| In response to the communication that I received from our countrymen in Australia I would like to appeal to the local authorities for conducting necessary repairs and cleanup of the monument of Sir, Paweł Edmund Strzelecki in Jindabyne, NSW Australia. Speaking for the Polish community I would like to point out as follows: Sir,Pawel Edmund Strzelecki is our best known traveler, explorer, geologist, geographer, cartographer, an analytical chemist and agronomic. The best known is his scientific activity - a researcher, explorer, geologist in Australia, but we know very well that he acted also in Europe (the early years of his research ) Bohemia, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Dalmatia, Great Britain, Ireland. Later in the Americas - Canada, USA , Antilles, Gulf of Mexico, Havana, Vera Cruz and then Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador. Next he explored Hawaii, New Zealand and, finally, in Australia.
In the second half of his life he was again in Europe - England. It is difficult to mention all the achievements and merits of P.E.Strzelecki as a researcher, geologist and cartographer. There are so many that no Polish historian has even attempted to write a biography encompassing them all. They usually focus only on those most outstanding achievements of P.E.Strzelecki which undoubtedly belong to the scientific research of the geological nature of continents or their parts, as for instance the development and publication of the first, large, geological map of eastern Australia and Tasmania. He wrote the books, which were then a source of knowledge about the natural resources of the earth. He was also interested in the communities and their culture as well as with agriculture and livestock. In Australia for instance he was also precursor to the development of the sheep and wool industry. He drew attention to the ecology of the region. In Australia, there are more than 16 geographical names in his honor . He was a very humble man during his life and work so we should take care of his memory as his countrymen.
The Memorial in Jindabyne is such a symbol of memory and appreciation for the scientific achievements of our great compatriot for mankind. Thus we turn to all our countrymen and the local authorities in NSW Australia for help in repairing and maintaining the monument.
Walter Gołębiewski[] President[] World Research Council on Poles Abroad
Florida, USA
Szanowni Rodacy Polacy w Australii
Szanowni Decydenci
To ze zyjecie i pracujecie w Australii, kontynencie tak odleglym od Polski, podobnie zreszta odleglym jak Meksyk z ktorego ja pisze, powinno byc honorem dla miejscowych wladz. Posluze sie tu porownaniem. Pracuje w prestizowym prywatnym uniwersytecie w 4-ro milionowym przemyslowym miescie Monterrey. To zaledwie 230 km od granicy z Teksasem, przeciez mogliby tu sciagnac naukowcow z USA, ale nie, wola nas Europejczykow. Jestesmy po prostu lepiej wyksztalceni. INTERNACJONALIZACJA uniwersytetu to priorytetowa sprawa. Czy tego nie czuja Australijczycy? Ludzie z zewnatrz przynosza wzbogacenie kultury i obyczajow kazdej nacji, gdzie sie znajda. Tak tez jest w przypadku Polakow w Australii, ktorzy maja wielki wklad w rozwoj tego kraju. Dlatego lokalne wladze powinny dolozyc staran w renowacje pomnika Edmunda Strzeleckiego. Polacy odwdziecza sie za to stokrotnie.
Z powazaniem
Dr Zygmunt Haduch PhD
Prof. Tytularny (Full Prof.)
Universidad de Monterrey
México
Strzelecki is certainly an explorer of world dimensions. He explored, mapped, observed, and named gerat part of New South Wales. Then in 1845 in England he published "The Physical Description of NSW and Van Diemen’s Land", which remains an asset in the scientific literature on Australian geology. He had good relations with Aboriginals, which was not typical attitude in early 19th century, and on his explorations he was assisted by some of them, eg. in Gippsland, and wrote of their plight. He empathised with them on having to cope with the consequences. His contribution to Australia in these activities is sufficient to deserve recognition and remembrance.
Worth of commemoration is also his humanitarian work in Ireland in the late 1840’s and a crucial role in saving thousands Irish children from starving during the ‘Irish Potato Famine’, that weakened his health for many years after.
Andrzej Paulo
Professor of geology
AGH University of Science and Technology
Krakow, Poland
I understand that the recognition of the great explorations undertaken by Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki is to be listed in the Snowy Mountains Shire Council Heritage statement as... "This is a representative example of a landmark monument dedicated to a significant historical figure" - I firmly believe that this is a significant understatement.
Surely the statement must include at least a clear reference to this historical figure who discovered and named the highest peak on the Australian mainland, for his great exploratory skills and achievements not only in the Australian High Country to which Jindabyne is a major gateway, but in many other parts of Australia and in particular in South Australia.
Further, he gave the country's highest mountain a name, a name that is highly recognised not only by Poland as a freedom fighter but also in the United States of America where as a senior military leader he fought for freedom.
Helena Condon
Merrylands, NSW
What the monument means to Felix Molski
From Strzelecki Hiking Club | 
