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Hottest place in Australia and highest temperature recorded

 

The town of Marble Bar in Western Australia is generally regarded as the

hottest place (to live) in Australia, with summer temperatures regularly

exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (centigrade).

 

Between October 1923 and April 1924, a record was set when Marble Bar

recorded temperatures above 100 degrees F. (37.8 degrees C.) for 160 days

in a row !

 

The highest official temperature recorded in Australia was 50.7 degrees C. at

Oodnadatta (South Australia) in 1960.

 

An unofficial temperature of 53.1 degrees C was recorded at Cloncurry (Queensland)

in 1889.

 

However,  temperatures higher than 52 degrees C., would no doubt

occur in parts of the uninhabited areas of the inland deserts of South

Australia, Western Australia, and south-west Queensland during the Australian summer.

 

 

 

What's considered 'hot' and 'cold' in Australia ?

Well, that depends where you live. Ignoring the humidity factor, a temperature

of 35 degrees in Canberra would be considered 'hot', but in Darwin it would be 'normal'.

 

In Sydney and Melbourne, 35 degrees would be considered 'hot' by most of the

populance, but 'warm' by others. In Brisbane, more people would rate 35 degrees

as 'warm', rather than 'hot'.

38 degrees (in summer) would be regarded 'hot' in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne,

Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane, but 'warm to normal' in central Australian

towns such as Alice Springs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote on John 4447772399's Space

Mr. Zhang Junsai is Chinese Ambassador to Australia

 

Mr.Zhang Junsai ( pictured below) is the current Chinese Ambassador to Australia.

He was born in Shanghai in 1953, and has been the Chinese Ambassador to

Australia since 2007. The Chinese Embassy is located in Canberra.

 

 

       Zhang Junsai - current Chinese Ambassador to Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote on John_W_Barnes Blogsite

Richard Boone is Dr. Konrad Styner in TV series "Medic".

 

The picture below shows Dr.Konrad Styner introducing an episode

of the TV series Medic  in 1956.

The series, made up of 59 episodes, was filmed between 1954 and

1956. A number of the 1954 episodes weren't broadcast until 1955.

The role of Dr. Styner was played by Richard Boone (1917 - 1981).

 

The theme music was arranged by Victor Young, and was simply known

as "the theme from Medic".  In 1955 a vocal version sung by Felicia

Sanders was given the title of "Blue Star".

In 1961, The Shadows  produced a guitar instrumental version of

"Blue Star". The original score from the TV series was esentially

a piano theme, and still remains the best version (in my estimation).

 

 

 

Richard Boone as Dr. Konrad Styner introducing an episode of Medic

in 1956. The series was filmed  between 1954 and 1956.

 

 

 

 

The next picture shows the 'Medic Shield' which appears at the start of

each episode and bears the three symbols which represent the qualities

of a worthy physician -

 

The eye of an eagle.

The heart of a lion.

The hand of a woman.

 

 

The shield displays the head of an eagle, the head of a lion,

and the hand of a woman.

 

 

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 The' Medic Shield' featuring the 3 qualities of a worthy physician.

 

 

 

 

 

 The next picture shows actor Lee J. Cobb as Henry Fisher, a manic

depressive, who appears in the episode "Breaking Through the Bars".

This episode was filmed in 1954, but not broadcast until March 1955.

 

 

 

           Lee J  Cobb as manic depressive Henry Fisher.

 

 

 

 

 

 The last picture shows veteran actor Arthur Space as Dr. William

 Halsted  in the episode titled "Dr. Impossible", which was filmed in

1954 and first broadcast in February 1955.

 [Dr. Halsted (1852 - 1922) was the chief surgeon at Johns Hopkins

 Hospital in the 1890's].

 

 

 

 

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      Arthur Space as Dr. William Halsted in "Dr. Impossible".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote on John Barnes Blogsite

Picture of a 1957 Berkeley Sports Car

 

 

   1957 Berkeley sports car assembled by Ian Prior of Wollongong in 1957.

 

This  Berkeley kit car was assembled by Ian Prior of Wollongong

 over a period of 8 months ( part time ) in 1957.

The car was bought in kit form from JJ Crouch Motors of Sydney

 for about 650 pounds.

The Berkley first appeared at the 1957 Sydney Motor Show

at the Sydney Showground.

It could be purchased either in kit form or fully assembled

( 200 pounds extra if pre-assembled ).

 

 

The model shown  had a 500cc Excelsior 2 stroke air-cooled

 engine , and the body was made of fibreglass.  It was front-wheel

drive, with a 3 speed manual gearbox.

 

The kit itself was imported from England .

 

Ian ( seen standing on the right )  was an apprentice motor mechanic

 with Prior's Garage in West Wollongong at the time .

 

 

 

 

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Picture of the Hohenzollern Bridge at Cologne in 1939 and 1945.

 

 

The first picture shows the Hohenzollern Bridge at Cologne (across the Rhine)

in 1939.  Small 'towers' can be seen at each end of the middle arch.

These towers were not replaced when the bridge was rebuilt after the war.

 

The cathedral is plainly visible on the right.

 

 

 

Cologne in 1939.

                   The Hohenzollern Bridge across the Rhine at Cologne in 1939.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second picture shows the remains of the destroyed Hohenzollern Bridge in mid 1945.

The cathedral suffered only slight damage from the bombing raids, and was left largely

intact.

 

 

The Hohenzollern Bridge in 1945.

   The remains of the destroyed bridge in 1945. The cathedral (on the left) suffered only slight damage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next picture is a photo of the Hohenzollern Bridge taken in 1923, possibly during the period

of occupation of the Rhineland by French and Belgian troops. The small towers at each end of the

 middle arch can be seen in more detail, and the top section of each tower appears to be made

of stone.

 

 

 

 

Hohenzollern Bridge, 1923.

                 A view of the Hohenzollern Bridge in 1923.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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"Mac" (Jason), and "Jimmy Hawkins" of ABC Radio 'Argonauts Club'

 

The picture below is of Atholl Fleming , the man

behind the voice of "Mac" aka "Jason", of the ABC's

Argonauts Club.

 

 

Done

     " Mac" of The Argonauts Club on ABC Radio.

 

 

 

 

 

The second picture shows actor John Ewart (in 1979),

who played the role of "Jimmy Hawkins" on The Argonauts

Club. Mac often referred to him as "little Jimmy Hawkins".

 

 

Actor John Ewart as "Jimmy Hawkins" of The Argonauts Club.

 

 

 

 

Next, we see a picture of "Jimmy Hawkins" in 1954.

 

 

 

 

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                       "Jimmy Hawkins" in 1954.

 

 

 

 

 

The next picture shows John Ewart in 1991, three

years before he died of cancer.

 

 

Done

                    John Ewart in 1991

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Argonauts Club was incorporated into the 'Children's Session'

of the ABC in 1941. The 'Children's Session', which began in 1939,

was later called 'The Children's Hour'.

 

The Argonauts Club ran on ABC radio from 1941 till early 1972.

 

 

Atholl Fleming died in 1972, and John Ewart passed away in 1994.

 

Nine hours before he died, John Ewart married Jane Fennell, known to the

television viewing public as "Miss Jane" from the ABC TV children's programme

Mr.Squiggle (see picture below). Jane did the show from 1975 to 1986, and

became engaged to John in 1992. They would have married sooner, but Jane's

father, veteran radio and TV actor Willie Fennell, died within two weeks of being

diagnosed with cancer.

 

 

 

 

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  Jane Fennell as "Miss Jane" with Mr. Squiggle.

 

 

In the early days of the Argonauts Club, "Elizabeth" was played

by Ida Osbourne(see picture below), but her part was replaced

by "Nan", in the early 1950's, after Ida got married. Later on, as

Ida Elizabeth Jenkins, she presented the ABC Women's Session,

which was broadcast nationally for a period of seven years,

between 1953 and 1960.

 

 

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            Ida Osbourne as "Elizabeth" in 1942.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote on John20747's Place

Picture of Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin, 1969.

         

         This photo of Stokes Hill Wharf at Darwin, was taken in 1969 - five

years before the devastating Cyclone Tracy destroyed much of

Darwin in December 1974.

 

Some of the boats seen in the photo were lost during the cyclone.

 

The photo was taken from the bridge of a Japanese cargo ship.

 

Photo copyright © 1969    John Barnes.

 

 

 

 

Photo of Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin, 1969.

      Stokes Hill Wharf in 1969.  Picture taken from the bridge of a Japanese cargo ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote on John Barnes Blogsite

Shintaro Akikusa (Koichi Ose) is alive and well in 2009.

 

Despite rumours circulating in the late 1990's that the Japanese actor Koichi Ose

had passed away, I can happily announce that he is alive and well in 2009, and will

no doubt be around for many years to come.

 

Koichi Ose was the actor who played the role of Shintaro Akikusa in the 1960's

TV series The Samurai  which was broadcast in Japan, Australia, and parts of Asia,

in the 1960's, with repeats running well into the late 1970's.

The series was not broadcast in the UK or the USA.

 

The picture below shows Koichi Ose (right) as Shintaro, with his faithful friend

Tombei the Mist, an Iga Ninja, from (about) 1964.

 

 

 

 

Koichi Ose (right) as Shintaro Akikusa with his faithful friend

Tombei 'the mist' from an episode of The Samurai.

 

 

 

 

 

The next picture shows Koichi Ose in Japan in 2009. 

 

 

 

             Koichi Ose during an interview in 2009.

 

 

 

Shintaro's trip to Australia 

 

The series was extremely popular in Australia, so popular in fact, that

Shintaro visited Australia in December 1965, doing  stage performances

of The Samurai in Sydney and Melbourne.

The tour was extremely successful, with huge crowds attending both the

Sydney and Melbourne performances.

 

This short extract was taken from Nikki White's very comprehensive site

on The Samurai  TV series (see link below), regarding Shintaro's visit to

Australia -

 

"On the night of 5^th January 1966, Ose (Shintaro) flew to Melbourne to a deafening welcome from

ove 7000 fans. This represented the biggest crowd at Essendon Airport since the arrival

of the Beatles, a fact which was even reported in the Japanese press. Essendon has long since

been superseded by Tullamarine Airport as Melbourne's major airport. Ose was in the city for three

stage shows (Thursday 6^th January-Saturday 8^th January, 2.15pm daily) at Melbourne's Festival Hall.

Here at these shows his arrival on stage was greeted as enthusiastically as in Sydney with cheering,

which he acknowledged with a bow. This caused Melbourne newspapers to join with their Sydney

counterparts in declaring Robin Hood, Superman, Tom Mix and Davy Crockett things of the past.

All told, Ose was in Australia a total of 2 weeks before film commitments forced him to return to

Japan. Not all his fans were children. Some of the most enthusiastic and unruly at his arrivals and

appearances were teenage girls".

 

 

 

 

 

 Koichi Ose dressed as Shintaro at Sydney airport, Dec.1965.

 

Done

 

 

The TV series was set in 18th century feudal Japan during the Tokugawa

(Edo) Period, with Shintaro playing the role of a masterless Samurai.

 

In fact, "Shintaro Akikusa" was an undercover name to protect his real

identity - Matsudaira Nobuchiyo , a half-brother to the Shogun, Tokugawa

Ienari, who ruled from 1787 to 1837. Shintaro was acting on orders from the

Shogun's chief councillor, Matsudaira Sadanobu.

 

In Japan, the series was titled "Onmitsu Kenshi" (Spy Swordsman), and was

originally broadcast between 1962 and 1965.

In Australia, The Samurai  was broadcast on Channel 9 from late 1964 to 1967.

 

Australia's leading authority on The Samurai series is, without doubt, Nikki White

of Canberra (pictured below), and anybody who wants more information about

episodes of The Samurai should visit Nikki's site at -

http://home.netspeed.com.au/reguli/samep1.htm

 

 

 

 

 

Nikki White - Australia's leading authority on The Samurai  TV series.

 

 

 

An interesting piece of information supplied by Nikki concerns the

theme music from the series, which was normally instrumental, but also

included a vocal version which was heard during one of the episodes.

The title was "Edo no Onmitsu Wataridori".

Done

 

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