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-====solar Eclipse.====
+====Solar Eclipse.====
 Saturday 23rd4, October 1976 is the date of a solar eclipse which is total over most of Victoria. Some walkers are considering going south along the coast to witness it. See George Gray for details.
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+=====A Strategic Plan For Reclamation Of The Gulf Of Carpentaria.=====
+Or
+====One Good Stubbie Deserves Another.====
-"A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR RECLAMATION OF
-THE GULF OF CADIENTI.,BIA - OR ONE GOOD STUBBiE 'DESERVES ANOTHER."
 by Owen Marks.
 The fans are whirring overhead and the strings of beads (which are doors) are tapping the walls in the breeze. This is. Weipa, Aluminium Capital of Australia - and if you don't know where it is, I will tell you.
-Only 525 miles north of Cairns on the Gulf of Carpentaria, and across one of the most awful desolate dusty and terrifying roads that you can imagine. Corrugations mile after mile, river crossings and the fear of being stuck and waiting 6 hours or so for a passing car, washed out sections of road, and the bull dust 14" deep in odd spots, that go on for miles.
-Unsignposted road junctions that put the wind up me at one stage I kept
+Only 525 miles north of Cairns on the Gulf of Carpentaria, and across one of the most awful desolate dusty and terrifying roads that you can imagine. Corrugations mile after mile, river crossings and the fear of being stuck and waiting 6 hours or so for a passing car, washed out sections of road, and the bull dust 14" deep in odd spots, that go on for miles. Unsignposted road junctions that put the wind up me at one stage I kept an eye on the magnetic anthills that seemed to be lined up north-east to south-west. Unfortunately it was me - I went 5 hours out of my way across to Princess Charlotte Bay, no mean feat. I didn't see a car all the way, not a house and when I arrived at a signboard welcoming me to Mareena Plains and consulted my -map, I knew at last where I shouldn't be. The road to Weipa goes via Laura and Coen.
-an eye on the magnetic anthills that seemed to be lined up north-east to south-west. Unfortunately it was me - I went 5 hours out of my way across
-to Princess Charlotte Bay, no mean feat. I didn't see a car all the way,
+I suppose I must be lucky, because I arrived at Coen the day of the yearly races (I had heard in Cairns that they would be on) and I even stopped to see my first horse race. Five horses whizzing around the football-size course and the local population supplemented by the wild Weiparites all drunken and chucking stubbies everywhere (more about stubbies later). To place a bet you had to pay $2 to enter the paddock, so I missed out on my first bookie.
-not a house and when I arrived at a signboard welcoming me to Mareena Plains and consulted my -map, I knew at last where I shouldn't be. The road to Weipa goes via Laura and Coen.
-I suppose I must be lucky, because I arrived at Coen the day of the yearly races (I had heard in Cairns that they would be on) and I even stopped to see my first horse race. Five horses whizzing around the football-size course and the local population supplemented by the wild Weiparites all drunken and chucking stubbies everywhere (more about stubbies later). To place a bet you had to pay Z2 to enter the paddock, so I missed out on my first bookie.
+Coen is one store, one pub, old shacks and sheds everywhere, a small school and a population of 600. Of these, twenty families were white and I suppose they came from around the far distant parts of the area. The pub remained open until 5 a.m. and the police were rolling drunk and didn't see the wild Weiparites smashing windscreens with their stubbies (more about stubbies later). To put it quite succintly, Coen is the last gasp and when the rainy season arrives no one can enter or leave for five months or so.
-Coen is one store, one pa, old shacks and sheds everywhere, a small school and a population of 600. Of these, twenty families were white and I suppose they came from around the far distant parts of the area. The pa remained open until 5 and the police were rolling drunk and didn't see the wild Weiparites smashing windscreens with their stubbies (more about stables later). To put it quite succintly, Coen is the last gasp and when the rainy season arrives no one can enter or leave for five months or so.
-Weipa is quite different. A modern Canberra style suburb with wide
+Weipa is quite different. A modern Canberra style suburb with wide green sprinklered expanses between the groups of homes and flats. A bank, a supermarket, papershop, post office, butcher, gift shop cum haberdashery cum clothing shop, a T.A.B. and a sumptuous hotel. It faces the Gulf and only a half mile away is the scrub. Bauxite everywhere, bitumen roads that go for 6 miles and then abruptly stop, and a thrice-daily plane service to civilization. The isolation doesn't exist that you would imagine. But the boozing is of a grand order. Boredom breeds boozers. I have been a guest of Ken Ellis who was a member of the S.B.W. a few years ago, and I have been doing the round of all his friends and workmates, etc. In every case without exception beer by the carton is forced upon you.
-green sprinklered expanses between the groups of homes and flats. A. bank,
-a supermarket, papershop, post office, butcher, gift shop cum haberdashery
+The stubbie. A small beer bottle, of about 3/4 pint. The whole of Queensland is being swamped by the stubble, but here in Weipa it is supreme. At the Evans Wharf open-air theatre cum canteen, you sit under palms and bouganvillia and gaze over the aquamarine Gulf with your ice cold stubble, the warm breeze (always warm here - midnight you can still sleep stark naked with no blankets under a fan) that seems to carry sea birds right up to the grassy banks, you down the cool ale and then when you have drained the stubbie, you lean back and chuck it over the wire fence onto the rocky shore. Smash! Smash! It goes on for hours every day. Think!!!! I did too, and I walked over to the edge. What a sight. Indescribable, and I have it on good authority that in 6 years time there will be no more Gulf of Carpentaria. It will be completely full up.
-cum clothing shop, a T.A.B. and a sumptuous hotel. It faces the Gulf and only a half mile away is the scrub. Bauxite everywhere, bitumen roads that go for 6 miles and then abruptly stop, and a thrice-daily plane
-service to civilization. The isolation doesn't exist that you would
+Now all of this rubbish isn't why I have been writing. It's only an introduction to my reason why I decided to splash 50 dollars for the return trip to Thursday Island. It seemed a shame to be only a couple of hundred miles away and not go. The plane goes daily and last Tuesday I jumped aboard for the 45 minute trip. The plane follows the coast all the way and as the Cape narrows, from the right-hand side of the plane you can see island-bespattered Torres Straits, Cape York, which is Australia's most northerly point, and the plane swoops down over the myriads of reefs and you land on Horn Island. A bus takes you over 2 miles to the wharf and then onto the boat for the final dash to Thursday Island.
-imagine. But the boozing is of a grand order. Boredom breeds boozers.
-I have been a guest of Ken Ellis who was a member of the S.B.W. a few years ago, and I have been doing the round of all his friends and workmates, etc.
+The boat goes north, then west, then south, then east, then south, then west and then you zip along narrow channels past the banks and reefs and you are soon there. You have arrived in Fiji. Well, the Fiji of 30 years ago. Everyone is a fuzzy wuzzy with the occasional white face. Old faded wooden buildings, ramshackle homes, dirt and dusty roads, and dogs everywhere. It's hard to imagine that this is Australia.
-In every case without exception beer by the carton is forced upon you.
-The stubbie. A small beer bottle, of about i~ pint. The whole of
+The locals speak their own language and everyone smiled when they saw me. Unfortunately it wasn't from any friendliness on their part. I had a most ridiculous hat that I had bought in a mad fit on the Barrier Reef and this is what caused the merriment.
-Page 14. THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER September, 1976.
-Queensland is being swamped by the stubble, but here in Weipa it is supreme. At the Evans Wharf openair theatre cum canteen, you sit under palms and bouganvillia and gaze over the aquamarine Gulf with your ice cold stubble, the warm breeze (always warm here midnight you can still sleep stark naked with no blankets under a fan) that seems to carry sea birds right up to the grassy banks, you down the cool ale and then when you have drained the stubble, you lean back and chuck it over the wire fence onto the rocky shore. Smash! Smash! It goes on for hours every day. Think!!!!1 I did too, and I walked over to the edge. What a sight. Indescribable, and I have it on good authority that in 6 years time there will be no more Gulf of Carpentaria. It will be completely full up.
+There is only one place to eat and I had fish and chips washed down with sarsaparilla. Not a good omen in anyone's language. Evening was coming and where was I to sleep? Easier done than said. Overlooking the town was an aerial popped on the highest hill. Filled up my plastic wine bottle and climbed the service road and in 10 minutes I was there and my tent up in another 10 minutes and the mosquito coil burning. The sun was just setting and the view was just incredible.
-Now all of this rubbish isn't why I have been writing. It's only an introduction to my reason why I decided to splash 50 dollars for the return trip to Thursday Island. It seemed a shame to be only a couple of hundred miles away' and not go. The plane goes daily and last Tuesday I jumped aboard for the 45 minute trip. The plane follows the coast
-all the way and as the Cape narrows,from the righthand side of the plane
+Thursday Island or T.I. as everyone calls it, is about two miles long by a halfmile wide. Along the centre spine are three hills a couple of hundred feet high. From my camp sight the whole world was in sight. The world of islands, reefs, shoals, bays, winking lighthouses, and the put-putting of nautical engines. I was told by an ancient seaman that this area is one of the most treacherous in the world. But you can never believe old mariners when they talk about their own area, but I suppose that it could be true. From the plane it looks probable that this is the case. There is a Wednesday and a Friday Island, too, named by Captain Cook on his three camping spots all those years ago.
-you can see islandbespattered Torres Straits, Cape Ycrk, which is
-Australia's most northerly point, and the plane swoops down over the myriads of reefs and you land on Horn Island. A bus takes you over
+The following morning I awoke early to see the sunrise and pack up my tent. I hid the pack in some trees on the cliff edge and walked down the hill. School holidays and the basket ball courts were full. Lots of those piggy-looking dogs barked at me and I was soon climbing the next hill to see the famous cemetery. A Governor of Queensland, a man who "was murdered on Musgrave Island - 'I want mercy, not vengeance'", lots of Chinese poles including some in stone, Japanese and Indians, Malays and other Islanders. All these are the results of the pearling accidents, or just plain fishermen that came and never left.
-miles to the wharf and then onto the boat for the final dash to Thursday Island.
-The boat goes north, then west, then south, then east, then south, then west and then you zip along narrow channels past the banks and reefs and you are soon there. You have arrived in Fiji. Well, the Fiji of
+The local people are now all mixed up racially but I suppose in a few generations the fuzzy-wuzzy strain will overpower the other genes. The fuzzy-wuzzy graves are very interesting. All the stones are made in cement and so you can write lots of epitaphs quite cheaply. Children's graves have all their toys just laying on the sandy grave surfaces. One woman had all her personal possessions, men would have pipes and I even saw a fishing rod. To protect them from the sun a little canopy would be erected with side fringes.
-years ago. Everyone is a fuzzy wuzzy with the occasional ,:-hite face. Old faded wooden buildings, ramshackle homes, dirt and dusty roads, and dogs everywhere. It's hard to imagine that this is Australia.
-The locals speak their own language and everyone smiled when they saw me. Unfortunately it wasn't from any friendliness on their part.
+The only road passes right by. I caught a bus back to the shops and proceeded to inspect each one. I had to do something! Every shop was a general store. In two of them by the check-out counter were bowls of hot boiled eggs. You can buy practically anything that you would ever require. Don't forget that T.I. is a major centre for prawning and fishing boats between the east coast of Australia and the Gulf of Carpentaria, and between Australia and the world.
-I had a most ridiculous hat that I had bought in a mad fit on the Barrier Reef and this is what caused the merriment.
-There is only one place to eat and I had fish and chips washed down with sarsaparilla. Not a good omen in anyone's language. Evening was
+In the harbour world tourists in their sailing boats are easily marked by their flags, and that leads to the fabulous food available in the stores. Two big stores are on the water front, and little dinghies park on the beach and the crews walk across the road into the shops. You can see that the majority of food is for the Japanese and Malay crews. Curries, pastes, herbs and packets of unknown goodies are all in separate corners of the shop.
-coming and where was I to sleep? Easier done than said. Overlooking the town was an aerial popped on the highest hill. Filled up my plastic wine bottle and climbed the service road and in 10 minutes I was there
-and my tent up in another 10 minutes and the mosquito coil burning. The sun was just setting and the view was just incredible.
+Being a part of Queensland and being in the tropics drinking is the only social activity. Unbelievable. Very few whites in the public bars where I would sit nursing my shandy and writing my postcards. Meat pies are available in each of the four pubs. I met a noisy drunk who had now retired from work and was singing in the Polynesian manner. One man would sing a line and Billy my special friend would join in the last few words in harmony. On his T-shirt was the wierdest message "The 75 anniversary of the Diocese of Carpentaria". I'm not saying that the message was onky, only that appearances were beyond belief.
-Thursday Island or T.I. as everyone calls it, is about two miles
-long by a halfmile wide. Along the centre spine are three hills a
+The heat of the day was now going and so I thought I would climb the last hill and see the three cannon. I was told by a maniac that they were built to drive away the Russians, but I met an old man whose uncle helped build the foundations during the First World War. In the centre of the fortifications were two buildings of the Meteorological Bureau.
-couple of hundred feet high. From my camp sight the whole world was in sight. The world of islands, reefs, shoals, bays, winking lighthouses, and the putputting of nautical engines. I was told by an ancient
-seaman that this area is one of the most treacherous in the world. But
+The old cannon held my interest for one minute, but the view, as was the view from the cemetery, was wonderful The hospital was on the wrong side of the island and all the muddy beaches were alive with kids playing, or men mucking around with boats or other sea-type equipment. I stood up and drank all of my wine flask of water to celebrate and went to the nearest tree that was overhanging the road and went promptly to sleep. I awoke to the yell of a girl who was going to run me over on her bicycle. She fell off and her chums coming behind nearly had a smash.
-you can never believe old mariners when they talk about their own area, but I suppose that it could be true. From the plane it looks probable
-Page 1 5 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER SepteMber, 1976.
+Recovering, I went down to the other side of the island and inspected the Quetta Church. Late last century the "Quetta" and all her crew went down in the straits somewhere and this Anglican Church was built in memory of this great event. There were maps on the walls with drawings of the ship, an old snap of the ship going through the Suez Canal, parts of the ship with barnacles over them. I sat in the aisle on the floor and read my newspaper, the wind whistling through the open door, when through the door I saw a concrete ship built on tha footrath. It was a light house and on the top was a real light. The wording was very clear and simple - "Thank God for the missionaries who brought Christianity to the Islands etc." They have a public holiday called, if I can remember correctly, "The Day of Light", or something like that, when they re-enact the coming of the missionaries.
-that this is the case. There is a Wednesday and a Friday Island, too, named by Captain Cook on his three camping spots all those years ago.
-The following morning I awoke early to see the sunrise and pack up my tent. I hid the pack in some trees on the cliff edge ana walked down the hill. School holidays and the basket ball courts were full. Lots of those piggy-looking dogs barked at me and I was soon climbing the next hill to see the famous cemetery. A Governor of Queensland, a man who ttwas murdered on Musgrave Island - 'I want mercy, not vengeance", lots of Chinese poles including some in stone, Japanese and Indians, Malays
+Right next door was the Catholic Church but it was on a slight hill and I was too hot to bother, so I will never know what was in there.
-and other Islanders. All these are the results of the pearling accidents, or just plain fishermen that came and never left.
-The local people are now all mixed up racially but I suppose in a few generations the fuzzy-vuzzy strain will overpower the other genes. The fuzzy-wuzzy graves arc very interesting. All the stones are made in cement and so you can write lots of epitaphs quite cheaply. Children's graves have all their toys just laying on the sandy grave surfaces One woman had all her personal possessions, men would. have pipes and I even saw a fishing rod. To protect them from the sun a little canopy would be erected with side fringes.
+Evening was coming and I walked back to the shops for fish and chips with sarsaparilla again and over to the open-air cinema (all programmes for the neat few weeks were rubbish) and then climbed the hill to bed. I had no sleeping bag or groundsheet. Just newspapers, under and over me.
-The only road passes right by. I caught a bus back to the shops and proceeded to inspect each one. I had to do something! Every shop was a general store. In two of them by the check-out counter were bowls of hot boiled eggs. You can buy, practically anything that you would ever require* Don't forget that T.I. is a major centre for prawning and fishing boats between the east coast of Australia and the Gulf of Carpentaria, and between Australia and the world.,
-In the harbour world tourists in their sailing boats are easily marked. by their flags, and that leads to the fabulous food avail ble in the stores. Two big stores are on the water front, and little dinghies park on the beach and the crews walk across the road into the shops. You
+Thus was my trip to T.I. Next morn at 11.30 after buying some tins of curry the boat set off for the airport and in one hour's time I was airborne and eating lunch on route for Weipa. A boxed salad for the 45 min. ride; there must be a reason for such a courtesy but I didn't complain. The mainland was covered in smoke from the odd bushfires here and there. The plane just keeps low and you can see everything, but unfortunately there is not a thing to see. Bush and red earth for hundreds of miles.
-can see that the majority of food is for the Japanese and Malay crews.
-Curries, pastes, herbs and packets of unknown goodies are all in separate
+Such was my very cursory look at T.I. Not worth staying any extra time, although if you could find out when the free Government boats leave for such and such an island or the missions here and there etc. it would be most interesting. On Wednesdays the boat goes to Barmaga on the mainland. You have to get permission the day before from the Island Affairs Dept, and from what I've heard they are very friendly and most helpful. If you ever happen to pass this way, and in the dry season, it is well worth the $50, but if it means a choice on an overseas trip between Thursday Island or Bali - go to Bali.
-corners of the shop.
-Being a part of Queensland and being in the tropics drinking is the only social activity. Unbelievable. Very few whites in the public bars
+----
-where I would sit nursing my shandy and writing my postcards. Meat pies
-are available in each of the four pubs. I met a noisy drunk who had now retired from work and was singing in the Polynesian manner. One man would sing a line and Billy my special friend would join in the last few words in harmony. On his T-shirt was the wieidostmessage "The 75
-anniversary of the Diocese of Carpentaria". I'm not saying that the message was onky, only that appearances were beyond. belief.
-The heat of the day was now going and so I thought I would climb the last hill and see ',he three cannon. I was told by a maniac that they were built to driv,) away the Russians, but I met an old man whose uncle helped build. the foundations during the First World War. In the centre of the fortifications were two buildings of the Meteorological Bureau.
-Pago 16 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALICER . September, 1976.
-The old cannon held my interest for one minute, but the view, as was the view from the cemetery, was wonderful The hospital was on the wrong side of the island and all the muddy beaches were alive, with kids playing, or men mucking around with boats or other sea-type equipment. I stood up and drank all of my wine flask of water to celebrate and went to the nearest tree that was overhanging the road and went prompt:y to 2:1,-)ep I awoke to the yell of a girl who was going to run me over on
-her b'Dyole. She fell off and her chums coming behind nearly had a smash.
-R3covering, I wont down to the other side of the island and inspected the Qu,)tta rjhu-c-ch. Late last century the Quetta" and all her crew went
-down in the straits somewhere and this Anglican Church was built in memory
-of this G,,meat event There were maps on the walls with drawings of the
-ship, an old snap of the ship going through the Suez Canal, parts of the
-ship with barnacles over them. I sat in the aisle on the floor and read.
- ncwspETer, the win whistling through the open door, when through the
-cleoTI saw concrete ship built on tLa footrath. It was a light house
- and on the top was a real light. The wording was very clear and
-- 7'ank God for the missionaries who brought Christianity to the Islands etc.'? They have a public holiday called, if I can remember correctly, "The Day of LigM", or something like that, when they re-enact the c=1.r; of the missionar:les.
-Light nee:t door was the Catholic Church but it was on a slight hill
- I was too hot to bother, no I will rover know what was inthere.
-Lv-,nng was coming and I walked back to the shops for fish and chips with sarsaparilla again and over to the open-air cinema (all programmes for the neat few weeks were rubbish) and then climbed the hill to bed.
-had no sleeping bag or groundsheet. Just newspapers, under and over me.
-Thus was my trip to T.I. Next morn at 11,30 after buying some tins of curry the boat set off for the airport and in one hour's time I was airocrne and eatinz lunch on route for Weipa. A boxed salad for the 45 min.
-thrire must be a reason for such a courtesy but I didn't camplain. rzhe maLnland was covered in smoke from the odd bushfires here and there. The plane just keeps low and you can sec everything, but unfortunately there LI not a thing to see. Bush and red earth for hundreds of miles.
-'3uch was my very cursory look at T.I. Not worth staying any extra time, although if you could find out when the free Government boats leave for such and such an island or the missions here and there etc0 it would be most interesting. On Wednesdays the boat goes to Barmaga on the mainland. You 1: -re to get permission the day before from the Island Affairs Dept, and from what I've heard they are very friendly and most hrepfuI. If you ever happen to pass this way, and in the dry season, it is well worth the 't'?5-0, but if it means a choice on an overseas trip between Thursday Island or Bali - go to Bali.
 Page 17.
 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER September 1976.