VAN DAVY

News has just come in that Van and Jennifer were involved in an accident on Friday21 November. Here's the gist of the information I have at this stage:


Van and Jennifer were in a trike accident on Friday. Van is in Royal North Shore Hospital with multiple fractures to his back and chest. His spine is broken in eight places. Jennifer was taken to Gosford Hospital -- her injuries were even more severe and she passed away this morning (Monday morning.)


This information came from Jenny Gore from Newcastle Uni via Kevin Farrell.


I'll post any further info here on this site. If you have other information feel free to send it to me at keasty446@gmail.com Ta.

WARRUMBUNGLES

The Warrumbungles! Wow!

Yes, Jim and Jan Smart and the Keasts visited the Warrumbungle National Park just out of Coonabarabran, some 165 km north from Dubbo. We had a great time and walked heaps! Did a 6 hr hike on day 1 and then a 3 hr hike on day 2. Day 3 all Jan and I wanted to do was walk as far as the toilet block! The breadknife is an awesome ... bit of rock..... huge bit of rock stickin' up in the air. It is wow stuff!

Of course we took our avans and set up camp together.

We also managed to get to the Crooked Mountain Concert - like a concert on the grass. James Reyne from Australian Crawl, Felicity Urquhart and others. Great night of music.

This makes me think (that's a worry, says Marion), is anybody interested in doing an adventure trip next year? Smarts and Keasts are thinking of doing a THREE WEEK TRIP.... suitable for caravans, motor homes, camoing units AND AVANS!

14 Sept - 2 October 2009. (Dates not confirmed as yet.)

Possible venues (still in melting point at this stage) Gerringong, Merry or Pretty Beach, Tathra, Lakes Entrance (Vic), Beechworth (or thereabouts), Tumut and finally Wombeyan Caves or Kangaroo Valley. Seven venues.... about 3 nights at each place.

Interested?

SEEN RECENTLY

Gra, Fay, Julie & Earl Hughes (see later comment)

Fay getting in some retail therapy at Nelson Bay

Bizza Birrell once asked John Hanlon (remember him) -
Have you met Blue? Blue Gillette?
True story. Hanlon had arived late for a meal
having not shaved for a day or so.

I haven't met him for a while either.
But then neither has Rob Hughes!

That's Dino with Peter Duncan at Coolangatta.

I was gonna crop the photo,

but Dino wanted evidence of where it was taken!

Has to be Canberra! Has to be Sue King!

Enjoying life as usual???

None of you would remember Julie Hughes (first photo). She was Julie Gibbes from Goulburn and Bundanoon. Her Dad was an Anglican minister so my cousin Brian reminded me. She was my girlfriend in 1962 - a beaut year. Julie was a Kambu girl. Others were Lyn Pavitt, Marg Stuckey, Barb Campbell, Kay someone, Wendy Scott, Inta Grass, Marg Anderson.... and I've forgotten the rest. I can't remember that many blokes from MY own dorm!! Rob Hughes, Merv Smith, Pix, ... Warfie, ....

BACK TO 1963-64

Graduation Ball - Dec 1963. Recognise them?

Comments? Thoughts? Names? Dec 1964.

Initiation Feb (or March?) 1963. I can ID six of these darlings! Can you?



My case rests. Please make a comment below. Would love to see who has a look at these photos. Maybe I'll stick a few more here if they are popular.

This is a mystery man. I know who it is. Do you? Have a guess.

They were great days in the early sixties!!

READY FOR HUNTER?

There are treats in store.... and they're not all grapes!!

• What’s On In March 2009
  
  Vintage – grape harvest, tasting the juice, concerts
  
  Pokolbin
  Hunter Valley Gardens
  Wineries
  Chocolate Factory
  Cheese factory
  Restaurants
  Golf
  
  Singleton
  Museum of the Royal Australian Infantry
  Historical Museum
  
  Bulga
  Baiame Cave (aboriginal site)
  Bush walks
  Wollemi National Park
  4WD driving
  
  Broke
  Vineyards - Catherine Vale, Margan, Krinkelwood and more
  Restaurants
  
  Accommodation (near Broke – 10 to 15 minutes from O’Brien’s)
  Starline Alpaca 8 cottages 4 to 8 people each
  Serenity Grove Cottage – up to 10 people
  Tara Cottage 6-8
  And others
  
  Chez O’Brien
  Good company, bad jokes, park your van, there will probably be a couple of spare bedrooms, hospitality
  
  When?
  Friday – Sunday March 27-29 2009

PS Is it true that Dougie is painting "AVAN" on his caravan so he can get the AVAN discount from the O'Brien Camping and Caravan Resort? So, what are you gonna do Merv?

REMEMBER 1964?

I'm was having trouble with this photo!!! Trying to get it better. Then you can see if you can identify people. You will recognise people you know. Thanks John Jeayes. I'm guessing the photo was taken about 21 July 1964!!! Click on the photo and you may get a better or larger photo. Who can you recognise? For example, the bloke at the back, second from the left is easy! We sure look young Merv!!!

The Return of ANDY BALTAKS

Yep, this is Andy Baltaks - July 2008.

Graham Brown, Andy Baltaks and myself met up in Yeoval, some 70 km south of Dubbo. (Graham on the left and Andy on the right.)

There was a Mulga Bill festival on the weekend of 26/27 July. Then there was a Bike for Bibles ride from Mon 28 July to Sat 2 Aug. Would you believe we also caught up with Graeme and Suzie O'Brien who were in Yeoval to enjoy the weekend.

For a 67 year old bloke (Andy, that is) who has just retired from 20+ years as a Baptist pastor in Germany, he rode extremely well. He is still a very fit athlete.

Andy, Graham and I all started WWTC in 1962. It was great to catch up after all those years. Andy was only out here for a couple of months.

I asked ex students if they remembered Andy Baltaks.... here are some of their comments:

Can't quite picture him but I do remember a fellow who used to wear a short sleeved white shirt in winter. Thought he was a bit strange. Sue (Upton) King

I remember Andy for exactly the same reason. His goal was to go through a winter in Wagga without wearing a jumper. Graham Brown was in Kabi dorm so I saw a fair bit of him too. Graham Wright

Andy would occasionally walk from his dorm to the dining room on his hands.
He was the first real gymnast I had met.
His forte was the pommel horse. Big bugger as well. Doug Walker

I remember Andy. He was a fitness fanatic. He challenged the Marinya boys to double the number of pushups that any one of us could do. I fancied myself as a pushup man so I took him on. I think I did about forty. Andy took the stage and warned us that he was going to strain out the last few as I had done, but he did not make the eighty. He reached at least sixty from memory. He used to pride himself at having cold showers in winter. Dino Forsythe

Andy's name 'rings a bell'. And I vaguely remember someone with a 'high resistance' to the cold. He would have been quite noticeable - the Wagga winters were cold! Amazing for you to meet up with him again. Cynthia (Richardson) Springvloed

I remember Andy too. A huge man who wandered around the campus on his hands and had 6 teaspoons of sugar in his tea or coffee. Russell Warfield

I remember him well!! A gorgeous big hunk of a man. I have a photo of him taken in '63 on a snow trip! Yummy! Marion (Smith) Giddy

Any others remember Andy?