BRING HIM HOME CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

 Strong Magnetic Island support  for  Julian  Assange  

PETER THE GREAT DANCED OFF HIS FEET

 Born in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, brought  to   Australia  by his  parents  when he was  six  years old , activist , conservationist ,  distinctive  woodworker    and   a   Queensland     ALP  staffer  , the late   Peter  le  Grand   made  his  mark  in   many  ways  on   Magnetic  Island  and    nearby  Palm  Island 

His father French , he was named Pierre ,  changed  to  Peter after being ribbed  at  school . 

He  involved  himself  in the arts , architecture and  design . His parents were potters of note,  some of his  father's pots in the national collection. 

 Moving to the island with a   large  Eureka  Stockade  flag , he designed and helped build   an  octagonal shaped   house ,  in  which  he  and  his activist  partner, Linda,  later  held  a  large party in 2004   to mark the   150th anniversary  of  the   uprising .  

 While  sorting out   Little  Darwin's   files , we recently   found   the   first edition   of    the  October    1999   magazine , The Eye,  bearing his name on the  top  left  corner.                                         

 It was a  publication designed to   meet  the  need for  a   new approach to  journalism , which appealed to  Pete  because  he  liked  to play  about   with  words  ,  reflected  in  his   communications ,  briefing papers.  

 He became involved   in many issues  on the  island   and  nationally . One of the activists on the island with whom he  associated  was artist Gavin Ryan , a   sculpture of his   with  a  little known message relating to the controversial safe harbour construction   on  the  wall  of  the waiting room  in  the   ferry   terminal . 

Peter's brother, Harry, designed a  T-shirt    which urged  people to vote  for comedian   Norman  Gunston   as   Prime Minister.  Some of the T-shirts were worn in Brisbane   and  people came up  wanting to known  what party Gunston  was   representing.   One   of   those  rare  works of  art  is  said to be   locked  away  on  the  island .

Peter's  involvement with the ALP  included  being an advisor to  the  Member for  Townsville, Mike Reynolds, Minister for Emergency Services in  the  Queensland  Government . Reynolds  also   served  as  Speaker. 

Greatly Interested in Indigenous affairs  , Peter spent much  time  on Palm Island and had  many  friends  over  there . 

Most  Europeans   who went to  Palm  were  regarded as  blow-ins , in and out  in  one  day .  Not  Peter  le  Grand.

Linda  delights in telling how  the grandmothers  of  Palm Island , denied  attending  debutante balls  when  they  were young, staged  their  own   belated  ball .

Peter and  Mike  Reynolds were  invited as  guests   and   the  eager  grannies   danced  them  off  their   feet  that  night .  A unique  reminder of that   marathon   is   held   by   Linda .  

There is an octagonal memorial plaque  to Peter in the Nelly Bay Habitat Reserve on Magnetic Island  . It is said  to reflect his fascination  with the shape , which he incorporated into much of his  wood-crafting -from tables  and planters , to the house  which  he  built  at Horseshoe Bay .

Linda explains Peter said an octagonal  design best  coped with  a cyclone  and he  also  incorporated  the  poles  in  raised Queenslander  homes .

Today  Linda  is closely associated with the island branch of the ALP and is a longtime wildlife  carer  . The car she  drives   displays  several   political  stickers , including  one , below  , calling  for  Scott  Morrison  and his lump of   coal   brandished   in   parliament   to   be   binned . 

                                

HEAVENLY TAPESTRY BY ABRA

 

Views from Castle Hill, Townsville . 

GABBY BIRD JOINS COFFEE CLUB

 Passengers   waiting  for   an  early morning  ferry from  Magnetic Island to Townsville   recently  were joined  by  a   friendly    person :  a   talkative   bird  which  had  been looked  after  and    released  by   a wildlife carer  who  is  also  a   popular  bush  poet , Nick  Mapson . 

 With a large  vocabulary , possibly able to discuss   Wall Street overnight movements  and  breaking news, only kidding,   it  flew  from  person  to peron   grouped  about  the Coffee Kart  ,  uttering  a  word or  three  , wanting   to  chat.

 Some  people  were    startled,  even  afraid of   the spruiker , a   Noisy  Friarbird, also  known as a   Leatherhead. 

Waiting  for the  ferry was  the Queen of the Jungle, a   veteran   wildlife carer , who  immediately  identified  the  feathered   intruder.

She   told  people not to worry , they were not being  attacked  , it was  just a  bird  who  likes  human  company. 

A message went out  on  the  island  with two shots of the bird sitting on the arm of someone , asking  if  anyone  was missing   a pet ,  now at the Coffee Kart, Nelly Bay.  

Over the years  , the Queen has  kept    and  conversed    with  several  Leatherheads . Three   of  their  fallen  nests  decorate  her  back  verandah.  One of  the chatty  Currawongs  she looked  after  used  to  fly away , come back  now  and  again ,  land  on  her shoulder,  stroke  her  hair .  

 The  poet is  currently  looking after  two  possums . 

RARE FRENCH PHOTOS OF AUSTRALIANS

 Studio  photographs  taken in 1885  in  Paris   of  one of  three  survivors  of  nine   North  Queensland   Aborigines   taken  on   an overseas  tour  by   Canadian showman , R. A Cunningham, are included in the  latest   acquisitions list  of   Douglas Stewart Fine Books, Melbourne, for $12,000.

The  two albumen profile  prints are of  "Billy"-reputed to be   a  medicine man .  They were taken by amateur ethnographer  and photographer , Prince Roland  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  6th  Prince of  Canino  and Musignano ( 1858-1924).

Described as a  dilettante , between 1883  and  1889 , the  Prince took many photographs of non-European visitors to Europe at venues such as the Jardin d’Acclimatation in Paris (where these photographs of "Billy" were taken) and the Colonial Exposition in  Amsterdam.

According to the bookshop , he compiled and published numerous portfolios (or albums) of these photographs of indigenous subjects from around the world under the general title Collection Anthropologique du Prince Roland Bonaparte. These portfolios included photographic portraits of various peoples of North America; Africa; South, Southeast, and East Asia; and Australia.  Bonaparte Point in Antarctica is named after  him . 

The above  1885  photograph  is described as being  three  Aboriginal  Australians  in  Paris , " Billy " on  the  left . The odd looking  animal surely not  presented  as  an  Aussie   dingo ?

While acting as   an agent for the  P.T. Barnum  Circus on  a  trip to Australia, Cunningham is said to have  "enticed "  nine  Aborigines  , some from Hinchinbrook Island,   to  tour  with  him  overseas. 

By the time  the  photos of "Billy" were taken it seems  six may have   died in the  tour  which  took in  parts  of  Europe . 

The  above   cabinet  photo , taken at  London's Crystal Palace ,  shows seven  members of  the tour  party . 

FERRY TRIP WITH UFOS

Sara  reflections , Cleveland  Bay .

 

SCAMMERS BUSY

 Scammers  are  cashing in on the  Christmas build  up.  On Magnetic Island, there has been a noticeable   increase in   scam calls . In fact,  here is a tip for   the mainland media .  It is said  that the  island  branch of    Queensland  Country  Bank   has   handled  six  cases  in  which   residents  were   the victims  of   scam  callers.

If this be the case, what is the situation  in Townsville and the wider  area ? There is an important  story to be written, one which  alerts and warns  the community  .  

  Repeated  calls  are coming in  claiming to be from Telstra , a credit   checking   outfit,  a   travel  agency ,  an  email  bill  for more than a grand  , etc.