The voyage of the Brolga
This is a tribute to the life of Robin Brooks who recently died at the age of 83 in his self-built residence on the remote Woodhill Mountain, New South Wales. His achievements and contribution to the community are such that I’m compelled to tell part of his life’s story.
Robin was born in the UK in Bournemouth. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1950 when he was aged 11. He grew up in the idyllic coastal town of Kiama, NSW, where he was schooled and went on to do a carpentry apprenticeship. He did many things before and after his period of sailing including creating a magnificent garden of many acres, motor racing and, at one stage, built his own racing car. Even towards the end of his life he could be seen driving his Caterham Seven sports car up and down Woodhill Mountain Road.
At the age of 33 he and his then wife, Lyn, decided to go sailing. It must be stressed here that this is very much a story of not only Robin’s achievements, but also Lyn’s, who Robin always maintained was integral to the project.
The boat
In 1971 they bought the plug for a new boat about to be manufactured in fibreglass called a Brolga 33 (a Brolga is an Australian waterbird which is a type of crane). The manufacturer made the plug as a properly constructed timber hull so that it could be sold after the moulds had been produced.
Robin and Lyn then transported the hull from Sydney, 150km south, to the old Jaspers Brush Public School yard (that had recently closed). Firstly they built a shed of hardwood and corrugated iron which from photos measured about 35ft long, 18ft wide and 18ft high. There was also a stairway and platform to enable access to the deck. Over the next year they fitted it out with
