Ruffled feathers
The kookaburra, so Australian, such a unique call and stature.
Most importantly, it’s a meat-eating hunter with the patience of a statue, laser vision and pin-point accuracy in strike mode.
It is common knowledge that the feathered photographic icons, with the sharp horizontal beaks and deep throat, will watch a snake for ages before launching a high velocity ‘kill’ … which includes a constant roll of the beak, first left, then right … shaking the life out of the victim once captured.
Well, the last place you would expect to be attacked from a blind side, above your eye-line, is by a bird whilst sitting on a deck chair, enjoying the Queensland sun and pool side waiter service – fruit punch, club sandwich and a cardboard sleeve of salted French fries.
My wife, Kerry, was first to be targeted – or should I say – her caché of chips supported by a relaxed left ankle. My wife was slow to react. Good player out of luck.
The bird, at first, stationary like a sentinel … silent, processing possibility …
Then, take off … undercarriage tucked under belly … strong wings flapping in perfect harmony. The kind of image Leonardo da Vinci would have marvelled at … bird flight.
Plotted course … shortest straight line!!! Ignore everything else along the way.
Bucket of salty chips upended … toenail paint scratched by a determined beak … shout, shriek … ‘spotlight on sport’ … squawk.
“Mission accomplished”, a bomber pilot might shout into a handset.
Away went the bird, but not before several tasty potato morsels were rapidly ‘recovered’ from the poolside pavers. Take two!!
Safe ‘retreat’ to a metal guttering high above the poolside spectators. Where next … or who next? … or more importantly, what food looks best? Options?
Maybe the grating chuckling sound was confirmation of the heist?
Yours truly made sure it wasn’t going to be me next. I eyeballed the cheeky, complacent bird by pivoting my legs over the edge of the deck chair at right angles. We were face to face. The bird understood what I was up to …
My meal was consumed without incident … each layer of the club sandwich and every chip.
Soon after the commotion and my last chip had disappeared, Kerry handed me her remaining fries. The kookaburra, perched high beyond my right shoulder, fluffed his feathers … imagining another gob full of chips. I was finally distracted … in the blink of an eye.
I am now, toenails up, feet facing back towards to the magnificent infinity pool and sea beyond … oblivious to the alert mobile mind of the kookaburra.
I’d forgotten, he hadn’t!
But that bird could count too. Still 5 or 6 chips left. Now or never!!!
Just when I least expected it … saying to myself, “maybe a couple of French fries and a sip before settling into a more horizontal shape” …
Go, go, go!!! Lunge and accelerate toward the Tasmanian – legs like fluorescent light globes and very pale/white upper body – cardboard container extended in one hand beyond bent knees.
Then, out of nowhere … BANG!!! CRASH!!!
A massive hit on the container. Airborne fries soaring, end over end, in slow motion. Nothing I could do but watch and voice my disbelief … and smile.
KAPOWWW!!! Like a comic strip. 2 strikes in 15 minutes.
CONTACT.
In tennis parlance, 30 love (2 winners).
20 minutes, later a bronze muscled European chap leaned forward to sip his coffee. Biscuit still precariously balance on the saucer.
Direct hit! Hot coffee spilt over the speedos … biscuit clamped, vice-like, in the bird’s beak.
Funny, actually, when it is happening to someone else … isn’t it?
European body language and gesticulation … arms waving, disbelief … foreign swear words neither the bird nor anyone else could understand. Not a happy chappy.
These stories are the rich tapestry of travel and the unexpected …
I’m sure many of you have even better, wonderful, encounters with our spectacular flora and fauna … especially in the wild?
Another encounter occurred when I once went on a ‘blind date’ with a kookaburra. A set up video story with a beautiful tamed bird … the opening line, tight 60-Minutes shot (head only in frame) … Channel 9.
“You know what it is like … you ask a bird to dinner or a date month after month – rejection after rejection. Well, tonight is the night she said, ‘yes’.”
Pull back to wide shot. Reveal.
Second shot. Max seated at white tablecloth, silver cutlery and wine glass. To my right, perched symmetrically … standing between the knives and forks is my calm, beautiful feathered friend, gazing knowingly into my eyes thinking “this bloke has the ability to feed me tonight”.
I suggest to the camera, an old cliché, “not a bad looking bird, eh?”
There in began an indelible evening – captured on video for a pilot program I was working on at the time … around 1998 – “Max Walker’s Birdworld”.
The project was a bit like the fishing programs we see today – action and hands on – not the Attenborough, beautifully shot, “life of birds”, which is the yardstick by which so many of these programs should be measured.
My budget was nowhere near the BBC’s, but my enthusiasm, creativity, television know-how and research, plus cameraman extraordinaire, Micky Purdy, enabled us to make a very compelling pilot (1 hour) about avarion birds. Hyacinth Macaws, Finches, John Gould art prints, airline strikes, illegal aviaries and rare birds … so much fun.
Unfortunately, at the time we could not make it ‘fly’ with the networks. Yes, some great concepts don’t become reality – programmers don’t believe, have a lack of courage or not enough budget, or it’s simply bad timing. “Max Walker’s Birdworld” is still a very good concept.
The third story I am recalling took place whilst shooting for the same program. We had Grace the wedge-tailed eagle, in impressive leather medieval headgear, on my arm … eyes blinking, razor sharp beak protruding, wings down.
My arm was perched on the driver’s side door of a brand new Mazda soft-top convertible. Supposedly; I was driving down a rural lane on the Mornington Peninsula. We brake momentarily …
To camera, “What more could a guy want, sports car, beautiful bird on the arm (Grace), blue sky, wind in the face …”
Now, the idea was to release Grace who had a wing span of 2 metres, straight at the camera that was following, parallel to us, on tram track ‘dollies’. Soar away into the blue beyond.
Didn’t work out that well on our first take – for the camera or the car … or Grace.
These birds have talons that crush rabbits, baby lambs and other prey at 3,500lbs/sq in. Those toenails were wrapped around my gloved forearm. When I released the tether, Grace, ever so awkwardly, slipped onto the windscreen, wings stretched wide. I’m unsighted, her toenails desperately seeking purchase on the shinny, slippery new British racing car green engine bonnet. Scratches eminent … How big? How long? How deep? 
This would be not like the normal return of a hire car. Explanations needed. Doubted they would believe me anyway … but you can’t make up this stuff … they had to … and they did. Plus they didn’t get upset. Lucky.
During this day we captured some amazing footage of falcons diving vertically at the ground from a great height, as they do, in the wide-open spaces … on cue to a whistle. Smack into the master’s leather glove. This was where the reward was – food.
I asked the Falconer how he was able to train these birds of prey to be so good.
He said, “Like this …”.
He placed a chunk of raw meat in the glove I was wearing for the “preview” take.
I barely heard the whistle … turned my head to the left.
Out of the tree line across the vacant paddock, 2 metres off the ground in full flight … a meat seeking missile at full throttle.
If the bird that was aiming its beak at me like an arrow hit me in the chest, I reckon the power / weight / speed ratio would have enabled a ‘fly’ straight through my rib cage.
Eyes only for the chunk of red meat.
It all happened in a matter of seconds. A blur. Now you see it, now you don’t. Hardly felt contact with the glove … a perfect capture. A perfect predator in their environment.
All 3 encounters memorable.
Love to share any stories you may have experienced.
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Barrow Island
Oddly, the woman at the check-in desk asked to view any footwear that would accompany me to Barrow Island – site of the iconic Gorgan resources project. The remote island is a Grade A nature reserve. This presents a unique environment, overlaid with a set of strict compliance guidelines to operate with. Basically, flora and fauna is given a massive priority. Transgression can result in instant sacking – more rigid than Cricket Australia! Sacked Australian coach, Mickey Arthur, will argue his case in court.
First up, with a single elevated eyebrow, intuitively she laid my black brogues, soles towards the ceiling, on the counter. Not yet ‘inspected’ were my runners, heavyduty army boots or the pair I stood in.
Over time I have passed through many customs, immigration and metal detector screenings in unforgettable circumstances – East Timor, Zambia, Paris, Rome, Mumbai, Alexandria, Cairo, Jordan, Swaziland, Trinidad and Tobago. But this was another dimension.
Immediately, her microscopic scrutiny discovered 2 renegade pebbles lodged in the rippled rubber of one size 11-1/2 heel. With surgical precision she extracted, using tweezers, the 2 offending stones. I felt so guilty, the gaze of an impatient line of workers locked into proceedings up ahead.
Not easily embarrassed, I could feel heat rising in my cheeks. My face slowly turned the deep colour of a burgundy velvet curtain.
I should have been aware that this might happen. Needless to say, the delayed queue was no longer bored. Now there was ‘unexpected’ entertainment. They enjoyed my discomfort. But it wasn’t over yet.
Boots, runners and brogues back in their plastic bags. I was clear to continue. Bags tucked into the suitcase. Spin the barrel of numbers to lock the case. Roll luggage gently through another doorway … another room. I headed towards the security screening ramp.
Suitcase, plus hand luggage, would be fed into the gaping mouth of the industrial x-ray machine. Through? Not yet.
Another voice … urgent, demanding!!
“Where’s your shoes?”
“Back in the suitcase.”
“We need to screen them again … individually,” I was told, “open the suitcase”.
I obliged.
I understood the why … but, my goodness. Yes, this was the beginning of an attitude to excellence that blanketed, for the better, the entire island. Everyone, everywhere. Average never wins.
Nevertheless, at that moment for this aging fast bowler, it was “spotlight on sport” – with a gentle blowtorch.
Okay. Here we go again. Unlock the code, spin the dials, spread-eagle the container for all to see. Another roadblock for the bunched up line of resource workers reporting back for duty at this $62 billion oil and gas project.
The line was asked to step around … I was bent over, blood flowed down to my head. God bless blood pressure pills!!!
Again, my footwear was manually inspected while I anxiously waited … All clear!
“The shoe-shine’s free this time, Tangles” was said with a broad, knowing smile.
Case closed.
Next my RM Williams belt buckle provided too much metal … red lights flashed. Trouble.
Back through the free standing doorway, belt in the plastic tray. Guilty again. And because I had recently dropped 5 or 6 kilograms in weight, my trousers, thanks to my wallet and gravity, were rapidly heading south to half-mast – more smiles from the rapidly filling gallery seated in the waiting lounge.
Yes, this would be a memorable trip and a privileged experience for a city slicker like me.
Jen Robinson met me on arrival.
A setting sun and long strands of pink fairy floss like clouds disappeared into the horizon. The flat landscape was devoid of trees, with mostly ground hugging clusters of spinifex and vegetation. The dust was a beautiful burnt orange … and the tiny particles attached themselves to everything.
Why was I visiting Barrow Island?
I was invited to speak, across 4 consecutive days, to the vast majority of inhabitants (workers) from all sectors of the massive Gorgon Project.
“What it takes to create and work as a successful team, or teamwork”, was the central theme of my presentations. Also included was the aspect of living and working away from home. In many ways the workers were in 2 teams – home and island.
I have spent a lifetime away from home, on tour, travelling, living on the run out of a suitcase, yet expected to perform at an elite level. First in sporting arenas around the world, then in television studios and today communicating in a corporate community. I understand the pressure …
Four sessions each day for the 4 days!!!
A need for much energy and focus.
In many ways, like playing a 4 day Test match – but a wonderful experience.
Open air theatre, fans whirling against a dusty grill, constant ambience amongst the eye contact … slowly moving vehicles travelled left to right in the background.
Each session was introduced by a different senior person.
Then Dave Keogh, a man of much passion and experience on the island, kicked off the formalities within this informal setting by discussing the importance of coming home from the workplace safely. Safety is a daily pre-occupation for every person contributing to this incredible project.
Dave has spent 18 years living on the island.
Later, he and Jen Robinson showed me the island – nature and man-made structures side by side. A massive jigsaw of ideas, intellect and implementation. Cutting edge world best leadership here.
Everywhere, including the sessions, men and women were clad in either yellow and blue or orange and blue coveralls.
With all that yellow, gold, canary yellow or wattle in front of me … it was, in a strange way, like the early days of Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket revolution. He, too, was concerned with health and safety. Players wore crash helmets after 1977. He made it ‘cool’ and safe …
In amongst my audience sat hard hats and protective eyewear. The straps of reflective tape was later to cause a challenge for my camera flare!
Question time threw up many thought-provoking questions. A chance to talk about what my audience wished. The best questions on teamwork and thought leadership, relationships and challenges were rewarded with signed cricket balls, shirts and vests.
Many nations and cultures were represented in each session … I appreciated the chance to chat with many beyond the platform, too.
Trust you find my mind-map and graphic notes an interesting way to construct the content for my talks.
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Bad Reflections
Question: How do I stop reflection in my glasses when filming in front of a Green Screen?
Answer:
This is a common problem …
If the lens is in the same plane (vertical, like the eye wear being worn) and at same the level, the reflection of the Green Screen will be visible in glasses.
A quick answer is to take off the eye wear altogether … ie shoot without wearing glasses …
or
- put a diffuser on your light source
- have the camera set up a little higher than the eye-line or glass of the eye wear
- it will be better to bounce light and generally better with more than 1 light source …but if there is only one light source, place it directly behind the camera
- the more pixels you use … the more latitude you will have post production
- Better to dumb it down than dumb it up
After 30 plus years of standing both in front of cameras and behind, there is a wealth of experience to share when it comes to the gearbox of communication. I would welcome any further questions. max@maxwalker.com.au
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Tooth Snatcher
Some experiences never change – the fear of the dentist – situated above the eyebrows in the neck top computer. The darkroom where negatives develop.
I had managed to avoid getting a crown on any of my teeth for a lifetime. But the moment of truth recently became a reality – apprehension high, anxiety off the charts … couldn’t conceal my fear. The eyes are a dead-set give away!!!
How many fingers are needed to render a solitary back tooth? 8 fingers and 2 thumbs plus the nurse’s “sucker” – fluid extraction hose.
Mission impossible you might say …
This was just part of the preparation. A portable, makeshift protective cover to get me to the main event in 2 weeks time. The permanent cap.
“Don’t eat anything hard or sharp on back left …”
“The glue dries quicker these days … you can enjoy a coffee in 15 minutes …”
“Come back in a fortnight …”
Sound familiar?
Reminds me of a story I penned many years ago … same dentist, Dr Victor Barnes … been skulking into his surgery for more than 3 decades now …
In Fright of the Drill – ‘It was too late, the cavities were there’
I am please to share the fact that the rear left molar now successfully wears a crown … unfortunately, given the blister on my credit card, even with my smile it is not visible. Thanks Doc … keep smiling
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WSC – The first cricket revolution
I treasure the black and white photograph I had taken with Sir Donald Bradman at his house in Adelaide many years back.
My favourite uncle, Charlie, had an old-fashioned vinyl record called “Our Don Bradman”. In a sense, Charlie introduced me to Bradman … who he was and what he had achieved … hence the massive following.
The Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame at Bowral houses one of the finest cricket collections in the world … a must visit if you are a cricket ‘nutter’ or maybe just a fan.
The audio/visual interactivity of the museum is compelling. Be prepared to immerse your mind in nostalgia for hours … images, words and objects of cricket royalty … priceless … especially when linked with our own individual memories and personal stories.
We were gathered in Bowral to attend a function to recognize Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket revolution of 1977-78. A unique, tumultuous period in the game. Kerry Packer and his players (the best in the world) were persona non-grata in the eyes of the cricket establishment. The 69 WSC players, including yours truly, at the time were banned for life for their involvement.
So much emotion, potentially shredding the heritage and future of the greatest game of all. The advent of WSC challenged and forever changed cricket for the better. You may disagree.
Many books and now films have cast a magnifying glass over this period and the fascinating characters involved. For more detail, I urge you to read them … many probably only available on eBay and in libraries. WSC revolutionized how the game was played and brought thousands of new fans to the sport.
After a tour of The Bradman Museum, many with glass in hand … the dining room swelled to capacity. In attendance, Ros and Gretel Packer, Tony Grieg’s wife Vivian and young son, Tom … So, too, son Mark Greig from his first marriage. Richie Benaud, who was the original consultant to WSC, was there with his wife Daphne. Players, Doug Walters, Rick McCosker, Len Pascoe, Ian Davis … Dennis Yagmich (the second wicketkeeper), who I had not seen since those years, and who despite only playing a handful of games also made the journey from Perth. Australian Team Manager, Geoff Forsaith. The surviving half of the legendary MoJo duo that penned “C’mon Aussie C’mon”, Allan Johnston, was another attendee. Forgive me if I’ve missed out other important figures.
Many press, TV and media outlets were represented.
What we experienced was a chance to revisit those extra-ordinary times. Michael Clarke, the current Australian Test captain talked of the period and its legacy and the role past players can have in the contemporary game.
Friend, Mike Coward, has done an outstanding job in collecting, so far, 140-plus interviews with the significant players globally. In time, this passionate investment in building both the oral and visual history of WSC and international cricket will be irreplaceable. At the end of official proceedings, we sat down together for an hour-long chat … TV camera over his right shoulder – red light on.
As a matter of interest, Mike co-authored the book ‘Wit of Walker’ with me.
To be able to chat at length, not in sound bytes of 15-20 seconds, was a wonderfully indulgent luxury given today’s hyper-fast pace of life. It was memorable to expand stories into sub-plots and characters … events as they actually happened. What a privilege to walk events across a bridge from yesteryear!!
During the official lunch, Mike eloquently outlined this unique period of cricket. Richie Benaud, Doug Walters and I participated in a panel discussion. Then questions from the floor. One memorable question was from a teenager … “But what if the venture failed”? It was one I chose to answer. Maybe I’ll share my response another time … or simply watch the television drama – Kerry Packer’s Wars. Richie didn’t hear the question but said he liked the answer – very Ritchie!
Vivian Greig spoke on behalf of Tony (a consultant to The Bradman Museum). Tony had such a massive input and impact on the success of WSC. She relayed his thoughts on several subjects, especially the future of the game, with a beautiful empathy. The game of cricket owes a great deal to A.W. Grieg. The game will miss him, but his footprint and legacy will be large. He was a mate and a mighty opponent on the field.
Photographs, stories, autographs and interviews followed. I am so pleased to have been part of a significant days play. It was a huge step in acknowledging many of the games toughest battles, given the pedigree of WSC players. Maybe in the future, runs scored and wickets taken will be added to official Test and first class player records … A big question.
To the incredibly committed team at The Bradman Museum
- Maurice Newman – Chairman
- Karen Mewes – Events Manager
- Rina Hore – Director
- Cindy Pryma – Graphics and Visuals
- David Wells – Curator
- Mike Wise – Operations Manager
- and the sensational Bradman support team … I admire your efforts and wish you good luck.
It will be my pleasure to help in any small way I can to expand the message of what is available at Bowral and the great, yet still evolving, game of cricket.
A special ‘thank you’ to photographer Viv Jenkins’ widow, Jan Johnson, who donated in excess of 1,000 transparencies of Viv’s creative flair captured during his stint as official WSC photographer. Worth seeing for yourself when you visit the venue.
Finally, to Kerry Packer … what an extra-ordinary Australian. Courage, Commitment, Innovation and dollars created a groundbreaking revolution. The 20/20 version of the game, such as IPL, is an extension of Mr Packer’s vision. The game of cricket says: “a big thank you”. And, yes, I would do it all again.
http://www.bradman.com.au/
For a little extra on WSC, A game-changing time in Australian sport is remembered. – A piece in The Sydney Morning Herald – February 10, 2013 Daniel Lane
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The Present
I was introduced to this beautiful, yet stark, collection of words at a philanthropic event two decades ago …
The Present
Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,000. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening it deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent of course!
Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning it credits you with 86,000 seconds. Each night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow”.
You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get the utmost health, happiness and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today.
To realise the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realise the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realise the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realise the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers waiting to meet.
To realise the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realise the value of ONE MILLI-SECOND, ask the person who won silver at the Olympics.
Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more if you share it with someone special enough to spend his or her precious time with you. And remember that time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift.
“That’s why it’s called the present”.
Author: Bernard Edmonds
They came up in conversation again last week … still relevant and thought provoking …
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Disaster Aid Australia
The Rotary wheel has many cogs and continues to be energised by wonderful, committed people all around the world.
Thank you to all the people who attended the conference in Geelong. It was a privilege to share stories of philanthropic pursuit … a chance to reflect on ROMAC and Disaster Aid Australia (DAA) … and hear of other amazing projects DAA has played a major role in.
DAA aided rebuilding in the aftermath of Cyclone Pablo in the Philippines … Volunteers were on the ground through Christmas and the New Year, 2012-13. This was an amazing effort in devastating circumstances amid death and destruction.
During the conference lunch break I signed copies of my books that I had donated to the fundraiser… the session lasted 2 hours … way beyond lunch. The $5,500.00 raised has already been put to good use in providing survival boxes.
I couldn’t believe the constant queue at the signing … or the indentations in my fingers from non-stop autographing!!! It seems there is still much life and interest in the ‘How to …’ series of books and, of course, ‘Caps, Hats & Helmets’ … even still have a few signed copies here.
Again, thank you everyone involved … keep making a difference.
Disaster Aid Australia – http://www.disasteraidaustralia.org.au/
Rotary Australia – http://www.rotary.org.au
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A century of exhilarating screams … Happy 100th Birthday Luna Park
Since 13th December, 1912, Mr Moon, the famous smiling face gateway, has been welcoming visitors. The rides, sideshows, attractions continue to draw generations of ‘thrill seekers’ …
I was 17 the first time I visited Luna Park … was representing the Tasmanian Colts Under 21s Cricket Team … We had lots of fun, especially on the Mousey Whizzer and the Big Dipper … a team mate almost broke my ribs, he was so scared and hung on so tightly as we rounded each rapid corner. Being stuck to the wall of a rotating cylinder was an unforgettable experience … hungry trousers …
How did you find the Ghost Train and Dodgem Cars?
Today’s rides are more sophisticated and frightening. Huge rotating arms against a blue sky … upside down … hang onto your coins and mobile phones!
The clowns, with revolving pale faces and an insatiable appetite for ping-pong balls, are still a hit with all-comers wishing to get lucky at the sideshows.
Everyone has a Luna Park story – about the place itself, a great experience or a not-so-good one. Why don’t you unload your own stories as we celebrate a century of screams …
Trust these images will open the memory bank …
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