It is not surprising that the day after the exciting inaugural open day at the Special Collections , Eddie Koiki Mabo Library , James Cook University, Townsville , our bug-eyed correspondent , Cyclops, was found to have high blood pressure and his pulse was racing like a noisy Yamaha .
The mere thought of a normal visit to the quiet Special Collections reading room to peruse some of its many treasures is enough to cause Cyclops to develop double vision. But a special shivoo like this open day , part of the university's celebration of Townsville's 150th anniversary , made him hot and sweaty .
On the well attended day , our man, with notebook and camera at the ready , was twitching with anticipation as he elbowed aside annoying people who were examining the many items of interest in display cases .
Across a crowded room , he spotted the president of the Magnetic Island History and Craft Centre , Zanita Davies , who had led a party of five enthusiasts from the island for the big day . She quickly drew his attention to an 1899 illustration of Townsville Harbour , with the island in the background , by watercolourist Bradshaw Barker , about whom little was known . Did Cyclops know anything about the artist? she asked. No-but he scribbled the mystery man's name into the notebook and would add it to his extensive list , which seems to double in length week by week .
Before Cyclops darted away to continue his inspection , Ms Davies informed him she was on the track of a shipping artefact . This info was quickly jotted down in almost legible scribble , to be followed up with her later .
Cyclops was accompanied by his carer , a lady who had recently had a cataract operation , so they were a dynamic team , their three eyes quickly picking the eyes out of the exhibits .
In the crowded reading room , Cyclops kept bumping into women and felt like Donald Trump at a Miss Universe beauty contest. It was so packed he did not get a chance to speak to or wave at a lady connected with the Northern Territory author Tom Ronan who once lived at Springvale Station,with a radioactive well , near Katherine .
Cyclops , unfortunately, could not stay for two talks , one about how to protect ephemera , of which he is a fan , his den knee deep in items that seem to have been looted from council dumps scattered about the nation . Before departing, he was able to have a quick talk with the librarian , Bronwyn McBurnie , and promise to return, like a certain American general to disturb the peace . If he can decipher his notes , the visit to Special Collections open day will result in a swag of feature articles.
