I blame it all on Mr Mcdowell. He was our history teacher when I was just a 10 yr. old, in fourth class. The detail he went into about Australia, and it's many explorers fasinated me. John McDowell Stuart, Capt. James Cook, Blaxland Wentworth and Lawson, John Sturt, Burke and Wills, etc, etc, etc. Even as a little kid, I promised myself that when I grew up, I would go to as many places the teacher told us about, as possible. I started my "quest" in 1960. Since then I have managed to see many of the places that the explorers travelled to.
A couple of years ago I pulled up in Albany. I had been here many times, as for over twenty years I was a professional tour driver, and really loved the place. Then I got back in motorcycling around the south west. Loved it! But a recent 10,000 klm motorcycle trip across to the other side of the island, (SA, Vic. NSW) and the travel bug bit me, again. I recently "reinlisted" with the solo's group, serviced my small mobile home, and will be at Laidley by October.
Well pipes, I was the opposite to you. History wasn't my thing and it went in one ear and out the other.
It wasn't until we started our travels that something clicked. Standing at 'The Dig Tree' and looking at the countryside, I really started to understand what the explorers went through.
It was bad enough for us in our 4x4 with air conditioning on cleared tracks.
They must have been amazing people to endure what they did and still keep going.
Very good point, Pipes. I often wonder if kids today are taught about our explorers and their exploits. And do they learn about and study the works of Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, for example? Any teachers/ex-teachers out there care to comment? Cheers, Tony
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If you don't stand behind our troops, please feel free to stand in front of them.
I don't think they learn anything near like we did as kids. Even in NZ I could draw a map of Australia and mark all the relevant areas as needed. Could do NZ too of course. Geography and History were major subjects.
It seems like you had a very good history teacher. Would I be right in saying Mr. McDowell had the ability to turn historical facts and figures into an enthralling narrative?
To understand a nation (including our own) we have to understand its history. We cannot know where we are or who we are or where we're going if we don't know where we've been.
I don't think they learn anything near like we did as kids. Even in NZ I could draw a map of Australia and mark all the relevant areas as needed. Could do NZ too of course. Geography and History were major subjects.
My Kiwi mate mustn't have been listening in class then Marj. She's terrible at Australian Geography! She's getting better now though, between my travels, and her s-i-l truckie. Even her 3 year old grand-daughter shows her on the map, where Dad is!