The Graduate Union June 2024 Newsletter

THE GRADUATE UNION NEWS LETTER

JUNE EVENTS

05, 12, 19, 26 Wednesday BRIDGE NIGHT

7:15pm – 9:30pm

Join us for Bridge Nights every Wednesday evening. All levels of bridge players welcome. Player fees: Members $2, non-Members $5. Food and beverages at bar prices.

05 Wednesday JUNE LUNCHEON

12:00noon – 2:00pm

With guest speaker Dr Ross Bastian AM RFD. Details are on page 3.

14 Friday SPECIAL ESPRESSO COFFEE FOR INHOUSE RESIDENTS

7:30am – 8:30am

Special breakfast beverage for residents at Graduate House. Free for Resident Members.

19 Wednesday WOMEN’S FORUM

10:00am for 10:30am start

For the June Forum, a slightly altered format is adopted. Guest speaker Sue Colvin, will talk about ‘Mark’s Country Place - an all access rest and recreational garden facility for people of any age or ability. Our focus is to support the disability community’. There will be a questions and answers session following the talk. Join the friendly group of ladies who will welcome you warmly and you can choose to stay for lunch after the forum if you like.

19 Wednesday 3MBS GRADUATE HOUSE LUNCHTIME RECITAL

1:00pm for 2:00pm start

A lunch time performance by award-winning pianist Gintaute Gataveckaite

To Book: phone: (03) 9347 3428, email: membership@graduatehouse.com.au Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au

Email: publications@graduatehouse.com.au

June Luncheon

Wednesday, 5th June

12:00pm for 12:30pm start 1:10pm for 1:15pm start

Dr Ross Bastiaan AM RFD* You Must Remember This

For over 35 years Ross Bastiaan has placed around the world over 280 large commemorative bronze plaques to tell Australia’s militarily and social history. Why would a dentist from The University of Melbourne give up so much to achieve this?

Ross will explain how his long and difficult journey over three decades evolved and the results achieved in over 20 countries around the world. For Australia and our people each plaque is a permeant tribute to how our four-fathers made our history.

DR ROSS BASTIAAN AM RFD* was a Melbourne periodontist in private practice for 51 years. He has dental Masters degrees from Melbourne and London University, a Fellowships of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. He was a Fellow of three other international dental colleges and has contributed to three dental textbooks and published over 25 scientific articles. He is currently the Chairman of the College Foundation and taught for years at the Melbourne Dental School and was a Director of the Australian Dental Council.

Outside his profession Dr Bastiaan was the Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra and served on that Council between 1995 & 2009. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Melbourne for 18 years and a Director of Odyssey House Drug Rehabilitation Centre for 10 years. He recently retired from the Board of the Victorian Veterans Council in the State Government.

Australian Military History has been his long-term passion and since 1990 he has personally placed around the world over 285 multi-lingual, large bronze

Prices:

To Book

RSVP by:

commemorative interpretative plaques, mainly telling of Australia’s past military & social history. On each 85 kilogram, one meter square plaque he has written multilingual text and hand sculpted bas-relief images and maps.

He has written three books on the First and Second World Wars, including a ‘

and the ‘ ’, the later won first prize in the Information Victoria ‘ ’ 2002 awards.

In 2006 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “

” following on from his 1991 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) and the RSL Anzac of the Year. In 1992 he was awarded the Advance Australia Award for Australian History, 1998 Life Membership of the RSL and the Commonwealth Centenary Medal in 2003.

Dr Bastiaan has two adult sons, eight granddaughters and lives in Port Melbourne and on a small cattle farm at Merricks North, just south of Melbourne.

3MBS & Graduate House Lunchtime Recital Series presents

a piano performance by Gintaute Gataveckaite

Wednesday, 19th June, 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Ginataute is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed Lithuanian pianist living in Melbourne who enjoys a busy performing and teaching schedule in Australia and abroad.

She has given solo, chamber music and orchestral performances throughout the U.K., Europe, China and Australia including such venues as Melbourne Recital Centre, Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, St Jamesʼs Piccadilly, Guangzhou Opera House and many more. Gintaute is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and The University of Melbourne. Throughout her career, she has received multiple awards in national and international competitions. As a performing artist, exploring and expanding her diverse repertoire, and sharing music with an audience form a essential parts of Gintauteʼs life.

Booking Details:

Price: $20 Phone: 03 9347 3428 Email: Online tickets: https://bit.ly/3vBGOSf RSVP: Monday, 17th June 2024

Monthly Luncheon speakers

August-November 2024

August Monthly Luncheon

Wednesday, 7th August

with Captain Rob Anderson

who will be presenting “Life as a Sea Captain”. From his early days as a deck boy prowling the waters of the world, on ships of dubious safety and cleanliness, he worked his way up to Captain by 29 years old. Captain Rob has always attracted trouble and adventure! During his time at sea, he used to write and draw picture books of his travel. “When the Ship Hits the Fan” is his first book of short stories released in July 2020 and this is just a short sample of the fun and shenanigans he has enjoyed in a long, salty sea career.

September Monthly Luncheon

Wednesday, 4th September

with Professor Christopher Lamb

Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne, School of Social and Political Science; Chair Australian Myanmar Institute. Professor Lamb is a retired Australian diplomat, having worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1968-2000 where he served as Ambassador to Myanmar, Yugoslavia, Romania, and Macedonia.

October Monthly Luncheon

Wednesday, 2nd October

with Dr John Lewis

“Battling bugs on boats: minimising marine pest invasion”. Dr John Lewis is the Principal Marine Consultant for ES Link Services and has over 30 years of applied scientific experience. His primary research interests are marine bio-fouling and bio-fouling management, as well as the effects that various maritime activities have on the marine environment. He hold an Honorary position in the School of Botany at The University of Melbourne and Marine invertebrate taxonomy as an Honorary Associate at Museum Victoria. Dr Lewis is a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and is Chair of the IMarEST Biofouling Management Expert Group.

November Monthly Luncheon

Wednesday, 13th November

with Dr Barbara Murray

“Our Founding Mothers” More details will be available in our following publications.

Oxford and Cambridge Club at 71 Pall Mall

Background

The present-day Oxford and Cambridge Club is the result of the March 1972 merger of the United University Club and the Oxford and Cambridge University Club. This distinguished association of over 200 years of history with origins can be traced to the 1820s with the coming together of a number of West End clubs founded by and for members and graduates of the universities, after which the club is named.

The foundation of the Oxford and Cambridge Club dates from a meeting of members from the two universities held at the British Coffee House on 17 May 1830, with Lord Palmerston in the chair. The meeting resolved that a Club consisting of members of both universities should be formed ‘for the association of individuals educated at those universities and for promoting and continuing a mutual interest and fellowship between them.’

The building holds a Grade II* listing, which means that it is a particularly important building of more than special interest – only 5.5% of buildings on The National Heritage List for England are Grade II* – having received a painstaking program of restoration and redecoration in Greek revival architecture. The result has been the return of Grecian interiors to their former glory and elegance

with only discrete modifications to ensure that the club meets the changing demands and expectations of its membership.

Facilities

Spacious, private and well-appointed, the Club’s inimitable ambiance and first class facilities makes it ideal for members to meet friends and business associates in magnificent surroundings, entertain, relax or simply find a quiet place to work. Facilities in the Club include:

• an elegant dining room, also known as the Coffee Room (the traditional name for the principal dining room),

• a second dining room,

• a large and well-maintained library with the services of its own librarian,

• two bars,

• several sitting rooms,

• a business area

• a variety of rooms that members can hire for social or business purposes

• a terrace,

• its own sports facilities, and

• over 40 accommodation rooms

Accommodation

The Club has more than 40 bedrooms on two floors. All rooms have flat screen televisions and tea and coffee making facilities. They have comfortable Vispring beds, super king-sized pillows, plush goose down duvets and high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. The ensuite bathrooms are equipped with Molton Brown toiletries. Continental Breakfast and a complimentary morning newspaper are included in the room rate. Free Wi-Fi access is available throughout the Club house.

Diamond Jubilee Suite

New Doubles and Smirke Junior Suite

This is the Club’s flagship accommodation. Created in 2012 and overlooking Pall Mall, the suite is designed and furnished to an exceptionally high standard. It has all the features of the New Double Rooms (see below) and additionally offers a dressing area, mini bar, a space for working or sitting and a hidden flat screen television. The opulent bathroom has a bidet, roll-top bathtub and large walk-in shower.

These rooms were comprehensively renovated in 2012. They all have a safe, feature an ecologically friendly ‘comfort cooling’ system and effective acoustic glazing. The Smirke Junior Suite has the added benefit of a mini bar. Their decorative styles and luxurious facilities, super king-size beds, separate bathtubs and walk-in showers, set a new standard for accommodation within the Club house.

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The Coffee Room and Gallery Bar

Diamond Jubilee Suite

The accommodation rooms

Chancellor Suite

With a king-size bed and separate dressing area, the Chancellor Suite enjoys fine views over Marlborough House towards the Westminster skyline. Its generous seating area has a sofa which converts into a second bed for families visiting London with children.

Business Area

The Club’s dedicated Business Area provides relaxed surroundings for informal meetings, and a quiet place where members can work undisturbed, with tea and coffee available throughout the day.

The Club’s free wireless internet connection enables members to use their own laptops or the computers and printing facilities provided.

Food and Wine

Club member William Gladstone was fond of ‘beer, cheese and a chop’ and during the earliest days the menu included lampreys, eel pie and lark pudding. Our reputation reflects a long history of fine cuisine and an outstanding cellar, although unlike their Victorian predecessors Members are no longer encouraged to send their personal cooks to the kitchens to undertake ‘improver’ courses.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served seven days a week in the Coffee Room. With a full à la carte menu, Chef provides a choice of traditional and contemporary dishes for Members wishing to entertain friends, family or business colleagues. Those dining or lunching alone or with one guest can join the convivial Club Table, a popular feature of Clubland and the perfect place at which to meet fellow members.

Library

Much valued by members, and one of the finest of its kind in London, the Library occupies three spacious and beautifully appointed rooms. It comprises of over 20,000 volumes that are curated by a professional librarian in attendance throughout the week.

Particularly strong in history, biography, literature and works dealing with the cities of Oxford, Cambridge and London, most of the books are available for members to borrow.

One room is designated as a Silence Library for those who wish to work or research in peace, but quiet conversation is permitted in the North and South Libraries where members may take tea or coffee whilst perusing the more than 70 periodicals and national newspapers to which the Club subscribes.

New acquisitions are regularly made by the Library Committee, which meets regularly in order to maintain a well-balanced and useful choice of books and magazines.

A special arrangement with the London Library in St James’s Square – the world’s largest private library – means that members may borrow from its more than 1,000,000 volumes.

Private Functions

The Club house is particularly well suited to the demands of modern entertaining, and the highly experienced banqueting staff plan and organise events ranging from small private lunches and business meetings to parties and receptions for 150 or more.

London Library

The Club has four dedicated function rooms:

• Princess Marie Louise Room

• Marlborough Room

• King Edward VII Room

• St James’s Room

Each can be configured for cocktail receptions, dinners, business meetings and lectures, and for larger functions it may be possible to book one of the public rooms. Reciprocal club members may use the Club for parties and private functions.

Sports & Activities

Sport has traditionally played a key role in Club life and members are able to participate in a variety of different pursuits. Some choose to compete against their fellow Members and those from rival clubs, others simply care to enjoy themselves among friends.

Billiards and Snooker

The Billiard Room has a competition sized table and equipment for Billiards, Snooker and Pool. The room has comfortable chairs and an attractive collection of books and prints. A service bell allows members to procure refreshments without interrupting play.

Bridge

An active bridge section arranges regular sessions in the Smoking Room as well as matches against other London clubs.

Chess and Backgammon

Chess and backgammon boards are permanently set up in the Club for those wishing to play. The Club also fields a chess team for regular Inter-Club matches.

Golf

The Club has an active Golf Section whose activities include matches against the University second teams, the Divots and the Stymies, and also against other traditional Pall Mall Clubs as well as teams from Golf Clubs within the London area. An Annual Golf Day has been held at Huntercombe GC since 1927 and there is now also an affiliate membership scheme with Huntercombe available to registered Oxford and Cambridge Club golfers.

Squash

The Club has two squash courts and a squash coach for members wishing to improve their game. Players of all standards are welcome at in-house tournaments, and each year the Club competes with others for the prestigious Bath Cup.

Members Interview Series

In this

issue,

Emeritus Professor Martin Comte OAM (Councillor and ViceChair of The Graduate Union Council) interviewed Life Member, Heather Wheat

Many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed, Heather. In addition to your very interesting academic history, you have been instrumental recently in re-introducing our Twilight Lecture Series. Let us begin with your background and your university studies.

Like many women, my background is quite varied. But how I came to The Graduate Union was, as a graduate of The University of Melbourne where I undertook my PhD studies. Prior to that I graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Monash University majoring in physiology and psychology following two years studying psychology at Swinburne. So, my studies spanned about 10 years.

After I graduated with my BSc degree, I was very fortunate to gain employment as a research assistant in the sensory-motor lab in the Anatomy Department in the Faculty of Medicine at The University of Melbourne. I had a great working relationship with colleagues in the department and, after a couple of joint published papers, was easily persuaded to undertake a PhD; exciting, exhausting, challenging years that took me into realms I never dreamed of. After my thesis was accepted, I was offered a Post Doc position at the prestigious Johns

Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA, to work in one of the relatively few laboratories focusing on sensory (tactile) research worldwide. My focus was on trying to understand neural signaling underlying hand function - basically ‘brain talk’ underlying hand function. I was a neural decoder. Due to family commitments, I was not able to take up that position and chose instead to remain at The University of Melbourne where I continued my work in the same lab until I retired.

While I was working as a Post Doc at The University of Melbourne I was invited to develop and teach a Neuroscience course to osteopathy students at Victoria University (in addition to the demands of my Post Doctoral work). I put whatever time I could spare into this course which ultimately involved four contact hours per week – two lectures, a practical and a clinical class. This kept me extremely busy for a few years, and then I handed the course over to the Osteopathy School at Victoria University. As I said, this was whilst I was doing my Post Doc. My Post Doc position morphed into a Senior Research position – heady years. Of course, when you have the privilege of using laboratory space, you teach! So, I was involved in the practical classes for the

medicine, optometry and physiotherapy students for a number of years before the Medical school developed and introduced a problem - or casebased learning teaching model and I became one of the tutors. It was a very rewarding time which I really enjoyed. I feel that I learnt as much as my students. Mine was an interesting, demanding and indeed a fascinating career spanning over 17 years (I was a later starter).

I retired from research in 2007, although I was still involved professionally in reviewing papers and teaching. I also became involved with other challenges. One of the things that concerned me as I was approaching retirement was that without the intellectual challenges I was used to I would become too bored. As chance would have it, I noticed an advertisement calling for people to apply to join the Victorian Government’s Ministerial Advisory Council for Senior Victorians advising on matters of concern to seniors (Lisa Neville was the Minister at the time). Although I didn’t consider myself a senior, I was accepted with a three-year appointment; what followed launched me on a steep learning curve. For part of that time we were engaged with a series of in-depth consultations with groups of seniors around Victoria. It was quite enlightening. Spanning that period and beyond, I was on seniors’ advisory committees for the City of Melbourne as well as the City of Port Phillip. Needless to say, I wasn’t getting bored!

During this time Lindsay (my husband), and I became heavily involved with a couple of seniors’ organisations. Our belief was and is if you want things to happen you have to roll up your sleeves and help make it happen. We and two other couples were involved in establishing a U3A in the City of Port Phillip. That involvement was pretty demanding for the next ten years but very worthwhile as it and its sister organisations, not unlike The Graduate Union, provided social and intellectual stimulation.

If you were to encourage older or retired people to consider joining a local U3A, what would you say?

It’s a place of fellowship, a place where you can meet like-minded people in all their ramifications. It provides stimulating opportunities and encouragement for people to explore new things in a non-threatening environment. I would like to think that Graduate House is the place to come for this too. The beauty and the challenge of these organisations are that they are run by volunteers – and volunteers can ‘burn out’. We stepped back from our commitments to that U3A in 2013 as

Lindsay and I were also heavily involved in rebirthing another seniors’ organisation, one that started in the 1970s to help people ‘survive’ in retirement – Life Activities Clubs. We were on the Board of the parent body of this state-wide organisation of over 20 clubs which individually provide education, friendship, social and physical activities, not dissimilar to U3As. In fact, for 1415 years our home was a 24/7 office – until we stepped down from it all (almost) at the end of 2016. We needed a little freedom to start indulging our ‘retired’ selves, so we packed up the caravan and headed bush around Australia for nine months.

When did you become ‘involved’ with The Graduate Union?

I first became aware of The Graduate Union in the early 1990s through my involvement with the Australian Federation of University Women – Victoria (now Graduate Women Victoria). For several years we regularly met at Graduate House. When I ‘retired’ I joined as a Life Member of The Graduate Union so that I could keep in touch with that collegiate spirit, hopefully keep learning through the seminars it offered. As I was involved in organising monthly speakers for U3A at Port Phillip, I was able to recommend a number of speakers to Graduate House, and in turn I engaged some of the speakers who spoke at Graduate Union’s monthly lunches to speak to U3A. For me it remains a place of potential learning.

Before I move on to the new Twilight Series that you have been instrumental in reviving, I want to ask you about some of the travelling that I know you and Lindsay have done in the past year. Do you care to share some of this?

Over the past 8-9 years we have travelled extensively both within and outside of Australia; the polar regions are favourite destinations. Last year, a mammoth travel year for us, started with two months in and around Antarctica – the end of the world! This was quickly followed by 6 weeks in South America travelling through the Atacama Desert, the Andes, the salt flats and lakes of Bolivia to eventually finish on a wildlife expedition on the upper reaches of the Amazon River. Later that year we head north to explore some of the Mediterranean, then a short visit to Warsaw before joining an expedition to sail the North West Passage through the High Canadian Arctic waters. It was a big year. Exhausting but absolutely wonder-filled.

Now let’s move on to the new Twilight Series of Lectures that you have initiated at Graduate House. What prompted you to encourage us to ‘re-activate’ this offering?

I joined The Graduate Union mainly for the opportunity to continue learning as well as for the social life and I imagine that is perhaps the case for many members - or potential members. Part of my thinking for suggesting something outside of ‘normal’ working hours was to provide another opportunity, perhaps one of the few opportunities for some, to engage in intellectual exchange (outside of ‘the office’) for people who are still in the workforce or have daytime commitments and so cannot attend the Monthly Luncheons – and indeed other daytime events such as College Table which was quite a fascinating event. I see this new timeslot as an additional and important offering to our membership. It provides an impetus to come to Graduate House after work. What better than indulging in an after-work drink and some nibbles with a stimulating seminar – and the possibility that people might be able to stay on for a meal to continue the discussions post-seminar if they wish. Currently, I don’t think that The Graduate Union offers enough to attract people who are still working and are time-poor.

I’m so pleased you have agitated for this type of evening activity, Heather. I agree that we tend not to cater adequately for people who work during the day. And certainly, we got off to an excellent start with the April Twilight presentation.

Yes, we were fortunate to have The Honorable Jennifer Coates AO to launch the Twilight Lecture Series. Her presentation was at the same time horrifying, heart-wrenching and uplifting as she talked about her time with the Royal Commission. She has brought great dignity, grace and justice to every position she has held and continues to be a wonderful role model for people studying law and those new in the profession. She is a great champion of women and, indeed, a champion of the underdog in many ways. I first heard her speak when I engaged her to give a seminar as part of the seminar series I coordinated at the Port Phillip U3A. At the time she was the President of the Children’s Court.

Our next Twilight presenter is Dr. Maurita Harney who will be making us think about Artificial Intelligence from a philosophical perspective. Maurita has taught and researched in philosophy at the ANU, Swinburne University of Technology, where she was Head of Philosophy, and at The University of Melbourne where in recent years she has been Honorary Senior Fellow (Philosophy). In addition to her extremely impressive academic commitments, Maurita has been teaching at the U3A in Port Phillip since it started in 2004.

We are trialling this revived seminar series at the moment. But ideally, I would love to see the Twilight Series offered maybe bi-monthly. I know this is a lot to ask because it involves a great deal of organisation but hopefully it is of interest to our members and residents and hopefully the general public – exposure, visibility!

Heather, having attended the first presentation in April with The Honorable Jennifer Coates, which I found inspiring, I’m looking forward to hearing Dr Maurita Harney speak at the next one in just a few days. I hope that our members will become as enthused by this wonderful initiative as you are and attend other presentations already scheduled for this year. Like you, I want the venture to prove to be yet another thing that The Graduate Union can offer. Thank you for what you are doing in this respect.

April Monthly Luncheon

Life So Full of Promise by Ross McMullin has been awarded

The Age Book of the Year Award (nonfiction)

Dr McMullin is an award-winning historian and biographer who has written many books on outstanding Australian historical figures. His book Pompey Elliott (2008) is a comprehensive award-winning biography of Australia’s most famous fighting general in World War I, and his Farewell, Dear People: Biographies of Australia’s Lost Generation (2012) was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Australian History and the National Cultural Award.

Dr McMullin’s presentation at the April Monthly Luncheon is based on his latest book, Life so full of Promise.

Life So Full of Promise is my second multi-biography about Australia’s lost generation of World War One, following Farewell Dear People, which was published in 2012. Both books contain a collection of interwoven family stories about extraordinary Australians who had become unknown. Each story establishes the outstanding prewar potential of one of the main characters, describes what happened to him during the conflict, and underlines the profound consequences for his nation as well as for his family in the aftermath.

With the families and friends of the main characters also conspicuous in the narratives, Life So Full of Promise emulates Farewell, Dear People in providing insights into the experiences of Australians in the period before, during and after the war — whether they were combatants or civilians, or soldiers’ wives or parents.

Farewell, Dear People, the previous book, featured biographies about these especially talented but long forgotten Australians like:

Geoff Mccrae

Geoff McCrae was a budding architect with an endearing personality from Melbourne’s bestknown creative dynasty.

Tom Elliott

Tom Elliott was an outstanding officer from a working-class background who was regarded by his brigadier as potentially an Australian Kitchener.

George Challis

George Challis was a talented footballer from Tasmania who became a champion for Carlton in the VFL.

Ted Larkin

Ted Larkin played rugby for Australia before becoming an MP and a rising Labor star.

Clunes Mathison

Clunes Mathison was an internationally acclaimed medical researcher whose death at Gallipoli was regarded as an irreparable loss for the science of medicine throughout the world.

Robert Bage

Robert Bage was a talented engineer who performed superbly as a senior colleague with Mawson on his famous mission exploring Antarctica.

Gresley Harper

Gresley Harper was a barrister with a vivid personality and a brilliant future in the law and/or politics.

Wilfred Harper

Wilfred Harper, brother of Gresley, was a popular farmer who became the inspiration for Peter Weir’s famous film Gallipoli.

Phipps Turnbull

Phipps Turnbull was a Rhodes Scholar from WA with an assured future in the law and/or politics.

Carew Reynell

Carew Reynell was a visionary vigneron and community leader who commanded a light horse regiment at Gallipoli.

They were all in my previous book, Farewell, Dear People.

My approach in the new book, Life So Full of Promise, was the same — it’s another multi-biography — but the stories ended up a little different. I managed to find out more about the main characters and their families, so the stories ended up deeper and richer and longer. A lot happens in the stories, so this talk will just scratch the surface of what’s in the book.

Frank Pockley

First up is the sprawling family saga of the Pockleys. This is Frank Pockley, an eminent doctor in Sydney for decades before World War I. He was a distinguished ophthalmologist in an era when there were very few eye specialists in New South Wales. He lived at Wahroonga, a suburb located at Sydney’s Upper North Shore, with his wife Ellie and their five children.

Geoff McCrae

Tom Elliot

Carew Reynell Frank Pockley

Greystanes

Frank supervised the construction of this grand residence, called Greystanes, at Wahroonga, and his children grew up there. The eldest was Phyllis, and the youngest was Nell, while the middle three were all boys.

Three brothers: Jack, Brian, Guy

The eldest son, on the right, is Guy. His brother Jack is on the left. The middle brother in the photo, and the middle child in the family, is Brian. The brothers attended the Sydney Church of England Grammar School, which was and is known as Shore. Brian excelled in the classroom and at sport. He was the star of the family. He achieved better results in his junior matric exams than any Shore student had ever recorded, and, as an exceptionally swift runner, he excelled at rugby as well as athletics. He won the Shore athletics championship with a record points tally, and led the rugby team superbly through an undefeated season that enabled Shore to win the schools’ championship for the very first time.

Jack, Brian and Guy

known. Massie excelled at cricket, football, rowing, athletics, boxing and rifle-shooting.

Brian Pockley was distinguished not only by his outstanding achievements. His temperament was also revered. He was ethical and diligent, but he was also amiable and considerate, engaging and companionable, helpful and obliging. Brian was unassertive and unpretentious, with unostentatious charm. He was a high achiever without being driven. The headmaster of Shore declared that Brian was “as near to my ideal schoolboy as any boy in my experience”.

His unusually endearing personality ensured that he was immensely popular at university. He graduated in medicine with honours, he continued to excel in athletics, and his dashing pace resulted in a series of thrilling tries for University’s rugby team that led to his selection at interstate level for New South Wales.

Sydney Hospital selected the best graduates for its resident doctors, and Brian began work there in 1914. A few months later, when international tensions erupted in Europe, no one in Australia was keener to be involved in the looming conflict than Brian Pockley. He was so keen that he raced out to Victoria Barracks in Sydney to volunteer before Britain had even declared war — that is, before there was a war for Australia to be in. Soon enough, though, Britain did declare war, as a result Australia was involved, and Brian was appointed as a doctor in one of the Australian forces that was quickly formed.

Shore’s premiership football team

Here’s that premiership team, with Brian in the middle holding the football, and, in the back row, his brother Jack is on the far right, while third from left and arrestingly tall is the Pockleys’ close friend Jack Massie, who was on his way to becoming the most versatile top-level sportsman Australia has ever

Everyone here will have some familiarity with Australia’s main force, the AIF, which later became involved at Gallipoli and the Western Front. But early in the war a separate, lesser-known Australian force was created, the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, or ANMEF. It was to depart as soon as possible to destroy German wireless stations to Australia’s north. Brian became one of the ANMEF’s doctors.

Greystanes

Brian in military uniform

The ANMEF leaders complacently decided that a very small force was all that was needed to go ashore at New Guinea south-east of Rabaul to deal with a German wireless station that might be there. They presumed that enemy resistance would be nonexistent or minimal. Brian was chosen to accompany them as their doctor.

Going ashore/ painting

Here’s a painting depicting them going ashore on 11 September 1914 (that is, only a month or so after Australia became involved in the war, and more than seven months before Gallipoli). It proved a much tougher assignment than expected.

Bitapaka Road

The way inland was along a narrow track with thick jungle on both sides. Germans and New Guineans were waiting to ambush them from positions such as those shown in the foreground. The Australians, instead of presenting themselves as a convenient target along the track, decided to try to force their way through the jungle, which proved

very difficult. Shooting began, and a sharp skirmish ensued. Pockley the doctor was up ahead with the advancing Australians. With a captured German soldier bleeding dangerously from a wounded hand, Pockley expertly amputated the hand on the spot without an anaesthetic. He then heard that an Australian had been wounded, went back to look for him, found him, confirmed that he was dying and looked after him as best he could, and then set off along the track back to the fighting up ahead, only to be shot and fatally wounded himself.

Brian Pockley wounded

Here’s Brian under a pith helmet being conveyed to the ship where he died shortly afterwards. He was 24.

The reaction to his death was unique. No Australian casualty in the whole war was mourned more deeply than Brian Pockley. This is a big statement, but I’m sure it’s correct. Why? It was partly because of his own special qualities, partly because it occurred so early in the war when there had not been years of heavy casualties to transform perceptions, and partly because of the particular circumstances, in that he was a non-combatant who was presumed not to be vulnerable, but he had in fact given his protective brassard (his armband with a badge on it) indicating his medical role to the sturdy stoker who carried the wounded man back that Brian had treated. The stoker had queried this, but Brian had selflessly insisted on relinquishing his brassard, and Brian was an officer and the stoker was not. When Brian’s relinquishing of the brassard became known in Australia, Brian’s father Frank, together with Brian’s best friend (who was to become a High Court judge), and numerous other admirers declared that such a gesture was absolutely characteristic of Brian. Brian Pockley became a household name in Australia, with the manner of his death widely known, but he is long forgotten today.

A quick whip through other elements of the Pockley story that I haven’t had time to dwell on today:

Photo of Phyllis

* Brian’s sister Phyllis married a British naval officer, and became extremely anxious about

Brian in military uniform

The landing of Kakakaul

Phyllis Pockley

her husband’s perilous exploits in the North Sea, which were absolutely startling.

* Brian’s parents split up shortly before the war, which had profound ramifications for the family.

* Brian’s brother Guy decided that he would never speak to his father Frank again, and he was relentless — softening a grudge was not in his repertoire.

* When a bohemian Scandinavian blonde disrupted the Pockley family after the war, Guy evidently concluded — incorrectly — that Frank had been the father of her children, and Guy arranged for one of them to be removed from the Shore school.

* In a separate development, Brian’s closest confrere during his medical course was sensationally shot dead in Sydney when he seemed on the verge of being selected for the Australian Test cricket team. So a lot does happen in the stories, and they are pretty eventful.

Jack Pockley

Jack Pockley was hit. He directed the stretcherbearers to take away a wounded sergeant first, and when they returned to Jack they found him dead. He was 26. The brothers had died 3½ years apart, but parallels were understandably drawn about the similarly selfless circumstances of their deaths.

Brian Pockley memorial window

There are two distinctive memorials to the brothers in the Shore school chapel. This is the Brian Pockley memorial window (below left).

This is Brian’s younger brother, Jack Pockley. He was an admired officer in the 33rd Battalion, which was among the AIF units that were rushed to the rescue after the British were driven back a long way in March 1918. This was the climax of the greatest war there had ever been, and the Australians were making a significant difference in a nationally distinctive way. In fact, they were influencing the destiny of the world in that critical year more than Australians had ever done before or have ever done since.

And Jack Pockley was front and centre in these stirring events. With him at the time was a farmer from Grong Grong (in rural NSW) who was in Jack’s company and wrote this:

“All along the road we met ... poor Frenchies running away with what they could carry. There were all sorts on the road. Old and young, rich and poor, and they all had that frightened look. Some were crying … (There were also) flying Tommies, who kept telling us that the enemy were just back there a bit ... The enemy were miles away, but somehow they got the wind up and threw all their equipment away and ran for their lives. They seemed astonished at us marching on with full packs right into the very place they had left.”

With the Germans advancing menacingly, and the British unable to restrain them, the 33rd Battalion was ordered to counter-attack, and when they did

Jack Pockley memorial organ

And the magnificent Jack Pockley memorial organ is above right.

Frank in his den

Here’s a poignant photo of their father, long after the war, alone in his den surrounded by photos of his loved ones. Most of them he had lost in one way or another.

I’d now like to talk about Norman Callaway. Norman’s background was starkly different from Brian Pockley’s. While the Pockleys were affluent, the Callaways were not. While the Pockleys were urban, the Callaways were rural. While Brian Pockley grew up in an imposing North Shore mansion, Norman Callaway lived in a basic

Brian Pockley memorial window Jack Pockley memorial organ

Jack Pockley

weatherboard cottage on the edge of town. While Brian’s parents were invited to selected dinners attended by Patrician governors, this was an inconceivable milieu for the Callaways. While Brian’s father was an instinctive political conservative, Norman’s father co-founded a branch of the Labor Party. While it was routine for the Pockleys to go to university — provided they were male — this was unthinkable for the Callaways.

Norman grew up in the Riverina at Hay, a town founded on the Murrumbidgee River, with his parents and his sister, Jessie.

Murrumbidgee at Soapworks Bend

This typical scene near Hay shows the ambience Norman was familiar with, although this tranquility could be deceptive. Parents of young children had a relentless dread of the danger the river posed. Drownings happened disturbingly often. They included, in the Callaways’ time there, one of Norman’s cousins, one of his teachers, and a nephew of a Victorian premier.

The Callaways were very keen on sports, and Norman emerged as a highly talented cricketer. His parents decided to move the family to Sydney in 1912 to give young Norm the opportunity to develop his cricket and see how far his talent could take him. Here’s Norman aged 16 soon after his arrival in the metropolis.

Norman aged 16 soon after move to Sydney He progressed rapidly in Sydney. Playing for Paddington in the firstgrade competition, his first game was against none other than Victor Trumper, the legendary batsman who was probably the most

adored Australian athlete of all time, and in his third match 17-year-old Norm made an arresting breakthrough century of high quality that attracted rave reviews.

Norman after his breakthrough century

This photo of him was published after that brilliant innings. Norm progressed so rapidly that he was soon seen as a candidate for higher honours, and only 15 months after he left Hay he was 12th man for this New South Wales team in February 1914 when he was still only 17.

NSW Team February 1914 with Norman 12th man

Norm is front right in the photo, with the Pockleys’ friend Jack Massie, who had become the best bowler in Australia, second from left in the middle row alongside the diminutive champion Charlie Macartney, who was the captain in the centre of the middle row. Before the following season Norm’s family moved from Paddington to nearby Waverley, so he had to change clubs, and here he is with his new team, sitting at the far right of the middle row.

Waverley Team March 1915

My Callaway story covers a number of facets affecting cricket and cricketers during this era. Listing a few of them very briefly, they include:

* The bitter split between Australia’s Test players and the administrators seeking to control them, which culminated in the withdrawal of six top players from the 1912 tour to England.

* The prolonged fierce stoush that erupted — yes, a physical fight — between Australia’s Test captain

Norman after move to Sydney

Norman after breakthrough century

and one of his fellow selectors, which did not end until others intervened when the captain seemed poised to pitch his antagonist through a third-floor window — what do you reckon today’s media would make of that!

* And the invention of a new kind of deception for bowlers, which came to be known as the googly or wrong-un.

What I’ve done with Callaway is what I’ve done with all the main characters in both my lost generation multi-biographies, and that is to put myself in their shoes as much as possible. With Norman, I’ve aimed to illuminate what it’s like to be a talented cricketer who is striving to play at the highest level because he sees the national game as the way to make a fulfilling success of his life. What is it like to have to handle the inevitable ups and downs? What is it like to face the fastest bowling without the protective equipment we take for granted these days? What does it feel like to be in form and on top of the bowling? What does it feel like to be in form and on top of the bowling, yet make a dopey error and get yourself out?

In February 1915, when Norman was 18, he was selected to make his debut at first-class level for New South Wales against Queensland. His captain was Charlie Macartney, the remarkable virtuoso whose admirers were claiming he was not only the finest batsman in Australia but perhaps even the best in the world. Queensland batted first, and were all out for 137. In reply New South Wales were in big trouble at 3/17 when Norman came in. He was initially careful, which was appropriate in his team’s situation, but later unfurled a series of glorious strokes as he raced to a brilliant century. Callaway and Macartney had a record partnership of 256, and Norm turned his superb debut hundred into a double-century, before he was eventually dismissed for 207. I should repeat the essence of this exceptional feat. He came in to make his firstclass debut at 18 years of age with the score 3/17, and he proceeded to make 207.

This wonderful innings was rapturously acclaimed. It was not only the score itself, which was hailed as the world-record score on first-class debut — which it was! — but also the way he made it — not via crude slogging aided by plentiful luck, but by a succession of authentic, stylish cricket strokes of the highest quality. And the comparison with Macartney, the commanding dasher who was known as the Governor-General, was extraordinary.

Macartney in Command during a test at the SCG

This is Macartney in a later match, enrapturing the SCG crowd during a Test against England. Macartney was renowned for his aggressive exploits of dazzling stroke-play, someone who routinely scored more quickly than his batting partners. Not with Callaway, though. When Norman had progressed into his forties, and felt he had his eye in, the 18-year-old novice said to Macartney that he felt capable of accelerating. “You go right ahead, I’ll keep my end up”, said the Governor-General.

Callaway’s acceleration was so rapid that he raced from 48 to 85 in six overs while Macartney scored just three singles. Norm’s first fifty took him 67 minutes, which was good going in the circumstances with his team in trouble, but his second fifty lasted only 27 minutes. He proceeded well beyond his century in the time that Macartney took to reach fifty. There were extenuating circumstances with Macartney feeling a bit seedy, but Callaway’s brilliance was a revelation. A new star had emerged who was widely seen as a future Test champion. As one newspaper observed, “Callaway’s masterful and

brilliant batting against Queensland caused more talk and excited more outside interest than anything that has happened in cricket for some time”.

Trophy (General)

Some admirers were so thrilled by Norm’s special feat that they arranged for it to be commemorated with this unique trophy.

Trophy Inscription

The inscription says: “Presented to Mr Norman Callaway by a few admirers in recognition of his world’s record score of 207 by a colt on his first appearance in first class cricket”. However, everything changed for Norm when casualties at Gallipoli began to rise. His wonderful innings had occurred in February 1915, two months before the Anzac landing. The ensuing casualties prompted the New South Wales Cricket Association to abruptly cancel first-class cricket. Its Victorian equivalent wanted matches to continue, but the New South Wales administrators were adamant. They insisted that cricketers should be in khaki, and maintained this attitude explicitly. Players like Norm were under constant pressure. It was reiterated in a variety of implicit and explicit ways that volunteering was the right and manly thing to do.

Norman enlists

His parents evidently didn’t want him to, because he lied about his age. He said he was 21, whereas in fact he had just turned 20. Norm’s parents and sister Jessie all lived to at least their late eighties, and none of them gave the impression to others that Norm had enlisted from ardent patriotism or king-and-country sentiment. Indeed, if he had been imbued with such views, he would presumably have enlisted earlier. Callaway had a very grim ordeal in the 19th AIF Battalion. He arrived at the Western Front in time for the 1916–17 winter, which was the most severe in France for decades, and he endured the worst of the Western Front for several months. His unit was then involved in the second battle of Bullecourt, where the performance of the higher leadership — both British and Australian — was poor, and the 19th Battalion suffered the consequences. Private Norman Callaway, like so many others, was killed.

The Callaways had moved to Sydney to see how far Norm’s cricket talent could take him, and it had all proceeded wonderfully, even better than they could have hoped. But the war — and the attitude to it adopted by the New South Wales cricket administrators — had transformed everything. Norm had been deprived of his cherished cricket goal, and he was under relentless pressure. He decided to enlist in 1916.

This tranquil scene is the Bullecourt battlefield a century on, with the village of Riencourt ahead. Norman died in the immediate vicinity, probably in the foreground. The sense of loss was profound. Norm’s parents and sister never recovered. But in his case, because of his cricket potential, the sense of loss extended far beyond his family. Cricket pundits and fans were devastated. Analysts repeatedly lamented that Australia had lost a budding champion.

Norman Enlists

Bullecourt Battlefield a Century on

Jessie

This is Norman’s sister Jessie. A relative of the Callaways, a chap named Tony, told me that when he was a teenager in the 1960s he spoke to Jessie about Norm. The way she talked about Norm made a big impression on Tony. She spoke in excited and affectionate terms about how talented he was, how wonderful it would have been to see him fulfil his destiny, and how distressing it was when he died. Cricket had been important to her because it was important to him. She enjoyed it because he was so good at it. Jessie was enthusing about her brother and his rare skill as if her fervent delight was something fresh and vivid, yet he had perished half a century earlier.

Norman has a unique place in international cricket heritage. No one else has scored a double-century in his only first-class innings, and no one else has come close to his career average of 207. However, he is practically unknown today. He should be better remembered.

Another conspicuous example of Australia’s lost generation is Murdoch Mackay from Bendigo, who was widely known as Doch. This is his famous grandfather, who was a minister in Victorian governments.

Angus Mackay MP

Doch’s father, George Mackay, who’s standing second from right (photo at top right), was the Bendigo Advertiser’s outstanding editor for decades.

Bendigo United Cricket Team 1898

Doch was a precociously brilliant student.

Doch Graduates

University he had taught no abler student.

During his final year at university Doch met 18-year-old Margot Watson of Elsternwick. Margot had two sisters, Nell and Kath who is the eldest.

The Watson Sisters: Margot, Nell and Kath

Doch was attracted to Margot, and the Mackays became good friends with the Watsons. They holidayed together at Lakes Entrance in January 1911.

Lakes Entrance photo

Doch quickly became head over heels in love with Margot, and he was emotionally open, so he had no qualms about frankly saying so. A few months after meeting Margot he wrote her a letter assuring her he was in love with her.

Margot, unfortunately for Doch, did not reciprocate with the same intensity. She liked him, and was flattered by his ardent interest, but she was not willing to close off her options with an exclusive commitment when she was only 18. Doch had to remain patient, and resort to playing a long game to win her over, but he found the requisite patience increasingly difficult.

Doch with Margot and Nell

He began his law course at Melbourne Uni when he had just turned 16, and completed it by coming top in final year, attaining a first-class honours degree, winning the prestigious Supreme Court Judges Prize, and becoming eligible for the Master of Laws degree, all having just turned 20. The law professor concluded that in almost two decades at Melbourne

Here’s Doch between Margot above and Nell below, and you might be able to see Nell holding his pipe. Kath Watson took this photo only a week after 20-year-old Doch accomplished a notable sporting feat when he top-scored with a fine innings for Bendigo in its match against the touring England Test side.

Doch Mackay graduates

Angus Mackay MP

George and Angus, Cricket Team 1898

Jessie Callaway

Having completed his articles, Doch began as a barrister, and did not take long to distinguish himself. After only two years at the Bar he was briefed to appear in one of the most notable cases in Australian legal history, which became known as the Wheat case. His interest in politics was confirmed when he involved himself in the 1913 referenda campaign, addressing meetings and writing articles. He also served in the militia for several years.

When World War I began Doch had been in love with Margot for four years and was still waiting for her to commit. He told her that he had to join the AIF, being a fit and trained officer who believed in the appropriateness of Australia’s involvement, or his self-respect would never recover. He insisted that this in no way signified any lessening of the intensity of his feelings for her, and she accepted this.

But she felt perplexed and perturbed. I’d now like to read an extract from the book about her dilemma. Margot (now 22) found all this profoundly troubling. She was very fond of Doch and had long regarded him as a prospective husband. A rupture was the last thing she wanted. But choosing a husband was such a personally momentous decision [and] this dreadful war was making it all the harder. …

Uncertainty abounded. Some influential and purportedly knowledgeable opinion-shapers had predicted early on that the war would not last long, but that view seemed less heard now. Moreover, the AIF had ended up not in England or Europe but Egypt, a destination widely unforeseen when the first contingent departed. What lay ahead was similarly unclear. Doubt shrouded the future, her future. What would happen if, as seemed increasingly likely, Doch was drawn into the conflict? What if they married before he left, and he came back transformed and broken? Was she prepared to spend the rest of her life nursing a shattered shell of a husband? What if he did not return at all, and she became pregnant before he left? Yet was it fair for women to focus on such risks when their men were prepared to face horrendous perils, and would be doing so to some extent on their behalf? What did women owe to men in such circumstances? Such questions were confronting — if not impossible to answer — but the war had made them unavoidable.

[unquote from p. 413]

In the end the prospect of Doch’s imminent departure seemed to galvanise things for Margot, and she agreed to their engagement, and then in May 1915, only a week before his departure with the AIF, they decided to get married.

Margot’s Pouch

This is a pouch that Margot created (with her initials on it) for Doch to keep her letters in. And this is a photo of Margot that Doch took away with him in the actual case that he carried it around in.

Doch’s photo of Margot while with AIF

Doch was in the 22nd Battalion, initially as a captain and later a major. He proved to be an outstanding officer — brave and decisive, inspiring and selfless. He was also the battalion’s champion letter-writer, renowned for the hours he devoted to long loveletters to Margot.

Margot’s loving words

These words that Margot wrote on the back of her photo — “My very dear husband, with all the love in the world, from your Brownie for ever” — revived Doch’s morale when he was acutely homesick.

Doch in uniform

The 22nd Battalion occupied the trenches opposite Johnston’s Jolly on the second ridge at Gallipoli from September to the evacuation in December, and the book covers Doch’s experiences from their tense arrival at Anzac to their nerve-wracking departure. They returned to Egypt, and were then transported to the main arena, the Western Front, where the 22nd was used in various roles and frontline circumstances that the book describes.

Ceremony in France

At this parade in France, when Doch acted as deputy leader of his unit, the men were addressed by Prime Minister Billy Hughes, who is on the platform on the left with, behind him, his predecessor Andrew Fisher (wearing a white coat) and General Birdwood.

In July 1916 the 22nd, like other AIF units, was transferred to the Somme, where Doch and his men took part in two big battles near what used to be Pozières. The first was a disastrous failure overall (though successful on the left, where Doch was), but when they tackled the operation again it proved a success, thanks primarily to Doch’s outstanding leadership. No less an authority than the official historian, Charles Bean, declared that Mackay’s brilliant leadership at a critical stage enabled the Australians to attain with this victory their most momentous success of the whole Somme campaign. This was remarkable praise, but when I researched the battle I found it was thoroughly deserved. However, while Doch was displaying this superb leadership he was killed.

Doch’s letter (beyond the grave)

Weeks later Margot received this remarkable farewell love letter, which Doch had arranged for an AIF friend to send her if he died.

There are few more conspicuous examples of Australia’s lost generation than Doch Mackay.

Smaller photo of Doch

Some of those who knew him best felt he could well have become prime minister.

As with the other stories, the book covers other interesting characters and episodes:

* There’s a lot about Doch’s mother Mary, who was a prominent Bendigo identity renowned for her charitable activities, her political activism, and her dynamic leadership of the Red Cross at Bendigo during the war.

Eric Mackay

* Doch’s younger brother Eric, who was with him at Pozières, became a doctor and the first Australian to win the Ireland tennis championship.

* And I unexpectedly discovered while researching the Mackays that one of them, a keen cricketer, was selected in an Australian Test team to tour England, but did not go, and for a surprising reason.

Mac Gibbs

* There’s also a lot in the book about Margot’s sister Nell Watson and her fiancé Mac Gibbs, a medical student and VFL footballer, who was killed in France shortly before Doch Mackay.

I’d like to finish with a story about the research for Life So Full of Promise. Retrieving these forgotten lives that are unknown today involves immense research, as you’ll appreciate. With Doch Mackay I was naturally curious to try and find out what happened to Margot after Doch’s death. Might she have had a longer life than Doch, perhaps much longer? Maybe I could find out more about Doch from people who knew her?

What I found out was that Margot became Mrs S. Hill of London. This was not a very encouraging discovery for a Melbourne-based biographer, and I felt pessimistic about my prospects of finding out more about her. “Good luck with that”, I remember thinking.

But I had a go. Hours of genealogical research began to pay dividends. It gradually became evident that Margot and her second husband, Solly Hill, had a daughter, who was known as Judy. Moreover, Judy had married a naval officer from Western Australia who was based in London during the Second World War, and after the conflict they had settled in Australia.

Further ferreting revealed that not only was Judy apparently still alive at an advanced age, but also residing in a Melbourne suburb. This seemed incredible after my pessimism about ever being able to connect with Margot. Even better, when I visited Judy I found that she had retrieved a black tin box for me containing everything Margot had kept about Doch, including his arrestingly frank letters. The contents of the box proved to be remarkable, the richest private treasure trove I’ve ever encountered in more than four decades as a biographer, and enabled to me to write about the ups and downs of the Doch and Margot relationship.

Moreover, discovering that Margot’s second husband was Solly Hill was a personal jaw-dropper as well, because I knew that Solly was already in the Norman Callaway story. When Norman made his first-grade debut aged 17, and the match began with Norm and his Paddington team-mates taking the field while the legendary Victor Trumper came out to open the batting, Trumper’s opening partner was none other than Solly Hill. So this was one of those classic small world connections that you sometimes come across as a researcher.

Thank You Ross, for sharing with us yet more biographies of Australia’s Lost Generation. Your time and effort in researching and putting these images together is very much appreciated.

vvvvv

LIFE SO FULL OF PROMISE

further biographies of Australia’s lost generation by Dr Ross McMullin is available for purchase at the following websites:

https://shop.awm.gov.au/products/life-so-full-ofpromise-mcmullin

https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/product/life-sofull-of-promise-further-biographies-of-australias-lostgenerations-by-ross-mcmullan/

May Monthly Luncheon

Obesity in the 21st Century

by Professor Alfred Poulos

Background:

I grew up in Sydney and attended Sydney University. After post-graduate studies in Sydney, I went to London, which was the thing back then, - ‘go to London to study’. I lived in a place called London House for sometime. It was full of post -graduate students or undergraduate students from all over the Commonwealth, including some from South Africa. And I got my PhD.

Back then, I worked on facts. So this is my backstory which helps explain how I got here – based on facts. We were studying the synthesis of certain facts in London which was called post-analogies. When I finished PhD studies, I was offered a job in Austin, Texas. At that time, there was a man called Guy Kennedy, who was studying the synthesis of a particular fat, an unusual one made by the slime model which actually showed us how lame it is, and from that we deduced how humans were making this particular fat. As it turned out, this particular fat, plasmalogen, occurs all over the body, and the brain is loaded with it. So, just getting back to the story, that’s pretty much where I come from – a background in research into fats.

I have moved on from there and am particularly interested in why people get fat. Fat is a good guy and a bad guy. The good guys are Vitamin A,

Vitamin D, Vitamin E, etc. and the bad guys are saturated fats and cholesterol.

Obesity is basically a problem of the deposition of a certain type of fat throughout the body. There are pockets of fat that’s deposited and there are many different sorts of fats, but the predominant fat is triglyceride. To determine whether you’re underweight or overweight, they use BMI (Basal Metabolic Index) which takes into account your height and your weight. This is a magic formula, where normality is about 21 to 23, being near 25 and above, is being overweight and above 30 is obesity.

Obesity a problem throughout the planet. There is little doubt that the incidence of obesity has increased dramatically over the last century. According to the World Health Organisation, more than a quarter of the world population is either overweight and around 890 million obese. In some developed countries such as the USA the prevalence of obesity is believed to be even greater than this.

But what is more disturbing is one in every three school age children are overweight or obese (in Europe), and 1/12 children under 5 years of age is obese.

Here are some Australia statistics:

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2017-2018)

• 66% of adults in Australia overweight or obese

• 31.7 % of adults obese

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022)

• 34% overweight

• 31.7% obese

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022) Children 5-17 years

• 19.5% overweight

• 8.3% obese

Obesity is about the distribution of too much fat. Body fat is distributed throughout the body in adipose tissue which plays a fundamental role in maintaining the energy balance. The adipocytes store energy in the form of fat, predominately triglycerides, which can be mobilized as free fatty acids during energy deprivation. Three fatty acids SFA, MUFA, and, PUFA are stored within this adipose tissue. These body storage sites could be under the skin (subcutaneous fat), packed around internal organs (visceral fat), between muscles, within bone marrow the guts, even in the back of the eye.

As you get older, the fat distribution can change and as long as the fat is distributed and stored in the right places, it serves as a reserve and when required triglyceride is broken down and the fats are released , energy is taken and used to drive the body.

Why is obesity a problem?

For social reason – it’s the stigma of being overweight. For many people, particularly the younger members of the community, body image is an important factor in their attempts to maintain a normal body weight.

For Health reasons - Obesity is more than body image because there is increasing evidence that it increases the risk of a variety of diseases. There is a whole group of disorders that are linked in some way to excess fat storage,. Examples of diseases include:

Diabetes - Most diabetes are overweight.

Cardiovascular disease – Obesity contributes directly to cardiovascular risk factors, including Dyslipidemia, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension.

There are suggestions that Cancer could be caused by excess fat storage, as does Asthma, Arthritis and there are increase cases of Dementia. Interestingly

is Sensory loss – the sense of taste and smell may be affected by people with excess fat tissues. There is a linear correlation between obesity and Sleep Apnoea. In obese people, fat deposits in the upper respiratory tract narrow the airway; there is a decrease in muscle activity in this region, leading to Hypoxic and Apneic episodes, ultimately resulting in Sleep Apnoea.

Mechanism of body weight regulation

Another concern is the regulation of body weight which generates hormones — these are chemical messengers that regulate processes in our body. They are one factor in causing obesity. The hormones leptin and insulin, sex hormones and growth hormone influence our appetite, metabolism (the rate at which our body burns kilojoules for energy), and body fat distribution. People who are obese have levels of these hormones that encourage abnormal metabolism and the accumulation of body fat. The sex hormone is very important– insufficient testosterone in men as they get older can cause them to put on weight.

As mentioned earlier, the natural changes in fat distribution is due to the following factors: – aging, – menopause, – pregnancy – diet change.

Diets and Obesity

Back in the old days, diets were simple. The Paleo diet follows that of the hunter-gatherer era, with emphasis on foods that could be foraged for in the wild and do not require industrial production. In this regard, it is similar to the Mediterranean diet and consists of lean meats, plant-based foods, fruits, and nuts.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and food additives have become ubiquitous components of the Modern human diet. These foods and additives play a significant role in the modern diet by offering convenience and extending shelf life. However, they often contain high levels of refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial additives like preservatives and colorings. Regular consumption of these foods has been linked to various health issues such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. They may also contribute to mood swings, low energy levels, and overall reduced well-being. This was discussed in my earlier book – The secret life of Chemicals – which focused on chemicals, preservatives and food enhancers and what they do to food.

As inhabitants of some remote indigenous communities with completely different diets and

lifestyle have much lower levels of obesity it has led to speculation that these factors may be important factors in the development of obesity. This has led to the evolutionary mismatch and discordance theories that have speculated that the modern way of life, with its major dietary changes , reductions in physical activity, and increasing exposure to a variety of chemicals added to food, may be a factor driving the increases in body weight. There is a view that some of these chemicals, referred to as Obesogens, may interfere with the normal hormonal processes that take part in the utilisation of energy produced by our food.

Causes of obesity – what are they?

Genetic factors - This is unfortunate but a very important factor. While diet and lifestyle changes are clearly important, there is increasing evidence that our genetic makeup plays an important role in the development of obesity, This is clear from studies with identical twins and from studies with individuals whose severe obesity is linked to major changes, referred to as mutations, in certain genes. More recently an increased risk of obesity has been observed in those with minor changes, referred to polymorphisms, in a number of genes. As we better understand the link between our genes and body weight it is likely that we may even be able to better predict our likelihood of developing obesity.

Hormonal factors – As discussed earlier in the body weight regulation section, hormones influence our appetities and metabolism. Obesogens are chemicals that may promote obesity by interfering with your metabolism and hormones.

Gut microbiome - the gut microbiota could contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and the related metabolic diseases including a high abundance of bacteria that ferment carbohydrates, leading to increased rates of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) biosynthesis, providing an extra source of energy for the host, that is eventually stored as lipids or glucose.

Circadian rhythm is the pattern in which your body follows based on a 24-hour day — it’s the name given to your body’s internal clock. This rhythm tells your body when to sleep and when to wake up. It also affects several other body processes, like your hormones, digestion and body temperature.

Disability – if you are in a wheelchair, there is definitely a lack of mobility, thus increases the risk of obesity.

Drugs - Certain drugs, in particular antipsychotics, appear to be associated with an increased risk of weight gain.

Weight loss methods:

A quick Google search on methods of weight loss easily results in millions of hits. However, not many of these sites have conducted research and most are associated with the purchase of their products. Surgery -may help but in some situations may not work. There is a tenancy that the weight may be put on again. Some are:

– Gastric banding - a surgical treatment for obesity which works by constricting the stomach, so that a person feels full after eating less food than usual. The risk is the band can slip or have mechanical problems, or it may erode into the stomach, requiring removal.

– Gastric sleeve surgery - removes most of the stomach. This surgery helps people living with obesity lose weight and improve their health. It is commonly called a ‘restrictive’ procedure, as it restricts how much you can eat.

Alternative methods are nonsurgical options including making – dietary changes – physical activity- yoga, pilates - proper training is required in order for them to work.

Conclusions:

Genes - one of the most important factor and probably a significant contributor to the obesity problem but it doesn’t mean you cant lose weight if you carry these genes. All of us carry many types of genes. Common Obesity can be caused by polymorphism (SNP) in multiple genes. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene is a strong predictor of obesity in humans.

Hormones – the gut, the brain, the thyroid, as discussed earlier.

Age – due to hormonal changes as we age which can affect the body.

Lifestyle is very important factor – what you dowhat you eat - how we live - the environment and the exposure to chemicals.

Below is a list of a few of the many hundreds of chemicals in the US Substance added to Food Inventory.

US Food and Drug Additive list:

• Acacia (gum arabic)- EMUL/STAB, REG. Used as thickener, emulsifier, or stabilizer at =20% of alcoholic beverages-172.780, GRAS/FS, See Reg Part 135, Frozen Desserts; Part 169, Food Dressings and Flavorings; Part 169.179, Vanilla Pwd-184.1330.

• Acesulfame potassium - NNS, REG, See Regulation -172.800

• Acetic acid - B&N/FEED, GRAS/FS, Part 133, Cheese; Part 582.1005, In animal feed practices; 184.1005, 172.814.

• Acetic anhydride - MISC, REG, In modifying food starch -172.892.

• Acetone - SOLV, REG, 30 ppm - As residual solvent in spice oleoresins 173.210.

• Acetone peroxides - BL, REG/FS, GMP, Part 137, Cereal Flours -172.802.

• Acetyl-(p-nitrophenyl)-sulfanilamide - FEED, REG, See: Sulfanitran.

• N-Acetyl-L-methionine (free, hydrated, or anhydrous, or sodium or potassium salts)NUTR, REG, In foods, except infant foods and foods containing added nitrites/nitrates -172.372.

• Acetylated monoglycerides - EMUL, REG, GMP, Used in food, food processing, food pkg or food stg equipment -172.828.

• Acidified sodium chlorite solutions - REG, Microbial control agent in water for processing poultry, raw agricultural commodities, processed fruits, processed root, tuber, bulb, legume, fruiting (i.e., eggplant, groundcherry, pepino, pepper, tomatillo, and tomato), curcurbit and leafy vegetables, red meat, red meat parts, organs, processed, comminuted or formed meat food products, and seafood. See 173.325 for specifications and limitations.

• Aconitic acid (equisetic acid, citridic acid, achilleic acid) -SY/FL, GRAS/FS - 184.1007.

• Acrolein - MISC, REG, In modifying food starch - 172.892.

• Acrylamide -acrylic acid resin - GMP, MISC, REG, < 5 ppm by wt of juice - Used in clarifying beet sugar or cane sugar juice and liquor or corn starch hydrolyzate - 173.5; < 10 ppm by wt of liquor or hydrolyzate; Fixing agent for the immobilization of glucose isomerase for use in manufacturing high fructose corn syrup - 173.357; FEED, REG, GMP, As a thickener & suspending agent in non-medicated aqueous suspensions intended for addition to animal feeds -573.120.

• Acrylamide-Sodium Acrylate Resin - MISC, REG, 173.5, Boiler Water Additive - 173.310, 172.710 - Adjuvants for pesticide use dilutions.

• Acrylic Acid 12-acrylamido-2,2-propionic sulfonic acid copolymer - BC, REG, GMP, Boiler water - 173.310.

• Acrilonitrile copolymers - 180.22.

• Adjuvants for pesticides use dilutions - ADG/ PEST, REG, Surfactants and adjuvants added to pesticide use dilutions to growing crops172.710.

• Adipic acid - B&N/FEED, GRAS, GMP, In animal feed practices - 582.1009 - FLV, GRAS184.1009.

Thank You Professor Poulos, for sharing with us your knowledge and research findings on Obesity. Your presentation has enlightened and helped us understand this very important global issue better.

Obesity in the 21st Century by Professor Alfred Poulos is available for purchase at the following websites: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/9783-031-39168-2

The AIFST Food Microbiology Conference

The AIFST Food Microbiology Conference was held at Graduate House on the 13th and 14th March 2024. The theme of this year’s Conference was ‘Microbes on the Menu: Small Science for a Big World’. It was great to have 120 microbiologists, food scientists, industry professionals and students coming together to share their experience, innovation, and research.

The event was opened with a welcome from the AIFST CEO, Fiona Fleming followed by a keynote address from one of our international guests Professor Manpreet Singh, IAFP Vice President, who shared his experience of Campylobacter and Salmonella quantification challenges in poultry. Dr Mark Turner (UQ) then chaired a session on foodborne pathogens; local and global challenges. In this session, delegates first heard about where we are heading with foodborne pathogens from Julian Cox (UNSW). Dr Anran Dong followed with his evaluation of bioprotective bacteria to reduce Campylobacter on raw chicken meat at the end of primary processing. This session was finished off with Dr Craig Shadbolt (NSW Food Authority) with his topic of tracking organisms lost in translation.

After a delicious lunch served by the Graduate House team, and some much enjoyed networking time, the conference resumed with Dr Craig Shadbolt chairing the next session, ‘What’s on the menu: future opportunities’. Delegates heard

from two local speakers from The University of Melbourne faculty during this session with Associate Professor Kate Howell presenting on microbial communities for creating distinctive, flavoursome and healthy food and beverages, and Associate Professor Senaka Ranadheera discussing diet, probiotics and the gut microbiome. Also presenting from industry was Dr Hugh Dircks (Asahi Beverages) who gave insight into the microbiology of non-alcoholic beer and the food safety and quality implications for its production and service. It was also exciting to hear about the innovative ingredients used in precision fermentation from Professor Esteban Marcellin who join the conference from the Food & Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), based at the University of Queensland.

AIFST offers emerging microbiology researchers the opportunity to submit an abstract about their research. Four were chosen to present at the Food Microbiology Conference. These included:

• Guillermo Eduardo Sedo Molina - Lactic acid bacteria combinatorial microbiology screening approach for the removal of off-flavors and antinutrients in a pea, oat and potato blend for the generation of plantbased dairy alternatives

• Dr Amreeta Sarjit - Transfer of Salmonella from skin to flesh and peelers during peeling of baby cucumber

• Sherlyn Ardison - Application of Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) to Detect Foodborne Pathogens

• Elerin Toomik - Understanding microbial spoilage of vacuum-packed red meat through analysis of microbial community and metabolome profiles

AIFST are proud to be able to offer these passionate researchers the opportunity to showcase their hard work. Well done to all.

Another exciting part of the conference was the AIFST John Christian Young Food Microbiologist Award Presentation. Anna Wittwer, a student from The University of Melbourne was our winner, and Anna’s presentation at the event, ‘How sourdough can teach us to make IBS-friendly bread’ was very well received. Congratulations to Anna.

At the end of day one, our delegates met for a delicious two course dinner provided by Graduate House. This networking opportunity was a wonderful way to close off the day.

Anna Wittner, John Christian Young Food Microbiologist Award Winner and Julian Cox (UNSW)

We welcomed our delegates back to Graduate House for Day 2 of the Conference. The day started with a keynote from another international guest, Professor Beatrix Alsanius, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, who shared ‘Vibes from the salad bowl’. Our CEO Fiona Fleming then chaired the session on big data applications in food microbiology. This included presentations from Vikrant Dutta from bioMerieux who joined us virtually from St Louis USA speaking on the evolution of food safety and quality testing through the lens of augmented diagnostics. Also in this session was Sam Abraham (Murdoch University) discussing RASP platform and its application around foodborne pathogen, genomics, and AMR. Then, Dr Snehal Jadhav (Deakin University) who was chasing microbial footprints, followed by Dr Nuwan Vithanabe (CSIRO) on big data for proactive food safety management: towards increasing Australian agrifood exports.

After another delicious Morning Tea, Associate Professor Senaka Ranadheerra chaired a session on the intersect of new food preservation techniques where we heard from Oladipupo Adiamo (UQ) on first nations food preservation, Jay Kocharunchitt (UTAS) on glucose, a key factor to manipulate microbial spoilage of vacuum-packed lamb for shelf-life extension, Agnes Mukurumnbria (Deakin University) discussed vapour phase activity in essential oils and Dr Mark Bradbury (La Trobe University) presented co-designing horticultural food safety interventions to foster sustainable and healthy diets in lowand middle-income countries.

Our final internation speaker was Professor Steve Flint, Professor of Food Safety and Microbiology from Massey University NZ. Steve shared his insights into the Botulism crisis. Dr Snehal Jadhav chaired our final session which included Dr Sukhvinder Pal (SP) Singh (NSW Department of Primary Industries) sharing his experience on extreme weather events impact the microbial food safety of field-grown leafy vegetables, and Jasmine Lacis-Lee (BVAQ) discussed the application of the known to the unknownmanaging unexpected microbiological risks and then Michael Sciberras (Novonesis) shared insights on. BioProtection – new frontiers with cultures.

The audience then gave feedback on ‘where to from here?’ The consensus was that the future must include collaboration and communication, academia and industry working reconnecting. AIFST are confident that the Conference provided networking

opportunities to facilitate new connections with like-minded individuals. Delegates were exposed to new research, industry innovations and will continue to support the food microbiology sector to continue to communicate and connect.

A heartfelt thanks to Graduate House for a well organised and enjoyable event.

Session 1, chaired by Mark Turner (UQ)

Networking opportunities

Dinner at Graduate House

Grattan Street scheduled to open in mid 2024

As part of the work area for the underground railway, Grattan Street was closed for several years. Queensberry St traffic was changed to two lanes each way to compensate for the reduced cross Carlton traffic flow on the understanding that it would revert to its former capacity when Grattan St reopened.

Around three years ago the City of Melbourne advertised proposed changes to Grattan St. The works included:

• Bike lanes protected from traffic by kerbs and parking bays.

• Adjustments to parking to allow for bus stops and lane changes.

• Two lanes for turns at major intersections including hook turns at Cardigan, Drummond and Lygon streets.

• An additional bus stop between Swanston and Bouverie streets.

The Carlton Residents’ Association (CRA) agreed with the proposed changes and roadworks from Bouverie to Rathdowne streets are almost completed with only the eastern end to be finished. The CRA asked for the retention of historically significant basalt pitches that were to be removed from the gutters to allow for kerbside bike lanes. This was ignored.

Further west, Grattan St work from Flemington Rd to Royal Parade (between the hospitals) is almost ready to reopen. Work from Royal Parade to Bouverie St, south of The University of Melbourne campus, that includes the new rail station is also at advanced stage, including hard landscaping, seats, bus stops and bike paths.

Cr Dr Olivia Ball has advised the CRA that Grattan

Work under way west of Lygon St

A section of these works with the new station entry on the right, a bus stop and bike lane.

St is planning to open in the middle of the year. The section from Flemington Rd to Royal Parade will open in the next few weeks and Royal Parade to Bouverie St will open to bike and pedestrian traffic soon with vehicle traffic flowing when the station work is complete.

Cr Dr Ball also informed the CRA that although “no formal decision” was made for Queensberry St reinstatement, plans were being prepared for reversion to one lane in each direction and additional trees and landscaping in the street median.

New bike lanes set to be rolled out

Leicester

Street junction connects Grattan Street to Graduate House

The City of Melbourne will soon begin works to install new protected bike lanes on Grattan St, Carlton, as part of its transport plan to expand the area’s cycling network.

The state government gave its tick of approval for the project, which will comprise 1.3km of kerbside lanes behind protective kerbs and parking bays, (650 metres in each direction) from Bouverie St to Rathdowne St at the Carlton Gardens. It will also connect new protected bike lanes being delivered between Bouverie St and Royal Parade as part of the Metro Tunnel Project.

New vehicle hook turns will be installed at Cardigan St, Lygon St and Drummond St as part of the project, while a new bus stop will be built between Bouverie St and Swanston St. A total of 68 car parking bays are to be kept, however 18 car parks will be removed to make way for the new bike lanes, which would see a reduction in traffic lanes at midblock sections and intersections. The project is expected to be completed in the middle of the year.

She noted that concept plans would be available for public comment in June or July. She also reported that the changes will reduce the traffic flow with reduced traffic lanes and the introduction of protected bike lanes.

The CRA wrote to Cr Dr Ball noting that existing trees should be retained and additional greening added.

Source: https://www.innercitynews.com.au/grattan-stto-open/

Grattan St connects to The University of Melbourne Parkville campus, the nation’s largest medical precinct, and the future Metro underground Parkville Station.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the new bike lanes would improve a safer, better connected cycling

“With thousands of extra people expected to move through the area every single day, it’s important we deliver a safer route for riders, pedestrians and drivers,” she said.“Works will soon start to improve the journey into the city for riders from the north, with upgrades on Grattan St connecting to the popular Canning and Rathdowne streets routes.”

Under the plan, pedestrian, car, and bike access on Grattan St will be maintained during the works. For the full story, go to: https://bit.ly/48wtJHc

Bike lane layout from a council plan (Drummond to Rathdowne streets). network.

Graduate House Student Group (GHSG)

Bowling and Pizza Extravaganza

Spares and strikes were the order of the day at the recent GHSG outing!

Saturday, 27th April saw residents of Graduate House come together to enjoy an evening filled with much laughter and friendly competition. Organised by GHSG President, Haoran (Tony) Fan, the outing was held at Strike Bowling, Melbourne Central, and was attended by over 25 residents. Here are some snap shots of our champions in action!

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We thank the following organisations and members for their event bookings at Graduate House in March and April 2024

Advancement Office

ASME Victorian Chapter - Council Meeting

Association of German Teachers of Victoria Inc. (AGTV)

Athanasian Trust

Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE)

Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology Limited

Australian Italian Lawyers Association (AILA)

Australian Psychological Society (APS)

Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN)

Carlton Parkville Probus

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU)

Manufacturing Division

Chief Operating Officer Portfolio (COO-P)

Department of Infrastructure Engineering

Department of Nursing

First Super

ForestWorks

Genetic Epilepsy Team Australia

HALA and AILA Function

Institute of Senior Officers of Victorian Education Services

Lysander

Medicolegal Group

Melba Group

Melbourne Graduate School of Education

Melbourne School of Professional and Continuing Education (MSPACE)

Melbourne State College Group

Melbourne University Car Club

Mental Health First Aid Australia

Standard MHFA Instructor Training course Teen Instructor Training Course

Michael Quin

MSPACE

Office of the Provost Opticum Pty Ltd

Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller Incorportated

Feedback

Organising our event was easy - Melba Group lunches have been a regular event, at a set time of month for nine years and require a minimum of organisation now. All Graduate House staff are extremely obliging, and it is very easy to organise menus, venues, numbers and any additional equipment, display tables, etc that is required.

We usually use the Johnston Library , but when it was evident we would have too many guests for this venue, we easily arranged a larger room with Hospitality manager, Rosie Ellul.

The food is consistently tasty and attractively presented. The serves are very generous, and I did notice that many of our older guests were unable to eat all of their large meals.

Parkville Conference of St Vincent de Paul

Per Capita Inc.

Peter Doughty (Italian Conversation Lunch)

Phoenix Australia - Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health

RACI Vic retirees group

Research, Innovation and Commercialisation

Researcher Developer Unit

Rod Watson Luncheon event

Rotary Club of Carlton/ Rotary District 9800 Foundation Committee

Soroptimists International of Melbourne Inc.

Stroke Association of Victoria

The Graduate Union Collegiate events and meetings

Turkish Teachers Association of Victoria (TTAV)

VCCC Alliance

Victorian State Secondary Past Principals’ Association inc.

I cannot speak highly enough of staff assistance for this occasion. Unfortunately I wasn’t informed that a computer and screen were needed for the presentation but Bill was fabulous and unfussable and set up the system from scratch (no USB), which worked wonderfully. Also an extra presenter turned up without notice, and fortunately was able to have the meal of another guest who was a late cancellation.

I’m sorry to say that some of my Melba lunches have an element of chaos associated with them, and Graduate House staff take it in their stride. Melba Group is very happy to continue our monthly lunch arrangement at Graduate House.

Many thanks, Margaret Sawyer, Melba Group

2024 Mid Year Fundraising Appeal

The 2024 Mid-year appeal‘s focus is towards Advancement Support such as:

• Mentoring Program

• Membership Pin Design

• Doctoral Research Series

• Semester 2 Writing Program

• New Flags for the front of Graduate House.

You are also invited to contribute to our ongoing

To donate, please turn this page >>>

• Building Fund (to upkeep Graduate House as we continue to provide high quality affordable college accommodation for graduate students and visiting academics from all over the world).

• 60th Jubilee Appeal (celebrating the opening of Graduate House to provide graduate accommodation).

• 110th Anniversary Appeal (celebrating the founding of our organisation in 1911).

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