AUSTRALIA FAIR DINKUM! - America And Britain's Future
My first recollection of seeing an Aussie sheep-dog so popular in the U.S. today was back in 1956 in Geelong, Victoria.
I noticed a sheep farmer’s old 1930s model ‘ute’ utility vehicle, truck, coming down main street, and tucked in between the ‘bonnet’ hood and the old fashioned wing was a spotted sheepdog enjoying the view from its vantage point.
Some of the Collies with the wild colors belonged to the Basks who came to Australia from the Catalan region of Spain.
Adelaide and Geelong
We lived for a short time in the beautiful city of Adelaide in South Australia before moving to the state of Victoria. And following the tradition of the early pioneers we pitched our tent at Lara Lakes, while my two elder brothers framed up our first home on a 30 plot sub-divide purchased by my father.
Having unknowingly drawn the attention of local residents whose Grandparents had settled there in similar fashion over a hundred years earlier, we were offered a home rent free, but my Dad with his pioneer spirit declined the generous offer, deciding to rough it for a few months.
He had been a successful contractor for many years in Northern Ireland completing 52 homes in 52 weeks in 1955, we took the four-week boat trip to Australia the following year. He later built homes in Highton, another Geelong suburb.
Melbourne, Sidney, And Perth
We visited Melbourne, and Sydney, driving over the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge, and visited the beautiful city of Perth in Western Australia with its Mediterranean climate, and black swans on the river.
We also caught the Fremantle Express, as the cool afternoon breeze blowing in from the coast is called!
Radio Series
I remember listening the daily radio shows such as ‘The Flying Doctor’ and if I remember correctly ‘Captain Silver.’
Sorry to hear ‘Dad and Dave’ have been retired, although I’m sure Dave is still “a big diligent operator.” The long running ‘Archers’ are also gone from British radio.
Like these and many memories of Australia I will not forget the time we spent there. Unfortunately, my father’s health began to decline and he returned the family to the old country before his death three years later.
American And Canadian Sympathies
The people of Australia have our deepest sympathies over the deaths and destruction during the fires and flooding in 2009 and the 100-year flood in 2012 and again in 2013 and subsequent tragedies since then in this beautiful but sometimes difficult climatic region of the world.
My youngest sister lives in Tasmania, see her report on the dramatic survival of her friends in the Tasmania fire.
You Are Envied Australia
The Australian spirit is envied by many Americans who see the country as ‘The Last Frontier.’ I have heard Australians call it ‘The Big Equalizer.’ Both are true.
Australia was one of the few countries not to purchase the failed Triple-A U.S. investment bonds which caused the worldwide financial crisis. The ‘Lucky Country.’
Mistreated By China
I realize you have been through a lot in the last few years mistreated badly by China. We have allowed ourselves to become reliant on nations who do not hold the same values of ‘FAIR PLAY’ that we were raised with!
These are the beginning of the days described in Bible prophecy as the ‘Times of The Gentiles’ and ‘The Times Of Jacob-Israel’s Troubles’ when God will allow foreign nations to afflict our nations for a short while in order to bring us back to holding a deep respect for Him and His Laws once more.
May our punishment be speedy and ended soon, by God’s personal intervention saving a remnant of His Australian people alive. And bringing our British and Australian peoples back together in our original location in Israel as He has promised to do, setting us as the best examples of good behavior to the entire world once again!
May a loving God protect you and yours. I love you, Australia.
BRIAN
According to Melvyn Bragg’s The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language, “dinkum” comes from the English Midlands and means work. “Fair dinkum” referred to a fair day’s work and subsequently fair play.
M. Griffiths, Waterloo
The word “dinkum” was reputedly coined on the Australian goldfields. It comes from one of the Chinese dialects widely spoken at the diggings: “din” and “kum” loosely translating as “true gold”.
Catherine Le Breton, Leura
Fair Dinkum was a response of the early Chinese gold miners to the question: “Are you finding a fair amount of gold?” because “din-gum” means “good gold”.
So over time the expression has become a positive response to a good news story.