Cabarita’s Barry Staunton ( far right) is part of a surf life savers guard of honour for Prince Charles on the Gold Coast in 1970
MONDAY, JANUARY 23
Noted journalist/author, Andrew Webster picks my brain in relation to my dealings with ‘Super coach’, Wayne Bennett, when I was a journalist with Queensland Newspapers in Brisbane, in particular the three year media ban imposed by Bennett from the start of 2002 to the end of the 2004 domestic season. Andrew has also spoken to Neil Breen and Barry Dick, who were sports editor and rugby league editor respectively at the time of the ban. (See ‘Ban Lifted for PR Reasons’ on this website, to see more about the ban). Webster is writing a book which he hopes will reveal ‘the real Wayne Bennett’.
Memories of my young days growing up in the Tweed Valley region of Northern New South Wales flood back as I enjoy morning tea with Mary Staunton (nee Mills) at her Camp Mountain residence in Samford Valley. Mary has been married twice, her first husband, Barry Staunton dying of a heart attack in his 40s. Barry and I played rugby league together at Murwillumbah Brothers, and were also members of Cabarita Surf Life Saving Club. Mary shows me a photograph of the funeral for former Murwillumbah Parish priest, Monsignor O’Rourke, who was so hard to understand because of his Irish (Tipperary) accent and the fact he had a cleft palate. I was altar boy to him a number of times. Please – no sick jokes. I went to Mt St Patrick’s Primary School in Murwillumbah, after starting my schooling at St Carthage’s in Lismore. Mary and a current neighbour of mine at Samford Grove, Carmel Selwood, would catch the train from their home village of Billinudgel to attend Catholic Primary in the nearby village of Burringbar.
Learn of the passing of former English Test referee, Fred Lindop. I covered Tests and tour games controlled by Fred (see Vale Fred Lindop/David Oxley this website). Another to pass away recently was Malcolm Lord, who worked for BBC Manchester, and was once secretary of the Rochdale Hornets Rugby League Club.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24
The ‘King’ of rugby league, Wally Lewis has stepped down from his role as sports presenter on the Channel 9 News, for health reasons. I wish him well, and he says he may still be involved with Nine during the State of Origin series and will do more for the Former Origin Greats and the QRL. Former Qld Residents’ five eighth, Brendon Lindsay is new CEO of Tweed Heads Seagulls, which fields teams in the Queensland Cup and the Northern Rivers’ Rugby League. Former Australian rules star, Joel Selwood is Leadership Coach at Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club.
A truck has to pull up quickly as I walk across one of the three pedestrian crossings in Samford’s busy Main Street. There is a woman with a dog walking just behind me. I cannot understand the mentality of drivers in this street, who are not prepared for pedestrians, and it is not as if I am one of those people who charges out from the footpath. I always have a look before walking.
Inflation hits its highest level since 1990. The 97-year-old Tyalgum pub in the shadow of Mount Warning has re-opened after being out of action because of floods. The first time I went there was when covering the Tyalgum Digger Sports for the Tweed Daily News back in the early 1970s.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25
Experienced News Ltd journalist, Andrew Dawson tells me that Melbourne Storm youngster, Jack Howarth is one to watch. ‘Dawso’ says dual rugby international, Lote Tuqiri has a little brother playing rugby league for Easts Tigers’ Cyril Connell Cup (under-17) side. South Sydney coach, Andrew Demetriou says he has never seen superstar back, Latrell Mitchell looking so good.
Can’t see any mention of Australia Day in beer ads. Now, that is un-Australian.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26
My wife’s Aunty, Nancy Landrigan (nee Donnelly) died overnight in her sleep, in her home at Casino, Northern New South Wales. “The last of the line,” Marie says. She is the last of the Donnelly siblings. Another brother, Kevin – known as Pat in Casino – was Marie’s father.
Samford Grove hosts a lovely Australia Day morning tea, with Fay Lergessner, a long time resident of Samford Valley, winning the best Aussie outfit prize. Marie makes damper, and our grandsons, Ethan and Connor enjoy Lamingtons and Golden Circle Juice after a swim at Enoggera Dam. Golden Circle was once an iconic Brisbane based Australian company, but is now overseas owned. There is not the usual traffic entering and leaving Samford on this Australia Day holiday, but there are lots of cyclists and motor bike riders. At the Samford Pub I enjoy an Australia Day beer with former Australian rugby league hooker, Greg ‘Turtle’ Conescu, who is still filthy at the fact the Broncos made him such a meagre offer to stay at the club in 1990. “It was less than when I signed with Redcliffe (in 1985),” he says.
In his ‘Courier-Mail’ column, political analyst, Paul Williams suggests May 8 should be Australia Day, to honor Governor Macquarie, who arrived in Sydney on that date in 1810. Don’t think so, Paul. That would mean having to honour someone from the UK. It will have to be something Indigenous. You can pick any date, because there is no written history covering the pre-Colonial days. Politician (I use that term loosely) Lidia Thorpe says Indigenous Australians are in a war – with the rest of us, I imagine. Wonder what they think about that in Sydney’s China Town, for instance? Indigenous activist, Sam Watson wants nothing less than sovereignty. All sounds so practical. Ch 7 begins its nightly news with a positive Australia Day story about a citizenship ceremony in Brisbane City Hall. Former Indigenous rugby league star, Preston Campbell and former Newcastle Knight, Clint Newton – head of the Rugby League Players’ Association – receive Order of Australia Medals. Also honoured is former tennis player, Kerry Reid (nee Melville), who I saw play at Milton in the late 1960s. There is a very small crowd in Hobart for the Pakistan v Australia T20 Cricket match. Why? Probably because the Pakistanis are boring, and also because people don’t want to be seen to ‘Pro-Invasion’. Hope the latter is not the case. There are Australia Day fireworks on the Gold Coast, but not in Brisbane. Obviously the West Enders got their way.
Protesters climb Mt Warning and I believe it is a cause worthy of protest. Mt Warning (or Wollumbin) belongs to us all. It was part of my childhood and it is obscene to deprive Tweed Valley residents of access to the area’s iconic landmark. An Indigenous chap plants their flag at Dover, on the Kent Coast of England, and good on him. I think that shows a sense of humor.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27
Brisbane Lions Aussie rules’ star, Zane Zorco says the cricket pitch in the middle of the Gabba is like tarmac. Not great news for the rugby league teams that will play there during the Women’s Soccer World Cup this year, with the round ball code taking over Suncorp Stadium. There is a report from England that tackling in ‘community’ rugby union must be no higher than the waist. Can’t see how one of those 6ft 7in line-out specialists is going to be able to achieve that goal.
Fellow Samford Grove resident, Keith Hall is ex-military, part of the Duntroon Class of ’58. He served in Vietnam in 1965 and 1971. Another neighbour, Barry McPhee, is the father of former Tasmanian cricket rep, Peter McPhee. Peter moved to the ‘Apple Isle’ from Queensland, seeking opportunity, after he heard on the grapevine he would not get a start in his home state. He was Tasmania’s Player of the Year in 1990-91 and represented the Prime Minister’s XI in 1992. He had played for ‘Young Australia’ against Pakistan’s Youth team in 1981-82.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28
Channel 7 air a fitting tribute to sports anchor, Pat Welsh who appears on the station for the last time. Golf legend, Greg Norman and motor racing’s Dick Johnson are part of it. The Bundaberg races are on today, which is appropriate, given Pat loves a punt and is from Bundaberg.
The British Lions Rugby League (Old Boys’) Association function in Bradford, Wests Yorkshire, is a sellout.
Judith Gray from Closeburn – not far from where I live at Samford – has a letter in the Courier-Mail critical of supermarkets for not selling Australia Day merchandise, while carrying Chinese Lunar New Year stuff. It seems we celebrate every culture except our own. What is our culture? It is the one envied by the rest of the world, that’s what it is.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29
Former Murwillumbah Souths’ winger, Robin Smith, has died, aged 71, apparently of a heart attack, while having a swim at Rainbow Bay on the southern end of the Gold Coast. I played a number of times against Robin and his brothers, Trevor, Keith and Neville. Keith and Trevor pre-deceased Robin. Also learn of the passing of Marion Devine, the mother of my former Murwillumbah Daily News’ journalistic colleague, Jim Devine.
Marie recalls playing squash at Samford, as we wait for our Thai takeaway in Main Street. The former Samford Squash Courts are next door, and operate as a gym.
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