Periodically my name appears in lists of Australian Journalists On Twitter (like this one). This leaves me slightly bemused. While I do have skills which would translate nicely into journalism I don’t have any journalism credits. Or rather, I didn’t think I did. Then I found my first – and only – print media byline!

Bomaderry Creek
We went to Bomaderry Creek.
I was tired.
Number 4 was a lookout and so was number 11 on the map.
I saw the waterfall. It was fast. The gum nuts looked like Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, and the rocks looked like Mrs. Snake’s dungeon.
John Lacey 7

Clearly May Gibbs’ stories had a profound impact on my young mind.

I don’t expect anyone outside of Australia will really understand the notion of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. Infact the following video of a stage production of the Gibbs characters may only confuse the situation further, but it’s better than nothing…

Interestingly my nephew recently had his parent-teacher interview, and his parents were overjoyed by what his teacher told them. His teacher sent his parents away with some photographs of him in class, one of which was a portrait of him sitting beside two little gumnut characters. “Snugglepot and Cuddlepie!” I exclaimed. My young nephew couldn’t believe I knew who these characters were.

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