Australian History downloads

Hi all, thats a great site john and very handy to have access to....it will come in handy on my next trip which is coming up soon...
thanks again
niikki

Greg, thanks for the reminder of the earlier post. I don't think it hurts to keep the availability of history on the net in front of people, and the availability of the journals which are very handy when you start to know areas like these. I wish I had them last year when we were there.

Hi Ruth, would love the feast of Diamantina Barra and some yabbies too for a large entree. Had hoped you folks would have made the EP this last February but some of our gear was getting repaired. No, not the Nissan, the Oztent suffered at the hands of God and being tied down.

I am sure the river looks a picture and we look forward to being back there seeing you folk. We want to go to Coongie Lakes on the way next time, we are sending friends Bonz this week for you though - well in a week or so. We saw the other 25 EO at the Murray Sunset gathering not so long back. Seems ages already. We had been to the Davis Cup round in Sydney and in convoy across NSW with the Baz family, the Mick family, PaulPatrol and Peter. Called to see our MP in Canberra in his new office - you know who.

You think that I get bogged everywhere do you? Want to talk to me about Robe eh, indeed. LOL

We have the National Folk Festival playing here and no barra, but salmon I hear.

Well I better be on my bike........... Be camping near Christchurch in ten days.

We will be taking along some of this info with us on our jaunt which starts tomorrow, see you soon Ruth, hope the dunes arent THAT high that I have to cross. John again thanx for the info and for the call.

G'day to the Lad in Peterborough,

Did you ever, in your travels in the NT, come across Alan Davidson's explorations?

I think the Tanami was " his" region, in the early 20th C, but I'm going from memory, and that is not reliable on these matters!!!!!!!!!

Did ya ever drive/cover any of John Ross's routes in the centre?

Cheers, & sorry I missed the white lightning in the Sunset country. We used to go there (Sunset country) when we lived in the Mallee. Very scenic country from there north to the bitumen Mildura highway. Had a Ford Raider back then, which was a good bus with shocking seating.

Rick, Willie would have felt better had you been there in MS too as he would have had slightly less in the bottle.

I reckon Bro, I learn a lot talking and listening with you each time, but that is spoken history. I love that too in fact. Your internet site too.

G'day Rick

Alan Davidson was one of the first to take tourists into what is now known as Kakadu as I recall. He operated safaris in Woolwonga Reserve back inthe '60's. These days Max Davidson(not related I think) runs a very successful fishing operation in Arnhemland.

Not sure of John Ross. I take it the Ross Hwy is named after him.

There is still about 200ml of White Lightning left. But Bonz is due to arrive here soon, so it may get depleted.

Yeah Bro, hope you have learned NOT to mess with MY fire....hahahahaha Good to see the GU all shiny again!

Brother Willie, I reckon that White Lightning will flare up Bonz' fire too, so you better be wary. LOL Should be with Mr and Mrs Des now.

That pic was in NSW before I got to the Murray Sunset. I want a new pic soon though with the Lightforce Blitz 240s on the front. They make an awesome change to night visability.

Bro, I must be the only one without spotlights. Then again, I don't drive around at night :o)

I think we are making the same point Mungo, but in preparation for trips it would also help to have some local reference material to pre-European history on that specific local area. I would have to agree on the bias too that would have to apply. I guess I have had little experience in the re-engagement myself and when I have my industrial deafness with my lack of practice have sometimes made the process more difficult. Perhaps it was the localised tongue too.

I know I should read more in the local history department.

One method I found productive sometimes is to find out the name(s) of the local tribe(s) and google for them. To take just a couple of NSW examples, "wiradjuri" yields over 15,000 pages, and "barkindji" over 600. You'll also have to try different spellings in some cases, such "ngyampa", "ngempa", etc. It's surprising what you can find out that way, especially if you combine that with the name of a locality.

I guess at the time I was at school there was a limit to the Australian history that was taught, but the poignancy of the Burke and Wills deaths around Innamincka wasn't lost. I needed to know more of the indigenous history to know what to look for. I am sure there are a lot of people like me too.

I did read the fictional 'Pemulwuy' to try to understand a point of view, by Eric Willmot though, which is still resident on the book shelves.