IDEA
FOR SCENE: The bush in outback northwest Queensland, 1923. Enter a horse that runs
over to a waterhole and drinks, followed by John Campbell Miles leading another packhorse.
Lets other horse wander to water hole, upstage centre. Sits down to rest against a tree,
pulls a book of poetry out from his shirt, and reads a Lawson or Patterson poem out loud. (Choose
a poem.)
Miles: (talking to his horses) Knows how to spin a yarn that Lawson/Patterson fella. Puts book back into his shirt. Gets up, walks over to horses. Removes a small pick from one of the saddle bags. Yep, knows how to spin a yarn.
Miles walks over to pile of rocks stage left and taps them with the pick. Picks up a chunk and examines it, feeling the weight. Sound of approaching aircraft distracts him. He ‘follows’ the plane across the sky to off stage right. Scratches his head. Enter Smithy, Ginger and Felix.
Smithy: John Campbell Miles?
Miles: That’s me.
Smithy: How do you do? I’m Charles Kingsford Smith, pioneer aviator, and these days (turning, smiling at Ginger and Felix) time traveller. I’ve come from the future to seek you out.
Miles: You ‘ave, ‘ave you? Well, I’ve ‘eard of them aviators Keith and Ross Smith, but I’ve nevr ‘eard of you.
Smithy: Indeed. Well … (pause) … in time you will. (Walks over to Miles as he says this.) In 1935, twelve years from now, you will hear an amazing story of courage concerning myself and P. G. Taylor. Puts his arm around puzzled-looking Miles’ shoulder and walks him to down stage centre while Ginger and Felix speak.
Ginger: Oh no! He’s going to go on and on again!
Felix: No! Ssshhh! Ginger. Listen! This is good!
Smithy: Taylor and I will be on an airmail flight to New Zealand. The Southern Cross will develop engine trouble while we are flying over the Tasman Sea. Nothing below us but miles and miles of sea.
Felix: (to Ginger) That’s kilometres and kilometres of sea in our time.
Smithy: Taylor will get out of his seat, climb out under the wing and drain oil out of the disabled engine. Then he will move across to the wing to the oil engine and pour the oil into it. It will be described as an extreme act of bravery, and Taylor will be awarded the George Cross. All that in the name of airmail!
Ginger: Never mind that Smithy! Tell him why we’re here now.
Smithy: Yes. Quite. We need you to come forward in time with us to a special sitting of the Intergalactic Court of Appeal. Australia is in trouble, you see, and we need you to act as a witness on behalf of ‘Golden Soil and Wealth for Toil’.
Miles: What good’ll I do you? I’m only a prospector.
Smithy: Yes. That’s now. But you will soon discover a large deposit of silver and lead that will eventually lead to the establishment of Mt Isa mines in north-west Queensland.
Felix: He’s right! Mt Isa, which is the name you give to your lease, becomes a very big mine and mining town, and by the 1970s it will be earning a lot of money for Australia.
Ginger: How do you know all this stuff Felix?
Felix: I read. I listen. Ginger groans.
Smithy: Come on Miles. You must come with us. As you travel ahead in through time you will find out how it all happens.
Miles: Well I suppose I could. I’ve not been in one of them flyin’ machines before. Thinks. What about me horses?
Felix: They’ll be all right. We’re the ones travelling through time. Time will just stand still for them until you get back.
Smithy: Come on! Let’s go!
Smithy, Ginger and Felix exit stage left. Sound of aeroplane engines warming up. Miles scratches his head, looks at the rock in his hand, shrugs his shoulders, puts the rock in his pocket, walks over to his horses and calmly pats them both, then quietly walks off stage left. [Blackout]
 1901-2001 Centenary of
Federation |
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© HistorySmiths Pty Ltd, 1999 |
