• Flu vaccination — The flu vaccine was administered at the Harbour Trust on Wednesday to 56 people including Staff and Volunteers, me amongst them. I hope we all stay healthy

• CI camping — While there are no campers at Cockatoo Island, Accommodation Manager David Johnson is taking the opportunity to upgrade the campground shower and toilet facilities and is taking receipt of new tents next week, ready for happy campers when the time is right.

• Visitor Numbers — All HT sites are still currently open to the public. In fact many people are taking advantage of our beautiful sites to do some social distance walking! Visit numbers (number of times people & vehicles go past an automatic counter) for Mon 13 – Sun 19 April

Edition 5; 24th April 2020

The Trust Tribune

In this issue • Harbour Trust update • Volunteer profiles — in recognition

of ANZAC Day • Memory Lane • Did You Know? • Expanding Online — More options

to learn & experience the world from our lounge rooms

• Final word — ANZAC Day

Headland Park.

North Head Sanctuary 9 451

Headland Park 19 525

Sub Base Platypus 12 095

Cockatoo Island 252

Harbour Trust update• Digi-talks — The Harbour Trust has migrated our established Trust Talks program as well as a new series of education and tour

programs online so we don’t miss out during this time. This great initiative is called Digi-Talks. We are kicking off the program with our scheduled Trust Talk on Captain Cook next Wednesday 29th April, then a virtual tour of the CI solitary confinement cells on Wednesday 6th May. Just go to www.harbourtrust.gov.au/en/learn/free-talks/digi-talks/ and fill in the form so the Zoom details can be emailed to you. If you have trouble registering please let me know.

• COVID-19 funding announcement — Please see below a letter to Volunteers from Mary Darwell, HT Executive Director.

Dear Harbour Trust Volunteers

The Harbour Trust has been working closely over recent weeks with the Australian Government on the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on our operations and our tenants.

Yesterday, 23 April, the Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Sussan Ley MP, unlocked $14 million in funding to assist the Harbour Trust in the face of COVID-19 business impacts.

These funds will support the Harbour Trust as we deal with revenue shortfalls created by COVID-19, and allow us to offer rental relief to small and medium enterprises and not-for-profit tenants across our sites during restrictions, consistent with Government policy.

This release of funds demonstrates the continued support for the Harbour Trust and the work we do. The businesses at our sites are an important part of our community and make our sites wonderful places to visit. By providing relief during this difficult period we can help our tenants thrive once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Throughout this time, we will continue to share information on our evolving response to COVID-19 and we will continue to update you on measures the Harbour Trust is taking during the current restrictions, and in time, our plans for recommencing our programs. I appreciate your support for the Harbour Trust during this difficult time.

Yours sincerely

Mary Darwell Executive Director

Gunner Talberg next to the Parade Ground bell at North Head, 1943.

Volunteer profile This week is a little different. To recognise ANZAC Day tomorrow, 25th April, we are highlighting some of the Harbour Trust Volunteers who have served in the military, or Volunteers with a family connection. Harbour Trust Volunteers have a wealth of military experience and knowledge and we’re happy to be able to recognise their amazing contribution to our country in this small way.

Name: Patricia Evans née Talberg (Mother of Volunteer Glyn Evans)

Military rank: Gunner (instrument operator specialist); later Lance Bombardier

Area of service: Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS)

Served when: 1942 - 1945

Served where: Royal Australian Artillery battery at North Head; later posted to smaller batteries at Casemate and Middle Head; also briefly at South Head at end of World War II.

Role: Member of a small contingent of AWAS serving in the observation posts and plotting room at North Head, as they observed and tracked all offshore shipping movements, both enemy and friendly.

Some memories, in her own words (1989): We had never fired a shot in anger but daily had to be prepared for it with continual broken shifts. There were warnings and alerts — with hindsight it would have been when shipping was being sunk off the coast. Japanese reconnaissance planes, flying high and out of reach, also caused alerts they could be seen and heard.

We had 24 hours leave every 6 days, noon till noon, but otherwise did not leave the fort, except for sometimes taking part in practice shoots at other batteries, such as Cape Banks.

We frequently organised our own battery dances in the Recreation hut, with a live band, Glen Miller being at the height of his popularity, also Louis Armstrong. As well, when not on duty, we had access to the squash courts and indoor basketball court, also concerts and dances at the School of Artillery. On days of stand down we were able to use Quarantine and Store beaches for swimming, or quietly roam through the bush on the headland. Those few years in the army were richly rewarding — it was a purposeful life, and we made friendships for life.

Volunteer: Ian Taylor

Role: Joined the Army at 17 straight from school, as a cadet at the Royal Military College Duntroon on 26th January 1962 (Australia Day). Graduated into Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RAA) in Dec 1965 as a Lieutenant. Married in Dec 1967 to Carolyn. Spent first months of marriage on exercises preparing for Vietnam.

Served where: War service in South Vietnam May 1968-May 1969 as Forward Observer (FO) and Gun Position Officer (GPO) with 104th Field Battery, 12th Field Regiment RAA. Served in Regimental Postings in Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne.

Staff postings in Canberra (Service Laboratories and Trials Division), Sydney (Staff Officer EDP, HQ Field Force Command), Canungra Qld (Instructor Jungle Training Centre and sometimes student).

Adjutant of 2nd Field Regiment RAA, Dandenong Vic (1970), an Army Reserve Regiment, including a short stint as Army Careers Lecturer during the height of the Vietnam Moratorium Days. Some “exciting” days in Melbourne High Schools.

Battery Commander 101st Field Battery RAA, Wacol QLD in 1973. We saw the end of conscription when a lot of our gunners simply walked out the gate. The beginning of a new era.

Attended Royal Military College of Science (RMCS) Shrivenham UK 1973-74.

Posted as Senior Instructor WRAAC Officer Cadet School at Georges Heights (1971) and later as Staff Officer on HQ Training Command at Georges Heights (1987).

My involvement with North Head was as a student at the School of Artillery on my Officer’s Basic Course after Grad (1966) and other career development courses.

I resigned as a Major from the Regular Army (HQ Training Command – Georges Hts) in Feb 1989 to pursue a dream career as a training manager. As dreams don’t always come true, I returned to the Army in my old job as a full time Reservist for a few months. My civilian life started in earnest when I joined QANTAS in 1989. I remained on the inactive Reserve until I was permanently retired.

Greatest achievement: As SO2 EDP, managing the installation of the first computer system in HQ Field Force Command in 1982. This was when I became a computing “expert” because I had to do every course from systems analysis and management to word processing.

I would like to acknowledge the parallel service of Army Wives and Children. They must live with the ups and downs, the separation and moving around. My Carolyn has stuck by me for over 52 years and I try not to think what life would have been without her by my side.

Gun Position Officer, Ian Taylor, plotting a target.

Volunteer: John Balfour, OAM — Warrant Officer Class One (WO1)

Role: Corps of Artillery but specialised in Recruiting for more than half my career

Area of service: ARMY RESERVE mainly part time but some full time

Served from: 1965 to 2012 – 48 years

Served where: 7 Field Regiment, Willoughby; HQ 8 BDE, Dundas; Army Reserve Recruiting, Randwick, HQ 2nd Division, Randwick

Greatest memory or achievement: Receiving my second Commendation from the Land Commander Australia, for dedication and achievements within Recruiting.

Volunteer: Ron Ray

Role: Sergeant. Initially served in Signals and later in Sound Locating, Target Acquisition and Radar Units

Area of Service: Army (Artillery)

Served When: 1965 - 1980

Based At: Holsworthy; North Head School of Artillery; Middle Head

OAM.

Memory LaneGeorges Heights during WWI, now repurposed as the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust head office.

Did you know? Between 1916 and 1921, a large military hospital operated at Georges Heights, providing care to soldiers injured on the Western Front during the Great War. Known as the Hospital on the Hill, it was staffed by dedicated doctors and nurses who pioneered an early form of physiotherapy. This heritage building today serves as the headquarters of the Harbour Trust.

Georges Heights hospital ward WWI. Now Harbour Trust head office.

Georges Heights nurses.

Georges Heights First Aid.

Expanding online Check out the Harbour Trust’s new Digi-Talks program. Also links from my counterpart at NPWS for Citizen Science projects which you may be interested in getting involved in from your own backyard or on your local walk

• Harbour Trust Digi- talks as above www.harbourtrust.gov.au/en/learn/free-talks/digi-talks/

• Citizen Science: - Australian Flying Fox Quarterly Surveys - Do you have a flying-fox camp near you? If so, help to monitor threatened grey-headed

flying-foxes and their daytime roosts. www.environment.nsw.gov.au/research-and-publications/your-research/citizen-science/threatened-species-projects/count-flying-foxes

- Birdata by Bird life Australia: Observe and record your bird sightings in the portal, do bushfire habitat assessments, find information on bird species, maps - https://birdata.birdlife.org.au/

- FrogID app: A project that is helping us learn more about what is happening to Australia’s frogs. https://australianmuseum.net.au/get-involved/citizen-science/frogid

Final word Many Harbour Trust Volunteers have a direct or indirect connection with Australia’s military and on ANZAC Day we pause to remember all of those who have made sacrifices to keep us safe.

Click on the link at https://youtu.be/r9nHlZIU0w8 for a rendition of the Last Post by Robbie Adams, son of North Fort volunteer guide Sharon Adams.

Regards

Catherine and Alison

ANZAC Day dawn service, Georges Heights. Ian Evans.