BOOMERANGS FOR SOUVENIRS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27210, 30 November 1953, Page 3

BOOMERANGS FOR SOUVENIRS

Aborigines Now Use Modern Methods ELECTRIC SAWS AND POLISHERS (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 10. The aboriginal settlement at La Perouse, 12 miles from the heart of Sydney, has caught up with the modem age in the manufacture of souvenir boomerangs, nulla-nullas (waddies) and shields. Fast disappearing is the “stone-age” method whereby the weapons are roughly shaped with tomahawk, then whittled down and smoothed with broken glass. In its place, is the electric fretwork saw and polishing machine. To give the finished article a look of authenticity, the craftsmen still burn designs on the, souvenirs with red-hot pieces of fencing wire. First of the aborigines to mass produce boomerangs was Joe Timbrey, aged 41, who is Australian champion boomerang thrower. He paid £6O for his electric fretsaw and polisher a few months ago. Since then, he has more than tripled his boomerang, nulla-nulla. and shield output. He is also now making miniature boomerang brooches, walking-sticks, and small carved heads. During the day he can cut out and polish 24 boomerangs. The same night he and his wife can burn in designs and lacquer the boomerangs. But he and his companions work at such high pressure only when they have a flood of orders, as at present. Another craftsman, Bob Sims, aged 43, with four helpers worked from dawn to midnight for two weeks to make 1 300 boomerangs for a Tasmanian show. They had stiff fingers for days after- , wards. Mr Sims is making nine special < boomerangs for the 1956 Olympic : Games in Melbourne. He may give a throwing exhibition at the Games. Mr Timbrey inherited his boom- 1 erang-throwing prowess from his ■ great-grandfather. Joe Timbrey, Chief .

of the Five Islands, who died about j 50 years ago. He can throw a boom- f erang so that it returns to knock a i matchbox off his head. He is teaching a his youngsters, Jeanette, aged 13, and r Joe, aged 6, to make and throw t boomerangs. He says his saw-cut v boomerangs can be thrown just as f smoothly as his hand-made ones. |c