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Newsletter #11 - August 29 to Septrmber 4, 1959 |
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Newsletter #11
Aug. 23 to Sept. 4, 1959 Mailed Sydney, Australia, 9/8 Received Philadelphia, Pa. 9/14/59 Hello everybody -- Still here in Melbourne [August 29] and had a very busy day. We had to do all cur errands in the morning because the stores close at noon on Saturday for the week-end. Meredith had his lens all checked by a very competent repairman and feels more confident that everything is O.K. again. Ike man who repaired his camera in Perth must have made a few mistakes. Bought a sports coat and a stuffed Koala bear and think that will finish our shopping in Australia as everything is much more expensive than at home and really not too tempting. We went to the Botanic Gardens, a beauty spot of the southeast section of Melbourne, featuring all the lovely trees and flowers for which Australia is famous. Saw Government House which is close by and really saw it well enough to snap a picture. Of course the State Governor lives here. On our walk on Saturday afternoon we saw many oarsmen rowing en the Yarra River and even saw a few racing. From the banks of this river you get a lovely view of Melbourne's skyline and you also see sightseeing boats operating from the Prince's Bridge. We really put in quite a few miles by shoe leather express today so I am looking forward to a quiet Sunday. [August 30] Got up rather early and after a long leisurely breakfast Meredith went to take some pictures of buildings which need the morning sun while I got caught up on some of my writing and accounts. Since there was very little to do in the way of sightseeing as we were not booked for a tour we went to the Town Ball to see what they called a "Mass Band Concert". Four bands from the State of Victoria put on this musical afternoon and it was very veil done with a lovely selection of numbers. As a special feature they had a wonderful baritone soloist who was really excellent. After our dinner we took a taxi to the nearest church which was called Wesley Lonsdale St. Methodist. The sermon was entitled "God's Will For The World" and vas given by Dr. C. Irving Benson. The church was crowded and we were there from 7-00 to 3:30 P.M. It was a beautiful old church which had an interior similar to New York City's Marble Collegiate Church. We went to church with three very conversational Australians we met while travelling. (2 ladies and 1 man) Monday [August 31] it decided to rain so we strolled into the heart of the city and looked at all the store windows until 2:15 when we decided to go to Cinerama Holiday. Since we missed this we thought it would be a fine opportunity for a wet day. We enjoyed it very much but it did tend to make me a little homesick with its lovely views of America. (Believe me it is the best place in this world.) At night we were invited to the home of a Sorority Sister of mine through Beta Sigma Phi and she had invited three other couples and we enjoyed a most delightful evening in conversation. The Melbourne Chapter of girls have planned a meeting at the Hotel Windsor in the lounge to welcome me on Wednesday [September 2] evening which I feel will prove to be nice as the Australian girls and their husbands we met last night were most friendly and informative. We had planned a trip to miles away to a Wild Life Sanctuary today but because of the rain we decided against it. We'll Just amble about the city to see more of their wide airy streets and their delightful gardens and parks. The center of the |
| city is extremely busy and crowded during the day but in the outlying sections you have a feeling of being the only person about. Today is really their first day of spring but I can tell you a heavy dress, sweater and winter coat feel mighty good to me. The big news today [September 1] is that Australia has won the Davis Cup and they certainly are quite happy. We are also here in Australia while the Princess Alexandra is here and they certainly have been giving her a gay whirl. According to the newspapers she is quite popular because of her friendliness and genial personality. Her tours have been centered about Hew South Wales and Queensland which are the states we begin to tour on Thursday by the Prince Highway or coastal road. Lately it rains in the morning but the sun comes out by 11:00 AM and the skies get a beautiful blue with cumulus clouds. That's the big point for Australia; it has had beautiful sky almost everyday these past two weeks. Last night we went to the movies again and saw the 3-1/2 hour "Ten Commandments" which we enjoyed immensely. We hated to miss it when it was shown at home. Now are caught up on several shows we missed in York. We have talked to many Australians who attended Billy Graham's meetings when he was way down under and everyone was very much impressed by him and they feel he did a great deal for the religious life of this country. Many are now regular bible readers, church at tenders and leading better lives. We understand the ministers here are giving follow up work to their members which is sent to them by Billy Graham. When I get home I can explain his great work here more fully but they claim no other parson has ever drawn such wonderful crowds and mode such an impression. Today [September 2] we went to Alberts Park for more picture taking and it is a large lake area with park all around. It is a great recreation center and you see many in canoes and sailboats. It is an exceptionally large and picturesque lake. We saw several Black Swans (which Australia is noted for) swimming in a leisurely and graceful manner. In Australia there are no white swans unless they are imported but black swans are plentiful as also are all types of cockatoo, parrots and almost any tropical bird I might name. The gorgeous white cockatoo with the lovely chartreuse crests are seen flying by the hundreds at times although all colors of cockatoos are native to Australia. The party given me at Hotel Windsor on our last evening in Melbourne was really very nice and I met many very nice Australian girls. We discussed the joys and problems of our respective Chapters and had the usual conversations women enjoy. Thursday [September 3] we were ready to start early on our four day bus tour to Sydney. We were quite pleased with our Bus Driver and the people in our group. Had a full tour of 29 persons and it was crisp and cold when we rolled out of Melbourne. Almost the entire day we drove through a very progressive farming area called Gippsland and it surely reminded us of the lovely York and Lancaster County areas. At night we stayed at Lakes Entrance, a very picturesque place where you see the Lake, River and Pacific Ocean in one panoramic sweep of the eyes. We enjoyed a lovely social evening at the Hotel with the other members of the tour. On Friday [September 4] morning we passed more rivers and lake areas and saw lovely green rolling hills with many large herd of dairy cattle. By afternoon we were in a very mountainous area and then an area where brown coal deposits are being exploited to help provide electricity, gas and solid fuel. We viewed at Yallourn, Victoria and immense brown coal open cut where brown coal is made into fuel briquettes and where almost one half of the State of Victoria's electric power is produced by the use of -2-
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| brown coal. The word for this place, Yallourn, is coined from two Australian aboriginal words meaning "brown fuel". The geologists classify this brown coal as lignite. I: is considered a low grade fuel because two-thirds of its bulk is water and the secret of making it burn with such great efficiency is in drying the coal before it is burned by using hot gases in special drying shafts as it passes from overhead bunkers to the furnaces. We had a very complete conducted tour of this plant and even were allowed to peep through a port hole in the side of one of the furnaces where there was a real biasing inferno before your own eyes. Our second night we stayed at Bega and for entertainment we took in a Double Feature Movie which we only half enjoyed. Since this is the end of another Newsletter week we will have to tell you about the last two days of our tour later. We are still having a very nice time, meeting grand people who are most friendly and enjoying all the places we see. We are still a little cold but in another two weeks we will be going over the equator again and it will be very hot once more. In fact when we get to Darwin and the northern Territories of Australia we are told it is quite hot. Forgot to tell you that in Melbourne we saw all the pomp and ceremony of the first day of Parliament, all by accident, which we watched for quite a long time. The escorts and guards were in position outside the Parliament Building so we asked some spectators the reason for the crowd and then joined it until all the dignitaries came from the building. It was most interesting. Until later we again send our special regards and best wishes to all of you. Love,
Charlotte and Meredith |