We have some pretty awesome Aussies, who’ve done some pretty special things – enough to be awarded the Australian of the Year. So why not honour them with a geo-series that starts at The Australian of the Year Walk, then visits a relevant place of interest for each group of Aussies and finally a short walk to GZ.
For our group of Sailors, we have a solo yachtswoman, a solo yachtsman who cleaned up Australian and then the world, and an America's Cup Skipper and Olympian.
1988 Australian of the Year – Kay Cottee AO
State: New South Wales
Solo Yachtswoman
Born into a Sydney yachting family, Kay Cottee developed a childhood ambition to sail around the world. In her twenties she became a proficient boat builder and managed a yacht charter business on Sydney’s northern beaches. She subsequently built the First Lady, in which she became the first woman to circumnavigate the world non-stop and unassisted.
On her epic 189-day journey Cottee set seven world records, returning to a rapturous reception from tens of thousands of spectators on Sydney Harbour in June 1988. Cottee’s Australian of the Year award recognised her inspirational feat, but also honoured her extensive efforts in raising over $1,000,000 for the Life Education Centres of Reverend Ted Noffs. Cottee observed, ‘I think national pride is growing and the land of the great knockers is fading out. A lot of people didn’t take me seriously when I started my journey, but everyone joined in as I got further along the way.’
At the posted coordinates (or WP1A), you will see a plaque of our first AOTY. Look next to the photo - there are four lines.
For K = Second Line, First Word, Second Letter (convert letter to a digit, where A=1, B=2…J=0).
For L, from the description above, on Cottee’s epic 189-day journey, how many world records did she set?
Now wander along the Australians of the Year Walk. It should be rather obvious where to walk, but you can confirm with the included waypoints.
1994 Australian of the Year – Ian Kiernan AO
State: New South Wales
Environmental Campaigner and 'Clean Up Australia' Chairman
Sydney-born Ian Kiernan trained as a builder and specialised in historic restorations before embarking on remarkable career as a global environmentalist. A keen yachtsman, Kiernan represented Australia in a solo around-the-world yacht race in 1986-7 and was appalled by the rubbish and pollution he encountered.
As a result, he organised a highly successful ‘Clean Up Sydney Harbour’ event in January 1989. The following year the inaugural ‘Clean Up Australia Day’ mobilised over 300,000 volunteers around the country. Such was the success of the scheme that the United Nations asked Kiernan to develop his concept on a global scale. In September 1993 over 30 million people in 80 countries participated in the first ‘Clean Up the World’ event.
Kiernan described his Australian of the Year award as an ‘incredible honour’ and an opportunity ‘to spread the message of care for the environment to all levels of the Australian and global community.’
Here you will see a plaque of our second AOTY. Look next to the photo - there are four lines.
For M = Second Line, Second Word, Third Letter (convert letter to a digit, where A=1, B=2…J=0).
For N, from the description above, Kiernan organised ‘Clean Up Sydney Harbour’ event in 198N.
1962 Australian of the Year – Alexander ‘Jock’ Sturrock MBE
America's Cup Skipper and Champion Yachtsman
‘Jock’ Sturrock was born into a sailing family in Melbourne and won the first of over four hundred national and state yachting championships when he was twelve years old. A highly versatile yachtsman, Sturrock competed in a wide variety of classes; he sailed for Australia at four successive Olympic Games and competed in eleven Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races.
In 1962 Sir Frank Packer’s America’s Cup syndicate asked Sturrock to skipper Gretel, which competed against Weatherly for the coveted trophy. Gretel won only one race in the best-of-seven series, but Sturrock won acclaim for his sporting behaviour. Sir Norman Martin observed: ‘The plucky attempt, the sporting spirit in which defeat was accepted, the modest yet manly bearing of the Australian skipper and crew before, during and after, won such gold opinions throughout the world that the winning of the America’s Cup assumed a secondary importance in the eyes of the world.’
Here you will see a plaque of our third AOTY. Look next to the photo - there are four lines.
For P = Second Line, Second Word, First Letter (convert letter to a digit, where A=1, B=2…J=0).
For Q, from the description above, how many successive Olympic Games did Jock represent Australia?
WP2 is at S35 KL.NKK E149 PL.PQ(M+Q)
Relevant place of interest for the AOTY
At WP2, you will be standing at a location where our group would certainly enjoy the view, if not partake in the local activities. Near you, there is a seat with a small plaque on it, dedicated to a Canberran, who clearly had the same passion.
**** IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE NOTE. THE PLAQUE AT WP2 IS CURRENTLY MISSING ****
**** INSTEAD: GO TO - https://sites.google.com/view/gc7zkg3 ****
There are four lines on the plaque. For R, S and T use (line, word, letter) to find a letter, then convert to a digit, where A=1, B=2…J=0.
R= (2,1,3) S=(4,3,5) T=(2,2,8)
For U, V and W, check the third line on the plaque: U0/5/194V - 23/4/201W
GZ is at S35 17.RST E149 07.UVW
Checksum S39 E26