Monday, 20 November 2000

MEDIA RELEASE - HEAD OFFICE - 2001 Australian Weather Calendar

Calendar tribute for Tammin grain growers

Western Australian wheat growers the Packham family have been taking daily rainfall measurements for the Weather Bureau for the past 106 years. In recognition of their commitment, Michael Packham and the family property at Tammin are featured in the 2001 Australian Weather Calender.

Michael is also featured on the cover of the calendar, which is dedicated to the Bureau's network of 6200 volunteer rainfall observers. The calendar also features an observer from each Australian state. Western Australia has a network of 1230 rainfall stations, of which 1052 are operated by volunteers.

Michael Packham is the current observer on "Doongin Peak", a Western Australian central wheat belt property 185 kilometres east of Perth which retains much of its native vegetation. Michael took over the role in 1983 when his grandfather retired from rainfall recording after 57 years.

Everyday at 9am sharp, Michael takes a rainfall measurement and sends the data to the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne. His telephone is equipped with a device called a Telephone Observations Collections System (TOCS) which allows him to transmit information quickly and easily.

As you might expect, Michael has a healthy interest in the weather: "Being a wheat and sheep farm, we rely on the rainfall. I do find the weather quite exciting; just the way that the weather patterns form, thunderstorms and what not. We talk about it every day. You go to football training or go to the pub on a Friday night, and you talk about the weather. 'Did ya get that thunderstorm?' 'Did you get that copper frost?' It's just part of your life. You depend on it so much."

During a trip to South Africa, Michael seems to have been more interested in the weather than the landscape. "I went over to Cape Town and they get a lot of cloud over Cable Mountain off the cold ocean. I was just sitting there for the first couple of days looking at all the weather. They just couldn't get over it; how I was so interested in the way it works!"

The 2001 Australian Weather Calendar is available from the Bureau of Meteorology. It costs $13 over the counter and $17 posted within Australia. Special prices apply for overseas delivery.

Ends

Further information:
The 2001 Australian Weather Calendar website: www.bom.gov.au/announcements/calendar/
Mark Jenkin, Public Affairs Unit, tel: (03) 9669 4552, e-mail: pro@bom.gov.au
Main media release on volunteer rainfall observers featured in the 2001 Australian Weather Calendar.

Calendar sales (Western Australia):
Postal orders: Weather Calendar, Public Affairs Unit, Bureau of Meteorology, GPO Box 1289K, MELBOURNE VIC 3001
Fax orders: (03) 9669 4113
Telephone orders: (08) 9263 2222
Over-the-counter sales:
West Perth: 5th floor, 1100 Hay Street, tel: (08) 9263 2222
Albany: Met Office, Albany Airport, tel: (08) 9842 2616
Broome: Met Office, Broome Airport, tel: (08) 9192 1211
Carnarvon: Met Office, Carnarvon Airport, tel: (08) 9941 1321
Christmas Island: Met Office, tel: (08) 9164 7463
Cocos (Keeling) Island: Met Office, tel: (08) 9162 6625
Esperance: Met Office, Fairfields Road, tel: (08) 9071 5628
Eucla: Met Office, Yurkla Way, tel: (08) 9039 3444
Geraldton: Met Office, Geraldton Airport, tel: (08) 9923 3671
Halls Creek: Met Office, Halls Creek Airport, tel: (08) 9168 6029
Kalgoorlie-Boulder: Met Office, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport, tel: (08) 9093 2500
Learmonth: Met Office, Learmonth Airport, tel: (08) 9949 2436
Meekatharra: Met Office, Meekatharra Airport, tel: (08) 9981 1191
Port Hedland: Met Office, Port Hedland Airport, tel: (08) 9140 1480