Art, History, Crafts, Earth Sciences, Gardening,
Writing, Australian flora and fauna,
severe weather, Australiana, myths and legends
Community Interests
What’s on in Maitland?
Maitland
Region Art Gallery is an excellent facility to visit and gain
inspiration and maybe meet some of the artists whose work is being
exhibited. Art classes are also
available for adults. Don’t forget the excellent childrens’ programmes
available at the gallery.
http://www.mrag.org.au/
Where
to access local Events
Maitland Visitor
Information Centre
http://www.maitlandhuntervalley.com.au/ Maitland Mercury (Local Notices link)
http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/
Hunter Imag
http://www.monthlyimag.com.au/hunter-home/hunter
Maitland Library
http://www.maitland.nsw.gov.au/library/
Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles
Bomb to The Beatles is now on
display at the Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles
The fashions and style icons from 1946 to 1964
Open late January to July 2012.
Entry $3, $2.50 concession, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10am -3pm6 John Street, East Maitland. (In the Lt. Governor’s Residence in precinct of Old Maitland Gaol.
General Enquires AMCAT: 0458 505 280
Group Bookings: 0403 652 550
AMCAT Website: https://sites.google.com/site/amcatmuseum/
AMCAT Blog: http://amcatmuseum.blogspot.com.au/
Bomb to The Beatles Parade – 14 April at Largs Hall
This Goes With That- The Highs and Lows of Fashion – 19 July 2012 until the end of October 2012 – featuring hats, shoes and gloves worn to complete that perfect outfit.
AMCAT is participating at these Events:
2 - 30
March – Display at East Maitland Library – Keep it up and Keep It In – what
men and women used to keep things in place.30 April through May 2012 for duration of “Summer of The Seventeenth Doll”, static display at Repertory Theatre, Maitland of AMCAT articles.
5, 6 May 2012 - at Tocal Small Farms Field Days, two parades each day, 11am and 2pm.
19 May 2012 – Parades at Maitland City Council’s Riverlight Festival to be held in Maitland, location to be advised.
Local History
Some more interesting insights into the past for you to
enjoy.
Maitland Hospital – taken from Walka Waterworks picnic
area
Health
Kidd, Mrs. Vince – Mrs. Vince Kidd, of Tocal, and her little
daughter, who were victims of a motor and buggy accident in High-street, about
eighteen months ago, were again injured in a smash which occurred on the
Bolwarra-Largs road, near the Bolwarra Public School, on 10th
instant. They were driving home with Mr.
Kidd in a sulky, when the horse took fight at a motor bus and rushed up the
steep embankment on the roadside. Mrs.
Kidd and the little girl were thrown out and trampled upon by the horse. The former was very severely bruised and the
little girl had the index finger on the left hand severely crushed. Her mouth was also injured and two teeth
knocked out. Mr. Kidd and Miss Mollie
Moylan, of Denman, who was also in the sulky, escaped injury. The little girl was removed to the
hospital. Maitland Weekly Mercury,
Saturday 13 October 1923.
King, Mrs. George – Accident – A very painful accident befell
Mrs. George King (who resides in East Maitland) a few days ago (writes our
Miller’s Forrest correspondent).
Accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Pardy and children they were proceeding to Miller’s
Forest and when coming down …ey Hill, the pony stumbled with the result that
Mrs. King was thrown heavily on the roadway and rendered unconscious. First aid was immediately rendered by Nurse
Mexon and Misses O’Brien and the patient was conveyed to her son’s residence by
a commercial traveller in his motor. The
Doctor was immediately summoned and it was discovered that Mar’s King had a rib
broken. There was a deep gash in her
head. At present Mar’s King is doing
very well and will soon be able to leave her room. Maitland Mercury, November 1923.
Kirk, Mrs. Tom - While
slicing bacon for breakfast, with a
butcher’s knife, Mrs. Tom Kirk of Jones’
Reserve, Denman, had the misfortune to inflict a nasty wound in her
wrist through the knife slipping. The
sufferer was hurried to Denman where the doctor inserted four stitches in the
wound. Maitland Mercury, 26 July 1927
Lavis, F. H. – As Mr. F. H. Lavis was riding along the
Phoenix Park Road on Sunday last his horse shied at some millet on the roadside
and fell on one of its rider’s legs.
Fortunately beyond being temporarily maimed Mr. Lavis otherwise escaped
serious injury. The Morpeth and East
Maitland Want 2 June 1899.
Lindley – Accident – On Saturday afternoon a rather
serious accident happened to a little boy about seven years of age, son of Mr.
G. S. Lindley, of Olive-street, West Maitland.
The little fellow, it appears, was looking down the well while a person
was drawing water up, when he overbalanced himself and fell down, the depth to
the water being from thirty to thirty-five feet. The bucket happened to be about half-way up
at the time, and the child appears to have come in contact with it, so that the
fall was somewhat broken. The bucket was
immediately lowered down to him, and he managed to climb into it, and was drawn
up, and was found to have escaped with two rather severe cuts – one on the
knee, and the other on the back of the head – and a number of scratches and
bruises. Maitland Mercury 4 January
1870.
Largs Public School – School Inspection – The annual inspection
of the local public school has just been completed by Inspector Dwyer. The average number of marks was 80 per cent,
and no less than 17 gained certificates.
It may be remembered that last year the percentage of marks was 75, so
that this year it is better by 5 per cent.
The result must be very gratifying to the head master (Mr. T. E. Pyman)
and his assistants, Misses Newton and Lavis, and assuredly is very satisfactory
to the parents whose children attend the school. It is doubtful if any school in the district
or even in the colony could show a better result. The Morpeth and East Maitland Want 2 June
1899.
R. Chapman,
Butchery, Morpeth, a reminder of the origins of what are now the premises of A
& S Arnott Bakery at Morpeth
Property
King, Mr. Thomas - Four-roomed Cottage
- Blacksmith's Shop, Stables &c.,
in Abbott-street, Maitland, Known as Mr. Thomas King's Property. Dodds
& Co. have received instructions from Mr. Thomas King to sell by auction, on
the Premises, West Maitland, on Tuesday, 13 September, at 12 o'clock, an
allotment of land in Abbott-street, West Maitland, having 60 feet frontage
thereto, by a depth of 150 feet, upon which are the following improvements,
viz:-
A verandah weatherboarded cottage of four rooms, with brick end, spouted all round; Commodious Blacksmith's shop with two-stall Stable adjoining; Carpenter's Shop, Slab Stable, Wash-house, out-offices, &C. A Well of Good Water on the Premises.
Mr. King having purchased another
property in Rose-street East is the sole cause of the above being in the
market. The premises are replete with every convenience, and of a
substantial character. Intending buyers will do well to inspect the
premises, as the Auctioneers feel satisfied that it will surpass the faint
description gives. Terms Liberal. Title good. Maitland
Mercury 3 September 1864
Kingdon Ponds, Small
village situated about six miles north of Scone. Located on creek of same name., Basch:
Atlas of the Settled Counties. RSF 919.44/BAS 1.1B
Kurri Kurri,
Aboriginal - to hurry along or to go
very quickly. Town was proclaimed in 1902.,
Tumblebee No 6 June 1998.
Northcote Street (Kurri Kurri),
Named after former Governor General
who visited the town on March 21, 1907.,
Tumblebee No 5 Mar 1998 p3.
Largs, Named
after a locality in Ayrshire Scotland, famous for the battle of Largs fought in
1620 by J.D.
Dimmock’s Building,
High Street, Maitland, this family were printers in Maitland for many years.
Business
Kerr,
James & Sons Ltd. – Robbery – Between Saturday afternoon and
Monday morning, premises of James Kerr & Sons, Ltd. In High-street were
broken into. The robbery was discovered
when the shop was opened this morning.
Entrance was gained by sawing through a three-quarter inch iron bar in
the first floor of the millinery department.
Goods valued at nearly 200 pounds taken.
A careful selection was made and this would indicate that the burglar, or
burglars, had some experience in the soft goods line. The articles missing include 21 silk,
georgette and crepe de chine costumes from the recently installed dress
fixtures, silk shirts and the best of hats.
These were carried away in a box taken from the show-room. The label was removed from the box with a
nail brush. The back door of the
millinery department was forced to allow escape. Maitland Mercury, November 1923.
Colonial Occupation Titles and Definitions
Here are some items from the above named list.
Ananuen - Secretary or Stenographer; Ashman - Shipman or
Sailor; Boniface - Innkeeper; Burl - Cup-bearer;
Chiffonier - Wigmaker; Colporteur - Peddler of Books; Cordwainer -
Shoemaker; Culler - Gelder of male animals; Dareman -
Dairyman; Drummer - Travelling Salesman; Duffer - Peddler; Farmer
- Tax-collector or Bailiff; Framar - Farmer;
Hostler - Horse Servant at an inn (Ostler - Stableman
or Groom); Husbandman - a Farmer; Keller - Salt Keeper; Kellog -
Slaughter Man; Lardner - Official in charge of pig food; Nettir -
Knitter; Osler - Bird-catcher; Osnard - Herder of Oxen;
Peever - Pepper-seller; Sevier - Sieve-maker; Sewer - Tailor or
Shoemaker; Stokiner - Maker or Weaver of Stockings; Sutler - One who
supplies an army with provisions; Tanner - of animal skin; Tawer -
One who taws (makes hide into leather without the use of tanning);
Whittawer - One who taws skin into white leather.
Labour Searches - Returned Harvesters From Canada -
Carrying kitbags and bundles 1150 British harvesters arrived at Southampton on
Thursday last in the Canadian Pacific liner Montroyal from Canada. From
the docks they walked to the Labour Exchange, where they requested money to
enable them to get to their homes in Scotland, the North of England, and South
Wales. Later in the day the Employment Exchange officials received
instructions from the Ministry of Labour to issue warrants to men who were
destitute to enable them to reach their homes, the men having to sign an
undertaking to repay the money. The
Times Weekly Edition Illustrated
London Thursday, October 25, 1928
Lady Shop
Assistants - A meeting of the lady shop assistants will be held in the
Soldiers' Club to-morrow (Tuesday) night, when all interested are invited to
attend. The meeting will be followed by a dance. Maitland
Mercury 23 August 1920
The Olive
Tree - The introduction of the olive into New South Wales upon an
extensive scale would, there can be no doubt, provide an incalculable source of
wealth to its inhabitants. the climate and soil are in every
respect adapted to is culture, it can be propagated to almost any
extent, and if once introduced we should soon see lands which are now lying in
a state worse than useless become "mines on the surface" and be the
means of diffusing prosperity throughout the whole community.
(The present phase of growing olive trees, it seems is not
new to the Hunter. I wonder why this industry didn't flourish in earlier
times?) Extracts from
"Mercury Files", Hunter Valley History from "The Maitland
and Hunter River General Advertiser: Saturday 23 March, 1844
Opossums
and Kangaroos - Mr. W. F. O'Hearn, MLA, has received an official letter
from the Chief Secretary's Department in reply to his representations in
relation to the application made by Mr. E. Burley, of Lostock, for the removal
of protection from opossums, kangaroos and wallabies in the Paterson and Allyn
Rivers district and is informed that as a result of inquiries instituted the
Chief Secretary is unable to approve of the request so far as it
relates to kangaroos and wallabies. It may be stated that an open
season until the 31st Instant was declared on the 30th July last in respect of
opossums for the following parishes in the northern portion of the district
mentioned, viz, parishes of Allyn, Boonabilla, Carrow, Colonna, Holywelll,
Underbank, Avenal, Lewinsbrook and St. Julian, in the county of Durham, within
the pastures protection district of Maitland. Maitland Mercury, Wednesday
25 August 1920
Walka
Waterworks in spring, this once supplied Maitland’s town water, nowadays, it is
a picnic area with nature walks, and model steam trains on which you may ride
for a small consideration.
Cultural
Kedwell, Mr.
and his bright little company performed in the local School of Arts on Friday
last to a rather poor house. It deserved
a much better fate. The Morpeth and East
Maitland Want 20 May 1899.
Kings Vaudeville
Company – Town Hall – showing Saturday Nights – The following artists have
been engaged: Bert Brooks, the Singing
Soldier; Mabelle, Champion Clog Dancer; Jack James, Funny Comedian; Rita Johnson, Soprano; Harry Edouin, the Funny Man; and a Great
Specialty Act. Popular Prices. Paddy King, Inte. Sergt. A. I. F. Maitland Mercury 3 January 1919.
Largs - The
Nineteenth half-yearly meeting of the Largs School of Arts took place in the
hall on Thursday evening last, 29th instant.
Mr. W. Allen, President and new Vice President; John
Francis Hoban, re-elected Treasurer, Henry Kirkwood, Committee; Angus McGregor,
elected President, Duncan McGregor, Committee; James McKay, Committee, James
McKenzie, Mr. C. Maher, Joseph Pearse, donated 21 books to library, Albert
Roberts, Committee; Mr. W. Allan Unicomb, re-elected Secretary; David Welcher,
Librarian; John Wilks, Committee. Morpeth
Times Monday June 2nd 1884
Licenses
- Renewal of Billiard Licenses – It is
well that persons should be made aware of the fact that Mr. Brooks, P.M., the
Licensing Magistrate, will sit at East Maitland at 10 o’clock to-morrow
(Wednesday) morning for the purpose of hearing applications for the renewal of
billiard and bagatelle licenses.
Maitland Mercury 23 December 1890.
Jewish Synagogue
in Church Street, Maitland, now a commercial building, it was only one of two
built outside Sydney, the other was in Tamworth
Maitland Identities
Lang, Rev. Dr. – met with a singular misadventure. Which
might have developed itself into something serious, during the dinner to his
Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh in the chamber of the Legislative
Assembly, on the evening of Wednesday last.
Having been unusually fatigued and exhausted, by repeated services, both
in town and country, and still more by accidental exposure for an hour or two
to the hot sun, on the previous Sabbath, the doctor was taken so unwell on
Monday as to be confined in his couch for nearly two days. On Wednesday he felt better, but not
well; but the excitement of the dinner
to the Prince seemed to have done all that was requisite in the case. It was not so, however, for so early in the
evening as immediately after the dinner, before the speeches commenced,
probably from the heat and closeness of the chamber, conjoined with a
previously weak state of bodily health, he became suddenly confused, and sunk
down into his chair in a state of unconsciousness and insensibility, from which
after being conveyed home in a cab about ten o’clock, he only partially
recovered at three in the morning, being confined to bed the whole of the
following day – Empire, April 5. The
Maitland Mercury, Thursday 8 April 1869.
The Maitland Mercury Thursday 8 April 1869
LEAN, WILLIAM8 (GEORGE), RICHARD6, ROBERT5,
CHRISTOPHER4, ROBERTUS3 LEANE, LEWES2, HENRICUS1) was born 16 Nov 1843 in
Dungog, NSW, and died 22 Sep 1915 in Fernmount, Bellingen, NSW. He married
CHARLOTTE CLEAVER 7 Jan 1870, daughter of JOHN CLEAVER. She was born 1846, and
died 21 Aug 1905 in Thora, NSW.
Notes for WILLIAM LEAN:
William, the eldest son was born on 16th November, 1843 and was 12 years of age at the time of death of his father and only 15 when his mother died. After some years helping his Uncle and then on his own farmlet, he married Charlotte Cleaver on 7th January, 1870. Charlotte was the daughter of Dungog pioneers and was born on the ship that brought her parents from Essex to Australia. Born in 1846, she was 23 years old at the time of her marriage in Dungog.
Just 12 months later, their first child William Jnr. was born on 8/1/1870 at Figtree Farm, followed by Amy in 1873, and John Walter in 1874. Tragedy struck the young family when, in 1876, the baby girl, Amy, died of Diphtheria.
William and Charlotte sold up their farm, packed their possessions into a wagon and headed north out of Dungog. After some days travelling, they settled at Burrell Creek, a piece of uninspiring land on the southern side of the Manning River between Gloucester and Taree. It was there that their fourth child, another daughter, Charlotte Mabel, was born in 1878
Notes for WILLIAM LEAN:
William, the eldest son was born on 16th November, 1843 and was 12 years of age at the time of death of his father and only 15 when his mother died. After some years helping his Uncle and then on his own farmlet, he married Charlotte Cleaver on 7th January, 1870. Charlotte was the daughter of Dungog pioneers and was born on the ship that brought her parents from Essex to Australia. Born in 1846, she was 23 years old at the time of her marriage in Dungog.
Just 12 months later, their first child William Jnr. was born on 8/1/1870 at Figtree Farm, followed by Amy in 1873, and John Walter in 1874. Tragedy struck the young family when, in 1876, the baby girl, Amy, died of Diphtheria.
William and Charlotte sold up their farm, packed their possessions into a wagon and headed north out of Dungog. After some days travelling, they settled at Burrell Creek, a piece of uninspiring land on the southern side of the Manning River between Gloucester and Taree. It was there that their fourth child, another daughter, Charlotte Mabel, was born in 1878
Thirty Cows
Five Heifers
Five two-year old
Heifers
Ten yearling
Heifers
Six yearling
Steers
Working Bullocks
One Mare, four
years old.
Also,
Several Horses,
Brood Mares and Colts
A large Shell
Boat, laden with Shells, expected to arrive on Tuesday morning at the wharf at
the rear of Mr. R. P. Cummin’s Hotel.
Mr. L. expects
that cattle, independent of the above, will be brought in on the same day, and
would therefore respectfully invite a numerous attendance of Intending
purchasers, as from the determination of the proprietors to effect a sale, such
person are likely to find it an eligible opportunity to buy on advantageous
terms. Maitland Mercury 4 November 1843.
Lipscomb, Mrs. W.
G., Mrs. W. G.
Lipscomb died this morning at Petty’s Hotel, Sydney, where she had been staying
for the past few months. She was taken
suddenly ill about noon yesterday. Mrs.
Lipscomb, who was 82 years of age, was a daughter of the late Mr. T. W. Tucker,
one of the original proprietors of this journal. During her long life in this town, she took
an active interest in the Maitland Benevolent Home and St. Mary’s Church. She was president of the Home for some time;
right up to the last she was keenly interested in its welfare. Her late husband was a well-known chemist in
Maitland some years ago. He died in
1913, and since then Mrs. Lipscomb had lived at Brandon, Seaham, spending a few
months each year in Sydney. She was a
shareholder in the Maitland Mercury Newspaper and Printing Co. Ltd., and prior
to the formation of the company was a member of the firm of Tucker, Thompson
and Eipper. She leaves two sons and one
daughter - Mr. W. H., Lipscomb of the
Commercial Bank, Newcastle; Dr. T. W. Lipscomb of Macquarie-street,
Sydney; Mrs. L. B. Fisher, of Brandon,
Seaham. The funeral will leave the
residence of Mr. George Lipscomb, of Steam-street, West Maitland, at 10.30
tomorrow morning for the Church of England cemetery, Campbell’s Hill. Maitland
Mercury, 11 April 1927
Lipscomb, Mrs. W.
G. – Mrs. W. G.
Lipscomb died on Monday at Petty’s Hotel, Sydney, where she had been staying
for the past few months. She was taken
suddenly ill about noon yesterday. Mrs.
Lipscomb, who was 82 years of age, was a daughter of the late Mr. T. W. Tucker,
one of the original proprietors of this journal. During her long life in this town, she took
an active interest in the Maitland Benevolent Home and St. Mary’s Church. She was president of the Home for some time;
right up to the last she was keenly
interested in its welfare. Her late
husband was a well-known chemist in Maitland some years ago. He died in 1913. And since then, Mrs.
Lipscomb had lived at Brandon, Seaham, spending a few months each year in
Sydney. She was a shareholder in the
Maitland Mercury Newspaper and Printing Co. Ltd., and prior to the formation of
the company was a member of the firm of Tucker, Thompson and Eipper. She leaves two sons and one daughter: Mr. W.
H. Lipscomb of the Commercial Bank, Dr. T. H. Lipscomb of Macquarie –street,
Sydney, Mrs. L. Fisher of Brandon, Seaham.
The funeral left the residence of Mr. George Lipscomb, in Steam-street,
West Maitland on Tuesday, proceeding to St. Mary’s Church, thence to the Church
of England cemetery at Campbell’s Hill. Rev. H. R. Holmes officiated, assisted
by Cannon Rushforth. The chief mourners
were Mr. W. H. and Dr. T. W. Lipscomb, sons, Messrs. George and J. Lipscomb,
brothers-in law. Many floral tributes
were received. Maitland Mercury 16 April
1927
View from East
Maitland towards Mulbring, in the middle left of the photo is the historic
Glebe burial ground which is the resting place of some of the Colony’s famous
people and ancestors of many very early Maitland families.
Religious
Kavanagh, Patrick – Death Of – On Saturday, James
Kavanagh of West Maitland, received as telegram from his brother in Townsville,
Queensland, announcing the sad news of the death of his brother Patrick. The deceased was well-known and highly
esteemed in this district as a young man, having lived with his father and
family at
Anambah for many years.
About thirty years ago, Patrick and Thomas went to Queensland with
carrying teams, and afterwards took to gold mining pursuits, which they
followed up ever since. Deceased was a
native of the County Wicklow, Ireland, and came to this State with his father
and family in the year 1858. At the time
of his death the late Mr. Kavanagh was 60 years of age. He was single man, and during his long
residence in this district were a keen sportsman and an accomplished
athlete. From the Maitland Daily
Mercury, Monday August 4, 1902.
Reprinted in Maitland Mercury Monday 11 November 2002.
Earth Around Us
From
My Timeline
1844
* El Nino 1844 - 1846
There was a very strong El Niño
during 1844-46.
http://library.thinkquest.org/20901/timeline_txt.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/20901/timeline_txt.htm
1844 Great Britain
1844: (Annual):
1. 9th DRIEST yearly rainfall total by the EWP series. April, May (DRIEST May in that series), June & December all exceptionally dry. www.booty.demon.co.uk/metinfo/wxevents.htm
1. 9th DRIEST yearly rainfall total by the EWP series. April, May (DRIEST May in that series), June & December all exceptionally dry. www.booty.demon.co.uk/metinfo/wxevents.htm
Note:
(This situation is precisely what Great Britain is
currently experiencing as you will see by this website:
Dry and hot weather spark 'perfect recipe' for raging wildfires across
UK)
*1852 to 1859 Australia
Flood
1852 brought a flood that swept Gundagai away and drowned the
inhabitants ; 1853 saw great overflows of the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, and
Darling rivers, but not from local rain ; 1854 was dry; 1855 and 1856, ordinary
weather; 1857 was a flood year, with three months ceaseless rain from February
to May.
Settled weather lasted till 1863, which, with 1864, both gave heavy flood. The weather settled again till 1873 (bar a small drought up North in 1866), which, with 1875, was very wet, and gave a flood each.
Settled weather again carne, with a small local flood in 1879-80 ; 1882 very wet: 1883 to 1886 very dry; 1887 very wet; 1888 very dry; 1889 moderately wet.
Settled weather lasted till 1863, which, with 1864, both gave heavy flood. The weather settled again till 1873 (bar a small drought up North in 1866), which, with 1875, was very wet, and gave a flood each.
Settled weather again carne, with a small local flood in 1879-80 ; 1882 very wet: 1883 to 1886 very dry; 1887 very wet; 1888 very dry; 1889 moderately wet.
Flood
1852 – Murrumbidgee
River
http://www.teaching
heritage.nsw.edu.au/2timelines/timefr.html
www.racismnoway.com.au/library/keydates/index_Pre_1700
http//dl.screenaustralia.gov.au/module/1407/
Flood
1852 The great flood of 1852, when High
Street and its surroundings as far as
the eye could reach was one vast sheet of water, with a roof or chimney here or
there. The waters swept around the
Methodist Parsonage, undermining its foundations. Maitland Mercury 29.1.1912
1864 Eastern Australia
Gale
17 - 19 March, 1864. The first recorded in Queensland Cleveland
Windworker Queensland
Windworker Roof VentilatorFreecall 1-800-807 803 Australia
Flood
The
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Wednesday 26 February 1890, page 8
National
Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13760968
[BY
TELEGRAPH,]
(FBOM our
COURKSPONDENTS.)
THE
FLOODS IN THE HUNTER DISTRICT.
GREAT
ANXIETY AT MAITLAND.
WEST
MAITLAND, TUESDAY.
The
people here spent an anxious time last night, hourly expecting the river to
overflow its banks, as the water kept slowly rising, and the river had reached
a height at Singleton which threatened great danger to
Maitland.
Gangs of men under the direction of the aldermen of the borough council and its
overseer, Mr. Sam Wall, were kept constantly at work throughout the night
strengthening the weak spots in the river embankment by means of bags of sand
and earth, and early this morning, though the register at Belmore Bridge denoted
the river to have attained 30ft, above low water, no danger was then
apprehended, unless a further rise took place during the day.
However,
the river rose another foot, and this afternoon a good volume of water was
flowing through several places near the High-street embankment, and at Wicks’s
Gorricks Head Hotel, on the roadway in front of these places, there is a couple
of feet of water, and in several spots along the East Maitland-road the water
is flowing across the railway line, the cutting is submerged with about 2ft. of
water, and the trains have stopped running between East and West Maitland.
Passengers and their luggage are conveyed to and from High-street railway
station in vans and other vehicles. Good work has been done along the East
Maitland-road by small embankments and bags of sand, but for which the overflow
would be much greater and do serious damage to the low farm lands adjacent.
There was a flow of four feet of water over the flood gates at Wallis Creek,
and, as usual, this structure is doing an immense amount of good. There is
still a difference of 12ft. of water above and below the gates. The embankment
on the East Maitland side of the creek gave way, and a large body of water is
rushing through the Chinese gardens near the Victoria Bridge, and along towards
Pitnacree, and thence to the swamps near the Morpeth railway line. The roadway
near the bridge is also covered with several feet of water; in fact, all the
low lands between Maitland and Raymond-terrace are submerged. At several low
places m the Horseshoe Bend the water began trickling over the banks this
afternoon, but these defeats were speedily discovered and remedied before any
damage was done. The flood throughout the Hunter district is as bad for the
farmers as any that has ever visited it, though the townspeople have so far
luckily escaped with only a partial overflow, from which the damage will be
comparatively slight. The farmers at Bolwarra and Oakhampton are among the few
who have escaped the inundation, which is owing to the manner in which they
have united to protect themselves by the aid of embankments. The weather is
still cloudy, and more rain threatens. The river is now at a standstill, being
31/2ft. high. Shortly after 7 o'clock
this evening a lad named Abrahams accidentally fell from the Belmore Bridge
into the river and was drowned.
LATER.
The river
has now fallen several inches, and continues steadily going down. All
apprehension of further danger has been dispelled.
1893 Australia –
Queensland Brisbane
Storm
The Argus
(Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), Tuesday 24 January 1893, page 5
National
Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8506837
SEVERE
WEATHER AT BRISBANE. MONDÂY.
A
terrific storm occurred here on Saturday night, accompanied by torrents of
rain. A gale blew throughout the night,
the wind at times reaching the velocity of 65 miles an hour. A great deal of damage was done in the
suburbs and in the surrounding country, houses being unroofed or blown down,
out houses carried away, trees uprooted, and gardens destroyed. It is not known how far the storm extended,
owing to the telegraph lines being all interrupted. A large number of boats that were lying in
the river suffered severely, several of them being sunk, but no damage was done
to the shipping The Arawatta, the Lincolnshire and the Rodondo, for Sydney, the
Wodonga for Cooktown, and the Burwnh, for Rockhampton were all detained in
Moreton BID
until
this morning m consequence of the rough weather
1893 Eastern Australia
Cyclone
1 February, 1893. Tropical cyclone hits Yeppoon causing extreme damage.
Severe floods in Ipswich and Brisbane with Indooroopilly Railway Bridge and
Victoria Bridge washed away. More than 12 deaths.
Windworker Queensland Cyclones
Windworker Roof VentilatorFreecall 1-800-807 803 Australia Wide
Telephone +61-7-38832495 Fax +61-7-38831807
1893 Eastern Australia
Cyclone
11 February, 1893. Small cyclone crosses near Bustard Heads causing
further flooding in Brisbane.
Windworker Queensland Cyclones
Windworker
Roof VentilatorFreecall 1-800-807 803 Australia Wide Telephone +61-7-38832495
Fax +61-7-38831807
Cyclone
17 February, 1893. Cyclone hits Bundaberg. Floods from Rockhampton to
Grafton, NSW. Mary River bridge in Maryborough washed away with 120 houses.
Cyclone induced tornado hits Sandgate.
Windworker Queensland Cyclones
Windworker
Roof VentilatorFreecall 1-800-807 803 Australia Wide Telephone +61-7-38832495
Fax +61-7-38831807
1893
Great Britain
Dry
1893 (Spring/early Summer):
1. A notably DRY season over England and Wales. (see also 1990). Some places in SE England had no RAIN for 60 consecutive days, from mid-March to mid-May with the longest ABSOLUTE DROUGHT of all being at Mile End (London) from 4th March to 15th May. This (at 1993) is thought to be the longest period without measurable rain ever recorded in the British Isles. During the period March to June, in the SE of England some areas experienced less than 30% of average rainfall.
2. Notably persistent WARM weather over period April to June. The combined effect of the DROUGHT, above average TEMPERATURES and often intense/prolonged SUNSHINE meant that by the 21st of June, many agricultural areas of southern England and the east Midlands were undergoing great stress: the ground parched, meadows burnt dry with many crops declared a failure. Fruit was withering (not helped by some sharp/late FROSTS in May) and the hay crop was much reduced; root crops also severely affected. (See article R. Brugge, 'Weather' May 1993). www.booty.demon.co.uk/metinfo/wxevents.htm 894
1. A notably DRY season over England and Wales. (see also 1990). Some places in SE England had no RAIN for 60 consecutive days, from mid-March to mid-May with the longest ABSOLUTE DROUGHT of all being at Mile End (London) from 4th March to 15th May. This (at 1993) is thought to be the longest period without measurable rain ever recorded in the British Isles. During the period March to June, in the SE of England some areas experienced less than 30% of average rainfall.
2. Notably persistent WARM weather over period April to June. The combined effect of the DROUGHT, above average TEMPERATURES and often intense/prolonged SUNSHINE meant that by the 21st of June, many agricultural areas of southern England and the east Midlands were undergoing great stress: the ground parched, meadows burnt dry with many crops declared a failure. Fruit was withering (not helped by some sharp/late FROSTS in May) and the hay crop was much reduced; root crops also severely affected. (See article R. Brugge, 'Weather' May 1993). www.booty.demon.co.uk/metinfo/wxevents.htm 894
1893 Australia – Victoria
Flood
The Argus
(Melbourne, Vic.: 1848-1954), Friday 20 October 1893, page 5
National
Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8703437
SEVERE
WEATHER IN THE COUNTRY.
HORSHAM,
THURSDAY - The flood waters commenced to recede at 10 o'clock this morning The
river was 8ft 7 ½ in. above the summer level, being half an inch higher than
during the June Flood. Considerable damage has been done to Messrs Young
Brothers' irrigation colony by the flood.
APOLLO
BAY, THURSDAY -The weather continues very rough. The steamers Dawn and Eurimbla are still
anchored here. The steamer Tenterden anchored at 6 o'clock this morning
WARRNAMBOOL,
THURSDAY-A storm has been raging here for three days, and it still continues to
rage with great severity. The wind is
blowing a gale, with squalls and heavy showers. The coastal steamer Dawn, bound
for Warrnambool, had to run into Apollo Bay, and has been detained there for
the past two days. News has been received that two other steamers also put in
there today.
1893 Australia – NSW Maitland
Flood
The
Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933), Wednesday 22 March 1893, page 6
National
Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3557317
THE
MAITLAND FLOODS.
BURSTING
OF AN EMBANKMENT. GREATEST CALAMITY KNOWN. SEVERAL OASES OF DROWNING.
The
Maitland Mercury on Tuesday, 14th instant, issued a special "flood
number" of the paper. By that time the office had been inundated, the
machinery waterlogged, and further publication for the time being rendered
impossible.
We append
some of the most interesting of the accounts relative to the effect of the
floods in the vicinity of the town:
At
Bolwarra the embankment burst when the strain came, and an immense sea of water
flooded the low flats. Mr. R. Jacob's house in this part of the suburbs was
washed away, a large orchard of young trees destroyed, and all his furniture
was broken up, though he managed to save his stock. Mr. Mead, another farmer,
also had his residence carried away, and all the fencing to the hill was swept
down by the resistless rush of waters. The people whose homes were invaded
found refuge in Mr. John Rourke's Bolwarra House and Mr. Cobb's.
An
accident occurred here narrowly avoiding fatal results. Messrs. George Worboys,
Eli Vickery, George Bowden, and Patton went to the relief of a man and three
women who had been three days without food, when their boat capsized. The other
unfortunates were afterwards relieved. It is suggested that weaknesses in the
embankment, where the roads cross it, and the curve in it at the spot where the
break occurred, caused its collapse.
In East
as in West Maitland the calamity was the greatest known. In addition to the
immense stream that crossed the Pitnacree road and tore down all before it
through Howe's Lagoon to Morpeth, the back water crossed Wallis Creek and tore
down through the centre of the town where there had previously been no such
experience. The water was over the fence around tho Bank-street reserve, about
4ft. in the post office, and a considerable height in the Mechanics' Institute.
A graphic account is given of "A Night in the Bend," from which we
extract tho following:
Many
families took time by the forelock and transferred their belongings to higher
and safer grounds, and it was well that they did so, but others more confident
or foolhardy stayed where they were, and suffered for it. The river rose all
day Wednesday with ever increasing and alarming rapidity, and what is popularly
known as the back water (that which flows from the river to the swollen creeks
about the neighbourhood of Louth Park) also crept up inch by inch, foot by foot,
then yard by yard, until at length on Thursday night about 10 o'clock it swept
in broad stream over the railway, along Victoria street, past tho corner of
this office, and then in what could be called fiendish glee down Odd-street,
where it met reinforcements, down Hunter-street to the embankment, down
Carrington-street to Richard's property, and then all was over, and under,
water, paradoxical as the expression may sound. Still people who lived in high
positions, in houses which confident architects, landlords, and surveyors had
assured them would out of danger, looked on almost with complacency on Friday morning until the ever
increasing sea of water crept up to their doorsteps, and later on, neglecting
their privacy, crossed. But others more unlucky had to pack and clear in flood
boats, carts, and other modes of conveyance and in that work the flood boats
and Messrs. S, Swiney, the Penfolds, and J. Rooney did great service. By midday on Friday there was not a house
which had escaped the inundation, and from many gunshots and yells betokened
that- assistance was needed by people that had sought safety on the roofs.
By night
there were not a hundred persons in the Horseshoe Bend, which normally holds
1500 or 2000. The residents at the top of Abbot-street, adjacent to the river,
had a most anxious time of it. The water did not get into some of their_ houses
until Friday morning, and, possessing the knowledge that the highest previous
floods on record had only been about 6in. in their premises, they took in other
unfortunate people to secure their safety. Still the back water continued
rising until at dusk it was 3ft. to 4ft. high in some places, and the banks of
the river could no longer resist the pressure inside and out, and melted away
like salt. In the afternoon the outhouses at the roar of a once handsome villa
sunk with a thud into the river, carrying with it a large slice of the
embankment.
Friday
night was dark, damp, and dreary, and in anxious ears the splash, splash, of
the fierce waters was inexpressibly dismal and terrifying. Approaching midnight part of the main
structure of Pender's largo house tumbled into the swollen river with a loud
crash, and, shortly after, the crumbling banks gave way under a house owned' by
Mr. Neil Watt, and away it went too, with a splash and a roar, carrying with it
the ?lares and the penates of the occupant--a man named Emsley. About 2 the
remainder of Pender's valuable property tumbled in. Luckily, the occupants-a
widow lady named Scammel, and a lady boarder-had been taken out, much against
their wills, during the afternoon. By 3 o’clock the great Moreton Bay fig and
poplar trees which had ornamented the front of the villa had been swept away,
and with them went a liberal slice of the small street leading to it from
Albert and Victoria streets. By 8" o'clock the few people living in the
vicinity were thoroughly frightened, and prayed heartily until they were taken
off in flood boats to the Town Hall and other places of refuge. The Town hall
was simply and shortly a ball upon earth, and on Friday night held as many dogs
as it did human beings.
On
Saturday morning the Horseshoe Bend presented a terrible sight. The back water
and the river had by that time connected with almost every point from
Hunter-street right round to the High-street embankment, and in many places the
banks had fallen away, but fortunately a fall was observable. With it had gone
a small cottage near Bella-street, owned and occupied by a Mrs. Lord, and
another owned by Mr. Watt, whilst a tremendous slice had been cut clean away
from the Port Maitland Inn right down to the late Dr. Parnell’s property,
taking with it almost every particle of a short street, including a neat little
house and a small paddock owned by a poor struggling milk vendor named John
Doherty. The water was up the eaves of a great majority of single-story houses,
and it had got on to some balconies; even the tops of the lamps in Carrington
and other streets were only just visible, whilst here, there, and everywhere
floated tables, small and the little chairs, small buildings, and the many
little nicknacks which go to make up a home. Cows and horses, pigs, fowls,
goose, sheep, ducks, etc, could also be seen swimming for dear life, and when
the waters had somewhat subsided their dead carcasses could be seen stuck on
fences, the roofs and verandas of houses, and everywhere in fact, there being
scores of them resting in the Horseshoe Bend at the time of writing.
Fortunately though there were not any human beings lost in the neighbourhood,
although we heard of many and saw several narrow escapes.
At the
spot which we have particularly touched upon six valuable homes have been
destroyed with all the contents and nothing short of a miracle can save any
more. Mr. Fenton, who had a considerable paddock and garden stretching out
towards the river, now finds his house within a few yards of the river, and it
is simply impossible to proceed along the bank, which was a popular
thoroughfare, for there is now a steep fall to the river, and tho earth keeps
crumbling away in large slices. The Greta Gazette also issued a "flood special"
from which we take the following: At Branxton Messrs. Alick and George Russell
were proceeding in a rescue boat to rescue some persons in the Mill Creek, when
the boat upset. Mr. George Howitt jumped
in the water to their rescue. All three were drowned, all young men in their
twenties, with bright futures before them. There is every reason to believe
that Mr. John Wall, son of Mrs. Wall, hotelkeeper, has been drowned; also a Mr.
Hunt who was employed on Wall's farm.
As the
waters rose in the cells at the Police Court Inspector Duffy released the
prisoners, giving them their liberty. The flood in the Hunter River district is
subsiding, and the receding waters are leaving behind them a, scene of
devastation and ruin. Several houses and many sheds have been washed away
bodily.
At Kempsey it is estimated that the water
rose 4ft. higher than tho flood of 1890. The flood waters began to recede on
Saturday afternoon, and fell rapidly.
1894 Australia - Queensland
Rain
Tornado
The Argus
(Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), Friday 20 April 1894, page 5
National
Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8659471
SEVERE
WEATHER IN QUEENSLAND.
THURSDAY.
A fore
and-aft schooner, supposed to be the Spindrift, of Cairns, is ashore on No. 6
Clement Island, near Cooktown. The
railway officials report that at Cooktown the Normanby River is 20ft. over the
rails, and that the bridge end at 23 miles has been washed away. Mr. Clement
Wragge forecasts unsettled weather over the whole of New South Wales, with
further rain and strong E. and N.E. gales, especially between Jervis Bay and
the Tweed River, with rough seas. Stormy weather will continue for a few days
and vessels bound north and to New Caledonia will experience fierce storms.
Vessels bound west from Gabo will also meet with dirty weather.
A man
named William Bruce was crossing a causeway near Clayton, hand in hand with two
other men. The stream was about 4ft deep and running so strongly that all three
were washed away and Bruce was drowned. His brother-in-law was washed ashore
insensible.
TOWNSVILLE.
WEDNESDAY.
Heavy
rains fell on Tuesday night, and the wind blew with hurricane force. This
morning huge waves completely submerged the breakwater, and the low-lying lands
are flooded. At Aitkinavale the weather was terrific, and the Ross River was
running furiously. The residents had to
take refuge in the meatworks. At 4 pm. the river was 30ft. over Macronnan's
bridge. At Mackay the river reached the greatest height known since 1884. All goods from the wharf and the store
floors were removed to the high land.
A tornado
swept across Bowen in a southerly direction yesterday, demolishing the
outhouses of the pilot station. It appeared like a waterspout, first breaking
on Flagstaff Hill with loud reports, and throwing large boulders and trees high
into the air. It covered a tract 40ft. wide.
1946 Fiji
Flood
The
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Saturday 2 February 1946, page 3
National
Library of Australia
FIJI
VILLAGES WASHED AWAY
torrential
rains in the northern and eastern districts of Viti Levu, the largest of the Fiji Islands
life is
feared. The Wainibuka River
1946 Australia –
NSW
Floods
Cyclone
The
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Tuesday 26 March 1946, page 1
National
Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17973485
FOUR
DROWNED IN QUEENSLAND
Rivers Flood In North
Four men
have been drowned in southern Queensland in floods caused by the cyclone whose
centre last night moved south into New South Wales. Three were in a boat which capsized in
floodwaters on the upper reaches of the Brisbane River, about 120 miles from Brisbane.
The fourth was swept away by floodwaters when he tried to escape from a truck
he was driving when it stalled on a flooded bridge between Ipswich and Esk.
Six
inches of rain have deluged the north coast of New South Wales, the Tweed and
Myall Rivers have flooded; a gale and tremendous seas have disorganised
shipping, and Brisbane and Sydney air services have been halted.
Rain
stopped on the far north coast last night, but the Weather Bureau forecasts
more moderate to heavy falls on the lower north and central coasts, as the
cyclone advances south at about 10 miles an hour. It appears now to be edging
out to sea. The bureau last night repeated its flood warning to the north
coast. It forecasts finer weather in Sydney to-day, and moderate showers along
the south coast, where rain was gentle yesterday and last night.
SHIPS AND
PLANES HELD UP
No ships
were worked at Sydney wharves yesterday because of the rain. One shipping
executive forecast that postponement of sailing dates would be avoided as far as
possible by handling cargo night and day, instead of only by day as usual.
The
flying-boat Awarua flew with 37 passengers half way to Sydney from Auckland
yesterday, and then turned back, because of the weather at Sydney. Steady rain continued throughout the
metropolitan area yesterday. Between 9
a.m. and 8 p.m. ]87 points fell in the city. For the 12 hours ended 9 p.m., 143
points had fallen at Rose Bay. Highest
metropolitan readings for the 48 hours ended 9 a.m. yesterday were 218 points
at Narrabeen,Turramurra and Manly, 205, Newport Beach 198, and 171 at Gordon.
The four
men drowned in southern Queensland are:-Edmund Thomas Voll, his brother, George
Voll, and brother-in-law, August Hitzke, all married and residents of Kilbirne;
and Rupert Albert Leaney, of Dalby, driver of a Pollard transport truck.
Farming
families have been isolated, and crops, cattle, and fences have been swept away
in the Bulahdelah district, about 60 miles north of Newcastle, where the
Crawford and Myall Rivers broke their banks to form one stream. The flood waters swept into the township of
Bulahdelah last night and 14 families were driven from their homes. They spent
the night in public halls and friends' home.
Their furniture was shifted in boats and motor lorries. So far no loss of life has been reported in
the area.
Bulahdelah
district is mountainous and the farming areas in places are broken up into
pockets by the hills. They are thus widely scattered and communication with
some families will be impossible until boats are taken up the rivers. Bulahdelah residents said last night that if
the flood waters reached the farmhouses the occupants might find shelter in the
hills in timber-getters' camps.
One
farmer. Mr. M. Smith, whose property is on the Crawford River, was able to get
his cattle safely across and then returned to his farmhouse to obtain personal
belongings. When he reached the river again the water was running too strongly
for him to make the crossing, and when last seen he was making towards the
hills. Another farmer. Mr. Lynch, is
known to have lost his crops. He has been cut off by the floods, but it is not known
whether he has been forced out of his home.
Mr. R. Harvey escaped across the Crawford River as the flood waters rose
towards his house. He left his dairy herd marooned on a fairly large area of
high land.
Police
and civilians will go up the Myall and Crawford Rivers in boats to-day to
rescue farmers in difficulties. They will take fresh food, clothing, and
first-aid materials.
RICHMOND
HIGH, STILL RISING
The
Richmond River at Lismore has risen 22 feet and was still rising last
night. Residents of North Lismore and
other isolated low-lying parts have evacuated their homes, expecting a
repetition of last year's disastrous floods.
Business people are stacking goods and preparing to move.
Rainfall
on the watersheds of the Richmond has been particularly heavy and, with rain
still falling, a further rise is expected. There is still a big volume of water
to come from "The Risk" and this will add considerable height to the
flood at Kyogle, and later at Lismore.
The district superintendent of the N.R.M.A., Mr. W. Mason, reported that
most roads were flooded and many were impassable. The ferry at Ballina reported
"mountainous seas" and expected to stop running.
At Byron
Bay, heavy waves were reported breaking over the jetty. Lismore Rowing Club members are standing by
in case they can help in rescue work. Other bodies, including life-saving clubs
from Ballina, are on call.
Tweed Overflows
Torrential
rain drenched the Tweed River are and winds attained gale force. The Tweed broke its banks at several places
and all traffic on the Pacific Highway was held up from early yesterday
morning. Several landslides occurred on the mountain toads to the west of Tweed
Heads. More serious flooding was saved because
of the low level of yesterday's high tide which was only 4ft 8in.
Murwillumbah
missed a major flood by inches, as the Tweed, from noon to 7 p.m., hovered on
the brink of Spilling over its banks.
The river rose to 14ft above normal at noon, and maintained this level
to 7 p.m., when it began to fall. Heavy
rain, accompanied by an easterly gale, drenched the town from 3 a.m. till late
afternoon.
Thousands
of acres of land surrounding Murwillumbah, including portions of the
residential area of South Murwillumbah, are inundated, and many district roads
have been blocked. Ten inches of rain
have fallen since Friday, and in some parts of the Tweed district registrations
have exceeded 12 inches.
Terrific
seas pounded the Southport area and swept right up to the road. Huge waves
widened the channel between Stradbroke Island and the mainland, and some
fishing-boats were wrecked by the incoming seas. Traffic was held up for three hours on the
Brisbane-Southport road by flooding near Coomera. Senior-Sergeant W. J. Cochran, of the
Southport police, said yesterday that he had been in four cyclones, but had
never seen such tremendous seas. For
about four hours the rain fell in sheets and visibility was nil, but at 3.15
p.m. the rain stopped abruptly and the wind fell. Conditions were still quiet
at 7 o'clock last night.
Trains
were held up on the Dorrigo line when tracks were washed away at Brigg's
Vale. Heavy seas were breaking over the
northern breakwater at Coffs Harbour. Fishermen said that seas were the highest
for many years. Slight damage had been sustained in the banana plantations.
At
Kempsey the river had risen to danger level of 26 feet. At George's Creek, 35
miles up the river from Kempsey, the level was still rising rapidly. If the
river overflows there Kempsey might be flooded.
800 Points Of Rain
At
Clarence Town about 800 points of rain were reported to have fallen up to 6
p.m. yesterday. The river had swollen and some flooding was possible by to-day.
Between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. yesterday over four inches fell. Grafton reported last night that the Clarence
River was rising a foot an hour and it was expected to reach flood level
to-day. At Copmanhurst, 36 miles
upstream, the river was 38ft above normal.
The
police had issued warnings to residents in the low-lying areas and livestock
was being removed.
(Transport
Delays, Victorian Floods-Page
4.)I
Earth
Sciences
Lowering the clouds to combat global warming
The Fallen Sky
Why Does Earth’s Magnet Field Slip?
Morning Glory Australia
Near Miss for Bus-sized Asteroid
Earthquake in South Australia
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc0008nw3.phpAustraliana
Early this morning I enjoyed the spectacle of a flock of
white cockatoos perched on two nearby aerials, around twenty in number,
enjoying the early morning sunlight and indulging in a spot of grooming. How happy and contented they looked, just
minding their own business and enjoying the morning. I was so busy watching and in turn enjoying
their presence, that I refrained from rushing in to pick up my camera to record
the moment, as you see, I have made do with a previous photo taken on a less
than sunny day.
Before Europeans arrived here in 1788, five
hundred and seven Aboriginal tribes inhabited Australia, territories covered
even the most arid areas, they ate what the land offered and knew how to
prepare it safely, they knew the medicinal properties of the plants around them
and they traded with other tribes and had a strong social structure. What an achievement.
Australia
is the smallest, flattest and driest inhabited continent in the world. It is
the only country which is also a whole continent.
It is also
revolving anticlockwise and moving at the rate of four inches (about 10cms) per
year towards the equator and our tectonic plate is sliding down under New
Guinea, eastern Australia is in a state of uplift which will eventually cause
increasingly drier weather. Due to the movement of the tectonic plates, the
areas around the poles is coming together at the rate of a foot (about 300cms)
per year and those around the equator at the rate of four inches (about 30cms)
per year, eventually, it is thought the land masses will all eventually meet.
Ayer's Rock
now better known by its Aboriginal name Uluru is the largest monolith in the
world, only one tenth is visible, nine tenths of it is submerged, it was once
higher than Mount Everest and the desert soil around is the result of
weathering.
Even gems
extracted from our rocks aren’t always conventional. Our sapphires are formed in igneous rock deep
within the earth, brought to the surface and gradually erode from the
decomposing basalt instead of forming metamorphically.
The historic
location of diamonds in Australia was at Copeton in, if I remember correctly,
granodiorite. They are harder to cut
than is usual because they are multiple twins instead of occurring as is
common, a single octahedron. It is now
thought these diamonds have been formed differently, to quote:
“The subduction diamond model involves forming diamond
within a subducting slab of oceanic lithosphere. Non-carbonate carbon is
present in the upper portions of such a slab in the form of organic matter and
inorganic precipitated carbonaceous material in trench sediments, and as
graphite dispersed in altered basalts/gabbros/ serpentinised ultramafics. L. M. BARROWS¹. R. LISHMUNWG¹. M. OAKES”. In other
words, it was formed when a piece of the oceanic lithosphere was subducted
beneath the continental lithosphere during the Pancrozoic period of formation
and heated to the extent that diamonds crystallised from the carbon present.
Lamprolite pipes are the source of diamonds at the Argyle
Mine in the Kimberley area though they originally found in the 1970’s in an
alluvial situation, having weathered out of the parent rock. The unusual feature of this mine is the large
proportion of pink diamonds which until that time were rare, champagne diamonds
are also extracted at this mine making it commercially important on the world
stage.
Our opal is also
unique, most opal is formed volcanically, our only commercial location is on
the far north coast of NSW, however, far more important is our opal of
sedimentary formation. Historically it
was regarded as inferior to European opal until in a period of recession when
in an effort to help the colony recover, Queen Victoria ordered complete suites
of opal jewellery for each of her daughters.
Australian opal was now accepted as “real” opal. An oddity called an “opal pineapple”, uniqe
to Whitecliffs, is a pseudomorph of what was originally glauberite (or ikalite)
that was then replaced atom by atom with calcite (known as glendonite named
after a location in the Hunter Valley) in the case of the occurrence at Whitecliffs,
the calcite was then replaced by precious opal.
You might like
to look at these websites:
Rare Pineapple
Opal
http://whitecliffsopal.com/html/introduction.html
The Home of
Australian Black Opal
http://whitecliffsopal.com/html/introduction.html
It was formed during a period of great stability in the Great Artesian Basin, silica rich sediments percolated through the sandstone layers to a bentonite clay layer (water impervious) which then allowed the silica to settle in ordered colloidal form resulting in the formation of precious opal.
Some
of our quartz is quite unusual. In NSW
we have one of three world occurrences of untwinned crystal quartz (colourless)
which gained importance during WWII as a source of gun sites, the other two
sources being Germany and Brazil.
Queensland
has a deposit of quartz variety amethyst which when heat treated turns green,
it is then known by the name prasiolite. The historic commercial is Brazil
where it was first found when miners were warming their food over a camp fire
and instead of the expected citrine colour it was green. It occurs at locations in Arizona and Thunder
Bay in Canada and Lower Silesia in Poland and what was once known as Rhodesia Some
amethyst when heat treated turns golden yellow, the source of nearly all
commercial natural citrine...
Finally,
gold has less impurities than is usual per gram in some deposits, it is also
thought that in Western Australia, geological occurrence of gold may of an
alluvial nature rather than volcanic.
Marble Bar in the Pilbara showing the “marble”
outcrop it was named for, it is actually jasper; this location is the hottest
place in Australia.
First we had the Megafauna, some died out, others have much
smaller descendants we are familiar with today.
Thank goodness they did shrink in size, the thought of a kangaroo that
could reach leaves three metres from the ground or a wombat the size of a
rhinoceros would be somewhat daunting.
There were humans around at the same time; they were very much taller
than we are today. I have been told of
the existence of fossilised tracks of a very large kangaroo being followed by
human footprints from a very large foot.
Our
fauna is still quite unique, we are the only country where monotremes –
platypus and echidna – exist. We still
have emus and cassowaries, Purple-neck Rock Wallaby (Petrogale Purpureicollis), which inhabits the
Mt Isa region in Northwest Queensland. The Wallaby secretes a dye that stains
its face and neck into colours ranging from light pink to bright purple. Our wombats deposit square poos on logs, rocks
and upright sticks to mark their territory, we have the burrowing frog that
remains safely underground until it rains and South Australia has a frog that
sounds like a very noisy motorbike – we continue to be a unique country.
In 1986, it
was thought that all songbirds like robins, wrens and nightingales originated
in the northern hemisphere before migrating to Australia via Asia. What’s really interesting is that the
lyrebird is part of the oldest group of songbirds, then we have species like
the bower birds, the honey eaters, and our robins. After fifteen years of research, Dr
Christidis and Dr Schodde finally proved that the world’s 4500 species of
songbirds, can all be traced back to Australia.
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| Laughing Kookaburra JB |
Our seas have their oddities too; we have wonky holes being
investigated by scientists in the ocean floor of the Great Barrier Reef from
which fresh water flows. About 200 have been found measuring up to 30 metres
across and twisting ten kilometres out to sea and are from groundwater running
into the sea. Just as interesting is a disc shaped wall of water forty kilometres wide
and formed in Bass Straight, travelling from the Tasman Sea, around Tasmania
and up the east coast as two hundred metre deep eddies, possibly as far as the Indian Ocean, which were discovered by new deep-diving ocean
gliders as reported by CSIRO scientist Ken Ridgeway.
Even our
waterfalls don’t always obey the rules, the Horizontal Falls at Talbot Bay,
Buccaneer Archipelago near Derby are caused by the ten metre variation in the
tides, causing water to back up against one side of a narrow cliff passage in
two gaps, one twenty metres wide and the other ten metres, in the McLarty
Ranges which have a pair of parallel ranges three hundred metres apart. This effect is caused by the tide building up
in front of the gaps faster than the water can flow through causing a waterfall
up to four metres high between the bays.
On the other side of the continent at Cape York we have a
cloud formation known as Morning Glory. Towards the end of the dry season, due to the land mass heating up, a
heat trough forms through inland Queensland running southward as a high
pressure ridge, resulting in the formation of sea breezes around the Gulf. Before the onset of the wet season, there is
an alternation between wet and dry season cycles – three or four days of dry
season SE trade winds followed by a few days of sea breezes associated with a
heat trough. Morning Glory weather.
You might like to watch the Morning Glory in action on
this video:
Morning Glory
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| Waratah JB |
Even our flora has developed unique methods of surviving
the past variations of climate, careful observation of flora reveals remnants
of earlier times, Southern Beech and tree ferns in Tasmania, the ancient
Wollemi Pine, round-leaf juvenile leaves of eucalypts changing to a
conventional shape in mature growth reminds us that once the east coast was
desert before conditions changed and more lush tropical and sub-tropical
rainforest grew. Our tropical
rainforests are spectacular. A large
proportion of our flora and fauna is interdependent, careful management of both
would be prudent.
My impression from all this is the quiet resilience of
this country, a determination to soldier on whatever and produce the
unexpected.
Mount Warning,
photo taken from Byron Bay
Young World
Squarky’s Story
If birds feel safe, they will nest near people. This story is about peewits that nested in a
street tree.
Peewits use a mixture of mud and twigs to build a nest
then line it with feathers and grass. This
pair partly built their nest from rotted leaves covering the roots of a water
iris in a birdbath. I hadn’t meant to
leave them there, however, because they are so useful, fallen leaves are left
over winter every year so the pewits may use them to build their nests every
spring.
Squarky was born during a drought, natural food was hard to find. When the young left the nest, the parents made them first walk up and down the footpath searching for grubs and insects before bringing them into the yard to search amongst the damp litter around the pot plants looking for earthworms and insects.
All the time while walking they would be following the parents begging to be fed, “Squark! Squark! Squark! Squark! The parents just kept on walking, making them pick up their own food. Only after searching every nook and cranny in the yard were they allowed to hop onto the feed table for a snack.
All the time while walking they would be following the
parents begging to be fed, “Squark! Squark!
Squark! Squark! The parents just
kept on walking, making them pick up their own food. Only after searching every nook and cranny in
the yard were they allowed to hop onto the feed table for a snack.
Squarky often arrived at the food table during the day, “Squark!
Squark!”, “Squark! Squark!” – “I’m hungry!”
Once he ate a little food, he would happily fly down and look for his
own. He grew into a healthy bird and
next spring he and his mate nested in the tree where he was born, across the
road. They brought their brood to visit. Often, during the day, they could be seen
walking amongst the pot plants picking up grubs and insects.
For some reason, one of their brood, a male, lost the
left foot and his voice sounds muffled, perhaps she survived an attack by a
hawk, I called her Mr. Stumpy. The
following season, he found a mate and they brought their brood along to visit
as well, he taught them to walk around the yard looking for food, just as their
grandfather, Squarky had done when he was small.
Story
Copyright JB
Word
Help
Brood – family
Begging – asking
Nook and cranny – in, under and around everything
Gathering – picking up
Magpie-lark
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Scientific name: Grallina cyanoleuca
Family: Dicruridae
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Dicruridae
Order: Passeriformes
Our Magpie-Lark is a medium sized black and white bird; males have a white
eyebrow while in the females have a white face and throat. Juveniles have a dark bill and eye, white
eyebrow and throat.
It is called a Pee-wee as that is the sound of its call.
They occur in both urban and non-urban areas with the exception of
rainforests and the driest regions.
They are nomadic, though in urban areas they seem to remain in one area
all year.
They eat earthworms, insects and their larvae amongst grass or leafmould,
and freshwater invertebrates.
Their nest is built of mud on the branch of a tree, and then it is lined
with feathers and grass. Both parents
sit on the eggs and then care for the young.
Pizzey, G. and Knight, F. 1997. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia.
Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Birds in Backyards website
Budding Scientist
Scientists discover a journeying water wall
Tales of survival amid U.S. storm destruction
Wacky Web Tales
Squigly’s Writing Corner
Tux Paint
Another Year
We have been given to work and play.
Each day a jewel twinkling bright,
So we may work with all our might
To nurture love and kindness every day.
Each dawn and dusk drink in delight,
The heat of day the songs of nature does caress,
Each starry night each silver moon
Are sent so our Maker we may bless.
Embrace each day with all it brings
Remember to enjoy the simple things.
A trilling bird, a happy laugh
Or a quiet walk along the path.
Until each day is done and
rest is near
As
we embrace each day of our new year.
JB
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So reminiscent of Christmas, agapanthus linger over
until the New Year, while dainty red
brushes of a native whose name escapes me, open almost stealthily in
January. The first is much loved by red
wattle birds and the other by silvereyes and nectar eaters.
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Snail Creeper, a curious member of the legume
family, wanders where it will, often appearing where least expected and the
little autumn crocus reminds you that cooler days are fast approaching. I love the way a garden reminds you that
nature has its seasons and tunes your spirit to things greater than the work of
your hands.
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The first photo above is that of a purple carrot
gone to seed; these must be the most forgiving carrots to grow as they thrive
on neglect and minimal water with the added advantage of excellent
flavour. This year, the native finger
lime gave its best crop so far. When cut
open, tiny, rounded clear to very pale pink caviar-like spheres are exposed,
these may be added to chilled water for a refreshing summer drink or sliced and
served with fish.
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Our more unusual vegetables include Jerusalem
artichokes which are a very nutritious winter vegetable which may be boiled,
added to stews or lightly baked and Yacon, which when dug, looks like dahlia
tubers, has orange flesh which may be eaten as a fruit and tastes somewhat like watermelon or
cooked as you would potatoes and boiled,
steamed or baked. If you feel really
adventurous you might like to try them either with or without potato cooked as
you would a potato bake. This year
Peruvian parsnip, another of the same family, will be ready for the first
time. If you think their flowers look
like sunflowers – you are quite right - they are all of that family and hail
from South America. They are easy to
grow, require surprisingly little space and are safe for diabetics to eat.
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Two new minibeasts visited, this giant hornet was
very impressive though not aggressive.
It managed to find its way inside and was quite calm when I carefully
fielded it with a large towel and released it outside. I don’t remember ever seeing one before. My next visitor was a black with fine white
transverse stipes looper which seemed intent on growing as quickly as possible.
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A garden favourite is the leaf-curl spider, the
female has the largest leaf, the male a much smaller one a good distance away
from the female and a large third leaf is prepared for the eggs. The firs one has made a very substantial
house from to angophora leaves and the other made hers from a crushed snail
shell left by the baby bluetongue lizard last year. It always amazes me how they manage to lift
their chosen houses up so high; I know these items were on the ground, I saw
them there! These spiders give a good
indication of coming weather, when rain threatens, the orient the leaf so its
open side is opposite the direction of the rain, they also do this when strong
wind is in the offing, if they want air to blow in the leaf is so
adjusted. This is done well ahead of
time. Quite a clever little creature.
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If you look closely to the first photo, you see a
blue-tongue lizard hiding. She was about
forty centimetres long and had managed to wrap herself into a spot of about ten
centimetres long and five centimetres wide and was extremely hard to see. A clever contortionist. The little brown frog with wavy darker brown
lines longitudinally along its back, I think is a Common Eastern Froglet you
might notice that it has a large slug for company. It was an unexpected find
and the third species of frog observed in the garden. I can hear it singing outside at this moment. I have heard about five different frogs and
hope to see them all in time. Chainsaw,
the Peron’s tree frog, is still around as are the giant green tree frogs.
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I think this first bird may be a Pacific Bazza,
also known as a Crested Hawk, the first time I have seen it here though I had
been told it had been seen in a nearby suburb a year or so ago. The other is, I think, an Australian Hobby
and has been visiting on and off since at least 2008. The photos aren’t great, however they have
recorded the visits.
Granny’s
Eye View
AMCAT’s current exhibition “Bomb to The Beatles” made me
realise just how pivotal were the 1950’s.
If you think about it, there were two devastating world wars and a
depression, the period of years 1914 to 1946 were what must have seemed a
period of constant privation, except, perhaps for a short period in the 1920’s
where people threw off the gloom of WWII, just as well, the Great Depression
was just round the corner! For those on
the land, the devastation of the Federation Drought and another around 1912
simply extended the length of time of “mend and make do”, as did the post WWII
floods and drought.
Those generations became very careful with their money
and seem to remain so in their golden years.
Commerce found a way round this roadblock, the Teenager as an entity and
commodity was invented. Until this time,
children dressed much the same as their parents did, and progressed to
adulthood relatively quietly. This was
turned on its head in the 1950’s -
teenage fashions were introduced, they had their own music called Rock and Roll
which was denounced in some pulpits as music from the devil and regarded as
decadent leading to loose behaviour by their parents. Elvis Presley, singer and
master of the swivelling hips was the personification of this evil in their
estimation.
So began the “generation gap” between parent and
children. Parents were being told by
“experts” how to raise their children, the foremost of these being Dr. Spock
off whose words every other expert hung.
In his declining years he expressed admitted that his theory had caused
more harm than good and apologised for the harm done. Strangely, I have never heard that he
actually contributed in any concrete manner to rectifying his mistakes.
The sixties roared in with the advent of the Beatles
bringing their Beatlemania, it was also the beginning of the culture of taking
illicit drugs. Parental authority was
rendered negligible, teens thought they were grown up and worldly and could
make their own decisions - this brought
tragedy to many a family which is still continuing to this day. Part of this scene was the hippy movement –
peace and love to the world, live off the land, follow your own wishes. Some survived, others didn’t. Conversely, this was also the consolidation
of the teenager becoming the centre of commerce, thus becoming a commodity to
be courted.
As an aside, On cattle sale day when the farmers and
their wives would be in the nearest major town shopping or attending the sale,
in one famous hippy area, their desire to live off the land was augmented by
travelling around the farms taking anything that wasn’t battened down such as
sheets of corrugated iron or building materials that had been stacked for the
day they might be handy for perhaps as long as a hundred years, were lifted and
taken home to build their shacks in the hills.
That was interesting times.
What followed was “let the children develop at their own
pace”, they mustn’t be chastised or it would blight them. The pity of this was that the rules of
orderly society became less important than was prudent and society now has
problems much worse than the “scandalous rock and roll” of the 1950’s from a
section of the population. It is a sad
reflection that they were not given boundaries past which their behaviour must
not go. Optimistically, this will
eventually be rectified, hopefully something as drastic as the Depression of
the 1930’s or the two Great Wars will not be the correction process. I also have great respect for the majority of
the younger generation who are good hard-working, caring young citizens. I know also that the majority of young people
who are finding life difficult for one reason or another will eventually battle
through to better things, I am proud of them also. Time will pass and social responsibility will
again become as important as social conscience.
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| Teal Duck - Acrylic JB |
Technogranny
