Sunday, March 23, 2014

BEECHMONT AND OTHER THOUGHTS


Remember Australia's own Germaine Greer?
Fearless feminist and academic, who challenged us all back in 1970 when she launched The Female Eunuch onto a startled world?

I have read many of her subsequent books, and had to have the latest, White Beech: The Rainforest Years.


One night back in 2000, my sister and I enjoyed a great night at a fund-raiser for a struggling women's health centre south of Brisbane, with Germaine as a fantastic guest speaker.  She charged nothing to come, donating her time generously.  

Germaine had been seeking to purchase land in Australia to regenerate for future generations, and had been looking for several years.
The day after the fund-raiser, local organisers took her to see an abandoned dairy farm, formerly rainforest, in the mountainous corner of south-east Queensland, specifically in The Numinbah Valley.


Germaine was smitten, and purchased the property, Cave Creek, using her life's savings.  White Beech tells the story of her project, turning her 60 hectares of scrubland back into the original Godwana rainforest.  

The title White Beech refers to a stupendous tree which can grow to 40 metres, mostly cut down and exported over the past 150 years, and local to this area.  The book tells of her attempts to propagate this and many other threatened local species.  She traces the history of her land, both by colonial settlers and the area's Aboriginal history.  



Germaine did a lot of the work herself, in between her commitments as Professor Emerita of English Literature and Comparative Studies at the University of Warwick, England.  The project is now a registered charity, and known as The Cave Creek Rainforest Rehabilitation Scheme.


I grew up in the same general area, and enjoyed reading familiar stories, names and places mentioned in the book.  Today we took my Dad (93, and getting frail now), on a drive to Beechmont, named for the white beech and on the next mountain ridge from Cave Creek.


It is very pretty farming country, but far removed from its original rainforest state.  Alas, we see no white beech trees these days.



Eventually we found a little cafe tucked away in a rustic but refreshing green garden.  Up here in the mountains it is cooler and they do get more rain than Brisbane.  Where our gardens are dead or dying from the hottest summer on record, they have camellias blossoming:


Oh, please let it rain soon!


This week I sent off the blog's giveaway parcel, to Kristie in Canada..
Here's a little preview, Kristie...



Australia's own Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, has been photographed in a pale pink gown by Australia's own Carla Zampatti...
Well done at every level, Mary.


Michelle Obama is visiting China with her mother and daughters.
Red seems the perfect colour choice, doesn't it?


I read that Michelle is personally writing a blog as she travels.
But I have not been successful in locating it.
Anyone found it?


My clever friend V pointed out that my white-bird-on-a-tree is actually a bud vase.
Sometimes my lack of comprehension really frightens me...


Wishing you all a delightful week, dear readers.

XXXX




29 comments:

  1. Dear Patricia - I think that you can find the blog here:- http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy/first-lady-china-trip

    However, although it is authored by her, it is not like the blogs that you and I write.
    Germaine Greer has certainly ruffled lots of feathers during her lifetime, but well done to her for now creating something that is extremely special and will be a lasting tribute to her.

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    1. Thank you Rosemary, I had a look and it is a very professional blog. She gets the fun of blogging and helpers to fix up the details! Germaine continues to ruffle feathers in Australia, appearing on various panel discussions. I suspect she does it because she can :) The rainforest thing surprised many, and it is very special and unique, as you say.

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  2. What an interesting story about Beechmont. I'm sure your dad enjoyed the trip out there very much. I'm so excited to get my parcel! I still can't believe I originally sent you the wrong address. It's good you realized it didn't look quite right!

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    1. Dad loved the drive, Kristie - he was very happy to get out into the mountains. I hope the parcel doesn't take too long - I find it takes 3 weeks at least for them to arrive in Ottawa. Enjoy it!

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  3. My, what an interesting post today. So much interesting in it. I´ll read it all over.
    Princess Mary, I have followed her life, even saw a document of her pictured in Australia.
    I do have a " crush " on the Danish Royal Family, perhaps it has to do with me liking Denmark as well.
    Once again - oh´s and ah´s looking at the scenery.
    Hoping dearly, that you get the rain needed!!!

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    1. Hello Mette, I wondered if Princess Mary gets as much press attention in Europe as she does in Australia. We love it that one of our young women charmed a Prince! Maybe today it will rain as I have washing outside, and there are a few clouds about. Fingers crossed.

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  4. I wonder if you could find Michelle Obama's travel blog at whitehouse.gov? That was a very interesting story about Beechmont. I don't know much about Germaine Greer but she must be a fascinating person.

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    1. Hi Jennifer, yes, thanks to Rosemary I have found the blog and can follow what happens in China. Germaine Greer had a high profile as a feminist back in the 1970s, but like all of us, she is now of senior years. It is great to see she has found something unique to leave as a legacy to her country of birth.

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    2. I had heard of this project, but had not seen any pictures, so it was interesting to see yours and to read more about it from someone else's perspective. I hope that it turns out to be a very successful project - and that you get some rain and cooler temperatures soon! xx

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    3. Interesting that you have heard of the Cave Creek project. I have enjoyed reading about it in the book. Her descriptions of the plants and animals are quite lyrical. It's raining today!! Yay!!!

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  5. Lovely photos of the Beechmont area, Patricia. I never imagine Australia being green and lush, but this looks gorgeous. My kind of place! As always, you delight us with the variety of your posts and the lovely images.

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    1. Thank you Val, we do have green and lush areas here, thankfully. We need them to grow food! However, as often happened, in colonial times the land was mis-used, too many foreign plant species were introduced without a thought to their environmental effect. It is good that people now try to make amends with nature.

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  6. She is a very interesting lady I remember her saying that she wouldn't another dog as the dog would out live her. Now i'm going to look for that Blog.

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    1. I can imagine Germaine saying that, as she is very thoughtful about ecology in general, and would consider the life of the dog too. See Rosemary's link to the blog.

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  7. Beautiful garden pics and camellias always make me swoon, which reminds me I need to feed mine in the coming weeks. It is raining here today in canberra Patricia , I hope you are getting some too. Happy week ahead Shell - A Darlings Nest

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    1. I love camellias too, Shell, but sadly they always die when I plant one here. Too hot. We have rain today too - wonderful! Happy week..

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  8. Thanks for an update on Germaine Greer. She certainly was one of my heroes back in the 70s. It's always refreshing to know rich and famous people are using their wealth and fame in a good manner. I hope your dad enjoyed the outing; it looks like beautiful countryside! Wishing rain for you soon! And I didn't know Ms Greer was Australian. The Australian government is making great contributions to the location of the missing plane. We get daily news reports on progress from Perth.

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    1. The rain has come, at least for today! Yes, Germaine Greer is an Aussie, although she has spent fifty years or more living in the UK. She comes back here several times a year and appears on various talk shows, generally stirring things up :) I have enjoyed a number of her books too - she was a real trail blazer back in the day. So sad re the missing plane, and the weather is so bad they have just stopped the search until conditions improve. Those poor lost souls, such a horrible way to end one's life.

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  9. Sorry, don't know how my comment ended up in the middle!! xx

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  10. You home is so very beautiful, Patricia! Hopefully I will visit Australia sometime in my lifetime ... while I can still get around. :)

    By chance, I wrote a blog this week, listing 10 women I'd like to meet for tea. Michelle Obama is on my list (probably everyone's). As I blogged, we are lucky to have her as First Lady.

    I often learn something new by stopping here ... a writer to check out. Thanks!

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    1. Ah, yes, travel is wonderful but takes a lot of time and $$$$. I hope you do come down under some time, just as I have long wanted to see Europe. On the plus side I have been 8 times to North America (and still haven't see a red cardinal!) Good old Michelle taking to blogging her trip - I have found it and will follow it for the duration. Thanks for stopping by.

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  11. The farming country is so lovely, Patricia. How nice that you took your father with you to see it. I love the camellia flower, and this is a unique color. I've never seen it other than white. Australia's Princess is pretty, and the dress she's wearing is elegant. I have always loved fashion, and me and Jess went shopping this weekend for clothes. It was fun.

    This was an fun post today with many interesting topics. Have a great week.

    love,
    ~Sheri

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    1. It really is very pretty Sheri, and I passed on some of the best views thinking I'd get better shots on the returne journey - then we went home by another quicker route! Next time, maybe. Interesting about camellias - I love a white one, but pink is the most common around here. Clothes shopping with daughters is great fun, not that I get many opportunities to do it. Happy days.

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  12. G. Greer made an impression on me early on but I haven't heard anything about her in ages. Like Sanda, I am always impressed when a celeb. uses their influence and money for a good cause. It seems she's done just that.

    The pink dress on Princess Mary is just perfect isn't it?

    Darla

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    1. Yes, Germaine Greer was everywhere back in the day! She's been busy up in the mountains digging her plot for the past 10 years or so. I think it is amazing what she is doing, and few would have the money or the inclination for such a project.
      A perfect pink dress, which of course I would claim in a heartbeat if I could!

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  13. A very informative post Patricia,
    Australia, has some great history behind it.
    I am amazed how grandad , still enjoys his outings for his afternoon tea. How wonderful.
    The book Germaine wrote sounds interesting.
    I think Michelle always looks so lovely... yes, red was a good choice.
    A lovely pink dress Australia's princess is wearing.
    lovely post.. thank you Patricia.
    happy week
    val xxx

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    1. Hello Val, Thank you for your nice comments. It definitely seems to help Dad's well-being to take him out for a good drive in the country and a small meal in a cafe. He likes the age-care home where he lives, but always says family is best. Happy week to you too.xxx

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  14. A fascinating post, Patricia, and I'm grateful for the book recommendation, as this is a project after my own heart. As you say, your landscape is lovely, but very far from anything that could be called rain-forest. I wish her every success.

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    1. If you are keen on plants and the environment, Germaine is the girl to read. Very very little of the original beautiful rainforest is left in our area, and she is to be applauded for making her own project to bring some of it back. It is a sort of living museum.

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