Reunion

Dear all It was another nice day at the Boondall picnic. I always commenced the day intent on speaking with all everybody and also checking the register for their names and addresses. As usual I did neither job very well. This year I missed Karyn, Rhonda and Heather.  I was even late with the esky trolley.  I apologize to those I did not get to speak with. Once again there were several first timers including the brothers Bond and their charming ladies. Carole can you please send to me Ian`s e`address. Other 1st timers were Rod Gerhardt and his daughter, Kerrie, Mark Devereux, Evelyn and Andy Byrde, Neville Brauer (Bruiser), Robyn Lidstone and Bruce Buslum.  It may be time to pass some of the communications chores to the young’uns.  They are just so much more efficient than us.  If it was not for Kerrie we would never be able to keep track of Rod. We particularly value the ex-BCL Dispatch Dept operatives. The likes of Eddie Robertson (and Cathy), Cliff Pollock, Ian Smith and Rod have been tremendous workers for the cause. . . . . . . . . and now we have Andy, strategically based at Heathcote in NSW. Several of the families again came in force including the Givneys, the Quodlings, the McDonalds, the Mowats the Devereuxs, the Ryans, the Holts the Mitchells including Rena, etc.  PNGBC Panguna bank managers Geoff Stein and Brian Healy also came for the first time.  We must remember that we have Neil Hansen in Mackay next time that Cliff and / or Milsie need a lift.  Phil Lugg has moved from Mackay to Buka Passage. Tommy Ball came with his beautiful daughter, Amelia. A word for the long haul travellers is justified. This year we again enjoyed the company of Stephanie, from Sydney, Raggles from Perth, Marcia, from Adelaide, Chaddie and John McLeod, from Cairns.  Owen Sykes, who looks as fit as a trout, booked himself in for both the morning and the afternoon.  I sampled a very nice pudden wine (as it was always described by our old mate Garside) brought along by Nicole. Marshall and Alana were highly organized, as usual.   Harry Nelson, Cyril, Anne and Father Barnham, Marcia and others from the veteran class were well-represented.  Now don`t get stroppy, Harry, you are now well and truly, a veteran ! And then there was young Valerie  . . . . . . . . and also young Fran!  Jill and Eddie enjoyed their sail to Tassie. On the drawing board is an international adventure, to the North. Lastly, from Melbourne, for the first time, there was Ray and Margaret Hughes-Odgers.   Ray has been busy, see his update detailed below.  If you don`t know Ray well there will shortly be an opportunity for you to get well-acquainted with him. Another couple with a long history in Bougie are the Standens, Blossom and Sniff.  It was really good to see them again.  We chatted about several mutual friends including Barney and Blue and the Chenalls, in Launceston.  The boys are chips off the old block . . . . . . . .  now into mining and quarrying and making their own way in the world. This year the catering was managed exclusively by the Brisbane Bougainville Community Group.  Leadership here fits very comfortably with those wonderful people, Les and Veronica. Saturday night was quite a production given that there was only 4 people. Besides the Hendersons there were Monica and Assumpta, also occupied on  food preparation.  They sold out the mumu mid-afternoon.  Emilie was prominent at the servery on the Sunday as was Father Chris who received the monies. We so much appreciate the efforts of this dynamic little team.  Thank you Les for bringing along your tent.   Of course, where it is ultimately appreciated most is in the villages of Bougainville. The monies from this day will be used to uplift the container standing by in the yard of NQCS, in Townsville.  This shipment is designated for the Port of Kieta and the Rotary Club of Arawa. I regaled Mick Hamer with tales of Wakunai as it is in 2016.  His little white house still sits adjacent to the main Buka road.  Likewise Rae Smart was advised of my escapades in Buka including around my meetings with Sister Lorraine, Agnus Titus and the other elements of  the extremely robust Bougainville women`s rights fraternity.  Rae is a fellow Rotarian but based on the Sunshine Coast.  Others on board were Evan and Meroli Mawdsley and Bill and Gwen Koch, both of these families are in the “regulars” category. I can report that Geoff and Anne Hocking look a million dollars. Thanks for the little presie, Geoff.  My son, Paul is delighted. Geoff please send us all of your new Aussie phone numbers. Absent for the first time were Rhonda and George.  We are hearing that their family cycling trip to Europe was a wonderful time. Let me know re the people that I have missed. There are approaches coming through that after 26 successful years we should consider running the reunions in the other states or in a North Queensland location.  If you have any suggestions then let`s hear them. In summary it was another fun day with plenty of reminiscing and lots of laughter. We have been corresponding with Ross and Jasmina Pascoe. We wish them all the very best and, in particular, we wish their grandson, Andy our very best.  Little Andy is extra special, he is autistic. While Ted is here in the East we are going to do small gatherings in Bundy and at Super`s restaurant, in Caloundra. We will put it on Super to attend next years` picnic.  I am sure that Lesley would appreciate the break.  These days Ross has a little mate, on wheels, who follows him everywhere. We have not yet settled on our fundraising plan for this year.  Detailed below is some more information on the Mosquito Control initiatives that we have spoken of.  We are presently contemplating an association with the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.  We will be drawing on the experience of Ray and others as we move forward with this.  Watch this space. Some good news, just to hand, is that Arthur is out of hospital and on the improve. He has been advised many times that It is essential that he reduce his day to day physical activities.  We are not going to see his smiley face in Buka or in Lae anytime soon.  Arthur, the afternoon nap is here to stay.  Enjoy it as best you can. The commentary of my Bougainville visit continues: Panguna capital visit Chris Korokoro kindly arranged for our visit to Panguna. We were accompanied by fellow visitor from Qld, Graham Buckland and Chris's brother Eugene. We were advised to pay our respects to a couple of men, roadside, just some 100 yards north of the location of the Morgan Equipment complex.  Our wallets somewhat lighter, we then made our way to Birempa, Sipatako, Sideronsi and to the steeper parts of the PMAR.  To my great surprise the ride was just as smooth as it was, back in the 80`s. It was not until we came over the crest of the range, just above Camp 10 that there was any significant deterioration in the road. At this location a land slip is imminent.  The distant view from this point included what was left of the Panguna town centre.  When looking over the cliff we could see artisan mining taking place within the cliff wall.  We recognized that these works were eating under the PMAR. We understand that lives had already been lost to these endeavours. On the right hand side was a flat paddock which during the construction was the Laydown Area and then, much later, the main bus transit facility. For a few months in 1970 I manned a cubicle the size of one and half telephone boxes, at this location. It was my task to mark the materials for the drivers so that they could be efficiently targeted into their final destination, B16 Pit workshop, Primary Crusher, B52 Central Workshop, etc. The product line seems to be mostly untouched. We drove on past the Concentrator turnoff and down past the Pink Palace.  There is nothing left of the communications workshops or the old Tut Bryant built garage.  We parked just across the bridge at the base of Karoona Haus. To meet with our old workmate, Patrick Itta we were obliged to make our way to the top floor. Some rooms were habitable and some were not. Patrick`s third daughter is the ARoB Executive Manager of the District of Panguna. On our return to the car park we spent some time with John Duni.  He was just so pleased to see us. John was a Senior Repairman in the Mod Squad. As was common amongst the people I met, John was able to, with ease, rattle off the names of his old B60 MS workmates. He was insistent to understand as to what had become of his manager, Ross Knox and Frank Gardiner.  I would have loved to have spent more time with John. He explained that he had a house at the top of the Kawerong Valley. From Panguna town, Chris took us high up behind the mine. Most of the machinery has been taken by the scrap merchants and their local operatives.  However here and there was various debris.  A huge Manitwok crane was prominently parked, near where the Primary Crusher was situated. It was said that this plant was still on hire.  It was Friday afternoon and I was surprised to see a steady stream of Toyotas and small trucks heading south on the Buin Road. Surprise ! Surprise ! the rain was still tumbling down. Something I had never before seen in the mine pit and bordering the haul roads was an infestation of attractive pink ground orchids. When I viewed the climb from the floor of the Kawerong River to Camp 10, I marvelled that as youngster, in my mid 20`s the first part of our  Aussie Rule training regime was to run to Camp 10 without taking a break ! On weekends Bechtel`s Plant Manager, Jim Adomilie provided us with a canvas-sided man hauler to get us to the ground, opposite the Rigu Mission. Our President and Captain was Patimos from Shell Co.  I can remember that there were only 3 expatriates who regularly made the team. I shared the roving duties with Civil Engineer, John Green. John was slowed down some when he was clipped by a boat in Bishops Bay.  The other stalwart was our main ruckman, Russell McLean, from Erowa in Northern Victoria. I wrote to a young football development officer by the name of Sheedy and told him what we were up to and he quickly helped us out with 2 sets of jerseys, one coloured navy blue and the other was, as you would expect, red and black. Catering & Camp Management Contractors The Robert Hamel Sawa who has made such an impression in Buka and Brisbane Rotary circles was a chef in the service of BCL and their catering contractors, including SHRM.. Robert also shared with me a list of his old workmates.  He said that he worked closely with Oliver Rossi on cocktail parties and otherwise. Joe Fragnito and Mike Herrington were included amongst his managers.  Robert is a local ABG member.  He and his family have a modest size shopping complex.  When the crisis commenced he was quick to establish a catering capability to serve Buka town.  Another who is familiar with these people was William Roho. William also inhabits the ABG offices in Buka. He is an Assets Manager. William's forte was Camp Management. He produced a tattered photo of himself, lounging against his flashy car outside Kawerong Haus. Graham Buckland and Mark Machen It was extremely fortuitous to be able to lodge with Mark while I was in Arawa town. Soon after arrival I picked up a sore throat and otherwise was not 100%.  Mark dispensed some of April`s goodies from her medical cabinet and I quickly recovered. I did a few miles each day working the shoe leather but Mark was able drop me and then gather me in when I had had enough. We heard on the grapevine that there was a “white man” staying at one of the guesthouses.  We were content to eat at home and then get an early start next day. In due course we came upon Graham Buckland, staying at the Rising Sun guesthouse.  I had a compelling reason to be in Arawa, Graham was simply a tourist. He departed Bougainville as a 14 year old, in the 80`s. He was returning to retrace his footsteps and to see if he could assist in any way. Graham and Eugene entered the river in 2 locations, the second at the renowned Three Rocks pool.  After spending a couple of days with Graham it became evident that his reason for visiting was almost as compelling as mine.  He is determined to find an avenue by where he could travel to Arawa or elsewhere in Bougainville to do good.  I have been surprised as to just how many ex-Bougie residents were open to such volunteering initiatives. I am hopeful Ted will be able to see Graham when he travels through Townsville. Graham`s father and mother were key operatives in Arawa`s local government service, Charlie was the Towns Maintenance Manager and Kitty managed the Arawa hospital laundry. During this era, Harry Roach was the manager of Arawa Town (The Town Clerk).  By trade Graham is a plumber, he is also an extremely good photographer, as you will see over the next several months. Mark is a diesel fitter, commencing his trade in BCL.  He is now a Project Manager with a quarrying and crushing contractor, Eastrac. Mark attended Arawa High School. photo