BUTTERFLIES DANCING WITH FLORA AND HEPCAT PELICAN

 

 

The  syncopated  beat  of   Cairns  . Abra photographs .

THE BLOCK FACES CHALLENGE : MODERNISE HERMIT'S HUT

The  replica dwelling  of   Shakespeare spouting, rum swilling  eccentric , Otto Bottiger,  in the grounds of the   Magnetic Island History and  Craft Centre at   Picnic  Bay, is  undergoing a  makeover  to  repair  the  ravages of   time . Bottiger , a  retired  Burns Philp  Shipping   officer,  lobbed on the island  in 1890  and lived in a crude hut on poles  under  which  at very high tides he could dangle his  feet in the  water .  It was built  from  corrugated iron sheets , palm  fronds  and  grass . 

 

In  a  box  shaped boat  in which  he kept books , he would drift about the bay  reading, sipping either  rum or mango wine , an  umbrella protecting him from the sun .  

Despite being  called  the    Hermit of Nelly Bay , he became the island's  first postmaster ,  mixed  with  residents , shared and  sold  his rum  to people , recited  poems and  Shakespeare to groups . He regularly attended  School  Board  functions  in  tattered clothing  , barefooted , unshaven .The 3/4 replica  of  his airy  abode,  built by artist Tony Cuthbertson  , is  in the grounds of  the old  Magnetic  Island  School . It  is  being  rethatched  by  David  Ede , a volunteer member   of the Magnetic Island History and Craft Centre  and Magnetic Museum .   

Bottiger , right ,  at the  entrance to his  house, which seems to be roughly in the shape of The Globe  theatre . 

BOMBING OF DARWIN SPECIAL

 

Wide  ranging information   is  being sought  about  the  Australian  coastal   vessel  Zealandia  which  was  bombed  and sank with  the loss of three lives  when  the  Japanese  attacked    Darwin  on  February  19, 1942. An article in   Progenitor , quarterly journal of the Genealogical Society of the  Northern Territory ,  contains   the  request  and  mentions   the  contents of   boxes   which  had  not  been looked at  for more than 100 years , outlining  the life of shipping engineer   William Cumming  who died in Glasgow in 1914, involved in construction of  the vessel .

Cumming,  a draughtsman , manager, engineer  and  naval architect, built up a wonderful  shipping  archive  which accompanied him  back and forwards between  Melbourne  and  the UK  between  1894  and  1914. During this time he was  responsible for overseeing  construction of many vessels for the  Huddart  Parker  line  as  the  superintendent  engineer  .

The  SS  Zealandia  ( 1910-1942) , the article states, was  perhaps the most advanced and  the largest ocean going  ship , more than  400 feet  , which  Cumming built , reputedly  the  first Australian steamer  fitted    with wireless . Cumming  also  had  10 years  with the  Adelaide Steamship Company  during which time  he  refitted  many ships on  the South Australian and Western Australia / Nor'West trade  .  He was  also on the UK to New York  run for a year on the SS Bolivia .

His grandson , Bruce Cumming ,  who lives in  Victoria , wants  to hear  from anyone who has  any  information or personal stories about the  Zealandia  or William Cumming , no matter how small . Bruce, a writer  and maker of community documentaries, grew up  hearing family stories  about   Australian history , lighthouses , ships.

His father , Bill ,  who  died last year,  was  in Darwin during the war  with the RAAF Catalinas. Together  they  had  intended   to   write   a  book about  William   Cumming . The journal article includes  a photograph of a SS Zealandia  serviette  ring .     

 Bruce  can be contacted : Bruce.cumming1@bigpond.com .  On Youtube  search for  Bruce Cumming , or Bruce  Cumming videodocs.    

ARFER SINODINOS AND THE SUDDEN UPSURGE IN SOPHISTICATION

From  within the   Liberal  Broad  Church , with  its  Golden Lobby  on  the Hill  filled  with  soothsayers  , the word went out that  there  was  a  new  meaning and  future   for   sophistication . And  lo ,  there was a   flow of  sophistication  like a burst water main  throughout  the   warring  Coalition tribes  as  their  members   miraculously   paid    homage  to  the  One  Nation   Party ,  having  previously  treated   its  leader like   Joan  of  Arc  . 

 

 In  Western Australia , the   Liberals  were so  overcome by  the new  One  Nation    sophistication  they  decided  to share  the  fatted  calf   with it ahead  of  the  straw  chewing camp  followers, the   Nationals. The    sudden change in the  accepted   meaning of sophistication -except for "artificial" -  means   that 200,000  copies of the   Macquarie  Dictionary   will  have to be  pulped  to accommodate   the  new  interpretation .

 

The  stunning  sophistication of  One  Nation is  revealed by overwhelming  empirical evidence in  such  statements by  Queensland  candidate Shan Ju Lin , disendorsed  after  saying  gay people  need "conversion therapy "; Peter  Rogers  , axed, after  claiming  photos  of drowned Syrian boy Alan Kurdi , and the  Port  Arthur massacre ,  were  faked ; John Cox asserting  the 9/ll  attacks were staged  ; David  Archibald   attacking " lazy " single mothers .

 

In  Queensland , a  large number of  joined at the hip  Liberal National  sodbusters indicate/threaten   they might / will    defect and  become   sophisticated   One  Nation  members , partners . It  has produced   a  situation in the  Sunshine State  noisier  and  dustier ,  with  much bellowing  in the canefields ,  than  the  Calgary  Stampede .

 

Resurrected ,  due   to  a  large extent  because of the  failure of  Malcolm Turnbull   as  Prime Minister, he is  now completely emasculated by his own Coalition  factions and  sidekicks  ,  Pauline Hanson  expressed  admiration for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and shrugged  off  criticism of Russia's alleged role in the death of 38 Australians on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 by commenting that "everyone has done something," which  sounds like something dingbat   Donald  Trump  uttered . 

Meanwhile , there is an unconfirmed report  that  during his recent   trip to New Zealand desperate  Malcolm  Turnbull made a secret  deal with the Mongrel  Mob  to  paddle  across  the  Tasman  and give troublemakers in  the  Coalition a  greenstone   mere  massage .  

DELAYED TROPICAL VALENTINE'S DAY BOUQUET WITH BUMBLEBEES AND MIXED NUTS

Vallis photograph .

TRUMP APPLIES SCHOOLBOY CHINESE TORTURE ON ALLY

TOKYO : Japanese Prime Minister  Shinzo  Abe has been admitted  to hospital suffering  from  extensive Chinese  burns to his wrist  following his  visit to the White House   where   President  Donald  Trump  established a world record for   the   longest  and most painful   handshake .

 

Poor Mr  Abe is the latest  friendly  leader  to  suffer an injury  caused  by Trump -the  Australian Prime Minister , Malcolm  Apple-Crumble , experienced  painful  ear damage   during  a  session on  the blower  with Donald ,  which  caused loss of balance , resulting in  him  waving his arms about  in Question Time  like a  wind  turbine  generator  with  missing   ball   bearings  in  a  gale force   South Australian  storm . 

 

It is not known if  the Israeli leader  Benjamin "L.J.Hooker"  Netanyahu  escaped  his  visit  to Washington   without  being  circumcised  by the  host who is known to always  carry  a   sharp  deal  up  his   sleeve .  

CRUISE SHIP BUILT FROM METERS , LONG WAY BETWEEN FAGS

Odd   observations  in  Wally  World

The  cruise  ship  Azamara  Journey, said to be  "180 meters long " , carrying  641 passengers  and  a crew  of  407  shown approaching   Townsville on its maiden visit ,  given the  usual cargo cult  coverage  upon arrival , the Townsville Bulletin  reporting  that , based on  studies , each cruise ship  passenger spends  up to $350.  During the  stay ,  152  explored  the   CBD, with  its  many empty  offices , three op shops .   Somehow , the   large car carrier  Florida  Highway   failed  to  rate  a  mention , but then  such vessels come and go without being noticed .   On  the same day,  people  waiting for  buses   at  the Castle Town  shopping  centre  received  the  following  warning,  the  measurement  in  meters  ,  about  smoking  :

While on the subject of shopping centres , there are  many changes  going on in  these places which  go unnoticed by the local media . In the case of  Castle Town , this blogger made a  bee line for   the Angus   and Robertson book shop , only to find that it was no longer there  , although  some of its   racks were  visible , pushed up against the wall . A notice   said   the space  was  going to be taken over  by  Key Motors    which handles  Mazda    and Subaru  cars . No info about  any   new location of   A and  R , if  any ... another bookshop unfortunately driven to the wall ? However,  on  checking  the  Angus and Robertson  website , there was a  strange message   saying it was  permanently closed . It  went on to  impart the   following puzzling  information...Angus  and  Robertson is recorded closed at  this  location . If  it's incorrectly  closed  , please  report   it .

Recent  business  news  in  the southern press   about  takeovers of   clothing  chains, including  some  with outlets in  Townsville  and beyond , received no  local media  coverage .  This  is a  situation observed several  times , in Darwin as well , as  if the  local media  are  oblivious of   events   happening  elsewhere in the   world   which   have  a   local  angle , possible  drastic   impact, closure   for example .  

More than  half a century ago , there was  a popular  Sydney reporter  , Cliff Ryan , known as the Housewives  Friend  ,  who   wrote about  vegetables , meat and other  consumables   after    going  to  the markets , squeezing tomatoes  despite  being implored not to do so ,  speaking to butchers and  others in the   tucker trade . If   there  was a  similar   reporter  in  Townsville  he would   learn   that   due  to  the  heatwave ,  cauliflowers    suffering from obvious sunburn are  being offered for  sale  , and  Big  Al  is  full of  interesting information   about   local   produce  and   market  conditions .