From: Biological Stn. Pearl Beach
Via Woy Woy
NSW

To: Miss M. C. Sadler
White Lodge
101 Northcourt Rd.
Abingdon, Berkshire
England

January 10, 1958

My dearest Margaret,

I am ashamed to think how long it must be since I wrote last - and even now I cannot remember if I am in your debt for a letter or not. Are you well? Have you had a good summer? I have been feeling the strain of things here very much since the anxiety of last summer and all my plans for this place seem to be falling down, and I am not getting any further afield. Firebreaks have been cut and burnt - all against my theories of conservation which would mean use of all waste material, but never burning! The little nesting birds have departed, and even the last lyre bird has not been seen in my garden since the fires. All this leaves me in a state of anxiety and disappointment. I feel I should have been saved. However, some wider attention to the problems seem to be certain and I pray something better will come. Today we have gone back to winter and a fire is very enjoyable.

I think I wrote to you about the book published by the Ven. Archdeacon, Ashley-Brown, "Memory Be Green". He was in Bombay and was able to give me some details of our great-great grandfather Marc Antony Crommelin who was a judge, and he helped to build the Bombay Cathedral. His son, the Hon. Charles Crommelin, was governor of Bombay from 1760-1767. You will remember I sent you the note from Cambridge History of India "that he introduced the English as arbiters in Maratha Affairs - a deciding factor in the consolidation of the British power in India." Although there is no mention of these items in the Archdeacon's book, it is most interesting about life in Bombay and in other parts of the Empire. And I have sent you a copy which should reach you well before Christmas. I hope you will like it.

Although so many trees have been taken out, we still look out upon the green background to our wild garden of native flowers all in bloom. This year I have a Waratah in bloom. They take many years to come to maturity and are truly 'royal flowers'. The tree grows to 60 feet high but I have never seen one anything like that in size. Although they have their garden in Tasmania, no further progress has been made in other states.

The Sydney Scientific Film Society has made a film of marine life on a rock platform here and it has taken a prize and will be shown at the Film Festival, Sydney University. It is in colour and runs for 16 minutes. The name of this station appears, and wouldn't it be nice if you could see it sometime? I hope someday they will have our flowers, birds and animals as well!

West Australia is to have the Olympic Games in '62 and then are making elaborate plans, but the funds for native gardens seem to have been diverted to the ordinary type of botanic garden.

Much love, dear. Minard