In This Edition: Page Page Matthew Flinders 2 The Geelong Golf Club 13 Trams in Geelong 4 Scoliosis 14 World Zoonoses Day 5 Bells Beach Surfing 16 Geelong Goal 6 Love 18 The Geelong Hospital 8 Quotes to Ponder 19 National Diabetes Week 10 150 Years Ago 19 Know Your Nature Strip 12 Handy Tips 20 (1774-1814) Matthew Flinders was born on the 16th March 1774. He was raised in Lincolnshire, England. Coming from a family of doctors it was expected of him to take up the same profession, but reports of Captain Cook’s discoveries and the reading of Daniel Defoe’s book “Robinson Crusoe”, moved him to go to sea. Matthew began his naval career in 1789 at the age of 15 when he joined the Royal Navy. Flinders served on three different ships before sailing with Captain Bligh on the Providence to Tahiti to hone his navigation skills. On this voyage he estab- lished himself as a first class navigator and an excellent cartographer. This was also Flinders first look at Australian waters landing at Adventure Bay, Tasmania in 1792 before returning to England. In 1795 he sailed aboard the HMS Reliance carrying newly appointed Governor of New South Wales, Captain John Hunter, to the convict settle- ment at Botany Bay. Onboard during the voyage Flinders befriended George Bass. With Bass, Flinders made a number of small boat journeys and refined the charts of the New South Wales coast. In 1798 Flinders and Bass set out in the Norfolk to explore the extent of the strait between the mainland and Tasmania. By doing this Flinders proved that it was a separate island. The passage was later named Bass Strait and the largest island, Flinders Island. In March 1800, Flinders set sail for England to put forward his proposal to explore the entire coast of Terra Australis to Sir Joseph Banks. In April 1801 while still in England, Flinders married Ann Chapelle. However, he had already been given command of the ship Investigator with orders from the British Government to make a thorough survey of the Australian Coastline, which was scheduled to take four years. In fact, it would be 9 years before Flinders would see his wife again. Investigator left England on the 18 July, 1801. 2 Sighting the Australian coast on 7 December 1801, Flinders charted the entire south coast from Cape Leeuwin (WA) around to Victoria. Matthew Flinders entered Port Phillip Bay on 27 April 1802. He chartered the entire bay, including the Geelong area. Landing at Limeburners Lagoon (near Geelong Grammar School in Corio), he scaled the tallest granite hill nearby to get a clear view of the surrounding landscape. He named it Station Peak. Later, the name of this 352m high hill was changed to Flinders Peak in his honour. Flinders Peak still stands out prominently for all travellers between Melbourne and Geelong as it is the highest peak in what is now known as the You Yangs today. Making a rush to reach Sydney before the winter set in he left Port Phillip Bay and arrived in Sydney on 9 May. After a 2 month layoff he left Sydney in July and charted the east and northern coastline of Australia, eventually returning to Sydney on 9 June, 1803, having circumnavigated the continent. In Sydney he learned of his Fathers death and his wife’s serious illness. After 2 months he finally set sail for England but was shipwrecked on the Great Barrier Reef. After rowing back to Sydney he once more sailed for England in October 1803. On being forced to stop in Mauritius for repairs Flinders was kept prisoner for 6 ½ years accused of being a British spy. After his release he ar- rived back in England in October 1810. In poor health Matthew started to write his narrative, “A Voyage to Terra Australis.” In April 1812 Matthew and Ann had a daughter, Anne. She would never remem- ber her father. Matthew died the day after the publication of his books and maps on July 19, 1814. He was buried at St James, Hampstead, Eng- land. 3 In 1912, electric trams began to take residents between the suburbs and city centre. Opening of the Geelong Tramway in 1912 The tramway system was established by the Melbourne Electric Supply Company, whose main interest was the supply of electricity to Geelong. The city’s electrical supply, along with it’s trams were even- tually taken over by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SEC). The tram network closed in March 25th 1956 as a result of cars becoming a more popular method of getting around. Now, with limited all-day parking around the city, wouldn’t it be nice to have our trams back? Between June 1942 and August 1946, the State Elec- tricity Commission of Victo- ria, operators of the tramway The large network included four main routes in Geelong, employed women for the first and only time as conductors. Their employment was brought about by the short- age of men away overseas serving in the military forces. Unusual for the times, these women were paid the same wage as men. Tramway in Moorabool St– c.1935 Conductor Bollard (Museum Victoria Australia) 4 What is zoonosis? Zoonosis is an ailment that is transmitted from animals to human beings. The term „zoonoses‟ refers to all such diseases. Approximately 150 zoonotic diseases are known to exist. The most widespread of such diseases these days are leptospirosis, and “mad cow disease”. Rabies is the deadliest of all. Zoonotic diseases can be Hendra Virus caused by all types of patho- The virus was isolated in 1994 during an gens, viruses, bacteria and outbreak of respiratory and nervous system parasites and can cause various disease in horses and humans in Hendra in symtoms such as diarrhea, Brisbane. The natural host for Hendra virus in Australia is the flying fox. muscle aches and fever. Some- There have been only seven confirmed hu- times, infected persons experi- man infections, all in Queensland, and four ence severe symtoms that can of these died. All seven cases had been in be life threatening. close contact with infected or dead horses. Symptoms Wildlife serves as a reservoir for An influenza-like illness, which can progress many diseases common to to pneumonia; or encephalitis (inflammation domestic animals and humans. of the brain) type symptoms i.e. headache, People working with wildlife high fever, and drowsiness, which can should be alert to the potential progress to convulsions or coma. Leptospirosis There is no known cure. A disease caused by Leptospira bacte- for disease transmission from ria. Also known as Weil‟s or Canecutter‟s disease, it is contracted when grazed or cut animals. skin (most commonly hands or feet) is in- World Zoonoses Day is fected by animal urine or other animal fluid, th or soil or water contaminated by urine or celebrated on July 6 every other animal fluid. year to create awareness of Symptoms the problem, and to remind Normally a sudden-onset illness, symptoms people who have pets to get include fever, headaches, severe muscle pain nausea, vomiting and bloodshot eyes. In themselves and their pets some instances, complications can cause vaccinated against such dis- death. eases. Sadly, most people Treatment show a very casual attitude A person with leptospirosis is usually admit- ted to hospital and treated with appropriate towards vaccination. antibiotics. 5 HM PRISON Geelong was a maximum security Australian prison located on the corner of Myers Street and Swanston Street in Geelong. The prison was built in stages from 1849 to 1864. Its design is based on Pentonville Prison in England. The Goal was built by prisoners who slept on high security barges on Corio Bay during construction. The three-storey central block is laid out in a shape of a cross with east and west wings serving as cells and the north wing as an administration block. The southern wing housed a kitchen, hos pital and a tailoring workshop. The Australian Army used the prison as a detention barracks during, and for a few years after World War II. The government closed the jail in 1991 because the facilities are nothing short of appalling. The prisoners were moved to the newly built HM Prison Barwon in Lara. The goal remains mostly unchanged since then. Tour groups are now run by the Rotary Club of Geelong. The Goal is open to the public on Satur- days, Sundays and daily during public and school holidays from 1pm to 4pm. Souvenirs are also available. A gallows exhibit recreates the 1863 hanging of James Murphy, who battered Constable Daniel O’Boyle to death with a hammer at the Warrnambool court house. Front entrance to the Geelong Goal 6 He was the first person hanged inside the Goal. Cell 47 is of special interest as it contains a mural painted on a wall by a prisoner, titled Window of Freedom. EARLY EXECUTIONS IN GEELONG NAME DATE OF COMMENTS EXECUTION George Roberts December 16, 1854 Attempted poisoning of George Kelly with arsenic. John Gunn December 16, 1854 Murder of Samuel Harris in Warrnambool with a sword. James Ross April 22, 1856 Shot dead, then stabbed Mrs. Eliza Sayer. Owen McQueeny October 20,1858 Shot dead Elizabeth Lowe James Murphy November 6,1863 Crushed skull of policeman with hammer at Warrnambool. Thomas Menard October 28,1865 Shot dead James Sweeny near Warrnambool. A prison– Not just for the lawless... “The accommodation existing at Geelong for the reception of lunatics remanded from the police court is now attracting considerable attention. A local paper states that "at the present time there are ten females on remand in the Geelong gaol on the charge of being dangerous lunatics.