From Melbourne
11.1.84
Dear Alan,
You
should have had word from your mother that we are interested in taking a trip
to South Africa and we are now stating to make plans. A provisional booking has
been made to leave here on Easter Sunday (22nd April) and stay for
four weeks. That seems the best time from several points of view; the weather
should be reasonably good and it won’t interfere too much with the kindergarten
or work situations. Your mother mentioned several of the main things we would
like to see but of course the important thing is to get as broad a view of SA
life as possible. We would like to hear from you as soon as possible regarding
what arrangements you can make over there. We have been reading a few books on
South Africa and gaining as much information as possible. Some of the books
paint a mixture of a strange land indeed. However it would be an experience to
be able to judge for ourselves and it would be sensible to leave any
preconceptions behind before we travel. South Africa often appears in the news
here but usually in an unfavorable light.
There has been quite a bit this week concerning possible overtures to
the Australian cricketers who retired last week, Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell.
Whether they go in not certain but there has been mention of hugh sums of money
which could entice them. I think the South Africans would consider it a great
coup to get a team of Australian cricketers over there but there seems little
chance of that happening. From press reports the tour of the rebel West Indians
seems to have had some problems and not been as successful as the South
Africans had hoped.
Cricket
has been big news lately with the tests against Pakistan and the one-day
matches just starting against Pakistan and the West Indies. The Australians
were clearly the better team in the tests and won 2-0 but the Paks did not have
the best of luck. Poor leadership and team selection did not help the Paks. We
did see one day of the Melbourne Test and it was good cricket indeed although
we nearly all got sunburnt.
I added
to the sunburn by working outside at Trentham, much to my discomfort for
several days.
The big job at Trentham this year has been to
cope with the extraordinary growth of grass – the greatest we have seen there.
After last year’s scare with the bushfires it is very necessary to keep the
grass down at this time of year. It is
almost unbelievable to see the grass and compare it with the bare earth after
the fires less than a year ago. Above average rain in the winter and spring
just transform everything.
It has
been a fascinating experience to watch the regeneration of the forest over the
first six months. The Australian bush is amazingly resilient and in some
aspects is improved by fire. We have never seen wildflowers in such profusion
as we have seen this year and that has happened in all the fire areas. Most of
the trees will recover and it has been a strange sight to see the growth
commencing along the trunks or at the bottom. It will be several years before
the scares of the fires are erased and the animal and bird life returns but
improvement so far has been remarkable. We have taken photographs of the forest
at various intervals since the fires and they make quite an interesting
comparison when set in juxtaposition. Your mother is arranging them in an
album.
Mainly
due to the necessity to concentrate on grass cutting we had a quiet Christmas.
We hope you had a pleasant time. Only
outings have been to the cricket and a film. We saw the Australian film “Phar Lap”
the other day and it was quiet a good effort; nothing cerebral but entertaining
and well made. That raises the question whether any films are made in South
Africa; if so we never hear about them.
Australian films have become big time overseas and deservedly so in some
cases. Are they screened in SA?
Things
are quiet at home at present, Beverley has been on holidays in Canberra and
Sydney returning tomorrow.
Cousin
Glenn returns to Australia next week and will stay with Ray until he gets an
appointment. Glenn and his wife have been to Europe for his holidays and I
believe even made it to Russia for a few days.
We are
looking forward to a busy year in 1984 (ominous date) especially if we make the
trip to SA. Business is steady and we can go on for a while yet but it may not
be long before we have to think of shutting the door.
Happy
new year and kindest regards Dad
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