QLD-NSW border closure in January 1919 in response to the outbreak of the Spanish flu. The snap closure caught many visitors on the wrong side of the border and here they remonstrate with officials of the Quarantine Department to be allowed to cross the footbridge between Tweed Heads and Coolangatta. Sadly the Spanish flue killed about 15,000 people across Australia, many of them in the 15-35 year age group. Photo credit: Tweed Regional Museum.Joshua Slocum (1844-1909) was the first person to sail single handedly and alone around the world. Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, he became a Master Captain in the USA, sailing square-rigged ships to all parts of the world. With the coming of the steam age he fell on hard times, so he completely repaired and refitted a 90 year-old Delaware Bay oysterman, “Spray”, to sail around the world.
The Spray was 37 foot long and 14 foot wide (the beam), and it had a draft of a little over 4 foot. Slocum was 51 when he left Boston in 1895, to return home in 1898. He wrote a well-loved book about his experience, which is still in print; Sailing Alone Around the World (1900). Photo credit: Pinterest.comJoshua Slocum and “Spray” in Sydney Harbour in 1896 part-way through his single-handed voyage around the world. He spent 8 weeks in Sydney on this visit. The photo shows Spray’s new suit of sails which were given to Slocum by Sydney sailing enthusiast and shopping emporium owner Mark Foy (1865-1950). Source: Australian National Maritime Museum (William Hall collection).A windsurfing beginner. Source: Reddit.comThe model Johanne Landbo from Denmark aboard ship. Source: playboyplus.comFishing quietly. Source: tumbex.comRedhead carwash. Source: LuxeLee.comCape Byron Lighthouse, in New South Wales. Built in 1901 it is Australia’s most powerful lighthouse (at 2.2 million candela) built on Cape Byron, mainland Australia’s most easterly point. The Cape is a significant place for the indigenous Bundjalung people and also a popular look-out for whale-watching. It is an active heritage-listed light and at night it flashes a white light every 15 seconds . It also has a constant red-sector light to the north-east towards Julian Rocks and the nearby reefs. QLD-NSWPhoto credit: visitnsw.com. Photo by Dave Hall.Protecting public decency. Source: Reblogged from guzzigazz.tumblr.comMorning coffee. Source: Reddit.comA handsome couple at the beach. Source: pinterest.com > pineapplepie899“The Longhorns” by artist John V Wilhelm from Springerville, Arizona. Source: Facebook.com > Wilhelm’s Art.Last month, the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) completed a report on the impact on wildlife of Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfires. WWF indicated that nearly 3 billion animals were killed or displaced – almost triple the number estimated in January. The figure includes an estimated 143 million mammals, 2.46 billion reptiles, 180 million birds and 51 million frogs. Source: wwf.org.au.In January 2020, operation “Rock Wallaby” by the New South Wales Government oversaw food drops of thousands of kilograms of sweet potatoes and carrots to wallaby populations in Kangaroo Valley and the Capertee and Wolgan valleys as well as Yengo, Jenolan, Oxley Wild Rivers and Curracubundi national parks. Photo Source: Animals Australia
