Sir Douglas Mawson & the Australasian Antarctic Expedition
Panorama #20: As Australia remembers 100 years of Australian
Antarctica Exploration, I am proud to contribute
in my own little way with the 20th panorama
dedicated to the memory of Sir Douglas Mawson
and his ill-fated exploration which cost the lives
of Lieutenant B.E.S.Ninnis and Xavier Mertz.
For the latest information on Australia's Antarctic Program, the above link will take you to the government website which caters to this area, providing news on current activities and goals.
Cyclone Tracy
Panorama #19: The Cyclone Tracy panorama is my 2011 Christmas piece which may be strange to some due to the damage this storm caused and the deaths associated with its passing, but the simple fact of the matter is that the cyclone struck Darwin Christmas Eve and continued its destructive path until Boxing Day. Not only did Cyclone Tracy leave many with tragic memories, it inspired a song ("The Year Santa didn't make it to Darwin") and has become a part of Australian history that everyone is familiar with in the country.
The Sinking of HMAS Kuttabul
Panorama #18: Many remember the Japanese invasion of Sydney Harbour in World War Two via the use of mini submarines, but that is typically as much as they recall. The primary target of the strike after the Japanese over flew the harbour using a float plane to identify targets was the American warship USS Chicago which had previously been stationed at Pearl Harbour (but was at sea at the time of the famous Japanese surprise attack that would drag the USA into WW2). While two of the three mini submarines were successful at evading the anti-submarine netting which was being put up, only one would manage to launch its torpedoes. Both missed the intended target with one running aground on Garden Island and the other striking the sea wall under HMAS Kuttabul (a ferry used by the Australian navy) killing 21 individuals who were asleep beneath decks at the time.
Ash Wednesday
Panorama #17: Up until the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, Ash Wednesday had been the most lethal bushfire with 75 fatalities which impacted on Australias population at the time as compared to Black Saturdays 173. However, while Black Saturday may have had almost 100 more deaths associated with it, the events of Ash Wednesday may well have contributed to avoiding an even greater disaster with lessons learned. Where as Black Saturday had 414 injuries, Ash Wednesday exceeded this toll quiet consderably with 2,676 injuries. In addition to this comparison, Ash Wednesday affected an area roughly half that of the Black Saturday bushfires.
So yes, while Black Saturday is more likely to be remembered due to it being more recent in memory and the death toll exceeded that of Ash Wednesday, in the end I still view the Ash Wednesday bushfires as the more sever of the two and believe that Black Saturday would have been far worse if not for Ash Wednesday.
The Rats of Tobruk
Panorama #16:
"Waltzing Matilda" by Banjo Paterson
Panorama #15:
Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club
Panorama #14:
Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith
Panorama #13:
"Said Hanrahan" by John o'Brien
Panorama #10:
The Histry of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Panorama #9:
ANZAC
Panorama #8:
A History of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras
Panorama #6:
Captain Cook: Sailing into Botany Bay
Panorama #5:
Australian Royal Flying Doctors
Panorama #4:
Eureka Stockade: Rise & Fall
Panorama #2:
Ned Kelly: Last Man Standing
Panorama #1:
