Gryphon 1957 - Adm.monash.edu.au

School Excursions• 6th Annual N.S.W. TourEarly on the morning of September 3rd this year, thirty-six youth fu lfigures and two not -sa-youthful ones waited excitedly at Melbourne airportfor their departure on a tour of the iron and steel industry at Newcastleand Wollongong, and the lighter tourist industries of Sydney.Mr. Keller, dressed in a tie which hehas never been game to wear to school,was in charge of this industrious groupof students, and Mr . McKinnon wassecond in charge. Two hours later weemerged from our aircraft, sweltering inovercoats in the Sydney sunsh ine . Aftera tour to the Harbour bridge, we hadlunch at Central Station before boardingthe " Newca st le Flyer." At Central Station,Mr. Keller found what looked tobe a souvenir of his recent world tour,but he assured us as he hasti Iy confiscatedthe fi lrn in our cameras that heon ly knew her casually.The journey to Newcastle was verypleasant in the bright sunshine and . oswe passed ove r the Hawkesbury Riverbridge many camera enthusiasts tooksome good shots af bridge pylons andthe tunnel wall . The city which we hadcome to see was barely visible under athick pall of smoke. At "The Beaches"that night, we sow Mr. Keller wrappedin another souvenir of his world tour.This one was a very colourful Chinesedressing gown, even more brilliant thanhis tie.On Wednesday morning, a few hardysouls went swimming before breakfast,but most were content to sleep late.Breakfast was served by a waitress whocalled us all "darling." This includedMr. Keller, but this was not su rpris ingas he had stayed there before.The entire day was spent in touringS.H .P. in the capable hands of Mr.Coverdale. We saw every stage of steelmakingfrom the unloading of the areto the rolling of steel, which was beingsent, still hot, by rail to Rylands andStewart's and L1oyds. Lunch, and thewaitresses who served it, were providedby B.H.P. That night, Mr. McKinnonled a small party to a nearby lighthouseand were amazed at the number of carsthat appeared to have broken down enroute.The next day was a tiring one for usbudding metallurgists, and most of usby the end of the day wore the expressionsof stunned mullet. After touringCommonwealth Steel and taking a keeninterest in the railway tyre manufacture,we were again provided with lunch byB.H.P.The afternoon was spent at Au stralianWire Rope Works and Stewart's andL1oyds. A keen interest wa s taken in thespool winders at the former (spool windersare machines, not women, ed.). Mr.Keller took 0 party to the pictures thatnight, but those who could not stayawake didn't attend.Friday was our last day in Newcastle,and started with a visit to Burwood Colliery.At the six hundred foot level , wewere able to see blasting being done.The first time, coal wa s being blastedto make a new cut through; the secondtime was when John Burt hit his headon a low beam. Of interest to the geo10­gists of the pa rty was the large numberof excellent fossils in the mine. Whenour guide said to sh ine our torches onthe fossil, Mr. Keller stood in a blazeof light, but we eventually realised ourmistake and turned our lamps to themine roof .After lunch at the colliery, we sawthe manufacture of wire netting, barbedwire and nails at Rylands, and then wereshown around the fabulous NewcastleTech. by Mr. Basden, the principal. Theamount of new equipment at thi s schoolwas staggering - they even have theirown brewery. That night we had theonly rain of the whole tour, and several30