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From: "Jill Dakin" <>
Subject: Jo CURRIE Down Under
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 09:32:17 +1000


Jo has now completed the Brisbane and Sydney legs of her visit and I thought
that since she has helped so many of us that listers might like a brief
progress report.

After a couple of days exploring Sydney harbour, and as many Macquarie sites
as we could manage we flew to Brisbane where my husband greeted us with the
news that he had come straight from a bushfire which was raging on the
boundary of our property, not exactly the welcome we had envisaged!
Fortunately some judicious back-burning and inspired work by the
firefighters saved our bushland, but worse was to come as that night Jo was
bitten by sandflies and had the most spectacular reaction to the bites -
even my GP husband was impressed by the welts and blisters. Jo bore it all
with true Scottish stoicism and on Saturday we were able to welcome those
Mull listers who had accepted my invitation to lunch. Sue Brown drove up
from Lismore, Irene Kerr flew in from Ulladulla in NSW and brought some more
"British King" emigrant descendants, and Alison McCallum whose ancestors
also came on the BK, were able to chat to Jo, while some of the GSQ people
also came to get to know their guest speaker before her official engagement.
Sunday saw the all-day seminar at the Genealogical Society of Queensland
rooms and Jo spoke in both morning and afternoon sessions. There were over
70 attendees hanging on every word, the question and answer sessions proving
very helpful and Jo making herself available in all the breaks for people to
ask even more questions. She must have been exhausted, but graciously
forebore to mention the heat/nasty bities/bushfire etc.

Having cuddled a koala and fed the roos at Lone Pine Sanctuary, Jo flew off
(escaped?) on Monday for Sydney and she was due to speak at the Friends of
Macquarie University Library meeting last night. This morning she flies to
Melbourne where Jean Whimp will take over and no doubt Jean will give a
further progress report when they reach Adelaide.

Cross your fingers there isn't a flood or some other natural disaster down
there or we'll never be able to talk her into coming back for another visit!

Cheers,

Jill

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