- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Happy Expat
- Hits: 1007
Bruce Ruxton was an unapologetic patriot and a steadfast advocate for Australian veterans, known for his unwavering commitment to the nation’s values and heritage.
As the long-serving President of the Victorian branch of the Returned and Services League (RSL), he became a household name, boldly championing the rights of ex-servicemen and women while fiercely opposing policies he believed undermined Australia's sovereignty and identity.
A decorated World War II veteran, Ruxton's straight-talking demeanour and passion for preserving Australia's ANZAC spirit often sparked controversy, yet his dedication earned him respect across political and social divides.
Bruce Ruxton is one of my heroes. I never met the man and these notes are drawn from personal recollection of some of his better known controversial escapades with a bit of research added in.
He passed on 23rd of December 2011.
Read more: Bruce Ruxton - a true Australian Hero and Patriot
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Shaydee Lane
- Hits: 770
Our Governments need to admit that they were wrong. Cut their losses and get us out of the boathouse and set sail once more.We have been at anchor too long.
Set sail on already charted waters and dare to venture out of the so called safe harbour that is politically correct, poll driven mumbo jumbo " I am a rabid wanker and you should all be proud of it. " country.
Can we just start sailing again because I am sick and tired of being stuck in limbo and my sails, quite frankly, are running out of puff.
Many decades ago, my late father bought a boat. We called it " The African Queen " because it was an old clinker craft boat in need of restoration and a new motor. After many months of hard graft, the African Queen had a facelift that would have made many a Hollywood starlet proud - unlike theirs, the Queen had a dignified look and was completely free of botox.
In fact, she was dignified and graceful, albeit a bit slower in the journey. She was in short reliable, dependable and a great friend in a storm.
My Dad decided that she needed a new heart. Gone, the old motor. Enter the Wankel Engine.
Read more: Wankels v Wankers.... Whose Bright Idea was This?
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Shaydee Lane
- Hits: 1172
A neighbour was telling me about her Christmas shopping expedition to Brisbane recently.
She wanted to buy her young grandchildren a Nativity Scene so she could put it on the table and explain the meaning of Christmas.
Do you know that none of the shop assistants had a clue what she was talking about or even the real meaning of Christmas.
This shows how much Australia has lost over the past generation. So much for politicians enriching our society by bringing in aliens. To me it shows how bad Australia has become.
The magic of Christmas for kids isn't the same when they get past a certain age. I often think about my girls when they were little and how magical it was seeing their little faces as they snuggled up for sleep on Christmas Eve and raced around at dawn ripping presents open.... And that got me thinking about a Christmas a long time ago.
Read more: Christmas Memories of Nativity Scenes, Cardboard Boxes, Barbie Dolls and Missing Sheep
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Guest Post
- Hits: 1140
On the gusty afternoon of December 17, 1967, a group of five adults arrived at Cheviot Beach, near Portsea, Victoria, and strolled along the Bass Strait beneath the warm Australian sun. Harold Holt was eager for a swim, and after stepping behind a rock outcrop in the sand dunes, he emerged wearing a pair of blue swim trunks. Marjorie Gillespie and her daughter, Vyner, both in bikinis, turned to the water and noticed that the surf, at high tide, was higher than they’d ever seen it.
“I know this beach like the back of my hand,” Holt replied, and walked into the surf without breaking his stride. Immediately, he began swimming away from the beach. Martin Simpson, Vyner’s boyfriend, followed but stopped when he was knee-deep in the surf. “There was a fairly strong undercurrent,” he said, “so I just splashed around without going in too far.” The third man in the group, Alan Stewart, told the others, “If Mr. Holt can take it, I had better go in too.”
But he stopped quickly when he felt a tremendous undertow swirling around his legs. He watched Holt swim out into what he considered “dangerous turbulence.”
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Shaydee Lane
- Hits: 1013
When I was a young lass of 17 or so, I worked in a swanky upmarket tourist hotel in New Zealand. I was a receptionist doing the meet and greet to all guests, and often met with well known so called celebrities. One afternoon, I met and greeted a particular " celebrity " whom I had admired and thought to be a very nice chap. How wrong I was. He turned out to be a sleasy grubby minded middle aged man with a penchant for young ladies. He was on my naughty list for the rest of his life and mine.
The reason I tell you this is because, in our lives, we often put people on pedestals and give them an almost hero-like status. Too often, we are let down when confronted with the reality of the man, not the myth.
When I moved to Australia, I met people who had an almost groupie like fixation with Gough Whitlam. I heard them talk about his service to Australia with stars in their eyes. How the evil Sir John Kerr and Malcolm Fraser had done an act of such wickedness that they may as well have been Judas and Pontius Pilate. They worshipped at the altar of Gough, and for them, he could do no wrong.
Read more: Gough Whitlam - the Man who Set off the Destruction of Australia?
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Malcolm Kirke
- Hits: 874
For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by non animal means of getting around.
That one baby-power rocking horse took me on many wonderful and exciting exploratory adventures, but it wasn’t long before the urging of the need for speed reared its persuasive head, a need catered for by a Christmas present from an understanding Mum and Dad … a Cyclops pedal car.
Thus commenced a love affair with driving a motor vehicle, of the sheer enjoyment of manoeuvring this obedient metal contraption which took me wherever I wished to go, subject of course to the availability of sufficient propulsive power of a couple of skinny little legs.
This is my Christmas gift to Malcolm - a very valued and much loved and respected contributor to our blog who has been unable to join us of late. This article was originally published at Christmas 2021. We miss you dear friend. We here at patriotrealm.com still think of you. Merry Christmas and I hope you are happy and well... I bet you wish you had gotten to drive a Tucker 48! ...... Monty
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Monty
- Hits: 888
Preston Tucker was a man driven by bold ambition and a determination to reshape the future of the car industry.
In a post-World War II era dominated by the Big Three automakers, Tucker introduced the Tucker 48, a vehicle so richly filled with features that were decades ahead of their time.
Despite his incredible vision, Tucker faced fierce opposition from powerful industry players, relentless government scrutiny, and insurmountable financial hurdles. His story highlights the problems faced by people who dare to dream big.
Tucker posed a direct threat to the Big Three automakers - General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler........who had dominated the market for decades. By the mid-1950s, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler manufactured 95 percent of American cars. The established players, wary of competition used their influence to stifle Tucker’s progress.
Tucker faced hurdles at every turn. Obtaining raw materials and manufacturing equipment in the post-war economy was challenging, as major manufacturers often received priority. Adding to the pressure, negative press campaigns emerged, questioning Tucker’s credibility and business practices. Many believe these efforts were orchestrated by rivals aiming to tarnish his reputation.
Read more: Preston Tucker: The Maverick Visionary’s Quest to Dream Big - Shot Down by Big Business
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Monty
- Hits: 1041
The Battle of the Bulge, one of the most dramatic and pivotal confrontations of World War II, unfolded in the dense forests of the Ardennes during the bitterly cold winter of 1944-1945.
As Nazi Germany launched a surprise offensive to split the Allied forces and regain momentum, the stakes for both sides could not have been higher.
This last-ditch gamble by Hitler, aimed at breaking through the Allied lines and capturing the vital port of Antwerp, initially sowed chaos and created a massive "bulge" in the front.
However, the battle would ultimately reveal the unyielding resolve of the Allies, as fierce resistance, some incredible strategic brilliance, and unrelenting courage turned the tide against the German forces, ensuring their eventual defeat in Europe.
The Battle of the Bulge, fought from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945, was the last major German offensive on the Western Front during World War II. It marked a desperate attempt by Adolf Hitler to split Allied forces, capture the vital port of Antwerp, and force a negotiated peace. While initially successful, the offensive ultimately failed, cementing the Allies' path to victory in Europe.
Read more: The Battle of the Bulge: A Pivotal WWII Turning Point
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Monty
- Hits: 985
On a busy December morning in 2014, the heart of Sydney's bustling financial district became the stage for an unthinkable tragedy. What began as an ordinary day turned into a 16-hour nightmare when an armed gunman stormed the Lindt Café, taking 18 people hostage.
As the world watched in shock, the siege unfolded with chilling tension, testing the resilience of a nation and leaving a terrible scar on Australia’s collective memory.
At 9.41am on Monday 15 December 2014, Man Monis directed Tori Johnson (the manager of the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place, Sydney) to call 000 and say that all those in the cafe had been taken hostage by an Islamic State operative armed with a gun and explosives.
Eighteen hostages were held in the cafe for 16.5 hours. Over that period, 12 of the 18 hostages were able to escape in four separate episodes.
At around 2.13am on Tuesday 16th December, the cafe manager Tori Johnson was executed by Man Moris.
Read more: Darkness at Day's Beginning: The Siege That Shook Sydney
- Details
- Written by: Op-Ed Monty
- Hits: 1162
Education, often celebrated as a beacon of enlightenment and progress, can also become a potent weapon in the hands of those seeking to shape minds for dark purposes.
History has shown how classrooms, designed to nurture curiosity and critical thinking, can be transformed into echo chambers of radical ideology, where young, impressionable minds are molded to serve political agendas.
From carefully curated textbooks to charismatic educators, the machinery of indoctrination works not by coercion but by planting seeds of loyalty and conviction, ensuring that the next generation becomes willing participants...or even zealots...in a cause they are taught to revere without question.
Nestled in the quaint seaside town of Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England, Augusta Victoria College (AVC) operated from 1932 to 1939 as a unique finishing school for young women aged 16 to 21. However, unlike other institutions of its kind, AVC has drawn attention for its disturbing ties to Nazi Germany.
Read more: Minds Under Siege: How Education Becomes a Tool for Ideological Indoctrination
- The Loss of Real Beauty in the World - an Emerging Woman is no longer what she once was..... women are doing themselves no favours
- When Going Fishing involves a Volcano, a Mutiny and a Kidney Stone Attack
- Drawing Blood with Ink: How Cartoons Prove the Pen is Mightier Than the Sword
- Tragedy on White Island: The Day A Tour Turned to Tragedy
- View all
- Blog
- Dusty Gulch Gazette
-
Sunday, Bloody Sunday -…
On Bloody Sunday 30 January in 1972, peaceful protesters in Derry were gunned down by soldiers…
170 hits
-
Dusty Gulch Gazette –…
Dusty Gulch Gazette – Reference Guide Purpose: A canonical reference for writers, artists, and collaborators…
64 hits
-
The Legend of Dusty…
Dusty Gulch Gazette – Chapter 2 Shadows in the Frangipani By Roderick Whiskers McNibble, Chief…
317 hits
-
Slaughter at Laha -…
In early 1942, the Japanese launched their invasion of the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia)…
535 hits
-
Tribes, Identity, and the…
Before Everything Became Political I grew up in a small rural farming community in New…
366 hits
-
The Self-Destruction of Party…
Political parties were meant to serve the people, but in today’s climate, they resemble warring…
338 hits
-
Australia Day 2026 -…
Australia Day 2026: A Quiet Line in the Sand I began writing something cheerful. Something…
396 hits
-
Cook Didn’t “Invade” -…
It's time to move beyond guilt-or-glory myths. History is never simple, and it should never…
1093 hits
-
The Search for Meaning…
Why modern activism feels less like justice and more like identity I was watching Rebel…
375 hits
-
Riding the Boundary as…
By The Boundary Rider, Dusty Gulch Gazette Part bush philosopher, part realist, part stubborn old…
402 hits
-
The Boundary Rider Steps…
A Stranger on the Line: Meeting the Boundary Rider By Roderick “Whiskers” McNibble, Dusty Gulch…
421 hits
-
The Aussie Poets
So many people from all walks of life have shaped our Aussie way of life,…
395 hits
-
“Australia will be there”…
As Australia Day approaches, I am reminded of a moment not long ago when ANZAC…
432 hits
-
Australia - Crikey, She's…
Another 26th of January is on our doorstep. Only a few more sleeps before we…
454 hits
-
Who We Let In…
Australia's White Australia Policy was a set of laws designed to restrict immigration by people…
438 hits
-
Project Iceworm: Missiles, Ice…
Frozen Whiskers and Secret Missiles By Roderick “Whiskers” McNibble, Senior Foreign Correspondent, Dusty Gulch Gazette…
491 hits
-
Chapter One - The…
By Roderick Whiskers McNibble, Chief Nibbler & Correspondent Date: Some dark night in Dusty Gulch,…
427 hits
-
If Free Speech Falls,…
Iran’s Self-Rescue and the Moral Test for a Silent West When calls for rescue come…
501 hits
-
Wonder Needs No Permit:…
Albo, the Old Testament, and the Strange Shape of Freedom Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thought…
485 hits
-
When the Piper Finally…
BREAKING: Albanese Appoints Malcolm Turnbull as US Ambassador – “Time to Pay the Piper” Edition! Canberra,…
485 hits
-
The Bikini That Broke…
Albanese, the Bikini, and the Death of Aussie Larrikinism Following the horrific massacre at Bondi…
1503 hits
-
A City on a…
On the 10th of January 2011, a catastrophic deluge unleashed an unprecedented "inland tsunami" across…
473 hits
-
Field Report Part Two:…
Knees Up, Feathers Down: Trevor the Wallaby and the Great Knee Caper of Dusty Gulch…
414 hits
-
Start with the Moon,…
Dusty Gulch Gazette Special Dispatch “The Art of the Iceworm Deal: From Venezuela to Orangeland”…
480 hits
-
The Petrodollar Strikes Back
Money Still Makes the World Go Around - And Boy, Has It Gotten Wilder When…
513 hits
-
From Floppy Disks to…
From Floppy Disks to the Cyber Monster: How the Internet Changed Us It all really…
505 hits
-
Kashmir Still on the…
It is one of the great temptations of modern geopolitics: to stare at the latest…
523 hits
-
Power Moves: Is America…
When America “Runs” a Country, the World Should Pay Attention As 2026 stumbles out of…
565 hits
-
When Truth Had to…
There are moments in history when telling the truth plainly becomes dangerous - not because…
435 hits
-
The Memories that Make…
As a child, we spent our Christmas holidays at a remote coastal sheep farm in…
468 hits
-
Field Report Part One:…
From Dusty Gulch Part One of the Honklanistan Series By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble The lamingtons…
519 hits