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Remembering John

19/5/2018

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Picture
JOHN Clarke's memory will live on at the Literary Festival of Phillip Island with an annual dedication.

Professor Tim Flannery will be guest speaker at the dedication at the opening of this year’s literary festival on Friday. July 27. He’s expected to speak on “the good news for John's birds" in reference to the birds of Phillip Island, whose habitat John worked so hard to protect.
 
John's multi-faceted genius will be honoured by the event, which started with an impromptu and moving dedication by Bryan Dawe and Andrew Denton at last year's inaugural festival.
 
John, who died suddenly on April 9 last year, was a much loved part-time resident of  Phillip Island for many years with his wife Helen and daughters.
 
Members of the Story Gatherers have been working with John's family to organise this year’s special event.
 
'We’re delighted that Dad will be remembered by the Phillip Island Island Festival,” John’s daughter, Lorin Clarke, said. “We hope the annual dedication will provide opportunities for creative people and audiences to connect in one of Dad's favourite places, Phillip lsland.”
 
In his book" Tinkering" John provided the following hilarious account of his activities: "Travelled extensively through Holy Lands, then left New Zealand fr Europe. Stationed in London 1971-73. Escaped (Decorated). Rejoined unit. Moved Australia 1977. Held positions with ABC Radio (Scked), ABC Television (Dfnct). various newspapers (ded) and Australian FIim Industry (Fkd). Went on to become a freelance expert in matters of a general character. Recreations: Whistling.”
 
John's passions, talents and interests were so diverse that the Story Gatherers have a wide ambit to choose topics,  writers and  performers for future  dedications  to John's memory in  festivals to come.
 
A conservationist, John worked to protect the seagrasses of Western Port and loved sea and shore birds. Phillip Island is part of the Ramsar International Agreement  to  Protect Habtitat  of  migratory birds.
 
Kay Setches, the Vice President of The Island Story Gatherers, said • we had to have a guest speaker with a topic John would have approved of. John was an avid photographer of birds. We owe it to John's efforts as a bird conservationist and watcher to have an address by Tim Flannery"
 
There will be an additional speaker for the Dedication on Friday evening, who wfll be amounced a little later. The Festival will be held on the weekend of Friday to Sunday, July 27 to 29.

Information available at Literary Festival of Phillip Island or at Turn The Page Bookshop In Cowes. 
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