Cover image from "Where the Brolgas Dance", by Goff Letts.
(By Veronica Slattery)
As a young lad growing up in North-West Victoria in the town of Donald, Goff Letts always had a fascination for the natural environment which later fuelled his study to become a veterinarian.
The stories Goff has penned for this book include childhood escapades with his three brothers as well as his endeavours at school and later university. Of the many people Goff met along the way, several became lifelong friends as well as useful connections.
As a young veterinarian, Goff played a leading role in eradicating the serious cattle disease, contagious pleuro-pneumonia, from Australia.
His conservation activities led to the birth of Kakadu National Park and the management of crocodiles. While dealing with crocodiles Goff’s family became babysitters for some young crocodiles being kept in the family’s bathtub.
Goff’s veterinary expertise also found him doing surgery to a family pet on a friend’s kitchen table by candlelight, and pioneering techniques to harvest buffalo for meat. He also helped vaccinate up to 240,000 cattle against “pleuro”’ during the Top End’s dry season in 1964.
During his time in the Territory, Goff became heavily involved in politics, and was elected the first Majority Leader and Chief Secretary at a time when the Northern Territory was struggling for self-government.
This book reveals an outstanding mind and memory for detail; a knowledge and expertise in a variety of fields which took him all over Australia and overseas.
His accomplishments include a veterinary surgeon’s degree, chairmanship of the Wimmera Mallee Water Authority and Chief Commissioner of the Loddon Shire, which made him a well-known figure around the Wimmera/Mallee, as well as significant service to politics and government, along with work on conservation and environment while in the Territory.
Anyone who reads this book will be entertained, but also left breathless by the numerous adventures Goff experienced during his working life.
Now retired, Goff lives with his wife, Joyce, in Stawell, Victoria.
The book is available in newsagencies at Birchip, Charlton, Donald, Wedderburn and Wycheproof.
