5th_australian_generation_and_beyond

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision		 Previous revision
5th_australian_generation_and_beyond [2020/06/13 16:36] – judith5th_australian_generation_and_beyond [2020/08/10 17:04] (current) – [Richard John M-P] judith
Line 8: Line 8:
 Richard John (12 June 1945 - 8 December 2001)((information was supplied by Ilma M-P with the help of some family members and John Andersen. Photos supplied by Tom & Therese M-P)) was remembered in his eulogy as a 'family member, friend, pilot, prawn spotter, Torres Strait Island trader, and  ... Palm Island businessman.... an adventurous, kind, swashbuckling and at times crazy kind of bloke ...[who could] tell the greatest stories ... Always positive, always working hard ... People were drawn to him. He was a terrific host, loved his wine and his dinner parties and was an excellent cook'.\\ Richard John (12 June 1945 - 8 December 2001)((information was supplied by Ilma M-P with the help of some family members and John Andersen. Photos supplied by Tom & Therese M-P)) was remembered in his eulogy as a 'family member, friend, pilot, prawn spotter, Torres Strait Island trader, and  ... Palm Island businessman.... an adventurous, kind, swashbuckling and at times crazy kind of bloke ...[who could] tell the greatest stories ... Always positive, always working hard ... People were drawn to him. He was a terrific host, loved his wine and his dinner parties and was an excellent cook'.\\
 \\ \\
-This vibrant man was born at his parents' home in Leura in the Blue Mountains. As outlined in his parents' entry, when Richard was young the family moved first to Southport then to Bundaberg. When he was around 12 or 13 years old, the family moved to Cairns. Apart from a brief, unhappy period boarding at Brisbane Boys' College, he went to Cairns High School where he excelled at Maths and English.\\+This vibrant man was born at his grandparents' home in Leura in the Blue Mountains. As outlined in his parents' entry, when Richard was young the family moved first to Southport then to Bundaberg. When he was around 12 or 13 years old, the family moved to Cairns. Apart from a brief, unhappy period boarding at Brisbane Boys' College, he went to Cairns High School where he excelled at Maths and English.\\
 \\  \\ 
 Richard as a baby{{:baby_richard.jpg?200|}} and toddler {{:toddler_rcihard.jpg?200}} When a child, he suffered from glomerulonephritis, a disease of the kidneys.\\ Richard as a baby{{:baby_richard.jpg?200|}} and toddler {{:toddler_rcihard.jpg?200}} When a child, he suffered from glomerulonephritis, a disease of the kidneys.\\
Line 14: Line 14:
 Richard M-P with his elder brother: in July 1948, {{:tom_richard_july_1948.jpeg?200|}} and c.late 1950s. {{:richard_and_tom.jpg?200|}}\\ Richard M-P with his elder brother: in July 1948, {{:tom_richard_july_1948.jpeg?200|}} and c.late 1950s. {{:richard_and_tom.jpg?200|}}\\
 \\ \\
-On leaving school, Richard's adventurous spirit saw him going west to become a jackaroo, first on Dotswood Station near Charters Towers. His boss at Dotswood had a profound effect on Richard and they formed a lifelong friendship. He then moved to Warwombie and Wongalee near Hughenden. It was while working there that he met his future wife, Ilma Murphy, then a teacher in Hughenden.\\+On leaving school, Richard's adventurous spirit saw him going west to become a jackaroo, first on Dotswood Station near [[wp>Charters_Towers|Charters Towers]]. His boss at Dotswood had a profound effect on Richard and they formed a lifelong friendship. He then moved to Warwombie and Wongalee near Hughenden. It was while working there that he met his future wife, Ilma Murphy, then a teacher in Hughenden.\\
 \\ \\
 Richard turned 20 in 1965, a year after Australia introduced compulsory national service for 20-year-old males, and the year before conscripts could be sent to fight in the Vietnam War. He was rejected on health grounds as his kidneys were damaged from his childhood illness. He also had an irregular-shaped iris which required him to wear sunglasses in the bright sunshine. At the time he regretted not having the opportunity to experience Army life overseas.\\ Richard turned 20 in 1965, a year after Australia introduced compulsory national service for 20-year-old males, and the year before conscripts could be sent to fight in the Vietnam War. He was rejected on health grounds as his kidneys were damaged from his childhood illness. He also had an irregular-shaped iris which required him to wear sunglasses in the bright sunshine. At the time he regretted not having the opportunity to experience Army life overseas.\\
Line 21: Line 21:
 \\  \\ 
 Richard had always had a love of flying. Encouraged by his father and his father's former RAAF compatriots, some of who were still pilots with the local airline Bush Pilots, Richard decided to become a pilot. While Ilma continued teaching, Richard looked after their young son and learnt to fly. He acquired his licence in 1970 and started flying. Ilma’s father was close friends with the manager of Amagraze, a cattle and prawn buying and processing company in Cairns, so he introduced Richard to the manager and, as they say, the rest is history.\\ Richard had always had a love of flying. Encouraged by his father and his father's former RAAF compatriots, some of who were still pilots with the local airline Bush Pilots, Richard decided to become a pilot. While Ilma continued teaching, Richard looked after their young son and learnt to fly. He acquired his licence in 1970 and started flying. Ilma’s father was close friends with the manager of Amagraze, a cattle and prawn buying and processing company in Cairns, so he introduced Richard to the manager and, as they say, the rest is history.\\
 +\\
 +{{:richard_flying.jpg?300|}}  Richard where he loved to be, an undated photo.\\
  \\  \\
-Amagraze operated prawn trawlers and they contracted Richard to fly in the Gulf of Carpentaria to find the prawns and notify the trawlers where the ‘prawn boils’ were to be found. A ‘prawn boil’ is a discolouration of the water caused by the prawns emerging from mud. Richard and a friend formed a company, purchased a Twin Comanche long range aircraft, and formed Outback Air. Over the next 28 years, Richard took the skill of finding prawns from a chance operation to a highly-skilled and technical process. He was able, using water temperature, phases of the moon, and previous wet season rain falls to predict where boats should be positioned for optimum catches. Richard was recognised as the best ‘prawn spotter’ in the Gulf. Typical of Richard, he was always happy to try and teach the younger pilots and spotters his skills.\\ +Amagraze operated prawn trawlers and they contracted Richard to fly in the Gulf of Carpentaria to find the prawns and notify the trawlers where the ‘prawn boils’ were to be found. A ‘prawn boil’ is a discolouration of the water caused by the prawns emerging from mud. Richard and a friend formed a company, purchased a Twin Comanche long range aircraft, and formed Outback Air. Over the next 28 years, Richard took the skill of finding prawns from a chance operation to a highly-skilled and technical process. He was able, using water temperature, phases of the moon, and previous wet season rain falls to predict where boats should be positioned for optimum catches. Richard was recognised as the best ‘prawn spotter’ in the Gulf. Typical of Richard, he was happy to teach the younger pilots and spotters his skills. One means by which he did this was to write 'Aerial spotting for prawns in the Gulf', published in //Australian Fisheries//, 36:6 (June 1977) - you can read it here [[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-745239182/view?sectionId=nla.obj-745982819&partId=nla.obj-745248145#page/n13/mode/1up| prawn spotting]]. \\ 
 \\ \\
 After a few years, Richard and Ilma bought out their partners who were keen to move south. Ilma gave up teaching to take on the day-to-day running of the company. By this time, Outback Air leased five aircraft and had its own engineering set-up. Richard inspired their pilots. This was demonstrated when QANTAS’s recruiting department congratulated him on the fact they employed more pilots from his small family company than any other single charter operation. On the home front, in the mid-1970s, Richard and Ilma had a daughter.\\ After a few years, Richard and Ilma bought out their partners who were keen to move south. Ilma gave up teaching to take on the day-to-day running of the company. By this time, Outback Air leased five aircraft and had its own engineering set-up. Richard inspired their pilots. This was demonstrated when QANTAS’s recruiting department congratulated him on the fact they employed more pilots from his small family company than any other single charter operation. On the home front, in the mid-1970s, Richard and Ilma had a daughter.\\
Line 30: Line 32:
 The Royal Flying Doctor Service was another important aspect of Outback Air's work. Richard did a lot of gratis piloting for the Service, sometimes using his own aircraft and at other times flying their aircraft. He saw this as his way of giving back to the outback he loved so much.Outback Air was also frequently chartered to fly contractors and State and Federal politicians to the Torres Straits. More dangerously, Richard became involved with Federal Customs and the Queensland Police in controlling illegal drug importation. This work was in keeping with Richard's strong anti-drug stance. Quite apart from this, flying had its inherent dangers. Three incidents in particular stand out.\\ The Royal Flying Doctor Service was another important aspect of Outback Air's work. Richard did a lot of gratis piloting for the Service, sometimes using his own aircraft and at other times flying their aircraft. He saw this as his way of giving back to the outback he loved so much.Outback Air was also frequently chartered to fly contractors and State and Federal politicians to the Torres Straits. More dangerously, Richard became involved with Federal Customs and the Queensland Police in controlling illegal drug importation. This work was in keeping with Richard's strong anti-drug stance. Quite apart from this, flying had its inherent dangers. Three incidents in particular stand out.\\
 \\ \\
-One time, just after Richard obtained his private licence, he flew to a cattle station to deliver emergency rations after a cyclone. As he landed, he encountered a roll of fencing wire, blown there by the cyclone, and it wrapped itself around the front of the plane. Nobody had thought to check the landing strip. The next incident was years later when he was returning to Cairns from a charter. It was dark night with a thunderstorm between his position and the Cairns airport. His aircraft lost all its electrics including radios and undercarriage motor. When Richard eventually landed, it was with his wheels up in a blaze of sparks. Given he still had a lot of fuel stored in the auxiliary wing tip tanks, Richard quickly left the plane in case it blew up. The third incident was when Richard and Ilma were spotting for prawns over Fog Bay in the Northern Territory and had an encounter with a Lesser Frigate bird with a wing span of one and a half meters. The bird smashed the windscreen, hit Ilma on the way through and ended up in the back of the cabin. Following a ‘Pan’ call Richard flew the plane back to Darwin. A few stitches later, a new windscreen and aerials, and a sustained industrial clean to remove fish and bird parts, they were able to resume spotting.\\+One time, just after Richard obtained his private licence, he flew to a cattle station to deliver emergency rations after a cyclone. As he landed, he encountered a roll of fencing wire, blown there by the cyclone, and it wrapped itself around the front of the plane. Nobody had thought to check the landing strip. The next incident was years later when he was returning to Cairns from a charter. It was dark night with a thunderstorm between his position and the Cairns airport. His aircraft lost all its electrics including radios and undercarriage motor. When Richard eventually landed, it was with his wheels up in a blaze of sparks. Knowing he had a lot of fuel stored in the auxiliary wing tip tanks, Richard quickly left the plane in case it blew up. The third incident was when Richard and Ilma were spotting for prawns over Fog Bay in the Northern Territory and had an encounter with a Lesser Frigate bird with a wing span of one and a half meters. The bird smashed the windscreen, hit Ilma on the way through and ended up in the back of the cabin. Following a ‘Pan’ call Richard flew the plane back to Darwin. A few stitches later, a new windscreen and aerials, and a sustained industrial clean to remove fish and bird parts, they were able to resume spotting.\\
 \\ \\
 Richard and Ilma sold Outback Air in 1985. The next two years were spent primarily on Coconut Island in the Torres Straits helping the Islanders to establish their own crayfish businesses. They helped the Islanders to process, pack, store and market their catches. Richard purchased a boat and sailed it up from Cairns with friends. Following this trip Richard maintained that 'Adventure is sheer terror recollected in tranquillity'.  Life in the Islands was an amazing and unique time in the family’s lives; Richard and Ilma's daughter particularly loved the island lifestyle.\\ Richard and Ilma sold Outback Air in 1985. The next two years were spent primarily on Coconut Island in the Torres Straits helping the Islanders to establish their own crayfish businesses. They helped the Islanders to process, pack, store and market their catches. Richard purchased a boat and sailed it up from Cairns with friends. Following this trip Richard maintained that 'Adventure is sheer terror recollected in tranquillity'.  Life in the Islands was an amazing and unique time in the family’s lives; Richard and Ilma's daughter particularly loved the island lifestyle.\\
Line 46: Line 48:
  
  
 + 
  
 \\ \\
  
  
-{{:richard_face.jpg?200|}} An older Richard. {{:richard_m-p_cchristening2.jpg?200|}}Proud grandfather Richard with one of his four grandchildren.+{{:richard_in_formal_wear.jpg?200|}}Richard the //bon vivant//  {{:richard_face.jpg?250|}}  An older Richard. \\ 
 +{{:richard_m-p_cchristening2.jpg?250|}}Proud grandfather Richard with one of his four grandchildren.
  
  • 5th_australian_generation_and_beyond.1592030205.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2020/06/13 16:36
  • by judith