Author name: Robert Onfray

A distinguished north-west Tasmanian

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Jim Fidler writes this month’s Surrey Hills blog. Jim was born and raised in Launceston. Educated at the University of Tasmania with a teaching degree majoring in geology, Jim began teaching at Burnie and was also Principal at Waratah Primary School from 1984-87. Jim moved to Beijing in 2000 where he initially was a Lower School Principal and then a High School Humanities teacher at the International School, Beijing.… Read more

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Sequel to “Our friends at Hervey Bay”

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As we entered south-east Queensland for the summer period, and before we do some house-sits during the summer school holidays, we decided to return to Hervey Bay for a couple of weeks. 

We stayed at the same caravan park and same site we had during the 12-week COVID lockdown period.

In September’s travel blog I shared our experiences with the local antechinus who would entertain us each dusk as they were out and about feeding.… Read more

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Woody weed invasion of the rangelands

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As you travel north from Winton to Cloncurry along the Landsborough Highway, you see spectacular open Mitchell grass (Astrebla app) plains with their distinctive golden colour under the relentless sunshine. I had heard about these magnificent plains but had no idea how extensive and beautiful they really are.

 

Mitchell grass plains in north-west Queensland

After McKinlay, you start to see a change in the soil from the black-grey clays to the red mineralised earth soils.

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Reminiscing about working on Surrey Hills from the 1950s to the early 1970s

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In my book “Fires, Farms and Forests”, Chapters 8 through to 10 cover the development of forestry operations on Surrey Hills. Barry Graham worked in the pre and post-industrial forestry era on Surrey Hills during four separate stints. Endnote 819 on page 248 of the book summarises his career. Barry is only one of two people still alive, that I know of, who worked on Surrey Hills in the 1950s.… Read more

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The marvels of Minerva National Park – a geological wonderland

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On our way from the Cania Gorge up to Emerald in Central Queensland, we stopped for a few nights in a small settlement called Springsure, just north of Carnarvon Gorge National Park. The name of the town comes from a local property that was named for its reliable, permanent spring.

When I had to drive from Dalby to Emerald for work, I would go through Springsure, and I was impressed with the spectacular jagged peaks that provided a scenic backdrop to the small town.… Read more

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The 1886 embezzlement scandal, and the disappearance of Robert Alston Murray

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The story below is peripheral to the main themes in ‘Fires, Farms and Forests’ and is not covered in the book. However, I want to share with you this remarkable incident that occurred in 1886.

James William Norton Smith features prominently in my book, particularly in Chapters 2-6. He was born in England in 1846, and after receiving an education in agriculture, he managed a sheep farm in New Zealand.

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Our friends at Hervey Bay

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Antechinus
Source https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O8mHF8Jq4d0/WRY8jAl_86I/AAAAAAAAOlI/CmSwxi792J0zS6qfVkIvcvXPGHVATvaegCLcB/s1600/antechinus-min.jpg

While staying in Hervey for ten weeks during the COVID19 travel restrictions, the two of us would sit outside under our awning during late afternoon, near dusk, enjoying our happy hour drink. Most times we were entertained by a pair of brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii) darting about at twilight after waking up from their slumber.… Read more

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From Cania Gorge to the highlands of Tasmania and lots of places in between – the mismanagement of Australia’s forests

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While on a bushwalk through Cania Gorge National Park near Monto last June, I tended to do what I always do. I studied the forest around me as I walked up a particular gully off the main gorge and looked for clues about the history of the forest and its condition.… Read more

From Cania Gorge to the highlands of Tasmania and lots of places in between – the mismanagement of Australia’s forests Read More »