After the East Coast low of last weekend when we had over 300 mm or 12 inches of rain over the past four days. The first week of winter has been fine with above average daytime temperatures. Over the past two days some high cirrus cloud has been moving in from the southwest, the forerunner of a northwest cloud band, but today’s synoptic chart indicates any associated rainfall is likely to be light by the time it reaches the coast.

Sugar Bags

A few weeks ago we talked about how the early settlers recycled the use of everything that came to hand and the various uses of the kerosene tin. Another item put to good use in the humble homestead was the ubiquitous ‘sugar bag’. Countless millions of these sturdy Hessian bags, manufactured from jute, were in circulation. There were not many households without a used sugar bag.

Many stories are told how every member of the settlers’ family found a functional use for the ‘used sugar bag’. Perhaps its versatility is best described if I read from this anonymous poem.

The Sugar bag

“We had one on the floor, by the kitchen door, and another out in the hall.

No ordinary rag, was the old sugar bag, to be used once and thrown away On a Swagman’s back, on an outback track, it still had a part to play.

It was used to repair anything, anywhere. It made an apron for Mum.

And Dad had one on his old plough seat, to protect his bum from the sun. There was always the chance of a hole in your pants.

And if you hadn’t the right coloured rag.

Though it didn’t match, you made do with a patch Cut from an old Sugar Bag.

With supplies getting low, to the township we’d go And not in a Fairlane or Jag Our transport of course – was a homely old horse And the old carry-all Sugar Bag.

There was no shining trolley to push around With fancy packets – all prices and tags.

In the leisurely ways of those wonderful days,

The days of the old Sugar Bag.

May I suggest, to those folk who know best,

An Emblem of our Queensland Flag.

It would look good, if they could include A piece of an old Sugar Bag”

The major feature of the week has been the early morning fog and already we are having the foggiest month for 40 years. Early yesterday morning international jets arrivals for Brisbane were stacked up over the Blackall Range waiting for diversion instructions. It was an unusual sight to see at Maleny.

During the week a northwest cloudband moved through the region with a promise of rain on Wednesday. We had the tail-end of it with just drizzle. Thunderclouds rolled in yesterday afternoon with some heavy rain falling at the rate of 120 mm per hour that put 18 mm in the rain gauge in 15 minutes. The month’s total rainfall to date is 223 mm, representing 115 mm over the 115 year average for June.

Lowest temperature was last Sunday with 6° and highest 22° yesterday.

We have had 27 hours of Bright Sunshine during the week.

Winter Solstice 22 June Light and Heat

In February 1940 light and heat came to Maleny by way of two insulated threads of metal from the national electricity grid; kept alive by payment of the quarterly electricity bill. Jack Callaway wired most people’s homes. He had an electrical shop in town where the Up-Front Club is now.

In pioneering days, sources of light and heat were under the direct control of the user. Right back to the time of the first ‘slush lamps’, lit by melting animal fat. Through the ages there has been the outside ‘galley’, the wood stove, slow combustion stove, kerosene lamps and lanterns, carbide and gas lamps. Fewer people today know of the carbide lamp, which gave a brilliant light burning acetylene gas when the rock-like and evil smelling carbide was moistened. Some of these efficient lights were very simple construction. Others were more complicated. Fitted with reflectors these gave a powerful spotlight. In those days general stores sold carbide by the pound weight. Carbide is a compound of carbon with a metal that yields acetylene when moistened.

The Mean Temperature for last month was 14.6°C, making it the warmest June since 1998, and a ten year record. The month was also the foggiest for 40 years. Another record was the month’s rainfall of 223 mm, the highest since 1999 when we had 231 mm at Maleny. Rainfall for the first six-months of this year was 231 mm, 146 mm above average.

Extended Outlook

A high pressure system moving into the Tasman is extending a ridge up the east coast. A cold front and rain band will sweep through the SE during Tuesday, before clearing the coast on Wednesday; bringing up a stream of cooler weather in it’s wake.

Anglo-Russian Conflict 1877-78

It’s hard to believe Brisbane and Caloundra would be involved in a threat of invasion by Russian sea forces but such was the case in 1877-78.

Tensions arose between Great Britain and Russia during the course of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. Russia was gaining considerable influence in the Balkans and Great Britain recognized a threat to her interests. Britain became particularly alarmed with Russian actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, which might impede British connections with India and Australia.

Defensive schemes were put into operation to protect Australian ports and coaling stations. The result was some sort of fortification at Caloundra on a site now known as Battery Hill, manned by local settlers. Its function was most likely an early warning system for the more sophisticated batteries at Fort Lytton in the mouth of Brisbane River. As it turned out, however, not a shot was fired in anger, as the expected mighty Russian warships never came.

Hostilities were avoided on February 18, 1878 when Russia agreed not to occupy Gallipoli and Britain agreed not to land troops on either side of the straits.

Joke of the Week

The past seven days were fantastic with clear blue skies and 4214 hours of Bright Sunshine. Daytime temperatures reached 21.6 degrees on Thursday with coldest night on Tuesday with 5.4 degrees

Current Weather

UV Index peaked yesterday with a Moderate Four between 11.30am – 12.15pm. Soil Moisture content was Index 25; adequate for garden and farm. Soil temperature was 16°C

Carbide and Bananas

Last week we talked about the times before electricity when carbide lamps were in extensive use and can still be seen on vintage cars and bicycles.

Early buses, trains and horse carriages and some street lights all used carbide lamps. They were bright and efficient.

But there was another use for carbide.

Country people often used carbide for ripening bananas. Two pieces, the size of a man’s thumbnail would ripen a tea chest full of bananas. The lumps of carbide were placed on newspaper at the bottom of the chest. A handful of dry grass was placed over the carbide. A few drops of water sprinkled on the grass and gas began to rise, both visibly and smelly. Quickly, dozens of green bananas hands were placed on top of the smoking grass covered with newspaper and held in place by a jute sack. After a couple of days a few bananas were squeezed to see whether they had ‘sprung’. Another day or so and they would all be golden.

It is no longer possible to buy carbide at a general store. Perhaps the story of the source of Power and Light will move to solar, wind and tidal systems in the not too distant future.

Joke of the week. ‘What does a grape do when you step on it? A little whine! (wine)

The nice drop of rain we had last Sunday brought the rainfall for the month up to 80.8 mm, 6 mm short of 115-year average for July. The lowest temperature of the week was on Wednesday with 4 degrees, and a win chill factor of 2 degrees. The last few days have been perfect winter’s weather with fantastic visibility, clear blue skies and hardly a cloud in site.

It all started during World War 1 when the Government of the day decided the area would be suitable for small scale farming with its rich sandy soil and subtropical climate.

Over 500 selections of varying acreages had been surveyed and were offered to ex-servicemen by ballot. A pick of a marble decided the location and acreage for the settler. The archives are full of colourful stories of the trials and tribulation of the settlers and their families and I hope to relate some of these over the next few weeks.

The township of Beerburrum grew and became prosperous supporting not only a railway station and a State Primary School but also a Boarding House, Public Hall, General Store, Post Office, Blacksmith Barber, Bakery, Cobblers and Butcher.

I wonder why a town that spells ‘beer¹ at the beginning and ‘rum’ at the end had no hotel for the thirsty ex-servicemen ‘diggers’. Beerburrum is an aboriginal name meaning Place of Parrots.

One of the most colourful tradesmen in Anzac Avenue was the butcher by the name of Dave Morecroft. The story goes that a local settler’s wife was in the habit of bringing the family’s blue cattle dog into the shop and letting it urinate on the butcher’s block. Dave warned the lady on numerous occasions that it was a serious offence to allow a dog into the shop and if she continued to do so he would not be responsible for his actions. The customer took no notice of the warnings and It was not long before the dog once more cocked-a- leg against the butcher’s block. Dave grab’s the dog and with two deft blows of a meat cleaver, produced the only cattle dog at the settlement with two square ears.

The Tour de France JOKE OF THE WEEK

Why won’t bicycles stand-up by themselves? because they are too tired (two tyred)

Over the past week we had four overcast days with rain showers measuring a total of 15 mm in the gauges. This brings the month’s total to 95.6 mm which is 9.3 mm above the 115 year average for July. The overcast conditions reduced Bright Sunshine for the week down to 23 hours, less than half the average for this time of year. Mean temperature for the week was15°C, representing five degrees up on the average.

From the Archives

Last week we talked about the early township with a name beginning with ‘beer’ and ending with’ rum’; a place with no hotel for the thirsty ex-digger settlers ~ yes! Beerburrum. This week we continue the saga.

Wizard Smith took over the butcher’s shop from Dave Morecroft of the ‘square ear’ dog fame.

Wizard Smith became well-known for the quality of his sausages. Travellers from near and far were asked to bring home some Wizard Bangers. This was understandable as the sausages contained only lean meat with no fat or additives. However, what was not generally known was he used horse meat obtained from Black Jack Baker, a local settler, who was also culling brumbies that were somewhat a pest in the area.

Black Jack Baker was a half-caste aboriginal and was well thought of in the area. He had survived the war at Gallipoli and in France where he became an expert shot in the role of a sniper. He was a good horseman and never shy to express an opinion on what he believed to be right or wrong.

He had a habit of using gelignite to catch fish in Coochin Creek; but one day cut the fuse too short and blew his right hand off in the process. Wrapping the stub of his arm in his waistcoat he drove his old truck 15k’s to Beerburrum Hospital for treatment.

He survived and recovered from his ordeal with minimum of fuss and continued to farm, using an axe to fell timber and the ‘breaking in’ of brumbies for stock riders with seemingly no loss of ability.

What is worse than raining buckets –                                                       Hailing taxis

That was the week that was! And what a week it has been! First of all on Wednesday we had the coldest day on record, with the maximum temperature not rising above 11°C. The previous July coldest day was in 2000 with 14 degrees. Then how about all the rain we had this week from upper level troughs on a north-west cloudband. At the same time we had a low pressure system in the Coral Sea responsible for the strong winds and heavy seas.

Our rain started at 8.15am Monday morning and continued on through until yesterday when it cleared out to sea. We recorded 105 mm of rain over the five day rain period. This brings the total for the month so far to 201 mm; representing the highest rainfall at Maleny since 1999 when we recorded 209 mm. The fog on Tuesday reduced visibility to 500m for most of the day.

The Settlers Conditions:

•        Annual rent of 2/6d per acre; payable on or before 31^st march each year of their five-year tenure

•        Continuous residence (failure to comply in any six-month period would see the land revert to the Crown)

•        Expenditure of ten shillings per acre for permanent improvement of the land.

Many settlers lived under canvas with their families while they toiled clearing scrub timbers and planting corn, potatoes and pineapples to meet the onerous obligations of land improvement. Later they would build a basic house, often no more than 8×4 metres

During this difficult time, with no income until harvest, the need to find extra work was essential. Local work was difficult to find and it often meant staying away all week. In order to comply with the ‘continuous residency¹ condition it meant the wife and children would have to stay on the property. There are some wonderful stories to tell of how the settler’s families were protected and cared for by members of the Aboriginal Gubbi-Gubbi clan. Two held in high regard by early settlers were King Sambo and Queen Beauty. Stories of carrying sick children to Peachester abound. Another aboriginal known as ‘Captain Piper¹, who with five gins, was a great help to one settler before and after his time spent in jail for an alleged involvement in a murder of a government botanist.

The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 was the beginning of the decline in the boom years for the town of Beerburrum. Farmers were unable to run a viable business or sell their property and many walked off the land. And the properties re-possessed for the State re-forestation programme.

Go to any of the Look-outs and as far as one can see there are regimented plantations of slash pine growing on land cleared by blood and sweat of early settlers.

Never-the-less, some pineapple growers persevered through the hard times and in 1947, as a producer co-operative, built The Golden Circle canning factory.

Riddle of the Week:

What’s worse than raining buckets?

Hailing taxis

We have had two cold spells during the month with the lowest overnight temperature falling to 3.5°C. On Wednesday 23^rd the maximum temperature struggled to reach 11 degrees, the coldest July day at Maleny on record.

For insurance claims the maximum gust was 50 km/h at 2.00am on the 21^st. We had a spell of thick fog with visibility on some days reduced to 500 metres

Current Weather.

August Weather Prospects. Completely ‘dry’ August months without any precipitation were recorded in 1926,1927,1936, 1991 and 2000. The maximum rainfall on record is 246 mm in 1953. In 1994, a 36 day drought was broken on the 18^th in a month when a severe dust storm enveloped the Ranges. The mean temperature for August is 14°C, with a likelihood of 15 days when the minimum temperatures falls below 10°C

From the July Archives. On 26^th July 1799 Lt. Matthew Flinders made the first inland exploration of Glass House Mountains.

First sited 29 years earlier by Captain Cook, who named all the mountains in the group of volcanic cores as Glass Houses as they apparently reminded him of the glass making 100 ft high kilns or cones of his childhood days in Yorkshire.

Matthew Flinders anchored his sloop “Norfolk’ in Pumice Stone Channel and by longboat rowed up as far as he could go in a waterway now known as Glass House Creek. He then climbed Mt. Beerburrum to take sitings for his maps.

An attempt the following day to climb Mt. Tibrogargan for triangulation failed.

Joke of the Week.

Two Weathermen each with a broken arm and a leg went on television to talk about their four casts.          (Forecasts) BOOM BOOM

His name was Clement Wragge. Born in England in 1852 he spent some time at sea before joining the staff of the British Royal Meteorological Society. He made a name for himself when he was given the task of setting up and running a weather station on top of Ben Nevis, one of Britain’s highest mountains.

When in 1887, Clement Wragge accepted an offer of an appointment by Queensland Government; it rained incessantly for several weeks and resulted in him getting the nickname of ‘Inclement Wragge.

However, within a very short space of time he established 400 rain recording stations, including Maleny, and 100 synoptic weather stations, including Crowhamhurst Observatory, near Peachester, where Clement’s pupil and assistant, Inigo Jones set up the world famous centre for long range forecasting, based on weather cycles and sun spots.

Another first for Wragge was naming of tropical cyclones. After using the Greek alphabet, he turned to using names of Government politicians of the day, because he said both were ‘national disasters’. This didn’t go down well with the Government, and their objection resulted in the naming of cyclones discontinuing for many years only to be resumed by the Bureau of Meteorology in 1963.

Wragge thought he could break droughts by firing Steiger Canons at rain bearing clouds, as some success had been reported of similar experiments carried out in the Mediterranean vineyards regions. So he set up a ring of canons around Charleville and fired them all at the same time to create a tremor in the atmosphere. The experiment failed miserably. One of the Steiger canons is still place today and can be seen at Charleville.

Throughout the week an extensive slow moving high pressure system over southern Australia extended a ridge up the east coast to bring cold dry strong south-westerly winds on to the Ranges. The mean humidity has been 54 per cent in the mornings and 39 per cent in afternoons. Widespread frost persisted in gullies and low lying areas. The 20 cm soil moisture content has move out of the ‘adequate’ range and into the ‘need for some light watering’ range, especially of shallow rooted plants and shrubs. During the week a total of 71 hours of Bright Sunshine was recorded.

From the Archives.

The railway from Brisbane to Gympie was completed in the 1890’s and with the demand for wooden railway sleepers coming to an end it had a serious impact on the work force employed as navvies and loggers alike. With cedar and other timbers almost exhausted, fanning for some became the main means of survival. For others, if they were young and owned their own horse, were adept at riding and also had a sense of adventure, they joined the local army contingent of the 2^nd Queensland Mounted Infantry.

Overseas the British Empire was embroiled in conflict in South Africa where the Dutch Afrikaner settlers, known as Boers, had taken up arms against the British. The Boer War started on 11^th October 1899 and Australia, in common with other of British Colonies agreed to send an army contingent in support of the campaign. This resulted in the 2^nd Queensland Mounted Infantry Contingent being sent overseas to South Africa. The archives list several local residents from Caloundra to Glass House Mountains. One such enlistee was Archie King who survived the campaign but was invalided back to Australia after nine months on the veldt and became the last surviving member of his contingent.

The Boer War came to an end with a Peace Treaty negotiated in May 1902.

Incidentally, my uncle who I never knew was in his early twenties when he served with the British Army in the Boer War. Uncle Jack never returned home and died of Black Water fever.

Riddle of the week. Why is a room full of married people empty? Not a single person in it

On Sunday night a northwest cioudband travelling on a jet stream brought overcast conditions to the region for a couple of days. The moisture in the cloud had some rain bearing potential but the atmosphere below was too dry to trigger any precipitation. The cold spell continued until Thursday when a warm front moved through the region, bringing rain bearing clouds and the chance of a shower or two. We had just a splatter but not enough to tip the bucket of the rain gauges.

Soil moisture index at a depth of 20 cm continues to decline and we are now in the range where regular watering of shallow rooted plants, such as azaleas, should receive special attention, especially, if they are showing any sign of stress in the leaves.

Current Weather.

UV and wind change with return to cold weather

From the Archives

When next in Maleny take the interesting riparian walk from the town to the showground and reflect on the various moods of the creek, see the antics of water dragons, terrapins on rocks and an occasional shy platypus. Think about what stories this creek could tell about past associations with aboriginal people and early settlers. In fact, It is not hard to imagine that this is the heart of Blackall Range Bunya Tree country with its rich source of nutritious food.

Sometimes referred to as a pine, which of course it isn’t, is a tall tree with a straight trunk, prickly leaves and separate male and female flowers. The cone is big and shaped like a football and weighs approx. 10 kg. The fruit is eaten raw, roasted, or sometimes powdered to flour to make breads.

The fruit ripens and falls between December and March with every third year often producing a bumper crop. It was during harvest time when some 700 Aboriginals would meet in Baroon Pocket for the Bunya Festival; when any hostilities between tribes were for a short time suspended.

Tom Petrie, living with his Scottish mother and father in Brisbane, spent a lot of his childhood with the aboriginal people and learned their language fluently. .He was invited to attend the feast at Baroon Pocket and afterwards submitted a report to NSW Governor on his knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal people. He also told him about the abundant source of native food available in the Baroon Pocket region; and here we are talking about a time when Queensland was part of NSW.

It was also about this time when the NSW Governor was looking for a means to appease the Aborigines following the deliberate poisoning of about 50 members of their tribe at one of the Kilcoy squatter’s stations in December 1841.

As a result the NSW Governor submitted the Bunya Proclamation Bill to Parliament on the 14^th April 1842, which in essence meant no licences, would be granted to any settler for the felling or clearing of timber in an area where Bunya trees were to be found.

Unfortunately, the Bill did not have the desired effect, mainly due to no attempt being made to define boundaries; and in consequence, when the new Queensland State came into being in 1859 the Bunya Proclamation was superseded with the passing of the Unoccupied Crown Lands Occupation Act 1860

Riddle of the Week

Why did the woman go outdoors with her purse open?

Because she expected some change in the weather.

Two weeks ago the blossom was out and spring flowers were in bloom; and it looked as if spring started a little earlier than usual.

In August last year we had 533 mm of rain when a large high pressure system interacted with a complex East Coast low off Fraser Island. This was the highest Maleny rainfall ever recorded in August since 1893. This year looks somewhat different, because unless we get some rain between now and 9.00am tomorrow morning, we will have the lowest August rainfall since 1991 with a precipitation of only 3.2 mm. Incidentally, August 1991 was Maleny’s fourth completely ‘dry’ month in 115 years. This year’s rainfall to-date is 1,714 mm, and this is 365 mm above average. Mean temperature for the month is 12.4 degrees, representing 2 degrees below the norm.

From the Archives Inigo Jones (1872-1954)

Of all the non-official weather forecasters who have practised in Australia, particularly in the field of long-range forecasting, from the 1930’s right through to the 1950’s. there has been none so widely known, and with such great a following of supporters, as Inigo Jones

Jones’s parents migrated from Croydon, England to Australia in 1874 when Inigo was two years old, and settled some 40 miles north of Brisbane. Jones was educated at Brisbane Grammar School.

Clement Wragge, the Queensland Government Meteorologist was so impressed by the boy’s interests and ability, and it was while he was still at school, that he subsequently recruited him as an observer at the Brisbane Weather Office. He also taught him what he knew about a successful long range forecasting system based on a combination of sunspot periods and a 35year weather cycle discovered in Europe by a meteorologist named Bruckner.

Jones pursued this line of thinking as he was quite convinced that the future of primary industries in Australia was dependant on the nation’s ability to deal with seasonal weather patterns. As a result, in 1935 he set up his own observatory on the family’s 125 acre property at Crohamhurst, near Peachester.

There was a great demand for his forecasts. Farming organisations throughout Australia came to rely heavily on his predictions. Even brides-to-be were known to ring Indigo personally; and not many large outdoor functions were organised without reference to his forecasts.

He received much encouragement in his work as well as receiving aid to finance his observatory so that his work might continue. Nevertheless. Jones failed in persistent attempts to have his forecasting system recognised as being soundly based, by any of the substantial bodies of accredited scientific opinion. A two year study by the Bureau of Meteorology found Inigo’s accuracy rate was only 37 per cent. (I wonder what the Bureau’s success rate was at that time?)

Much was made of his successes, even when in recent years, a drought or a wet spell arrived a few months earlier or later than predicted. Driven by his belief in the importance of his work Indigo Jones continued his research and forecasting until the day of his death in 1954.

Little Johnny came home from school very happy and told his mother I learnt to write today “ That’s fantastic ” his mother said “What did you write? ” ‘Dunno’ replied Johnny I haven’t learned to read yet ’

Catherine Tucker

A few weeks ago I came across an article by Catherine Tucker describing her early life in Maleny and I quote a few extracts:-

“I was nearly four years of age when my father in 1890 took up a 160 acre selection on the Range at Maleny. We were living in Brisbane; my older sister had died of diphtheria on her sixth birthday. I left Brisbane with my mother, father and brother George and we took the train to Landsborough as the railway line from Caboolture had been recently opened.

We spent a few days at Mt. Mellum hotel waiting for a horse drawn dray that was arranged to meet us and never arrived. As father was the only one who knew anything about horses it was mother’s idea that we should start walking; not knowing what she was taking on. The road was little more than a track and took one steeply and directly over Bald Knob. We walked on the side of the road to escape the deep and muddy holes that never dried up because of the dense canopy of tree tops. We often got caught up in the ‘bush lawyer’ canes that left their mark on skin and clothes. There was no fresh water other than from a spring on a bank above the roadside, about half way up from Landsborough.

We arrived at our new home at dusk. We had taken all day to travel on foot the thirteen miles from Landsborough to Maleny We found comfort in seeing our familiar furniture which had been sent by train to Landsborough and transported up the Range by bullock wagon and positioned by father before he left for Brisbane to collect us. The cabin was built of split hardwood slabs and lined with hessian to keep out the wind. We had two bedrooms, a kitchen-dining room, and a verandah. There was also a recess with flooring of huge flat water-washed stones on which stood my mother’s pride and joy – a wood burning stove.

Our rain-water tank was unusual but very efficient, it never leaked and water drawn from it was always cool. It held about thousand gallons, square in shape like a ship’s tank and constructed of wide wooden boards lined with zinc sheeting.

Condensed milk took the place of fresh milk. But later my father decided to buy a house cow. This meant a ride to Kennilworth and a slow journey home with “Cherry” and she was the first cow to be kept at Maleny in an area that was to become known as a ‘dairyman’s paradise’, with pastures carrying over 16,000 cows.

On laundry days clothes were taken down to the creek. A fireplace was built on flat stones at the water’s edge large enough to hold two kerosene tins in which the clothes were boiled. After rinsing the men would carry the wet clothes in baskets back to the homestead for hanging on to the clothes line to dry.

Our larder had to be replenished several times a year. The supplies were always ordered in bulk and brought up from Landsborough by bullock team to be offloaded at the roadside nearest our homestead. Our father would use the horse drawn sled to

Joke of the week

What’s round and bad-tempered? — A vicious circle.

Current Weather. UV Index yesterday was in the Very High category of 8 for just one hour between 11 and midday.

Wartime Weather Forecasts in Australia

In Australia, at the outbreak of World War II, strict censorship was imposed on all radio programs and they all had to be submitted to censors three weeks before broadcasting

In June 1940, the Department of Information took control of the ABC 7.00pm nightly national news and weather. However, after considerable protests by listeners on the poor standard of broadcasting, control was returned to the ABC three months later!

Many ABC staff members joined up as the war continued, giving the opportunity for women to become announcers, supervisors, and musicians. The first woman announcer, Margaret Doyle, was appointed in 1940, and by 1942, there were 19 women announcers

The Bureau of Meteorology was taken over by the Department of Air in July 1940, with responsibilities for providing all meteorological services needed by the defence forces and in the public domain.

Following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour on Sunday morning 7^th December 1941, Australia became highly vulnerable to attack from Japanese forces. All meteorological broadcasts of weather information in plain language were suspended.

Action was also taken to discontinue sending weather information over the network of pedal wireless stations situated in various outlying areas in northern and central Australia because of it’s possible worth to the enemy.

However, in the national interest it was essential that some means had to be found to provide weather forecasts to primary and secondary industries and yet still deny such information to enemy agents. It was resolved that the needs of primary and secondary industries in regional districts should be met by special district weather forecasts designed to meet the requirements of the main industry in each district.

Postmasters were authorised to decode messages and provide plain language weather information over the counter to farmers whose bona fides were established.

Those farmers without easy access to post offices had to make do as best as they could by examining distant skies. The ban of all weather broadcasting, especially warnings of cyclones, brought immeasurable suffering as was the case when Broome Air Force and Naval base received a cyclone warning but were unable to pass on the warning to the civilian population outside the town; with a result there was considerable damage to property and a reported loss of life.

Joke of the Week. ~ Did you know that when a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

Wartime Weather Forecasts.

The importance of weather forecasting for the defence forces during World War11 is well documented. Understanding^, secrecy was paramount and this is why the Weather Bureaux were taken over by the Air Ministry in both Australia and the UK.

In the UK, early in the war there was a limited one-day forecast, issued by the Air ministry to the media. However it soon became apparent clear skies were an open invitation for the Luftwaffe to attack and a complete ban was imposed on all plain language weather forecasts

In 1941/2 the Merchant Navy in the North Atlantic experienced devastating losses of between 50-100 ships per month. Food supplies in the UK were at a dangerously low level, especially imported grain. The harvest of 1942 was a critical factor in the outcome of the war and it changed the farming scene in most parts of Britain. Pastures disappeared as land was ploughed and drained for cereal crops, much for the first time in history. Farmers needed all the help they could get and weather forecasts were high in their list of priorities.

The Air Ministry agreed to issue a daily area weather forecast to assist farmers to provide food for the nation. An area forecast was sent in code to the local War Agriculture Committee officer who would then telephone the coded message to farmers in his area.

A simple code was used. For 24-hour forecasts the words were Dog, Horse, Cow, Sheep and Pig. For longer term forecasts the words used were Fat, Sell and Buy The message would begin with pabulum (Latin for food ) followed by name of the county. For example, ‘Pabulum Kent Buy Dog’ would mean ~ no rain in Kent during next 24 hours, low humidity and sunshine, with a further outlook of continuing settled or good weather for some time ahead.

The wartime weather censorship in Australia was a little different and we can have a chat about this next time.

JOKE of the WEEK

Joe the farmer wants to know how many ewes he owns, so he asks his sheepdog to count them. “Four hundred,” says the Kelpie. Joe isn’t convinced and spends the day counting them. “You’re wrong,” he tells his dog. “There are only 394.”

“Well,” says the Kelpie. “I rounded them up.”

Current Weather. UV Index yesterday was in the Very High category of 8 for just one hour between 11 and midday.

Wartime Weather Forecasts in Australia

In Australia, at the outbreak of World War II, strict censorship was imposed on all radio programs and they all had to be submitted to censors three weeks before broadcasting

In June 1940, the Department of Information took control of the ABC 7.00pm nightly national news and weather. However, after considerable protests by listeners on the poor standard of broadcasting, control was returned to the ABC three months later!

Many ABC staff members joined up as the war continued, giving the opportunity for women to become announcers, supervisors, and musicians. The first woman announcer, Margaret Doyle, was appointed in 1940, and by 1942, there were 19 women announcers

The Bureau of Meteorology was taken over by the Department of Air in July 1940, with responsibilities for providing all meteorological services needed by the defence forces and in the public domain.

Following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour on Sunday morning 7^th December 1941, Australia became highly vulnerable to attack from Japanese forces. All meteorological broadcasts of weather information in plain language were suspended.

Action was also taken to discontinue sending weather information over the network of pedal wireless stations situated in various outlying areas in northern and central Australia because of it’s possible worth to the enemy.

However, in the national interest it was essential that some means had to be found to provide weather forecasts to primary and secondary industries and yet still deny such information to enemy agents. It was resolved that the needs of primary and secondary industries in regional districts should be met by special district weather forecasts designed to meet the requirements of the main industry in each district.

Those farmers without easy access to post offices had to make do as best as they could by examining distant skies. The ban of all weather broadcasting, especially warnings of cyclones, brought immeasurable suffering as was the case when Broome Air Force and Naval base received a cyclone warning but were unable to pass on the warning to the civilian population outside the town; with a result there was considerable damage to property and a reported loss of life.

Joke of the Week. – Did you know that when a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

Weird Weather. Couple of weeks ago, we talked about hail and It seems utterly bizarre to think of anything other than the usual rain, hail and snow falling out of the sky, but there are many official reports from all over the world of showers of a different kind and acknowledged as weather phenomena. Showers of Frogs and Tadpoles are the most common sightings from around the world.

For instance, on the afternoon of June 16^th 1939, thousands of frogs fell over Trowbridge, England.

Strange showers are more common than you’d think. Throughout history there have been persistent stories of showers of things falling out of the sky, from the time of manna to feed the Israelites in the Sinai Desert to the present day. In AD 77 in Greece there was a continuous shower of fish for three days and Pliny the Elder recorded – “…the roads were blocked, people were unable to open their front doors and the town stank for weeks …”

Experts have tried to dismiss eyewitness accounts such as the fall of fish on Dunmarra, south of Darwin in February 1994 and a fish shower in Markville, USA on 23 October 1947 that was witnessed by a US Dept, of Wildlife and Fisheries Officer.

Some other things falling from the skies phenomena include:-

Hazelnuts in Dublin in 1867

Snails in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1870

Snails in Algiers in 1973

Crayfish across Florida in 1954

Maggots in Mexico in 1968

Pond mussels in Paderborn, Germany in1892

Jellyfish in Bath, England in 1894

Coal in Bournemouth England in 1983….

In most cases these phenomena occurred when there were severe thunderstorms about. Thunderstorms with updrafts strong enough to suck up anything light enough underneath to be picked up and taken aloft and deposited elsewhere. But what about when we say ‘it’s been raining cats and dogs’? How do you think this saying originated? In my research I found many theories. I think the best answer maybe the one originated in the filthy streets of 17^th/18^th century England when heavy rain flowing down the gutters would occasionally carry along dead animals and other debris. Animals didn’t fall from the sky, but the sight of dead cats and dogs floating by in heavy storms could easily have coined this colourful phrase.

Joke. Eleven little black spiders were playing in a saucer with a tiny ball. After a short time the coach, a much bigger spider, standing on the rim of the saucer blew his whistle. “Gather round – boys”, he said, “You’ll have to do a lot better than this next week – you are playing in the Cup”

Ambulancemen of Long Ago.

In 1911, Bill Walker at the age of 17 joined the Ambulance Service at the Anne Street Centre, Brisbane and recalled his first job was to push patients on a two-wheel litter from Northgate to the Brisbane Hospital. Fourteen years later he became Superintendent of the Landsborough Ambulance Centre, covering the area of Mount Mellum, Maleny, Caloundra, Beerwah,

Peachester, Kilkoy, Woodford and Mooloolah. In 1925, a butcher’s shop was moved from Glasshouse to Landsborough to serve as an ambulance garage and workshop. The casualty room was down in the corner of the yard between the Memorial Hall and the old Council Chambers. There was no telephone and communication was by the railway station telegraph. The Beerburrum Hospital – the hospital on the hill – built for ex-servicemen wounded in World War 1 – would wait to receive patients to arrive by Bill’s Dodge Four ambulance or by train.

Most common accidents in those days were broken limbs, tree felling accidents, axe cuts – and there were several confinements in the ambulance. Bill also attended the Traveston train derailment disaster.

This was on the 9^th June 1925 when, at 2.00am in the morning the mail train from Brisbane became derailed 2.5 Miles north of Traveston. One of the passenger carriages and a luggage van bound for Rockhampton toppled over the bridge known as 96-mile Creek between Traveston and Tandur railway stations. The carriage was literally smashed to matchwood on the rocky creek bed below. Another passenger carriage fell over on its side on the northern bank also adding to the mortality rate; which consisted of nine killed outright. Fifty-five were injured, many seriously.

The disaster was caused by one of the wheels of the bogies of the luggage van jumped the rails on a curve about half a mile from Traveston. In this condition the wagon travelled two miles, and over two bridges, before the final crash came. Bill records vividly the scene that met his eyes on that tragic day.

Joke of the Week

With all the new technology regarding fertility a 65 year old woman recently gave birth. When she was discharged from hospital and went home her friend – Anna – went to visit “May I see the hew baby?” Anna asked.

“Not yet” the new mother said. “I’ll make some coffee first and then we can go and visit him”.

Growing very impatient, Anna asked, “Well, when CAN I see the baby?” “When he cries!” she told Anna.

“WHEN HE CRIES? Anna demanded, “Why do I have to wait until he cries?” “BECAUSE I FORGOT WHERE I PUT HIM – OK?

The week’s top temperature was 26 degrees at 2.15 pm on Tuesday and the lowest overnight temperature was at 1.45 am on Thursday with 8 degrees.

We had 63 hours of Bright Sunshine, which is 82% of the possible.

Current Weather.

UV Index yesterday was a Very High 10, between 11.00am and 12.15pm.

Jet Streams. I have often mentioned jet streams relative to north-west cloud bands. Well, Jet Streams are narrow currents of high-speed winds, typically thousands of kilometres long, hundreds of kilometres in width, and a few kilometres in depth, that occurs in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. They normally travel at about 400 kph. The maximum speed recorded was 656 kph.

Commercial aircraft on trans-Australian flights make full use of the boost given by a jet stream whenever possible.

The Japanese already knew about jet streams from their research on balloons before the Second World War. This was well before we did from satellite images. They planned on using jet streams to attack the North American Mainland with incendiary bombs attached to balloons and cause as much panic and confusion as possible. The idea was to set fire to the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

They developed sophisticated high-altitude bomb-carrying balloons called Fugos, to be carried along in a jet stream. Of nine thousand Fugos launched, around one thousand reached America, from Alaska to Mexico, and as Far East as Michigan and Texas in the south-west.

Although only six people were killed, the military authorities and FBI realized the panic this could trigger in the civilian population; and censored all media reports of the balloons. Special Fugo squads were set up across the country to clear up any evidence of the bombs and hush up eye-witnesses.

If the forests had not been wet from rain and snow the Fugos would have succeeded in setting them alight. And if, as the Americans feared, the Japanese added a biological germ or chemical warfare to the balloon’s arsenal the results would have been catastrophic. Ironically, the most successful Fugo attack brought down a power line to Hanford – the plutonium plant from which the atom bomb was being made.

Present Weather. UV Yesterday measured Very High 10 between 10am and 12.15pm

Obituary of the Late Mr. Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, who has been with us for a number of years, Mr. Common Sense. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. However, he will be remembered as having cultivated the following valuable lessons such as, and I name but a few: –

•       Knowing when to come out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

•       Mr, Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies such as don’t spend more than you can earn; and reliable sensible strategies ensuring adults and not children are in charge.

•       Unfortunately his health began to suffer when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a girl classmate and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student only worsened our friend’s condition.

•       Mr. Common sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

•       His health declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

•       Mr Common sense lost the will to live when criminals received better treatment than their victims.

•       Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

•       The death of his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife Discretion, daughter Responsibility; and his son Reason preceded our friend’s death.

•       He is survived by his four stepbrothers; ‘I Know My Rights’, ‘I Want It Now’, ‘Someone Else Is To Blame’, and ‘I’m A Victim’.

•       Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember him then remember him to others. If not, join the majority and do nothing. ANON