Cinema

Gadfly 241 By Robert Macklin All the great astrophysicists of the world are marvelling at the insights that will flow from the gorgeous pictures provided by the James Webb space telescope. Undoubtedly, they’re fully justified. But will it change the way we approach life on our own tiny blue planet tucked away in a corner of the giant conglomerate? Alas, if the past is any indicator, it’s not looking good. I remember the surge of expectation that swept the world when Neil Armstrong stepped on to the surface of the Moon. This surely would weld us together as the custodians of our precious globe, and nationalistic nonsense would be the loser. That was 1969. Just think of the lives lost in the obscenity of war – and climate change - since then. I recall the Voyager spacecraft that gave us a couple of taxi rides through the solar system, and the possibilities they raised of ‘life’ on Jupiter’s moon Europa or beneath the surface of Mars. I vividly recollect the wonder of the great Hadron collider, the discovery of Higgs’ Boson and how it gave vital clues to the possibility of a grand unified theory of the forces of nature. Indeed, only last week I devoured a four-page article in New Scientist without understanding a single concept but the newly minted ‘hope’ for the latest theory. I too stared wide-eyed at the great Hubble pictures with the same optimism that they would lead us to jettison a few ancient absurdities like a ‘Heaven’ somewhere up there for the followers of some orthodoxy. So, I really can’t help but fear that the astonishing vistas provided by the James Webb pix will make not a jot of difference. Indeed, the scientists themselves are a case in point. Some 2000 of them have signed a petition to ‘cancel’ James Webb himself on suspicion that he was prejudiced against people whose sexual preference differed from his own. It should be no surprise, therefore that Putin will keep firing his artillery across the Ukraine border to smash more apartment blocks (and their residents) to pieces. Rugby League players will still look up to the night sky when they score the winning try to acknowledge some ancestor whom they firmly believe just witnessed their achievement. Millions of American Christian evangelicals will still vote for a liar and borderline psychopath in the next presidential election. The Pope will still draw the crowds to St Peter’s Square to be ‘blessed’ by waving is hand in some saintly manner. And politicians everywhere (with the possible exception of New Zealand) will inevitably fall prey to the ‘Canberra Bubble’ disease that has them believing that ‘what’s good for me, is good for the nation’. But hope springs eternal. Maybe the new telescope will help uncover what happened before the Big Bang. Maybe it will discover life on hundreds or thousands of planets like our own. And they might well have solved the one big, outstanding scientific mystery – the 69 per cent or 96 per cent (no one knows which) of Dark Matter and/or Dark Energy which we know is there, but which to date has eluded our instruments. That could really change the world. And it could happen anytime, perhaps even next week! Gosh, I’d better check my Horoscope in the back pages of my favourite CityNews magazine.

robert@robertmacklin.com

Reading—A beer with Baz Bazza’s shoulders were hunched and he searched for some joy in the froth of his full schooner, as Mick bounded up to the bar table. “Cheers for the schooner, Bazza. What’s up with you? You’ve been down for weeks.”

Mick took a generous sip and stretched his shoulders, whilst Bazza sighed. “Well Mick, it’s all a bit depressing at the moment. Rising interest rates, infla on on the move, Covid rates that would have had us in lockdown twelve months ago and a changing world order impac ng our region. On top of all that, I hit that bloody pothole out the back of Bodalla last weekend. My spare tyre was flat so I was stranded for two hours…… so no…..no I’m not a happy camper, Mick.” “Bazza….you need to be more posi ve. Let’s a ack the last problem first. You need to take a leaf out of my brother in law’s book. He lives up the back of Braidwood and wrote le ers to the council, and even his local member of parliament, about the state of the roads……well of course…..not much happened, so he took ma ers into his own hands.”

Bazza raised his eyes and took a sip. “You see, Bazza….one of your many problems is you have this an capitalism streak, and you could learn from my brother in law. Anyhow, he has designed an app for the GPS that guides you through the potholes in the district. He has even developed a hard copy map for dinosaurs like yourself, which in fact, doubles up as a ‘join the dots’ exercise for the grandkids si ng in the backseat of the car. They are now selling like hotcakes and his biggest fear is the council will now fix the roads.”

Old Ron strolled over to join the conversa on as Bazza straightened his shoulders slightly. “So Bazza….I overheard you hit that big pothole out the back of Bodalla. I pulled up there last Wednesday for a chat with the council workers during their break. They had a fire going and Taka, the Japanese chef who used to run the kitchen at the pub, was sharpening a knife. Anyhow, a bloke in a wetsuit jumps out of the pothole with a freshly speared tuna. Taka takes to it with his knife and before you know it, we are ea ng sashimi.” There were a few laughs all round and Bazza’s face began to brighten. “Bazza, Bazza, Bazza…..” and Timeless Tom joined the conversa on.

“I went past that bloody big pothole this morning and there was a bloke backing his fishing trawler into it and people selling fish along the side of the road. The locals have put together the Bodalla Pothole Lifesavers’ Club and you now need to drive between the flags. It’s become the latest tourist a rac on. They are threatening a blockade …… if the council dares to fix it.”

Bazza now shared in the laughter and Mick leaned in. “So there you go, Bazza….brighten up….now lets move on to the next problem…. the changing world order impac ng our region.”

THAT good and trusted maintenance man, Mr. C. Callaghan, is to be highly commended on the excellent condi on in which he keeps the road leading from the main South Coast to Bingie Bingie Point, commonly called Manaro Point, owing to it being the point on which the steamer Manaro was wrecked over 40 years ago, and where the rusted remains of the coaster s ll rests. MR. H. Lavis, jnr., has purchased Mr. W. J. Stephen’s farm at the Burra, and has gone to reside at his new home. Mr. A. Luck has moved from Moggendoura to the farm at Kiora vacated by Mr. Lavis. THE parishioners of St. John’s Church have set apart Saturday next, 29th inst., as Arbor Day for the purpose of plan ng an avenue of Moreton Bay and other trees from the main entrance in Page Street to the Church. The health of Mr. Roger Heffernan, of Yarragee, caused his family considerable anxiety during the week, but the latest report states there is a slight change for the be er. JUST before going to press the death of Mrs. J. Veitch, of Milton and late of Mogo, was reported, but no par culars are to hand. Mrs. Veitch was the mother of Mrs. A. Sebbens whose demise took place only three months ago. A pleasant a ernoon was spent at “Newstead View” on Tuesday, 11th instant, when a few friends met to tender Mr. and Mrs. Jenner all good wishes on their Golden Wedding Day. … Several valued gi s, congratulatory telegrams and le ers were received. Mr. and Mrs. Jenner have seven children and 17 grandchildren living. WE are pleased to note, and we feel sure that the enthusiasts in the piscatorial art will be delighted to hear that Mr. Uno Kosonen, who has taken up land on Broulee Island, intends to cater for tourists and local visitors to that lovely harbor by keeping on hand for hire tents, boats, fishing tackle, etc. It is Mr. Kosonen’s inten on later on to try and make the road trafficable for motor cars. … Mr. Kosonen is at present supplying shell-grit, of which there are tons on the island, to Sydney firms for use in making concrete. … PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. – There are rumors that there is a possibility of the Nerrigundah Police Sta on being removed to Bodalla. Miss Shinfield of Cadgee School, has been sent to Kianga School to take charge during the absence of Mr. Grant, who is ill. Moruya Co age Hospital: Matron’s report showed number of pa ents remaining in Hospital on 31

st

May as five. Admi ed since last report nil. Total treated – discharged recovered 4; relieved 1; remaining in hospital 30th June nil. … Moved by Rev. G. A. Sanders, seconded by C. Johnson, that we purchase a petrol lamp for the opera ng room. Carried. Extracted from the Moruya Examiner by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc. h ps:// www.mdhs.org.au

Reading—history Aboriginals Helped Shipwrck Survivors Reach Sydney Colony In 1797

In March 1797 at Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria, five Bri sh and 12 Bengali seamen swam ashore a er their longboat was ripped apart in a storm. Sydney, a town of barely 1,500 people, was over 700 kilometres to the north. Meanwhile, their fellow-survivors from the wreck of the Sydney Cove were stranded further south, on a ny island in the Bass Strait. To get help and save their own lives, the 17 sailors had no alterna ve.

They set out to walk to Sydney — but only three of the men arrived.

Sco sh merchant, 27-year-old William Clark, penned a daily account of their perilous journey. It's arguably one of Australia's greatest survival stories — set against the backdrop of the stunning coastal landscape of southern New South Wales. But it has largely gone untold. RIVERS ROCKS BLUFF AND BEACHERS' For two months in early 1797, the 17 men traversed rivers, rocks, bluffs and beaches. North was their only lodestar. They needed to keep the coast in earshot, if not sight, at all mes. It was their mee ngs and exchanges with Aboriginal people that saved them — showing them where food and water could be located and direc ng them along paths. Their journey ini ated the first prolonged encounter between Europeans and Aboriginal people beyond the confines of Sydney. And unlike the great expedi ons that were to follow, these men were not funded by the state, or charged with the duty of scien fic discovery. They were on a trading mission from Calcu a, hoping to cash in on Sydney's desperate need for merchandise and alcohol.

Clark's journal entries are striking in their simplicity. The 17 men moved through the landscape not to discover, but to escape. Not for adventure, but because of misadventure.

Between Lakes Entrance and Lake Tyers shortly a er leaving Ninety Mile beach, 14 Aboriginal men approached the group. Clark described how the "na ves" insisted on examining their clothes and bodies, touching their hands, nails and feet — and emi ng loud shouts of laughter when they set eyes on their naked bodies. For the first weeks, the sailors averaged about 20km a day. However, every me they reached a large river mouth, they were forced to halt and build a ra , some mes for

up to three days. Ignorant of the density and moisture content of freshly cut Australian hardwoods, their first ra s sunk, un l finally, Aboriginal people, much amused, ferried them across in their canoes. ABORIGINAL GUIDES Clark and his party became reliant on the local guides — they were fed, ferried across rivers, occasionally ushered into camps overnight, and shown the way north by Aboriginal men who some mes walked with them. They were then able to move inland, following tradi onal Aboriginal pathways. Yet within the group, sharp differences emerged about how to deal with "the na ves". Forced to leave nine of the party behind at Moruya and slowed by the near drowning of several men near Bateman's Bay, Clark and first mate, Hugh Thompson, argued frequently with the ship's carpenter about how to deal with the Aboriginal people. Clark and Thompson were accep ng. But the carpenter was impa ent and dismissive, o en demanding that he should be given more food. During a tense encounter with Aboriginal men at Jervis Bay, Clark was speared through the palms of both hands. Soon a erwards, Thompson, the carpenter, and all but three of the remaining group were dead, either from hunger and thirst, or killed by the Aboriginal people they encountered. But Clark, his Bengali manservant, and seaman John Bennet, pressed on towards Sydney. CASTAWAY STORY MAKES HEADLINES On May 15, 1797 a er walking for more than two months, a fisherman spo ed the three remaining sailors, crawling along Wa amolla Beach just south of Sydney. Their epic journey had come to an end. The arrival of the three castaways in Sydney created a minor sensa on. It was not only Governor John Hunter who wanted to hear of their ordeal. Everyone in the colony wanted to know what was out there.

News of the walkers' journey shi ed the mindset of the colony, turning the eyes of officials and merchants south, to poten ally lucra ve sealing and whaling industries. A er their fellow-survivors in Bass Strait were rescued, Clark returned to Calcu a where he died a few years later. Before he died, he showed his diary to a journalist at Calcu a's Asia c Mirror. A 6000-word abstract of the journey appeared in 1798 and was syndicated widely. But remarkably, the story of Clark's epic walk along the south-eastern coast of NSW is not widely known. Although they walked further on Australian soil than any non-Aboriginal person had walked before them, Clark and his companions remain today much as they appeared to the Aboriginal people they encountered along the way — appari ons who have yet to walk into history. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ MORE HERE: ABC Radio Na onal - Mark McKenna narrates this tale of ac on and adventure. (Audio/Podcast) h ps://ab.co/3rLfCKg BOOK : 'From the edge - Australia's lost histories' h ps://bit.ly/3xc6Shf

Reading—history August/September 2022 issue of ‘Recollec ons’ OUT NOW

The August/September 2022 issue of ‘Recollec ons’ is now available. Editor Peter Lacey says "It’s available a li le earlier than usual, only because we’re a li le be er organized than usual! "There are many others who s ll don’t know that ‘Recollec ons’ is available, but would appreciate receiving a copy. You can help publicise the availability of ‘Recollec ons’ by emailing a copy of this issue to a friend or by advising them that it is available at www.bit.ly/Recollec ons35 "If you enjoy receiving ‘Recollec ons’, please show you do so by making a small dona on to South Coast History Society (if you haven’t already done so). We’re very reliant on this support to be able to con nue to produce a new issue every second month – details are provided on page 10. "We hope you enjoy reading this issue of ‘Recollec ons’. Any feedback or addi onal informa on on any of the topics included in this issue will, as always, be greatly appreciated".