Seventy-Five Years at Willis Island
Preface
Foreword
Chapter 1: Willis Island Today
Chapter 2: Willis Island is Conceived
Chapter 3: Willis Island is Born
Chapter 4: The Early Years
Chapter 5: Life in the 1930s
Chapter 6: Willis Island at War (1941–42)
Chapter 7: After the War
Chapter 8: Willis Island—1960s Style
Chapter 9: The Value of Willis Island
Chapter 10: The Original Inhabitants
Appendix 1: Willis Island Milestones
Appendix 2: Willis Island Officers
Appendix 3: Log of Willis Island Observations, December 1922
Appendix 4: References
Index
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Whilst operating Willis Island is more expensive than a similar shore-based station, its value is also greater. It was developed with the primary task of assisting with the detection and tracking of tropical cyclones but it has other uses. It is as near as possible to an open water observation, which is useful for marine forecasts. Since it can have no surrounding development it also provides very useful information on climate change. Messrs Poynton and King were aware of its value for the first two but I doubt they would have realised what additional potential it had.
One of the features of the Willis Island station is a series of boards attached to the walls which list all the officers who have ever served on the Island. These make for interesting reading in themselves and the information has been summarised at Appendix 2. Several people have made more than one tour, some in consecutive years and some many years apart. Perhaps the most conspicuous is Bryan McGurgan who holds the record for both the longest time (about 6 1/2 years) on the Island and the greatest number of tours (13). The Island became an enlightened place of employment in 1983 when Denise Allen became the first woman to provide observations from there.
My thanks are due to the various contributors who are recognised at the beginning of each chapter. Mr Rex Falls, the Bureau's Regional Director, Queensland, provided the initial impetus, Mr Geoff Crane (his deputy) did the proofreading and provided suggestions and Ms Glorianne Swift did most of the typing. To all I wish to express my thanks.
Peter Fletcher
Brisbane
October 1996
People in Bright Sparcs - Falls, Rex; Fletcher, Peter
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© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
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