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André Sabbé, Australian native birds, bird smuggling, George Saunders, Jalloonda, Laurie Friswell, NanKivell, nickel refinery, Queensland State Archives, Springfield
Tuesday the 25th February 1964 was two nights before a new moon. At 8pm on that day darkness had closed around Saunders Beach. The Melisande, a sleek, steam-driven clipper, glided to a stop in shallow water about one kilometre from the beach. She was answering a beach bonfire.

Image 1. The Melisande was once owned by the King and Queen of Belgium. She had two engines each capable of 15 knots and allegedly sunk in Hong Kong Harbour in typhoon.