TONGAN VOLCANIC ERUPTION ASH SKY TOWNSVILLE / MAGNETIC ISLAND

Abra  series.

A SUNBURNT COUNTRY , SUNBURNT PUMPKINS , SIZZLING SUNBIRDS AND A TRAGIC WALT DISNEY LIZARD

A  rare Sydney  artists book  entitled Now at last ,circa 1970,  is included in the latest  list  from Douglas Stewart Fine  Books , Melbourne ,for  $2400.  It was conceived  and  edited by poet and counter-culture figure Michael Dransfield (1948-1973) and artist Chris  Dowe .

There is a  variation  on  our sunburnt country theme  in the book, which is  limited to 30 copies, this being number 24.

Further details : Oblong quarto (250 x 305 mm), plain purple cloth (dusty), linocut endpapers by Ann Pickering, 42pp , illustrated with original linocuts and stencil prints, accompanied by stencilled texts, some of which are tipped-in on colour papers. Includes art and texts by Michael Buzacott, John Cardiff, Karen Cairnes, Frances Rouse, Janet Bird, Kathie Woolfe, Stephen Cardiff, Bruce Craig, L. White, Jill Scurfield, Winsome Nicholson, Fiona Craig, Elizabeth Bowden and Chris Dowe.

While on the subject of a sunburnt country , our Sunbird  chicks have survived  the  heatwave  and  flown the  nest that was being baked on the  back  veranda .

There was a casualty ,however .  Clumsy photographer  Vallis , who used  a small ladder to keep a  check on  the gasping  Sunbirds , slipped  and  banged  his shin , resulting in  a  blood blister . 

Sadly , a tiny gecko lizard, which may have sort  relief from the  heat  by roaming   about  the  kitchen frig  exterior ,was found frozen to death inside  on  a  shelf, next  to  the  margarine .

JOHN LOIZOU REMEMBERED

                                

 The  Northern  Territory   News  has  run  an  in  memoriam   for   John  Loizou , above , a prominent  Darwin  and  Vietnam  journalist, who   died  nine  years  ago  in Perth , Western  Australia, aged 70.

During his  varied  media involvement in  Darwin , starting with the ABC ,  he  launched   the South  East Asian Times , continued  today  online  by  his  partner  Christine   Pas ,  last  heard  from  in  Vietnam , intent on  coming  back  to   Darwin.  She once ran a  popular  cafe  in  Darwin  and wrote about  Xavier Herbert , author of the l938 prize winning novel , Capricornia, set in  the Territory .

John  , from Melbourne , was   close  to  and  admired   a  former   editor  of   the   NT News,  the late  Jim Bowditch .  Upon  the death of  Bowditch  , he wrote  the  special  appreciation  for  the   Murdoch paper. 

Loizou was highly regarded by the Vietnamese government   . This  blog  suggested he  should  be  inducted  into the   Australian  Journalism  Hall  of  Fame   at   the   time  of   Bowditch's posthumous  induction,   last   year .

Apart  from his involvement with  independent newspapers in Darwin  and  many  causes , Loizou  had  extensive  contacts in Asia . At one stage, he lived  aboard a  boat   in  Darwin  which  had  been used  to  run drugs , seized   by  authorities , placed  on  the  hard  at  Doctor's Gulley.   

  

STAIRWAY TO SUNRISE

 

Abra series. Townsville.

THE MOST VALUABLE BOOK IN THE WORLD...

 Towards  early  herd  immunity in  Australia .

Its  spine cover missing , foxed, wormed and  soiled , the  above  1892  book  by  John Hern  ,published  in  Melbourne ,  just  disinterred  in  North  Queensland ,  is  soon  to  go  into  quarantine .  

An explanation slip says it contains  extracts from many of the most  eminent  medical authorities on  the Continent and in America .  It went on to say many copies  of  the book had been  sold  for one  pound , but  now it was  being   offered   for  three  shillings  and  sixpence. 

At the back of the book is an advert  for the  forthcoming  February 1,1893  monthly magazine , Hygienic Messenger of Health  .

Because   the magazine   resulted in  large numbers of letters  being received daily asking  advice,  Hern   said  all  such  requests  must  now  be  accompanied  by  ten shillings and  sixpence . All those  letters  were regarded  as  confidential , destroyed  immediately  dealt  with .

Ladies  , he  assured , could  depend on getting the best advice obtainable for female  complaints . In an  Adelaide advertisement  Hern mentioned  his wife's  part in  treating women  and  the couple's  joint hope to one day see doctors  and  drug shops a  thing of  the past  in the  colonies. 

In  the  preface to the book  , Hern , of 39 Bourke Street, Melbourne , said the growing  interest in  health was  due to  the fact that "the race is positively deteriorating physically , mentally and perhaps morally." 

 A  most  hopefull  sign of the times were the large number of works published  on the subject which were unsparing in their denunciation of the "abominable  drug  treatment which has for  too long  numbered its victims by  the  thousand  every  year. "

"Human vultures", he said, had for years taken advantage of those seeking relief and amassed  tremendous fortunes from the sale of the most nauseous , worthless and  pernicious compounds .

It was hoped that the end of drug treatment of diseases  was  drawing nigh . Later on he acknowledged the  fact that the idea of every man being his own doctor was  exceedingly unpopular. 

The opening chapter was  headed  The Futility of Drugs. Concluding  remarks  invoke  the  Creator, God ,  our Maker , obedience to the will of God .

Quotes of  note :

* If you wish to see what the world is like when you are  100 years old-then don't eat any more butcher's meat .

* No vegetarian ever gets  drunk.

* On the diet of children - Hern, disagreeing with advice by Dr R. C. Newton,  said  they should not touch  meat  until 15 years old, and  then  very sparingly.

* Do not drink beer, cider or spirits  if  doing  heavy work - make a  drink out of oatmeal , boiled  water  and  brown sugar .  In  this  day and age , this  is surely  sound  advice  for  truckies,  shelf stackers and   the   CFMEU. 

PIRATES AFTER GOLD ; SOS HELP CALL

 In a $1,900,000 package deal ,the   popular   Scallywags  Cafe  on Magnetic  Island  is  on  sale.  It has closed for  its  annual  end of  trading  which  in  past  years  would  see  it  hit  the road and cater  for  interstate  festivals    and shows . 

A sign says  it  plans to reopen for Easter.  Another island   business, SOS, into seafood, has  a  large  sign  out   front  saying  staff   wanted .    

DIVE RIGHT IN

 Barrier  Reef  dive trips   are  proving   popular  going on  the   groups of  enthusiasts  seen  waiting  in  the   early morning  on   Magnetic Island   for   a   dive  boat  to   pick  them  up. 

Heading for  island .

Entering safe  harbour.

Passengers being  signed  up  for dive trip .