Peter Garry

Two days after my bowel cancer diagnosis my long standing friend and Dalgety colleague, Peter Garry died. A week or so earlier, when he accepted that his end was near, he asked me if I would give a career centred eulogy at his funeral. The very large funeral was held in the very grand chapel at his alma mater-St Josephs College. Here is what I said. 

Vale Peter Garry-18^th October,2013

When Peter so bravely asked me directly to speak about his career at his funeral, he made a throw away remark. He said, as if it had just dawned-“I won’t be there”. Then his great faith kicked in and he corrected himself, “yes I will”, he said with an inference, you’d better do a good job. So, Pete I hope I can do you justice.

When I was first sent to Bourke by Dalgety as a raw 19 year old, Peter was a colourful, mature in my eyes, 27 year old Head Stockman. He was tall, well built, popular with men and women and one can understand Pat’s attraction. He boarded at “The Gables” boarding house and did his ‘phone calls of an evening from the Dalgety ‘hole in the wall’ office in the main street, between Hales’ Store and Fitz’s Hotel, where the back bar was our favourite watering hole.

I recall curling up in one of the big leather chairs in his office and listening to him working the phone. Trading livestock in big numbers. To me it was all very glamorous. In those days Territory cattle were walked across Queensland and often changed hands several times on the way. Sometimes more than once to the same dealer. Legendary and highly respected dealer Jack Smyth loomed large and Peter was right in to it. Likewise big lines of locally bred sheep would often be sold with a 'lift' or placed ‘on the road’ with drovers and may well be sold several times before they eventually left the district. Commission rate was only 2.5% so agents had to get a “twist” if they could.

Peter was recruited from Country Producers Selling Co-op (CPS) at Mungindi to Dalgety, Bourke in 1957. He was going to do pharmacy at Sydney University, but he had grown up at Boorowa where his father Brian was a grazier and an agent for CPS and the call of the bush was too strong.

At Bourke he was joined by Jim and Kath Garnsey. Jim was the boss and the two of them built a great business. In the early 60’s more wool was trucked from Bourke railhead than any other centre in the world. From memory a total of 52,000 bales of which 50% went to Dalgetys. Jim’s arrival in Bourke was the beginning of a great friendship which lasted ‘til Jim’s death five years ago.

I won’t embarrass Pat with the details of Peter’s impecunious position at the time of their wedding, a story with which she is all too familiar. Suffice to say Peter was madly in love with Pat and he wasn’t going to allow something as base as a lack of cash get in the way of their marriage. I drew on his example a few years later when Gail and I were married.

After their marriage Pat had the joy of moving from Queen Street, Woollahra to the delights of Bourke and Pat will tell you how Kath Garnsey was her mentor and supporter and helped a not insignificant adjustment and the two families became even closer.

Whilst at Bourke Bernard and Matthew were born and Peter succeeded Jim as Branch Manager in 1965. Dalgety, Bourke had become one of Australia’s great inland stock and station agencies. Peter revived and coached the Rugby team which in later years went on to dominate the Western NSW competition. Within Dalgety, Bourke was a prestigious Branch and like the Governor it was named after, was very Irish. It helped to be Catholic!

In the third year of my Dalgety Cadetship I was sent back to Bourke to support Peter as he settled in to the management. So he was my boss. He had to contend with a horrific drought and an insensitive Head Office who were being tough with client finance-not an easy situation for a new Branch Manager. But, he prevailed and held the business together. Bernard found among his papers a report he had to submit on my performance which he had kept all these years. Perhaps fortunately for me, what he wrote in that lovely firm handwriting, is too faded to read!

Catherine also arrived at Bourke before Peter was promoted to Branch Manager, West Wyalong where Meagan was born. Thence to Regional Manager, Forbes where Julianne arrived and on to Regional Manager at Orange-all in a few short years.

In 1978 I had some say in his further promotion to Branch Manager of the very prestigious branch of Albury. Prior to 1960 Albury was one of the 11 Dalgety Branches in Australia (the others were termed “sub-branches”) that reported direct to London and was a very important centre for the Company.

Having grown up at Boorowa and worked at Moree, Mungindi, Bourke, West Wyalong, Forbes, Orange and Albury few people had better knowledge of NSW than Peter. Additionally he had developed a real flair for making rural property sales. So he was a stand-out candidate for the position of NSW Property Manager to which he moved in 1986. In this position he had state-wide responsibility for rural property sales and he loved the job. He told me it was his favourite posting. He gained his Valuer’s ticket and brought real knowledge and professionalism to the position.

The career picture would be incomplete without reference to his auctioneering skills both with livestock and property. He was complimented on his spirited selling by that doyen of auctioneers, Malcolm Capp and he confided how much he appreciated the compliment.

Peter was one of those quintessentially Australian characters who made companies like Dalgety the great institutions that they were. He worked for a single employer for 41 years. He was widely known and respected.

His life was centred on his family and his job. He also loved his sport with rugby and racing looming large and in more recent years, golf.

He was strong on integrity, loyalty, and reliability, and big on personality, competence and energy.

May he rest in peace.

Cricket and Chemo

Chemo and Cricket-10th December,2013
I had an appointment to see Oncologist Gavin Marx at the San on 26th November. I proposed to him that before commencing chemo I should go to Adelaide for the Test Match. He helpfully calculated that the ideal time to begin chemo was six weeks after surgery and that was the 10th December, the day after the Test was scheduled to finish!

I was discharged from Lady Davidson on Thursday 28th November. After consultation with the GP at LD and Gavin Marx, Fiona Robinson my GP prescribed the antibiotics to knock out the helicobacter in my stomach,discovered by the endoscopy at the San on the 9th October. I commenced taking these twice daily on Friday 29th October with the last dose being in Adelaide on Day 1 of the Test Match on 5th December. 
I returned home after the Test finished in a great Australian victory in the first session yesterday.
I rang Gavin Marks this morning after noting that my chemo instructions were that if diarrhoea began, chemo should stop. He checked the results of the blood tests taken this morning and cleared me to begin the chemo (tablets) this evening, which I have jut done.So here we go!


The week after coming out of Lady Davidson  was interspersed with two most enjoyable events both hosted by my friend, John Keniry. The first on the day I was discharged, was a dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Australian Wool Exchange. I was the Inaugural Interim Chairman twenty years ago. Lots of old wool industry friends and acquaintances. Former Dalgety colleague Ted Harnett kindly drove me both ways and daughter Susie drew on her Intercon connections and organised parking on the driveway. The second was an Agriminds Christmas lunch at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science of which John Keniry is the Chairman. This was held at SIMS great facilities at Chowder Bay with their harbour frontage. Fellow Agriminds member, Bruce Standen did the driving honours.


In Adelaide, Ian McLachlan was wonderfully supportive with invitations to the Committee Room on Days 3,4 and 5 and reserved seats on Days 1 and 2. These privileges were also extended to my friend from Lord's,Dr John Russell. So I didn't have to get to the ground early and had the support of "a personal physician". The new developments at the Adelaide Oval are extremely well done and the ground has lost none of its previous ambience.

On the social front Ian also invited me to a MCC Dinner at the Adelaide Club (where I was staying) on the night of Day 1 and to his usual drinks event at his home on Saturday night. This consideration along with a wonderful Australian dominated match that we won handsomely, made for a great visit and I was so glad that I didn't "squib" it.

-13th December,2013

I am now 60 hours into the chemo regime. Early days and I shouldn't be too cocky, but it seems to agree with me. I feel great!

"Oh What a Feeling"

"Oh What a Feeling!"

Ignorance is bliss. I was pretty blasé about my approaching surgery. It was just as well I didn't know what I was in for!

The big picture is that I had a marked change in bowel habit. My GP sent me to a gastro specialist who did a colonoscopy on 9th October. This revealed what was believed to be two malignant tumours and two polyps. Surgery just 20 days later saw about 11 inches of the upper rectum and sigmoid colon being removed. Subsequent pathology on the removed section revealed no less than THREE malignant tumours and one large polyp. There were 21 lymph glands removed, one of which contained some cancer cells. So six months of mild oral chemo (tablet at home) is to follow and I need to keep my colostomy bag until after the chemo is complete. My new Oncologist tells me that he believes that there is a 75% probability that I am already cured and after the chemo this probability lifts to 85%.

The post operative pain and the anaesthetic "blocker" in the spine were agonising. I wont "bang-on", suffice to say that notwithstanding the self fed morphine, the post operative first 48 hours was something I never want to go through again. I admit to having a low pain threshold and have been accused of being a big sook, but.....  My very personable, humorous surgeon, when I inferred he was not offering sufficient sympathy, told me that the hospital "was not a holiday camp!"

I have a wound which runs from just below the sternum, around the "tummy hole" to the pubic area. Quite a scar. It is healing well after a low level infection at the lower end. Initially any movement induced great pain and was undertaken with great caution and walking is still not exactly relaxed, but every day is better. I have relished the support and prayers of family and friends. Once again, in an hour of need, the clergy and congregation of St Swithun's have been wonderfully supportive as have my Club friends and former work colleagues from Swire, Dalgety, and other industry associates.

I spent 10 days in hospital and will have been in this convalescent home  for three weeks when I go home next Thursday. Given circumstances at home I have managed to stay here for a week more than my condition would normally have justified.

Contemplation

As I prepare for my first surgery since having my appendix removed in 1949 I have been mindful of one of my favourite school day quotations-

"More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.
Wherefore, let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats that nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer both for themselves and those who call them friends? (Mort d Arthur-Alfred Lord Tennyson)

The logic strikes me as impeccable and the theology isn't too bad either! I am honoured that my Westminster Abbey cricket mate, Canon Ralph Godsall, (see Blog Log post July,2013) had me on the Westminster Abbey prayer list even before my local church! But, I wouldn't like to infer that God responds to some human perceived hierarchy of appellants!

My surgery next Tuesday is to remove that part of the sigmoid section of the colon which contains two well developed malignant tumors. CAT scans and MRI's have not revealed any other "nasties" elsewhere, so, I am hopeful of full recovery.

For some reason, quite unrelated, I have also recently been thinking of another favourite quote which I wish I had learned and put in to practice earlier in my life. For the record- "I don't like that man-I must get to know him".

Climate Change/Global Warming

Climate Change/Global Warming
Since the release of the latest IPCC Report (September,2013) thousands of words have been applied to this subject in the mass media. The following commentary by Professor David Flint strikes me as a moderate yet compelling case against the policies of the Greens and the previous Australian Government. Personally, I would go further and argue that there is a socialist motive which runs strongly through the UN, best exemplified in the Agenda 21 drive. However, many would say that this is a counter intuitive position and you will not convince people if they see it that way. Furthermore it is well demonstrated that "the left" are great believers in "climate alarmism" and believe we should all feel guilty about what I see as the progress of western civilisation. It seems to me that Flint demonstrates that you don't need to go that far to make the case.
Quote
Believe, but don't shoot us in the foot
You can believe in the theory that man made carbon dioxide emissions are the principal cause of global warming, if indeed the planet is warming. You may have concluded that the various factors which must have affected the climate for millions of years have been superseded by those man made carbon dioxide emissions.
But if you do believe this, you don't have to believe that Australia has to shoot itself in the foot almost alone in the world.
The dramatic failure of the  Copenhagen climate conference should have told everybody that the Chinese, Indians, Brazilians and Americans are not going to stop their growth.Remember Kevin Rudd was so exasperated by this that, according to the press, he referred to the Chinese diplomats there as
''rat**ckers''. Remember Malcolm Turnbull had wanted to authorise Kevin Rudd to agree to a global emissions trading scheme at Copenhagen and he enjoyed the very strong support of the press Gallery in taking this line. You'll remember too that this led to a revolt in the Liberal Party and a change in the leadership.

The point surely is that even if you believe in the official theory about CO2 emissions, there is no need for Australia to impose a carbon dioxide tax, enter into some shady so-called market emission trading scheme, or subsidise so-called renewable energy which will result in very high electricity prices.This means that although we should have the cheapest electricity in the world we have ended up with the among the dearest and as a result manufacturing is too expensive with jobs being transferred to China, and electricity too expensive for the poor.

And you can also believe in the theory about CO2 emissions without going along with alarmist talk.  While agreeing that global warming is principally man made the Danish authority Bjørn Lomborg concedes that all the current climate models have overestimated the actual temperature rise by 71 to 159 per cent. The likely rise in the next century he says will be from 1C to 3.7C, and certainly not the 5C-plus scenario argued by some alarmists.He points out that the recent IPCC report does not agree with the alarmist claim that sea levels will rise 1m to 2m by the end of the century. It certainly not does not agree with Nobel Prize winner and mega carbon footprint bearer Al Gore's talk of a possible sea rise of 7 metres. The latest IPCC  estimate is for a rise in the range of 40cm to 63cm by the end of the century.

Bjorn Lormborg argues that to a certain point global warming is beneficial. He believes that it will be only towards 2100 that global warming turn to a net loss. He disagrees with those who say the answer is to impose strong policies to restrict CO2 emissions. Except we've already tried this strategy for 20 years, in some cases failing miserably and in others spending huge amounts of money to achieve little, he thinks the remedies adopted by the EU and by the Gillard Rudd governments are pouring money down the drain.

He says that in the Copenhagen Consensus for Climate, economists have found that the smartest long-term solution is substantially to increase funding for green energy research and development rather than subsidising ''today's hugely inefficient green technologies'' but focus on innovation to reduce the cost of future versions of wind and solar energy and the many other amazing possibilities.By making future green technology cheaper than fossil fuels, he says  that everyone would switch, ''not just be subsidised, well-meaning Westerners''.

''The global cost of this R&D approach would be less than half the cost of the EU's present climate policies alone. The Australian share would be about $3bn. This strategy would enable us to avoid $11 of climate damage for every dollar spent, a benefit about 500 times higher than present policies.

''With its moderate tenor, the new IPCC report ought to make our debate more constructive. Instead of being scared silly and overreacting, we need to realise that global warming is just one of the 21st century's challenges, and one that we can address today with low-cost, realistic innovation.''

Those who believe in the theory that manmade carbon dioxide emissions are the principal cause of global warming do not have to panic or believe worst case scenarios which the IPCC is abandoning.
End quote.
3:13 PM 4/10/2013

The Murray Darling Basin (MDB)-A September,2013 Overview

The Murray Darling Basin (MDB)-A September, 2013 Overview
From the time that the Howard Government, in an attempt to gather
"green" votes decided to throw $10bn at the Murray Darling Basin, the
management of the Basin has been a political football. This initiative
arose as the great Millennium Drought was biting hard and the natural
consequences of drought were being erroneously blamed on extractions
for irrigation. The term "over-allocation" entered the national lexicon.

In the years preceding the drought there was extensive reform of
water regulation throughout the basin. "The cap" limiting extractions
to the 1993/4 level was introduced and John Anderson's National Water
Initiative was passed introducing property rights and market trading
of water entitlements and water allocations. These were all positive
moves and reinforced Australia's international reputation as a leader
in effective water management. It is fundamental to a proper
understanding of water management to recognise the difference between
entitlements and allocations.

Entitlements grant the holder a share of consumptive water when there
is an allocation. An entitlement without an allocation is phantom
water. For each of the basin rivers there is a water sharing plan
which guides the granting of allocations. These plans give priority to
critical human and animal needs, followed by assessed environmental
needs and then and only then, are allocations for irrigation
extractions even considered.

These principles are applied in a regime of massive natural
variability. Our rainfall and run-off is arguably the most variable in
the world. Our major dams and the Snowy Scheme diversions have
beneficially "flattened out" some of this variability and have
provided additional water to the west, but compared with the severity
of our droughts and the magnitude of our floods, we really only
"fiddle at the edges". Additional dams would further assist and would
only "hold back" a tiny percentage of our big flood events. Our
ecology is geared to this extraordinarily variable environment and
there is no better example than in recent years with the severity of the
Millennium Drought and the big flood events that followed.

To gain the necessary authority over the States in the Australian
federation the Commonwealth relied on international environmental
agreements. As a consequence we have a Commonwealth Water Act which
lacks proper balance between social, economic and environmental needs.
The Act should be repealed. The required agreement with the States to
implement the "Plan" has yet to be obtained, but one fears that
eventually the Commonwealth's control of the mighty dollar will
prevail.

Against this backdrop it can be seen that Government "buying back"
entitlements ("phantom water") will do nothing for the environment in the
lean years, but will greatly impact Australia's productive capacity when
water is plentiful and thus have negative socio-economic consequences.

The most negative human induced environmental issue in the Millennium
Drought was the management of the Lower Lakes in South Australia and
the controversial Barrages which close-off the Murray River estuary
from the sea.


With the piping of fresh water from upstream to the Lower Lakes area
both for human consumption and irrigation needs, there is now no reason
for the South Australian obsession with keeping the Lakes always fresh to
prevail. Failure to open the Barrages during the drought and allow salt water
to enter, when there was simply no fresh water available for any purpose,
quite unnecessarily allowed the emergence of acid-sulphate soils. Under
more normal conditions the huge evaporation of fresh water from the
Lower Lakes is a wicked waste.

The commitment of additional water to the Lower Lakes in the latter
part of the Plan negotiations and the target of keeping Lake
Alexandrina open to the ocean 90% of the time, is a classic example of
the political football approach at the expense of objective analysis, which
has pervaded the whole Murray Darling Basin issue.


Sadly, the management of the Snowy Scheme has been expressly excluded
from the MDB deliberations of recent years. It seems to me that there needs
to be more focus on the original water storage/irrigation objectives and that
improvements could be made without detracting from the all important
hydro/electricity production objectives.


J.D.O. Boyd
04.09.13

Blog Log - A Cricket Tragic's Indulgence

Tuesday, 9th July,2013

At the Swire (Australia) Christmas Party last year the Chairman suggested I should accompany him to the Ashes Test match at Lord's (London) in July.That got me thinking, particularly when I discovered I could get a ticket thru' my membership of the SACA (South Australian Cricket Association). He then announced  that business commitments would prevent him from going. But,my mind was set!

So here I am on CX110 en route to Hong Kong for a 36 hour stop over (they used to promote it as a "shop-over", but I suspect HK is now probably no cheaper for electricals or apparel than Sydney) before flying on to London on Thursday.

Beautifully smooth flying conditions at 38,000 feet and 528 miles per hour in an A330. A 9.5 hour flight with first three hours over this vast Australian continent. If I can believe the satellite map and marked route in front of me we fly up most of Cape York and cut across the top of the Gulf of Carpentaria-a long way further east than on previous occasions. 

Later...

We are now just crossing the Equator over Indonesia. Have gone up to 40,000 feet and speed has increased to 545 mph. Just watched a film "The Late Quartet"-very good. My hearing greatly assisted by switching on the sub-titles. The Business Class (yes, I scored an upgrade) cabin has been in near complete darkness for the last few hours with many people asleep. What's wrong with them? It's 1:20pm Sydney time and HK is only two hours behind Sydney-same as Perth. Perhaps they are going to be up all night? Four hours (2000 miles) to go.

Later still...

Hong Kong has lost none of its vibrancy sine Gail and I were last here in 2009. Got the Airport MTR (Mass Transit Rail) into Central. Chatted to a smart looking young guy on the train who turned out to be a Cathay pilot who had been at the airport on the simulator. He haled from Perth and had done his early flying (getting the hours up to qualify for bigger jets and bigger money) at Kunnunurra in the Kimberleys. At Central I spoke with anothey guy in the taxi queque who also turned out to be a Cathay pilot of 25 years standing. Once again the Swire presence is huge. The East Hotel where I am staying is developed, owned and operated by Swire. It is on Taikoo (the Chinese name for Swire) Shing Road, in the Taikoo Shing district. Before going to bed I had a drink in the Sugar Bar (about more anon) on level 32, the top floor with spectacular views cross the harbour and the old Kai Tak airstrip to Kowloon. I gave dinner a miss having had ample to eat on the flight.

Wednesday 10th July

Did a leisurely early walk around the block, had breakfast in Feast, the strangely named main dining room and spent some time with a delightful girl on Reception trying to work out how I could watch the cricket tonight (First Test  at Trent Bridge) on television.Conclusion-impossible from the Hotel. Caught the MTR from Taikoo Shing to Central and after getting hopelessly bushed, found my way to the wharves and did the tourist thing and caught the Star ferry across to Kowloon. Wandered around and took some photos of the ever more impressive Hong Kong Island skyline. Since Gail and I were here in 2009 the two tallest buildings (one on Kowloon) have been completed. Much building going on around the ferry wharves.

My drinks appointment with Swire Taipan and former Swire (Australia) Board colleague, Chris Pratt, was moved to the Hong Kong Club. I regard it as a real privilege that I can come to Hong Kong and receive a briefing, as it were, from one of the leading Hong Kong businessmen. 

I queried with Chris the dominance of the Swire (Taikoo) name around the East Hotel and he exlained that this was the site of the Swire Sugar Mill (hence the Sugar Bar) running down to the (Swire) Dockyard. All the land was used by Swire Property to do a huge residential (high rise) and commercial development.

As we were about to leave we decided to have a look at the cricket score in a downstairs bar at the Club. This led to us enjoying a Club dinner with some convivial cricket knowledgeable members. Chris took his leave and I stayed on to Tea time at 11:00PM before deciding I'd better get some sleep before tomorrow's long flight.

Thursday 11th July

Took a taxi to the Airport as I wanted to see (again) the spectacular expressways and bridges that the new airport required. Flight bookings were high and prospects of another upgrade to Business Class were not good. But at the Gate, joy of joys, there was a Business Class Boarding Pass waiting for me.

From my allocated seat there was literally not a window in sight, but there is always the Google Earth map with our route superimposed and then I discovered something new, a camera fitted under the aircrafts nose with pictures available on the screen. Mostly pretty murky at altitude, but great on landing at Heathrow. Top speed with a tailwind was 595 mph. Total flight time was 12.5 hours, but I managed a deep three hour sleep after lunch-served early in HK time terms. The Business Class seats/cubicles can be laid back to a bed like horizontal position, which I find makes sleep so much more conducive. We seemed to fly further north than the last time we did this trip-well north of Omsk over the Western Siberian Plain and I made a note to look up the ravine like (from 34,000 feet) Ob River.

At Heathrow I decided to brave the Tube (mostly underground rail) notwithstanding my three pieces of luggage. This was fine with few passengers until we got closer to central London when we coincided with peak hour crowds boarding at day end. Alighting at Green Park I managed to put my carry-on case on top of my big case and carry my suit bag with the other hand. Thank God for bags with wheels. I proceeded thus across the Park amidst all these funny little Poms in their hired deck chairs enjoying a rare sunny day! I negotiated the tourist crowds outside Buckingham Palace and along Buckingham Gate (further than I remembered) to Swire House. Moved into Flat B, had a quick beer across the road at "The Albert", I watched a replay of Agar's extraordinary debut innings and went to bed.

Friday 12th July

Awoke feeling great, donned my new bright gold Wallaby jersey and track suit pants and strode out. The first person I passed looked at me and in a broad cockney accent said "ye must be a very proud man this morning". Clearly referring to Agar's innings. Everyone else, in typically English style overted their eyes and didn't speak. I avoided the temptation of heading for the Abbey, Houses of Parliament etc. and explored the area arong Victoria for supermarket, laundry, taxi stand and SIM card sales for my extra mobile-all of which I found.

I then spent the day watching the Trent Bridge Test on television. At about 4:30pm I received a very disappointing email from my friend Canon Ralph Godsall, who was to attend the Lord's dinner as my guest, saying he was stuck at Glasgow Airport with a broken down aircraft and there was no way he could make the dinner. When the British-Australia Society noticed that there was a clergyman on the Guest List they contacted me through the SACA and asked if it would be in order to ask him to say Grace. They clearly thought he was travelling from Australia. I directed them to Westminster Abbey and gave them Ralph's 'phone numbers with the comment that I felt sure he could draft and deliver a suitable Grace in cricketing parlance, which he apparently agreed to do. In his email Ralph asked to record his apologies and for me to read his Grace.

I responded to Ralph's email as follows:

"In the colloquial-what a bastard! I am very disappointed. I will be tempted to claim authorship of your wonderful grace, but will give reluctant attribution and apologies!"

The Grace read-

O Lord, you'd scarcely think it wicket (pronounced 'wicked')

to give you thanks for wondrous cricket,

to celebrate the ties that make Poms and Aussies such good mates.

Now shades of that great Grace attend to take guard at the Nursery End

and praise with us the life of Bradman whose runs the Aussies once relied on. 

Give thanks to God, you cricket lovers, for food and drink. 

Remove the covers!

Greta Bradman, John Bradman's daughter and "the Don's" granddaughter, has recently won the 2013 Australian International Opera Award and has a truly magnificent soprano voice. Unannounced she commenced singing in an ever so powerful voice with no amplification "Bess You is my Woman Now" from Porgy and Bess. One of my favourites-I was wrapped. She then invited me to say Grace. I was chatting to John Bradman before we entered the Long Room and he told me that Greta had tested the room for accoustics and was delighted with how good they were. Just as well for when she introduced me I was at my table (appropriately the "Benaud" table) which was up one end of the room, seemingly miles from the microphone. I jumped to my feet and addressing the other end of the room in a loud voice asked "Do I need a microphone"? I was relieved to be assured I did not. I then proceeded by way of explanation how I had met Canon Godsall at the 2009 Test. My first at Lord's and how from an Australian perspective not an auspicious occassion as it was the first time England had beaten us there for 75 years. I explained Ralph's absence, gave his apologies and read "Ralph's Grace".

The Long Room (it is a big rectangular room) has been described as the most evocative four walls in world crcket. It is somewhat like a European opera house replete with three chandeliers and the walls carrying some great works of art in what I would call "old masters" style depicting cricketing scenes and portraits.

It was a big occassion. This was brought home to me when I called to see Merlin Swire as I was leaving Swire House (in my dinner suit). He knew where I was going as I had, some months ago, invited him to join me at the dinner. When I told him in view of Ralph Godsall's transport problems I had to say grace, he exclaimed "you have to say grace in the Long Room-wow"! "Is it in Latin"?  It was a great night. I was sitting beside John Bannon's wife Angela and Sally Niehuus, a member of the SACA Board. The main speakers were Australian High Commissioner, former SA Premier, Mike Rann and John Bradman.

Saturday 13th July 

Awoke to a very upset stomach and severe cramps. Food poisoning? Or simply the body clock telling me is doesn't like all these time changes etc. I spent the day in the flat sleeping fitfully and watching the First Test. Not shaping well, but still some slight hope. Another  miracle from Agar would truly be a dream.

Sunday 14th July

Feeling stronger I did my favourite walk. Down Victoria Street to the Abbey, noting Service times as I passed, past Westminster Palace (Houses of Parliament) and Big Ben. Over Westminster Bridge and back, up Whitehall, crunched the stones crossing Horse Guards parade ground, down The Mall to the Palace across Birdcage Walk and back home. As always when doing this I reflect upon our anglophile Mother and how she just loved everything about England and how she would have loved it. And how sad it was that she never made it. I saw an old copy of an Illustrated London News in a shop window. That brought back memories of how prominent was that publication in our early lives. Mum's generation and her parents seemed to really see themselves as "out riders of Empire". I recall they and their friends often referred to England as "home" often in the sense "she had a trip home..." Look out I could get very nostalgic!

11:00 AM seemed to take forever to come around. Wickets fell too often until we got to the last one. Haddin and Pattinson, particularly the former were magnificent and they went to a delayed lunch needing only another 20 to win. After lunch Hadden "feathered" a ball from Anderson to the keeper. England made a half-hearted appeal and the umpire gave it not out. England with two reviews in hand called for a review. Hot spot showed an ever so small spot and there was an audible "click". The decision was reversed and England had won with Australia 14 runs short and in a real  anti-climax it was all over. "Snicko", not used by the umpires, showed a clear snick so there is little doubt Haddin was out. What rankles, even more now the margin was so close, is Broad's failure to walk, when he knocked the cover off the ball and was caught at slip. Whilst players can validly argue the rights and wrongs of walking in very close situations, when it is so obvious that the Umpire has made a huge error the players should help. It rather reminds me of business deals when clear agreements have been made, well understood by the parties, but somehow get missed in the drafting of legal agreement and the benefiting party refuses to stick with the verbal agreement. I have a particular transaction in mind!

I was attracted by a Letter in The Times which pointed out what a bad example Broad's action sets for more junior cricketers and how it makes the job of umpiring such matches so unpleasant and difficult if players are not prepared to work with the umpire. What's that thing called 'the spirit of cricket'.

With the Test finishing at 2:30PM  I realised I had time to get down to the Abbey for a 3:00PM Choral Evensong and a Valedictory to seven choristers. The focus was music in worship as was the Dean's uplifting sermon. The Anthem was based on words by John Milton with music by Charles Parry-truly magnificently sung. It featured heavily in the sermon, here is the link http://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship/sermons/2013/july/sermon-given-at-evensong-with-valediction-of-choristers-14th-july-2013

I thought it was great. Then to add to my pleasure the final hymn was one of my favourites-"The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended". Puts loosing Test matches into proper perspective!

Monday 15th July

Gradually adjusting to local time. Decided to walk the parks this morning-St. James and Green. Buckingham Palace was bathed in bright morning sunlight, so with SMS encouragement from Kate, I took some photos. After breakfast I again walked across Green Park to the Tube station, purchased an Oyster ticket-for use in all modes of transport, and caught the train to St John's Wood and walked to Lord's, to pick up my tickets. Then walked down to Maida Vale Road and got the Bus back to Victoria. Ralph Godsall returned my call of earlier this morning and we are to have lunch at the Oxford and Cambridge Club on Wednesday. After all the walking I was "buggered". Bought a sandwich for lunch and had a good sleep. Later did some shopping, had a roast beef early dinner a "The Albert" and have been typing ever since! Rang Angela Scott and hope to catch up with her next week.

Tuesday 16th July

Headed off around the Palace wall this morning. At Hyde Park Corner I paid my respects to the very evocative Australian War memorial Wall showing thousands of place names where Australian soldiers came from. Spent the morning reading and watching television before heading off to meet Martin Whitaker for lunch. Had difficulty getting across the roads around the Palace with the "Changing of the Guard" crowds barricaded in. Had to hurry to make the agreed time. We met at the Hilton on Park Lane and then had a very pleasant lunch in a small pub with excellent food. After lunch Martin suggested we should have a look at the Summer Exhibition of Art works put on by the Royal Academy of Arts in Piccadilly. A huge range of mostly modern works of painting, sculpture and photography.The hottest day London has had this summer peaking at 31C. Arrived home "pooped" after all the walking.

Wednesday 17th July

In my now usual early walk I checked out the location of the Oxford and Cambridge Club where Ralph Godsall had invited me to lunch. My first visit to the famous London "club land" on Pall Mall. With so much eating since leaving Sydney I felt like Bustopher Jones-the fattest of cats. It was great to see Ralph again. I commiserated with him on missing the Lord's Dinner and reported on the event and the spontaneous applause that his cleverly composed grace drew. A most enjoyable occassion. We walked in to a near empty very grand dining room and I was struck by the beauty of all the prepared tables amidst some great art (royalty). We had a most pleasant and ,at least from my perspective, most interesting lunch discussing a wide range of subjects including theology, cricket and world affairs, We walked back to the middle of St James Park where Ralph went left back to the Abbey and I went right to Buckingham Gate.

As I was returning to the flat I was delighted to run into Sir Adrian Swire on the Fifth Floor and hope to see him and Judy before leaving the UK.

I managed some "shut-eye" before getting a taxi to the Royal Garden Hotel for the Lord's Taverners Test Eve Dinner. Had a real fun night with some great company.Predominantly one family group on my table-the Poore's. The table was the highest number(41) at the very back of the room. Fortunately the acoustics were good and we had a lot of fun being well entertained. Main activity was picking our dream Ashes team from English and Australian players by consensus per table. Or team included-Hutton Cook Bradman Compton Botham Evans Warne Laker McGrath and Lillee. The winning team included Hutton Hobbs Bradman Harvey (he was there) Gilchrist Trueman Warne McGrath and Lillee. The guy who conducted the auction of cricket memorabilia was an outstanding auctioneer in this sort of social atmosphere and they raised a lot of money.

Thursday 18th July

Did my favourite walk-down Victoria Road to the Abbey, along Whitehall, Horsegards was closed so went on to Trafalgar Square, up The Mall then across St James Park and home. Based on previous experience I bought a couple of sandwiches for lunch at the cricket. Headed off about 8:00AM walking down to Westminster (again) and caught the Tube to St John's Wood then walked down to Lord's. Seats were very good, under cover, albeit largely square on to the wicket. Quite a few others around me who had also got their tickets through the SACA. Next to me was a medico (Dr John Russell), a St. Peter's Old Boy who had spent some time in the UK and a period with the Flying Doctor based in Broken Hill and a time at Mildura. He knew his cricket and was most companionable. England won the toss and batted. At 3 for 28 we Aussies were cock-a-hoop. At 4 for 250 and Bell and Bairstow in full command we were not so happy. Yours truly kept mumbling "bring on Smith". Eventually Clarke did just that and he promptly took three wickets! So at 7 for 289 on what seems a good batting track  is not a bad position.

Friday 19th July

Same old routine. Today I circumnavigated St James Park within the park. After breakfast walked across Green Park to the Green Park tube station. Took the Ipad. With the help of a cricket loving globe trotting Pom hooked up to the Lord's Wi-fi "on the cloud" and emailed photographs to Australia. Australia took the eighth wicket with the first ball. Then the English tail wagged and they finished up with 360 odd. Australia made a good start. Lost Watson before lunch to be around 1 for 50. After lunch, in a pathetic batting performance they were all out for 128. A huge disappointment. England then batted badly and at stumps were 3 for 30 after dropping Root, so could have been 4 for 30. Today (Saturday) we need a miracle to get England out for around 100 and then chase down 330 odd. Not likely, but you never give up hope. A bloke down the road who I put this scenario to said "your deamin".

Saturday 20th July

After my usual constitutional  My third day in the Mound Stand in almost exactly the same excellent seats if you don't mind watching cricket from square on. Given the hot weather we were lucky to be in the shade all day and high enough to pick up some breeze. My mate down the road on Buckingham Gate who said I was "dreamin" proved to be dead right. England batted all day and put us totally out of the game. About the only plus Australia could  take out of the day was that Pattinson bowled much better than in the first innings, but without luck.

John Russell suggested we have a light meal after play, being a liitle shocked that I admitted my evening meal the previous night was a Big Mac! Walked down to Maida Vale and did just that.

Sunday 21st July

Today was my first (and as it turned out only) day in the Members with my SACA reciprocal rights. Took the luxury of a taxi to the ground at 5:30AM and was abour 50 metres from the Grace Gate in the queue. Had very good company for the nearly three hour wait. When we were let in I made straight for the seats I had identified from the Mound Stand, which I thought looked the best on the ground. These were a single row in front of the TV cameras on the middle deck of the Pavillion. Claimed three directly behind the bowler's arm without difficulty and as arranged John Russell and Ralph Godsall soon joined me. We visited the Bowler's Bar and balcony where the bell is located. Had breakfast in a small dining area just down the stairs from the B B and hung around the Long Room. Ran into Rod Calvalier, but didn't see any other Australians that I knew. I believe John Howard and Ian McLachlan were there somewhere.

England batted on until Root was dismissed for 180 and England declared well over 500 runs ahead. After Watson played some great drives he was trapped for his usual LBW. Clarke and Khawaja batted well for 50's on a very difficult pitch with Swann and Root both turning balls out of the bowler's footmarks at right angles. However, the inevitable result was finalised on what was the third last ball of the day. So no second day in the Pavillion. Pattinson batted spiritedly at the end until dismissed LBW by Swann. In summary, I would not be too critical of the Australian batting in the second innings given the pitch and yet another dubious third umpire decision. It was the first innings batting on Day 2 that caused Australia's defeat. Swann tok the easiest "5 for..." of his career.

I have now been to two Australia/England Ashes Tests at Lord's and have seen Australia beaten at Lord's for the only two times in the last 79 years!

Monday 22nd July

Today was to be "Lord's recovery" day. The usual route for my mornng walk somewhat self consciously wearing my Australian Wallaby jersey. Drew only one comment in a broad accent-"your a brave boy wearing that today"! I thought so too. The TV news was running only one story all day-that the Duchess of Cambridge had gone to hospital in labour in the early hours of the morning. I first heard this in a SMS from Kate Boyd!

In mid morning I walked down to the Palace to watch the Changing of the Guard and to see if there was any announcement whilst I was there.

Had a snooze after a sandwich lunch and as arranged met my former Swire (Australia) Board colleague and now Group Chairman, James Hughes-Hallett in the Board Room here. It was great to soon lapse into our Australian days very friendly relationship and we traversed a whole range of personal and business issues. I have always liked and admired JHH and he thoroughly deserves the honour of being the only Group Chairman of Swires who was not a member of the Swire or Scott families.

Subsequent events are best described in an email I sent to my family later in the evening under the heading "I was there!"

"At about 8:30PM this evening (still broad daylight) I wandered down to the Palace to see how many people were gathering in anticipation of the Royal birth. There was quite a crowd and  soon after I arrived people rushed to one of the gates and the cry went up-"it's a boy!" Apparently the news agencies had the word before the Buck Palace notice was posted at the Palace. People at the Palace were getting the word on their smart 'phone news apps.

Shortly after an official came to the fence with the easel and then a man and a woman came out with the bulletin. The crush to get to the fence to read and photograph the Bulletin was unreal with no Police controlling things and people pushing from every direction with no exit path. It was actually quite dangerous and I was concerned for younger or frailer people. However, I persevered and made it to the fence. The notice was small and low down. Why the police didn't anticipate what would happen, put some barriers up and organise an orderly file past I don't know. Similarly, why they didn't make a bigger notice and place it higher is a mystery. Thought I might write a letter to The Times and suggest that whilst they might be able to play cricket (at the moment), this was a real stuff-up. 

I was interviewed twice by the press (video) one lot from Japan and the other local (UK). My line was that I was there for the cricket and felt by also being there for the birth announcement I was salvaging something from the wreckage and thought it was wonderful news to be there for the birth of a future monarch. 

So, take note, that when the announcement that the future King had been born, I was amongst the crowd in front of Buckingham Palace.Lots of love. Dad/David"

I was planning on giving dinner a miss - I haven't lost any weight since I've been here - to the contrary. However, the loss of body fluid in the "close and personal' crush at the Palace called for a drink and I was hungry. So, a final beer and roast beef at The Albert was called for.

Tuesday 23rd.July
Stormy morning. Got a cab around to the Victoria Bus Station and caught the Gloucester 10:00am bus to Cirencester via Heathrow. Angela met me a Cirencester and we drove out to the magnificent Ampney Park. The garden and house were even more beautiful than I recalled from our visit nearly exactly four years ago.

Angela showed me her more recent property acquisitions and we walked around the truly scrumptious garden. A lot of work and more sculptures since our last visit. I was struck by the lovely, typically Cotswold mellow stone. Met her new husband Simon, a New Zealand architect come property developer, for the first time. We found common ground and got on well. Went to dinner in a typical local pub in the nearby village of Barnsely.

Wednesday 24th July
Angela took me to the markets (no sale on) and a nearby "everything for farmers" retail outlet. Also toured some lake (old quarry) developments and a new property development on the edge of Cirencester being tastefully built in that lovely mellow Cotswold stone; all in her very sporty Merc.

In the afternoon I had another walk around this magnificent 12 acre garden and took a lot of photos.

In the evening Angela and Simon thoughtfully invited some friends/neighbours for a BBQ. A scrumptious meal and a very jolly time. I immediately warmed to Allison a recently widowed lady with great spirit and a keen sense of humour. The other couple were also great fun. The male partner, Brian Richardson was a very keen cricket follower and ex player (Worcester) whose two brothers had both played for England. One of his brothers was Peter Richardson whose name was very well known to me as an opener who played under Peter May in the late 50's/early 60's. Both Brian and I had Keith Miller as our boyhood hero and even had clear memories of Richie Benaud's great 97 at Lord's in the 1956 Test and the spectacular catch he took one handed above his head fielding in the gully to dismiss Colin Cowdery.

Thursday 25th July
I have been so blessed on this trip with the people I have met and the old friends I have seemingly run in to by chance. It has also been just great to have been so warmly greeted.

One of Angela's garden hands drove me to Heathrow. We ran into a nasty very slow traffic snarl before we got onto the M4. Fortunately, we had plenty of time on our side. The Economy Class queue was long so I presumptuously took the Business Class queue. The check-in very pleasant girl didn't seem to have the upgrade request on her screen and asked me if I would be paying for it! I explained that I was a former Swire Director and didn't usually pay extra. She obligingly immediately upgraded me to Premium Economy with a wait listing for Business Class. I think she must have found some reference on the booking. I was very keen for an upgrade on this 11 hour flight to Hong Kong with horrible time changes. She also gave me a pass to the Business Class lounge which had not been offered elsewhere. As I was preparing to leave the lounge I walked past a man in conversation with one of the Cathay senior ground staff. I thought he looked like an older, finer faced Angus Barclay who worked with us in Sydney and is now General Manager - Europe for Cathay. Bearing in mind Gail's consistent encouragement in such circumstances, I retraced my steps so as to come face to face with this man who immediately recognised me, it being Angus. We had a very pleasant conversation, swapped family news and his companion presented me with my Business Class Boarding Pass! In fairness, I think It was coming thru' anyway, but it was great to have the personal touch and I was delighted to catch up with Angus. I had him on my list to contact in Hong Kong on the way over when I discovered he was now in London. I had also looked for him at Buckingham Gate only to be told his office was at Hammersmith.

CX252 to HK was an old 747 with Business Class on the short top deck with the herring bone seat configuration. Not much good for "navigation", but great when stretched out bed like for sleeping. We have been cruising between 31 and 37,000 feet and in the early part of the trip had 70 MPH tailwinds with a cruising speed in excess of 600 mph (over 1,000 km PH). Now over far western China and due in HK in 3.5 hours. Should be asleep as its 3.00AM HK time.

Friday 26th July
Arrived around 7:00AM to a very wet H.K.-cleared later. Initially wished I had booked straight on with a flight leaving in two hours. However, too late with luggage and hotel (East again) bookings. Got a taxi to the hotel with a driver who drove like a maniac in such bad conditions-it was teeming rain. Was pleased to get immediate access to a fabulous corner room. Twenty-eighth floor (16th on the way over) with the most spectacular 90 degree views. Felt really grotty after the long flight and had a lovely long shower and change of clothes.

Went next door to the very smart City Plaza shopping precinct in an unsuccessful search for adult, small presents - needed Barry Dugan! Presents for grandchildren bought in London will have to suffice. Had a sleep, a McDonald's Quarter Pounder mid afternoon and enjoyed the room view.

Saturday 27th JulyAwoke early and headed by taxi to the Airport. Weather showery and driver nearly as fast as yesterday. Was too early for the Check in counter, but approached the separate Cathay First Class section for advice. They promptly checked me in, acknowledged the upgrade request and directed me to the Flight Deck lounge. On arrival at the lounge I was greeted by name and assured of my upgrade if seat was available-which duly transpired.

A sprightly elderly lady (she admitted to 82 years) was sitting in the other middle seat (more like cubicle). She struck up a conversation by asking about my Ipad. It turned out that her late husband had been a very early pilot with Cathay, knew deKantzow, one of the two founders and I think she said he had flown Betsy, one of the original two DC3's. She had been a very early Cathay air hostess. She rather reminded me of Unity Pheils (nee McCaughey). More Swire tentacles!We entered Australian airspace over the corner of Arneham Land, flew over Groote Eyland (hi Amber) in the western Gulf and east of Mt.Isa. No window, but dark anyway. According to the Google Map we always fly over a very prominent looking place-Connemara-I think it must be a Station! I am often unimpressed by the tendency of Google to name obscure places and omit more prominent ones. Flew over Bourke, Dubbo and finally in to Sydney.

SummaryThis has been a really great trip. I think it is the first time I have traveled overseas alone. I know my 'Thursday Group' at the Australian Club will be seeking a brief report on the highlights. What will I tell them?


In chronological order-

• Drinks and dinner at the Hong Kong Club with the Swire Taipan-Chris Pratt 
• Staying at Buckingham Gate and seeing Merlin, Sir Adrian and Chairman James Hughes-Hallett 
• Saying a very cleverly written cricketer's Grace in the Long Room at Lord's at a black tie dinner with Greta Bradman as the guest soprano 
• Attending a fabulous Choral Evensong at Westminster Abbey 
• Meeting and having lunch with Martin Whitaker in London and attending the Summer Exhibition of Artworks with him 
• Having lunch at the Oxford and Cambridge Club with Canon Ralph Godsall 
• Attending the Lord's Taverners Test Eve Dinner 
• Getting the best seats in the Pavillion for the last day of the Lord's Test with friends Ralph Godsall and John Russell 
• Being present at Buckingham Palace (out the front), when the birth of the future monarch was announced 
• Staying at the fabulous Ampney Park in the Cotswolds with Angela and Simon 
• Meeting Angus Barclay at Heathrow 
• Having the most spectacular panoramic room on the 28th Floor of the East Hotel in H.K. 
• Being given upgrades to Business Class on every leg of the trip. 
• Finally, beautiful weather not a single wet day and the one pullover I took was never worn.

Epilogue
Checking through the build up of The Australian newspapers while I have been away revealed a photograph on page one of the Second Edition of the 24th July. It was taken of the crowd pressing in to see the Bulletin announcing the Royal birth. On the far left, as clears as a bell, is none other than yours truly!

Link to photos

Lower Lakes and Up-river Storages-Letter to The Land

I addressed a further letter to The Land in response to one which suggested an inconsistency between calling for better management of "The Barrages" and maintaining upstream dams.

"Andrew Brown’s (One dam question-Letters,June 13^th) provides an ideal opening to explain precisely the difference between upstream water storages in the Murray Darling Basin and the damming of the estuary of the Murray River by way of The Barrages.

·  Upstream storages are to meet human, animal and irrigation productive requirements. Whereas the Lower Lakes are not. These needs are met from the main stem of the Murray and in this sense there is no reason to attempt to keep the Lower Lakes unnaturally supplied with fresh water at all times.

·  The SA Government obsession with using fresh water at all times means that the Lakes are deprived of their natural marine ecological nature; in droughts have the problem of acid sulphate soils when they dry out; evaporate massive volumes of fresh water from their huge shallow surface area and cause ever greater demands for precious fresh water from upstream. It was estimated that 740 to 1,100Gls of fresh water was lost to evaporation each year during the Millennium Drought in a failed attempt to keep the Lakes covered.

·  A "barrage management/marine return solution" with the judicial use of oxygenated salt water, would allow the Lakes to be maintained at the artificial .75 metres above sea level (mainly for lifestyle boating purposes) and greatly reduce the demand for fresh water.

Anyone wanting to know more of the facts on this matter should visit www.muddiedwaters.com  and  www.mythandthemurray.org"

Unnatural Nonsense

When I read the recent Murray Darling Basin Authorities' "Environmental Watering Priorities" paper and the South Australian Government's celebratory "Implementing the MDB Plan" release, my grey hair stands on end. I have never read such artificial, misleading nonsense.

Who do these water bureaucrats think they are? God? Do they not understand that following the ravages of the Millennium Drought, in the time honoured way Nature has in recent years caused some wonderful big flow events which have seen our rivers, floodplains and wetlands burst back into robust abundance. This "drought and flooding rains" regime is perfectly natural. But to admit this just doesn't fit the guilt riddled dark green ruling philosophy. We just have to blame man for droughts and now assume man can create the floods.

I have long contended that the biggest mistake we make in managing our water storages is that we grossly over state our level of control and grossly under estimate the variability of our river flows and the sheer magnitude of the big flow events. Whilst we have very constructively smoothed out the major rivers available water by building dams and evening out the flow, we need to recognise that man really just "fiddles at the edges" of this massive variability.

A significant man made impact on the MDB is,of course, the Snowy Mountains Scheme. It is interesting to contrast the enthusiastic pro-development philosophy which drove the building of the post world war 2 Snowy Scheme compared with today's anti-development dark green ideology. A reading of the literature of the time reveals how the diversion of water to the sunshine laden, dry western plains was the main purpose of the scheme with hydro electricity generation seen as an important by-product. Since the corporatisation of the Snowy this has been reversed with water storage and diversion for irrigation playing second fiddle to electricity generation. A proper review of the MDB should include a review of this and the Snowy Hydro agreement. It seems that more could be achieved on the water storage and diversion front without negatively impacting electricity generation. It should be noted that Eucumbene Dam is the largest single storage in the MDB. It should also be noted that consideration of the Snowy scheme was expressly excluded from the MDB Plan study and the Lower lakes were only given passing consideration.

The "greenies" and others blamed the natural effects of drought on water extractions and called these impacts "degradation" when in reality they were perfectly natural. The official statistics clearly show that water extractions during the drought were greatly reduced and our system of entitlements governed by water sharing plans and seasonal allocations, were highly effective. There simply was not enough water for anyone.

The most serious negative environental impact of man's actions on the MDB is the disgraceful act of degrading the Lower Lakes by building The Barrages and killing the Lakes marine estuary nature. In particular, the refusal to allow salt water to flood the Lakes during the drought when there was no fresh water available from upstream. This allowed the emergence of acid sulfate soils from a drying surface. 

There is now a plan emanating from knowledgeable residents who live on the Lakes, to return the Lakes back towards their marine nature by dynamically managing The Barrages and allowing the entry of healthy oxygenated salt water when tides and south-westerly winds create the right conditions. But, with the South Australian Government fixated on what they term a "fresh water solution" and Mark Butler, yet another South Australian politician, becoming the new Federal Water Minister, I wont be holding my breath. 

For more information on the ecology and history of the Lower Lakes visit  www.mythandthemurray.org and www.muddiedwaters.com

The Barrages

The issue of The Barrages, assiduously avoided in the preparation of the Murray Darling Basin Plan has again arisen with a well researched column by Jennifer Marohasy in the May 30th edition of The Land newspaper-

I wrote a Letter to the Editor-

"Once again Jennifer Marohasy (Barrage truths kept from leaking out-The Land-30th May, 2013) has hit the nail firmly on its proverbial head. It is about time that the twin myths that 1.The Barrages were built because of flow depletion caused by upstream extractions, and 2. the Lower Lakes were not estuarine but predominantly fresh water, were both cast to the dustbin of fabricated history.

Those genuinely interested in 'a better way' of managing The Barrages and reducing the appalling waste of fresh water from our highly variable flows, and returning the Lower Lakes  to more like their natural marine environment, should view the documentary "Muddied Waters" that can be found on www.muddiedwaters.com"

David Boyd

I regret that I didn't also mention all of the good material that can be found on mythandthemurray.org