Around 7 yrs ago I met a bloke called Tom Anderson. Tom was an experimentalist [whatever that is] with the Alan Fletcher Research Station [AFRS] in Brisbane. Alan Fletcher has a world renown reputation for research into weeds. I remember being quite nervous about meeting Tom. I did not need to be. Over the years I got to know Tom pretty well. I'll tell you a bit about the bloke and then as a special Christmas treat, I'll relate one of Tom's many stories in my next blog.

I was appointed to the National Aquatic Weeds Management Group [NAWMG] in 2005. The first meeting was in Sydney. I had to get out of bed at 3.00am, drive to Brisbane to catch a plane to Sydney...my first trip on the 'big sliver bird' in fifteen years. On arrival in Sydney I had to get a train into the CDB..I was petrified! I made it. A dingy little room on the 21st floor with no windows and a whole bunch of smart Government types and scientists...then Tom arrived. We all had to give a presentation about what was going on in our area. I had put a lot of effort into my presentation to repay the faith in the people who had nominated me for this position. I was pretty nervous. Fortunately Tom gave his presentation first. He just said it. He was really relaxed, but his talk summed up all the activities he was involved with really well. He also had a special, laconic brand of humour that I loved; not so sure about the "suits" though! I did my presentation, which was Ok. I am still on this group today.

from Paris Hilton's ferret

I remember another time I was at a very official sounding Class 1 Aquatic Pest Planning Strategy meeting in Brisbane. All the big cheeses were there, including the Director. Tom gets up and draws on the white board the outline of a voluptuous woman's shape... he goes on to say how he used to be in love with Paris Hilton. That was until she bought a ferret as a pet. He explained that this single action is likely to lead to lots of people buying ferrets: and a new pest problem is born.

... to Christy Ally and Cabomba

Back to the whiteboard...Tom explains that his new girlfriend is Christie Ally [who had put on a few pounds at the time]. This was the basis for the expanded hour glass figure on the whiteboard. The meeting was getting a bit edgy by now...not quite sure about this...I could hardly wait. Tom then drew a map of Australia on the right of the board. He then added lines of latitude. Christie Ally was, in fact, North & South America. Tom was illustrating the native range of Cabomba, and other aquatic weeds and how they generally occurred at the same latitude in Australia. A point well made I thought.

Tom has retired now. A great loss. His knowledge and passion for his subject was remarkable. He hated computers, and managed to avoid them. Tom Anderson taught me a great many things...mainly about life, but also some things about weeds.

I'll let you get a taste of Tom's style in the following blog.... Dead Fish