Cave rescuer honoured on Australia Day

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In 1994 all Australian states and territories began to celebrate a unified public holiday on January 26. This became known as ‘Australia Day’. In recent years there has been quite a lot of controversy about ‘celebrating’ what the aborigines see as the invasion of their lands. But I don’t want to talk about that here. Also at this time a number if recipients are chosen for various awards including ‘Australian of the Year’, ‘Senior Australian of the Year’, ‘Young Australian of the Year’ and ‘Local Hero’. For the first time, two shared in Australian of the Year and they were cave divers Richard Harris and Craig Challen who paid a pivotal role if freeing 12 soccer players and their coach from a flooded Thai cave. It was interesting that Dr Challen said they expected casualties during the rescue and felt that they were engaging in a ‘probably impossible task but there was no alternative’. He said the result was beyond their wildest dreams. Do you remember when the whole world it seemed was waiting for the outcome of the rescue? Dr Challen also said that children should be given the freedom to test their own limits. He was concerned that without a few grazed knees and stubbed toes, children may never learn resilience. I have to say I agree with him. The photo is from one of the Jenolan caves in New South Wales. Edit: I forgot to mention that one brave soul did lose his life in the rescue attempt.