Australian History

[goldtruck59]

Its time to give it up

I am a boab tree of much significance to the Phillip Parker King expedition to chart the North Western coastline of Australia, at the request of Matthew Flinders.
I have a name bestowed upon me and an inscription emblazoned on my trunk of the same name which was administered by my namesakes carpenter.
I was part of a Bush Tuckermans visit and documentary some years ago.

I am not an island, rock, reef etc.

What am I called and where am I exactly.?

GT

 

[Peacekeeper1966]

OK GT,

I finally found it! Whilst surveying Prince Frederick Harbour, King chose Port Nelson as the site to careen
the his ship, Mermaid, to repair damage from an earlier grounding at Port Bowen in Queensland.

While this was being undertaken, the carpenter found that the ships fixings fixings had deteriorated, and the hull was in a poor condition. At this spot, named
Careening Bay by King, the crew carved the words HBMC Mermaid 1820 into the bark of two stems of a large Boab tree, which remains clearly visible today.

The tree is now known as The Mermaid Tree (Pearson, 2005 pp. 96-97).


Pearson, M. (2005). GREAT SOUTHERN LAND, The Maritime Exploration of Terra Australis. The Australian Government Department of the Environment and
Heritage.

The Peacekeeper.

 

[Jaros]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...Xc6x5xCA-MFN3x9vQ&sig2=xwTfCvoQNc4xCefUOnNIzQ
Li'l bit extra.
Jaros

 

[goldtruck59]

Yes Peacekeeper and Jaros,

It is indeed the Mermaid Tree. I have been there , given it a hug and am in the possession of the only Boab Nut that was on it. It now sits proudly on my bar with other memorabilia. I have this thing about famous Aussie trees.
It is extremely remote and we got there by boat. It sits just over the sand dune(high tide mark) in Careening bay amongst extremely high grass.
The other side of the Boab to the engraving is a little dug out similar to the shrines that sit in the walls of old churches. It is here that Parker King pitched his tent and set up the picture of his wife and his shaving gear, candle and etc. It is today as it was then.
Its a very special place and should remain so because of its remoteness.

There is a book called the "Mermaid Tree" by Robert Tiley that provides an excellent account of the Mermaids voyages and in particular the events that took place at Careening bay all those years ago. Another book called "The were Three Ships" this is an account of the failed attempt to settle Camden Harbour down the beach a bit from the Mermaid Tree!! But that's another story for another question when it is my turn again.

Below is my wife Mrs GT and I in front of the "Mermaid Tree" several years ago. She's the little one LOL

 

[goldtruck59]

sorry PK over to you

 

[Peacekeeper1966]

Bravo GT! It is always heartening to hear folks who have an interest and a feeling of affinity and respect for our modern history. More people were made of stern stuff in those days, they gave of themselves with a sense of duty, honour and service.

Not that those (who survived at least) early exploration leaders where not rewarded and recognised by the Crown but, many met an early grave in the teeth of a gale, the teeth of Melanesians, perished on one of the Devil's anvils or from consumption (tuberculosis), scurvy or some other nasty like dysentery and, were hardly known to the wives & children.

Give me an hour or so and I will see what I come up with as a Q?

The Peacekeeper.

 

[Peacekeeper1966]

I am an Australian who was born last century in the state of Victoria.

I count amongst my forebears Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first effective Prime Minister.

I was an excellent sportsman and a masterly scholar from his school days forward.

Who, am I?

 

[Peacekeeper1966]

A few more clues:

I was a pretty handy boxer in my university days and had a reputation for being able to take a hammering and still box on;

Once in a Rugby match after having my nose deliberately smashed by an opponent, in retaliation I deliberately kneed him in the face to even the score only to find I had smashed the wrong face in;

There is a statue of me in Melbourne.

 

[reefer]

wild guess here... Ron Barassi?

 

[Peacekeeper1966]

Evening All,

No, not Ron Barassi, can someone help Reefer out?

As a former Army Cadet, I was a member of the 2nd AIF but, extraordinarily manged to join the Australia Imperial Forces whilst I was abroad at the start of the Second World War.

I was a giant of a man in just about every way you could think of and my country and many men owed me an enormous debt of gratitude for my sacrifice, compassion and valour but I was also a reserved and modest man in my achievements.

....?

 

[reefer]

how about weary dunlop

 

[Peacekeeper1966]

Yes, how about him! Colonel Sir Ernest Edward "Weary" Dunlop AC, CMG, OBE, one of the finest human beings born of this country who dedicated his life to caring for former prisoners of war and a pioneer of cancer surgery. A read of Sir Edwards' War Diaries & his Biography will give a new appreciation of the real meaning of the term 'hero'.

Well done Reefer. Over to you.

Regards,

The Peacekeeper.

 

[reefer]

thanks Peacekeeper 1966, At this time i have no question in mind. A family friend unfortunately passed away, and it has taken a little of the wind out of my sails.
I will get back under way tomorrow after the funeral. In the meantime i beg your leave and will formulate something later on. cheers Rossco

 

[Peacekeeper1966]

Leave granted Rossco. My condolences on you friends passing, we too are sending a mate off this coming Tuesday. Only 41 old, served his country, looked after himself and his two young kids he leaves behind.

Providence or whatever you may or may not believe in must be another arbiter that is blind in judgement.

Val Greg.

 

[reefer]

Thanks for the understanding my friend..not sure of your name Vale' Greg, but its a good'in. i agree totally with your sentiments and may i express my regret at your loss. i have lost so many dear friends over the course of my life, yet each passing is never any easier on the soul...you just bow your head and feel blessed at having shared time with them and regret their loss..Providence provides and takes away..its just the way it is.
On a lighter note....i am an EVENT. the first of my kind. I ocurred on the 11th of Feb. 1788.

 

[aussiefarmer]

slave labour :lol:

 

[reefer]

hehe...well yeah.. in a way but that's not what i had in mind sorry aussiefarmer...but thanks for the laugh mate

 

[goldtruck59]

The Poms landed in Oz a few days earlier and on the 11th feb the first court opened for business.

 

[reefer]

bingo...over to you goldtruck...i will not bore you all to tears with the details...google it

 

[aussiefarmer]

I should grow up but anyway , what was the first court case , was it illegal immigrants seeking asylum ? :lol: