Vale Melva Truchanas

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Vale Melva Truchanas

Postby Overlandman » Mon 16 May, 2022 12:42 pm

One of Tasmania's original conservationists has been remembered as a "great champion of the wilderness".
Melva Truchanas died after a stroke last Wednesday. She was 92-years-old.

January 6 this year marked 50 years since her husband, renowned photographer and conservationist Olegas Truchanas, drowned on the Gordon River.

Thoughts are with Melvas Family, Anita, Rima, Nic & Divya.
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Re: Vale Melva Truchanas

Postby headwerkn » Mon 16 May, 2022 12:51 pm

Literally just read this on Tasmanian Times - https://tasmaniantimes.com/2022/05/vale ... ias-wilds/
She carried the immense legacy of her late husband with aplomb and grace. Will be sorely missed. RIP.

Parts of what's believed to be her final interview can be heard here.
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/pr ... e/13828522
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Re: Vale Melva Truchanas

Postby tas-man » Mon 25 Jul, 2022 11:28 pm

When the LWC was producing it's 70th anniversary Langana magazine in 2016, I was responsible for chasing up some early members to get their memories of their time in the club. I'd like to share what Melva emailed to me for inclusion .

Looking Over our Shoulders

In early 1950 I became a member of the Launceston Walking Club (LWC) and had some serious and hilarious times there until June 1953. I came after teens through the war years,  with the Girl Guide movement, where I had become charmed with the bush and its creatures. Back then, our LWC first transport was Matilda - pensioned off from being worker-transport for the Waverley Woollen Mills at St. Leonards. Many stories she could have told! With dedicated mechanics Jim Turner and Dave Pinkard she (they) rarely let us down. There is still a ‘thank you’ around for them all. In those early times we ranged close by Launceston – Ben Lomond, Western Tiers and Greens Beach - where, boots and all, we practiced for the square dancing competitions of the time.

Then we graduated to more distant realms: Waratah meant driving overnight Friday to the West Coast, walking coast and beach till Sunday afternoon and returning well into Sunday night . . . with devoted drivers. With bent hardwood planks and leather bindings we tried our first skiing adventures on the plateau of Cradle Mountain on wintry days; later, there were great excursions over to the West Coast – dropped off by Matilda at each start, and picked up further up the coast two or three days later at walkers’ journey’s end – from Corinna and Pieman Heads to Temma, and Marrawah to Woolnorth. One leader, the redoubtable Bill Mollison approaching a crowd of wild steers, whispered to me ‘don’t feel fear they will smell it’.

In June 1953 with another LWC member, Val Seaton (England), and HWC member Fay Peterson (Herrington)  we set sail from Sydney to Auckland, just as New Zealander Ed Hillary with Tensing Norgay set their feet on the summit of Mt. Everest. We joined the Auckland Alpine Club at his homecoming, later skiing with the AAC for their ski season at Mt. Rhupehu. The following 7 months we spent circling the two NZ Islands’ back country, working and hitch hiking.

I gratefully acknowledge the LWC, which set us up for such adventurous lives. My memories are still colourful!

Melva Truchanas
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Re: Vale Melva Truchanas

Postby tas-man » Mon 25 Jul, 2022 11:45 pm

LWC group at Rylets Hut near Maydena.jpg
Launceston Walking Club group at Rylets Hut near Maydena, the start of the Port Davey Track. This may have been Melva's first extended trip with the LWC to Mt Anne and Lake Pedder. She is in the back row, second from the right.
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Re: Vale Melva Truchanas

Postby tas-man » Tue 26 Jul, 2022 2:08 pm

L Crawford_Neg 03.jpg
LWC King Williams to Port Davey trip December 1952. L-R Dave Pinkard, Fay Hutton, MELVA STOCKS.


L Crawford_Neg 04.jpg
LWC King Williams to Port Davey trip December, (on the Spires?) 1952. L-R Dave Pinkard, Ian Cox, Fay Hutton, MELVA STOCKS, Ken Church and Betty Hutton.


L Crawford_Neg 13.jpg
LWC Pieman to Arthur River trip early 1952. L-R Jim Turner, MELVA STOCKS, Bill Mollison.
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Re: Vale Melva Truchanas

Postby Overlandman » Tue 26 Jul, 2022 8:38 pm

Thanks Tas-man
Good to see David Pinkard & Jim Turner again.
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