28th January, 1997.

One Sunday, a few years ago, I had just turned onto Radio National and a woman was speaking. I missed who she was, but this is what she said:- "Her daughter was at school and the girl told the teacher her mother had been in the Vietnam War. The teacher said don't tell lies little girl. The girl repeated that her mother was in the Vietnam War." From what I understood, there was a boy in the same class whose father was writing the official Australian history of the Vietnam War. The woman went to see him. She asked him if he knew that Australian women served in the Vietnam War. He said, "yes". She then asked him if he was going to include this in his book. His reply was "no". "Why not?", she asked. The answer was, "This is the Official history of Australia's involvement in Vietnam.

I have not read this book so I do not know if this is true. If anyone has any knowledge about this subject or any women involved in Vietnam, please contact me and I will include the information in this article.

Many things are left out of books because people do not like information that hurts others.

So, the motto is 'do not always believe what you read'.

(26th December, 1996.)

This a list of items that I intend to include over a period of time:

One of the surprising pieces of information I came across was that one of the early people in Australia were from Japan (Nippon). There are still some of these people living in Japan and being a minority, they are also having land rights problems.

Governors and Governors-Generals of Australia.

I have the names of Australian Prime Minsters and the Opposition Leaders. 

The First Fleet.

I have a copy of The First fleet Families Of Australia. Compiled by Dr C.J. Smee. It contains Genealogical Details of four hundred and fifty members of the 'First Fleet', their children and grandchildren.

The early Dutch ships.

Captain Cook.

There is a place in Queensland near Gladstone named 1770. It’s a pity that it does not have a Post Office as it might be the only place with a number as a address.

Sir Thomas Playford:

A former premier of South Australia.

Why? I have a feeling Australia needs people like him. I have yet to read about him so have much to learn.

The Australian Film Industry:

In the Alexander Library there is a film about Ned Kelly. It is the said to be the first feature film made. The film is in poor shape as it was rescued from a rubbish dump. One day I was talking to someone about it and this man told me that Australia had a very good film industry before Hollywood.

The A.B.C.:

Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The White Australia Policy:

I do not think many people had any idea that it existed. Do we worry about it or accept that it happened and is a part of our history and move on?

Sydney Habour Bridge -John Bradfield (born 26.12.1867 - died September 1943).

In October 1922, the Sydney Harbour Bridge Bill was passed. The minister for Public Works at the time, R.T.Ball, paid a special tribute to Bradfield when introducing the bill into parliament. 'Mr. Bradfield is looked upon not only in Australia, but in the engineering profession throughout the world, as one of the most competent men associated with bridge work, and I do not know of any man who could be better qualified to advise the government in regard to the design of the bridge.'

And my meeting with the Hon. Barry Jones [former Minister of Science.]

Australian Television and Radio:

Crawford Productions.

Blue Hills.

Explorers:

Just about missed some special people.

Science

Mathematics

Two important subjects very badly taught.

People to research:

Professor Andrew Prentice.

Pro. Paul Davies.

Sir Mark Oliphant.

Gould

In maths, Bill Newton a Victorian.

Australian Aviation

Four of Australian major mines - Broken Hill, Mt. Isa (Miles), Kalgoorlie (Mundaring Weir), Mt. Morgan.

As you can see this is my shopping list or in another way a memory list, that can be added to as I remember other things that need to be added.

Written by Graham Vowles.

Compiled and Edited by Sandra and Timothy Vowles.

|Phone (08) 9351 9470. Email hoe1234@hotmail.com