 

PAUL HOGAN THROWS ANOTHER SHRIMP ON THE BARBIE AS TOURISTS ARRIVE

Bittern with prawn caught in king tide during  first visit  to Townsville of  cruise ship Queen Elizabeth , with  2000 passengers , one of  six  cruise vessels   expected over  a  fortnight . Shipping  Reporter  photos.  

( Cruise . Prawn.  Shipping.)