AUSTRALIAN TPNG FORESTRY CADETSHIP SCHEME17 1948 to 1963

After the Second World War, a cadetship scheme was undertaken by the Australian Department of Territories to train Australian Forest Scientists to ensure sufficient professional staff for the purposes of creating a functional Forest Department for TPNG.

The cadetship scheme comprised two years at an Australian university undertaking an approved forestry science course, followed by a field year in TPNG to gain practical experience in all facets of forestry, followed by two years at the Australian Forestry School in Canberra. In later years, the field work requirements were changed to include all university vacations must be spent in PNG, thus reducing the training program by one year before graduation but still meeting the condition of 12 months field work. Surname

Edward Charles Gordon Gray (NG)

Alexander John Hart (NG)

Donald Henry McIntosh (NG19)

Kevin Joseph White (Q)

17 The appointments of Australian TPNG Forestry Cadets were summarized in LT Carron’s book in 2000 titled “A brief history of the Australian Forestry School (AFS).

18 Cadet Forest Officer pamphlet courtesy Des Harries 2019.

19 Don McIntosh Third Director of Forests PNG.

20 Joe Havel First Principal Bulolo Forestry College.

21 Fourth Principal Bulolo Forestry College.

22 Alan Cameron Schlich 1960.

Leon Clifford (NSW)23

Evan Shield (NG)

John Lake (NG)

Ian Currie (NG)

John Harrison (NG) Medi vac out

Chris Borough (NG) Field year

Bob Bruce (NG) no field year

Rex Grattidge (NG) no field year

John Davidson (NG)24 no field year

Paul Ryan (NG) no field year

Rod Holesgrove (NG) no field year

Jim Belford (C)

Dick McCarthy (NG) no field year

Dave Num (C)

R G Lyons (NG) no field year

Gary Archer (NG) no field year

Chris Done (NG) no field year.

Ken Hart (NG) no field year

Ian Whyte (C)

Abbreviations.

TPNG - Territory of Papua New Guinea, NG- New Guinea, Q – Queensland, WA – Western Australia, NSW- New South Wales, C- Commonwealth, AFS - Australian Forestry School, BFC - Bulolo Forestry College.

The Australian Forestry School Student Class of 1955

James Field BARDSLEY (Q)

Peter Alexis CASIMIR (NSW)

Andrew Leschen CLIFTON (WA)

Norman Charles CLIFTON (NZ)

Alan Keith HAMILTON (NZ)

Lloyd Wesley GAY (USA)

Ronald Thomas Gould GREAVES (ACT)

Harvey Siddick MARTYN (North Borneo)

John Terence MONAGHAN (NSW)

Robin Bilbrough MORWOOI) (NG)

Anthony Blair MOUNT (SA)

David Stanley Heath PREEST (NZ) - awarded Schlich Medal

Abdul RAHMAN ALI (Malaya)

Andris Guntars SKUJA (NSW)

Michael George WHITE (NSW)

1955 students with cigars at AFS dinner 1956 - Dick Pegg, Norm Clifton, Andy Kirkland, Hamilton, Peter Casimir, Elliot Tuckwell, Sein Win, Peter Tweedy, Robin Morwood. Source D Pegg, ANU Open Research AFS collection.

Dick Pegg25 recalled that in 1956, he played flanker on the left side of the scrum with the right side being played by Elliot Tuckwell, Robin Morwood, or Tony Mount.

1956 Games AFS - Games official, Tug of war, Slowest cyclist, Sporting gents R Morwood and A Kirkland.

Source ANU Open Research AFS collection.

1955 AFS Field work. Source ANU Open Research AFS collection.

Employment Tpng

In 1957 to 1961, Robin was the Forester-in-charge of Bulolo in its still formative stages and saw the plantation estate grow by some 1450 hectares to a total of 2,225 hectares.

The Commonwealth New Guinea Timbers Ltd (CNGT) plywood mill at Bulolo in the 1960’s. Behind the mill to the left is a prominent Bulolo topographic feature called the Susus. In Pidgin English translated as a woman’s breasts. The large klinkii trees were not harvested because they contained too much metal shrapnel. Allied pilots on their way back from attacking Japanese positions around Lae and Salamaua used this easily identified feature for course correction, target practice and a safe place to jettison any undelivered bombs before climbing over the gap in the Owen Stanley Ranges on their return to bases in port Moresby during WW II.

26Evan Shield served his field year in 1960 in Bulolo under Robin Morwood as OIC Bulolo/Wau ... Des Harries also remembered Robin well. As Evan recalled, Robin was married to Joan, the daughter of Frank Vickery

In 1960 in Wau, Robin Morwood married Joan Vickery the daughter of Frank Vickery (his father-in-law). Frank also worked for the Department of Forests in Bulolo.

27John Egerton attended Robin’s wedding to Joan in Wau.

From 1961 to 1962 (a period of some 14 months) Robin was relieving as the Principal Forest Officer, New Guinea Mainland Region, based in Lae.