https://youtu.be/qQFhrNndH9Y

My grandfather adopted a poor Irish boy and raised him with my dad. Gardner McCoy left California at 20 years of age and my granddad's silver mines near San Bernadino to immigrate to Australia. 30 years later he returned to us in Texas and invited me at 20 years of age in 1970 to come to Sydney to meet his daughter of the same age. 

Gardner McCoy started Bliss Welded Products with his large ranch-home overlooking Wollengong. His mining company (like grandfathers) minted the coins for Australia in the 60's. He later bought shopping centers in the US along with shipping freighters. 

I made 5 trips across Australia in my 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's. First driving a semi-truck loader to help build the German/Japanese coal-fired plant in NSW. Then building a Greek/Phonecian 70 foot fishing ship with the Greeks up from Melbourne on a river port of NewCastle just south of Queensland. I put the plywood decking and we finally put it in the water with two giant cranes with giant straps.

Another venture was graduating in Geology and going to work for his buddy the director at CSR on the North Shore of Sydney. But I decided to go to the grad program at U. Sydney. 

I later decided to buy a used Landcruiser to circumnavigate the continent and every city from Darwin to Newcastle (Perth).

Conners was winning the America's Cup back from the Kiwis from Kookaburra. I once worked with the Kiwis on the North Island when Piggy Muldune was PM and he gave a nice talk at a little town hall until some Kiwis tossed some firecrackers in the room... hahah. I could have met and talked to him.

The stories of Australia go on and on. I even later went back to NSW to work on a fresh-water lobster farm. On one of my trucking journeys thru the outback I saw a Maine Lobster over the door of a bar out my Alice Springs. I asked how on earth did they find a 2foot lobster to frame over the door and they said, " Oh that's a Gabby Mate, it is our fresh water prawn that grows in the ponds when the rains come. WOW. I can home and started a trout farm for the kids and hoped.... yeah sure... to import these to raise too... hahaha... like they would let me. 

I could go on and on.... the book does....... CHEERS

RANCE DEWITT on UTUBE  who gave Crocadile Dundee that Texas bowie knife.