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April 29
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Australian Coat Of Arms - 'cluttered' and 'uncluttered' versions
Australian coat of arms (Official Australian 'logo' ).
The Australian coat of arms is used on all official Government
correspondence.
It consists of an Emu and a Kangaroo separated by a shield
bearing the logos of the six States. ( The logos of
the two Territories are not shown ).
The word "Australia" appears at the bottom, and the 'Australian
Star' is seen at the top.
The 'Australian Star' is a 7 point star, with 6 points for the 6 States
and 1 point for the Territories.
The coat of arms also contains branches of wattle (cluttered version ),
although there is an 'uncluttered' version with a single branch under
a straight 'baseline', on which the emu and kangaroo stand (see third
picture ).
Both versions are still in use.
Australian coat of arms - black and white 'cluttered' version used on most Commonwealth documents.
Black and white 'cluttered' version of the Australian coat of arms. This one appears on a Department
of Defence document (Intelligence section ).
Coat of arms - in colour
Coat of arms in colour (cluttered version ).
Coat of arms - 'uncluttered' version.
April 28
This is a group photo of the First Year PMG Technicians-In-Training
taken at the (now demolished ) PMG Training School at Chermside,
Brisbane, in 1969.
The former PMG Training School site, located at
Banfield St. Chermside, is now part of the underground
car park of the greatly expanded Westfield Chermside.
(An ignominious end to a great institution ).
There were PMG Training Schools in each of the 6 Australian
States, and as you can see from the photo below, the Postmaster
General's Department (PMG ) in Queensland, took on 24 first-year
trainee technicians in 1969
The first year of the 5 year training course was spent full-time at
the Chermside Training School.
At the beginning of their second year, most of the trainees seen
here, would have been allocated to the 'Telephony' section, which
involved installation, repair, and maintenance of telephone equipment,
including the manning of telephone exchanges.
(These days, telephone exchanges are no longer staffed ).
Some of the trainees would have ended up in the 'Radio' section, where
they would have been involved in the installation and maintenance of radio
and TV transmitters for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC ), within
the State of Queensland.
During the remainder of their training period (1970-1973), they may also have
spent some time at a Radiotelephone (microwave ) terminal, and the PMG
Radio Workshops (now demolished ) at Perry Park in Newstead.
(ABC Radio and TV transmitters are no longer staffed, and are now owned
and maintained by a private company, Broadcast Australia ).
Prior to 1969, Radio Trainees would have combined on-the-job training at some
of the places mentioned above, with periods of "block training" at the (now demolished )
training school at New Farm, near New Farm Park in Brisbane (I think it was located at the
far-end of Lamington St. ).
After 1969, Radio Trainees did their "block training" at Hesketh House ( now demolished )
in the city.
Note that most of the former PMG sites have now been demolished !
Picture provided by Dave McLeod of Queensland, who is one of the
trainees in the photo. (I don't know which one ).
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First year PMG technicians 1969
PMG Technicians-in-training at the PMG technical training school at Chermside, Brisbane, in 1969. |
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Some of the names of the trainees seen here (provided by Dave McLeod ) include -
(in no particular order )
Ray McFarlane
Dave Mcleod ( supplied the picture )
Don McCourt
Lyndley Northcott
Cyril Mayes
Footnote - The trainee in the front row, 4th from the left, was seen at the PMG Radio
Workshops at Perry Park (Newstead ), in 1970.
April 27
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Sunday, April 25, 1915 - ANZACs land on Gallipoli Peninsula
On Sunday, April 25th, 1915, soldiers of the Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), landed on the western
side of the Gallipoli Peninsula in 'European' Turkey.
(The Dardanelles Strait separates 'Turkey in Europe' from
'Turkey in Asia' - see the map below ) .
The purpose of the Gallipoli land campaign was to neutralize the
Turkish shore defences which were preventing Allied warships
from sailing through the Dardanelles Straight, with the intention
of entering the SEA OF MARMARA, and capturing Constantinople
(now Istanbul ) .
The first picture shows the Australians about to land in the early
hours of April 25th.
The New Zealanders landed later in the morning.
Gallipoli 1915
Australian troops about to land on the peninsula in the early hours of Sunday, April 25th.
Diagram showing the Gallipoli Peninsula (resembling the head of an alligator ), and the
Dardanelles Strait.
The British landed at 5 beaches around the southern tip of the peninsula.
The ANZAC troops landed much further north, on the western side of the peninsula, as
indicated in the diagram.
The beach is now known as "Anzac Cove", and the surrounding area is referred to as
"Anzac".
A closer view of the ANZAC area.
Part of Anzac Cove, showing the distinctive rocky outcrop nicknamed "The Sphinx" by
the Australians and New Zealanders, who had recently been training in Egypt near the
Great Pyramid.
"Baby 700" hill.
Many lives were lost on both sides on the 25th during attacks and counter attacks to retain
possession of this hill nicknamed "Baby 700" as its height was estimated to be around
700 feet . By the end of the day the ANZACs were forced to withdraw back towards the
beach and dig in on the escarpment.
Lt. Col. Mehmet Sefik
Lt. Col. Mehmet Sefik and other Turkish officers of the 27th Regiment survey the "Anzac"
area from a high ridge on the morning of the 25th of April before launching an attack
against the Anzacs.
The last picture shows a satellite view of the Dardanelles strait.
The strait is approximately 60 Kilometres long, and connects the
Aegean Sea (at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea ) to the
Sea of Marmara.
Dardanelles - satellite view
Satellite view showing the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Dardanelles strait.
April 25
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Dimensions of a Marshall P305BE car battery (made in Australia)
The photos below show a P305BE Marshall car battery.
It has a rating of 48Ah (Ampere hours), which
qualifies it as a 'heavy duty' battery.
Marshall batteries are a division of Exide Technologies, who have
a major manufacturing facility at Elizabeth in South Australia.
Presumably, the Marshall battery was manufactured at the
Elizabeth plant.
Price is somewhere around the $100 mark (2007).
If YOU want to 'holler for a Marshall', you can do so by
calling 136130 and 'hollering' into the phone .
Dimensions of the P305BE -
Length - 180mm
Width - 120mm
Height - 200mm
Weight - 10 kilograms
Photos copyright © 2007 John Barnes.
Marshall battery P305BE
Front view of Marshall P305BE car battery.
Height is 200mm.
The battery is made in Australia.
Top view of P305BE.
Length is 180mm & Width is 120mm.
April 23
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Picture of a 1934 Chev coupe taken in Brisbane in 1938
This photo of a 1934 Chevrolet 2 door coupe in ORIGINAL
condition, was taken in Brisbane (Queensland ) in 1938.
The Brisbane River can be seen in the background, along
with a car ferry, probably the old car ferry at Hamilton
Reach.
The name of the terrier sitting on the car was "Jumbo".
1934 Chev coupe in original condition
1934 Chev 2 door coupe and Brisbane car ferry, 1938.
April 18
Quote on John Barne's Blogsite
Picture of the Aswan Low Dam, circa 1924.
This photo of the Aswan Low Dam was taken around 1924.
(Construction of the Aswan HIGH Dam, 6 Kilometres upstream, began in the 1960's ) .
Photo of the Aswan Low Dam, about 1924.
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
1966 Japanese 10 Yen stamp
A 1966 10 Yen Japanese postage stamp, scanned by John Barnes.
In Japan, Yen is pronounced "en".
The stamp shows a young girl surrounded by
butterflies of various colours, against an 'ocean
blue' background.
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1966 10 Yen Japanese stamp
1966 Japanese postage stamp.
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April 15
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Picture of Mike and Carol Willesee in 1981.
The picture shows former journalist and TV presenter
Mike Willesee with his then wife Carol, in 1981.
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Mike and Carol Willesee, 1981
Mike Willesee and his then wife, Carol, in 1981.
Carol died in December 2006, aged 59, of
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
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| April 14
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Ochre painting - "Conserve Water" by John Barnes, 2008
Ochre painting - "Conserve Water" by John Barnes
Ochre painting - "Conserve water " by John Barnes (2008 ) .
Stop ! Do you really need to turn that tap on ?
Painting copyright © 2008 John Barnes
This photo of suburban Mount Isa in Queensland was taken in 1969.
The Selwyn Ranges can be seen in the background.
The photo was taken from "The Lookout " .
Photo copyright ©1969 John Barnes
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Mt.Isa 1969
Mount Isa, Queensland, 1969.
| April 13
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Tidbinbilla "Extravaganza" at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, 2008
Official opening of The Sanctuary at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
The pictures you see here are only part of the Tidbinbilla "Extravaganza "
held at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (near Canberra ), to mark the official
opening of The Sanctuary, after a large section of the Reserve was destroyed
in the 2003 bushfires
The "Extravaganza " was held on Sunday, April 13, 2008, and was to be
officially opened by the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory,
Jon Stanhope, at 11.30 am.
Unfortunately, there was some light rain around 11.15 am, so I decided
to 'get the hell out of there' at 11.20am, and therefore missed the official
opening and the events that followed.
As I was driving out, I saw a huge line-up of vehicles on the road,
waiting to enter the Nature Reserve ( see photo below ) .
I think the rain may have cleared up, but judging by the number
of cars waiting to get into the Reserve, it's probably just as well I
'got the hell out of there' when I did !
All photos copyright © 2008 John Barnes
Note - The Sanctuary is located 5 Kilometres away
from where the "Extravaganza " was held .
Mollie B (Mollie Bee ) - story teller - in the tent of the ACT Story Teller's Guild
Mollie Bialkowski, (Mollie Bee )- story teller, at the Tidbinbilla "Extravaganza" on
April 13, 2008. (Molllie is President of the ACT Storeyteller's Guild ) .
Part of the "Extravaganza" at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. The Tidbinbilla Ranges can be
seen in the background, under heavy cloud. (There was light rain at 11.15 am ) .
Onlookers watch the 'Great Aussie Bush Show ' at the Tidbinbilla "Extravaganza".
There was a massive line-up of cars waiting to get into the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve to see the
"Extravaganza". (That's my car on the left ). I was leaving just as the 'surge' began to build up
Epilogue - (Posted Monday, April 14, 2008 ).
There was not a single word about the "Extravaganza" in today's
Canberra Times .
Nor was there any mention about it on WIN TV local news or
ABC TV local news !
It seems the 2020 Youth Summit got a higher rating
on the 'newsworthy' priority list  .
A good story for storyteller Mollie Bee perhaps ?
Ender
April 12
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Wernher von Braun on the cover of TIME magazine, 1958
50 years ago -
Wernher von Braun appeared on the cover of TIME magazine .
(reposted April 12, 2008 - 50 years after the publication ) .
Rocket scientist and father of the Saturn rocket, Wernher von Braun,
appeared on the cover of the February 17 edition of TIME magazine in 1958.
Born in Germany in 1912, he became head of the team that designed
the V-2 Rocket during the Second World War.
Arrested by the Gestapo in March 1944 for allegedly making 'defeatist'
remarks about the war, he spent two weeks in prison, before being released
to return to his position as head of the V-2 team.
In April 1945, Hitler ordered the SS to kill all the German engineers
and destroy all records relating to the rocket program. The majority of
the rocket engineers, managed to elude capture by hiding in mine shafts,
and when the Americans arrived at the rocket assembly site, von Braun and
his brother Magnus (also a rocket scientist), surrendered to an American
soldier, informing him of who they were.
Other team members were captured by the Russians.
Von Braun and some of his team were taken to the United States, and eventually
ended up working on the American ICBM project - (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile).
The V-2 rocket was the 'prototype' for later rockets, such as the Redstone,
and even the Saturn rocket which took men to the moon.
In July 1960, von Braun was appointed Director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The purpose of the MSFC is to develop systems
for space propulsion and transportation. It is a development site, not an Operations
Control site. The current Director (2006) is David A. King.
It was at MSFC where von Braun and his team designed the giant Saturn Rocket
which would be used to get men to the moon - and back.
Von Braun retired from NASA in 1972, and worked for various private companies
for the next 5 years.
In 1976, he found out he had cancer, and he died on the 16th of June, 1977, aged
only 65.
The picture below shows him on the cover of TIME magazine.
Picture scanned by John Barnes
TIME magazine cover, Feb.17 1958, featuring Wernher von Braun.
diagram of a V-2
Basic diagram of a V-2 rocket
Below is a picture showing von Braun (second from right ) in civilian clothes
at Peenemunde in 1943.
Peenemunde, on the Baltic, was the original rocket assembly and testing site
for the V-2 rocket.
The man in the centre is Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, the man who became
Reichsprasident for 20 days, after Hitler committed suicide in his Berlin Bunker.
That 20 day period has been jokingly referred to as the "Pocket Reich" -
(a reich so small it would fit into one's pocket ! ) .
Also, the term makes fun of the fact that Doenitz once commanded
a 'pocket battleship ' .
von Braun - 2nd from right
Wernher von Braun (second from right ) at Peenemunde in 1943. Admiral Doenitz is the man in the centre.
April 11
This advert for Commonwealth Oil Refineries (COR ) appeared in a 1950 edition of Walkabout
magazine.
The "COR refineries " were actually owned by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (now BP ) .
COR advert 1950
1950 ADVERT FOR COR (Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Ltd. ) now known as BP
April 10
Quote on Tom McQueue's Space
Sod turning ceremony
Sod-turning ceremony near Queanbeyan .
This message was posted by Tom McQueue
From:   Tom-McQueue (Original Message)
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The Prime Minister participated in a sod-turning ceremony on
Friday, November 3, 2006 for the new Australian Defence Force
Headquarters approx. 10Km east of Queanbeyan, not far from Bungendore.
And no lame-brained comments about the poor sod doing the
turning ! Ok ?
sod - turning or dancing ?
Comment from Argus_Tuft :
Cop that you pathetic little sod !
| April 07
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
1933 Ford V8 tourer in the Lamington National Park, Queensland
This photo of my Father behind the wheel of a 1933 Ford Tourer V8 , was taken in the
Lamington National Park ( near the Gold Coast ) in 1935 .
The car was used to transport tourists from Brisbane to the Lamington National Park on
sight-seeing tours.
1933 Ford V8 tourer - Lamington National Park , Queensland, 1935 .
April 06
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Rear wheel drive Mazda 626, 1979 to 1982
The first Mazda 626 appeared in Australia in 1979.
It was rear wheel drive and had a very robust 2 litre
single overhead cam engine, with only 2 valves per
cylinder.
The overhead camshaft was driven by a chain,
not a rubber belt, so that eliminated the need to
replace the cam belt every 5 or 6 years.
Engine specifications -
4 cylinders in-line
Bore x Stroke ...... 80mm x 98mm
Displacement (capacity ) ...... 1970cc
Compression Ratio ..... 8.6
The low compression ratio allows the vehicle
to run happily on standard unleaded petrol with
an octane rating (RON ) of only 91.
The single overhead cam engine with only 2 valves
per cylinder, significantly reduces the number of
moving parts, thereby rendering the engine more
reliable, and requiring less maintenance.
The long stroke (98mm ), gives heaps of torque
at low to medium revs, resulting in better low speed
performance, and longer engine life.
The rear-wheel drive Mazda 626's used recirculating
ball steering which did away with the need for power
steering, which usually results in extra maintenance
problems, such as replacing the power steering fluid
reservoir.
In late 1980, an air pump was introduced as part of
the emission control equipment. It was belt driven,
and robbed some power from the engine.
Models without the air pump are noticeably more
'zippier' (if the timing is set correctly).
In 1983, the Mazda 626 was completely revamped,
and became a front-wheel drive vehicle with an
"east-west" engine.
Mazda 626
Mazda 626 - 1979 and early 1980
Mazda 626
Mazda 626 - 1980 to 1982
April 05
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Picture of Neville Chamberlain's 1938 Armstrong Siddeley
This is a front and side view of Neville Chamberlain's 1938
Armstrong Siddeley.
Mr. Chamberlain was British Prime Minister from 1937 to 1940.
1938 Armstrong Siddeley
1938 Armstrong Siddeley used by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
April 02
Quote on John Barnes Blogsite
Filed under "20th Century History ".
Motor Vessel MV Milson docking at Mandorah Jetty, 1969
Republished March 28, 2008, with corrections (thanks to Mavi in Darwin ).
The photo, taken in 1969, shows the MV Milson docking at the Mandorah Jetty
at Cox Peninsula (near Darwin) in 1969.
The MV Milson was used extensively to transport Radio Australia staff across
Darwin Harbour from Stokes Hill Wharf to the Mandorah Jetty (and back again).
The Postmaster General's Department (PMG) had its own launch called the Charles
Todd, but it wasn't large enough to transport the large number of day staff across
the harbour on week days, so the MV Milson was hired on a contract basis.
It was also used to transport tourists across the harbour to the Mandorah Hotel.
(Angelo Maddalozzo, the man who owned the MV Milson also owned the
Mandorah Hotel).
The second picture shows a closer view of the boat, which was originally used
as a Sydney Harbour ferry.
Unfortunately, the MV Milson was sunk by cyclone Tracy in December 1974.
The third photo shows the MV Milson crossing Darwin Harbour in 1969.
(The photo was taken from the Charles Todd ).
Photos copyright © 1969 John Barnes.
MV Milson 1969
The MV Milson about to dock at the Mandorah Jetty in 1969.
Closer view of the MV Milson
The MV Milson crossing Darwin Harbour in 1969.
April 01
In this scene from the 1950 cinema serial "Atom Man versus Superman",
we see Superman (in costume) driving a 1939 Dodge. The passenger
on the left is Lois Lane (Noel Neill).
Superman is played by Kirk Alyn.
"Atom Man" is Superman's arch enemy Lex Luthor (played by Lyle Talbot).
In the scene, Superman is driving Lois Lane back to safety, after
saving her from going over a cliff .
The serial was made in 1950, and consisted of 15 episodes.
It is now available on DVD.
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Superman driving
Superman driving a 1939 Dodge.
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