Leo Kelly
Encyclopedia
Patrick Leo Kelly was a journalist
, publicist, writer and public activist. Initially a journalist, he was a successful publicist for public charities and a campaigner for the interests of indigenous Australians
. Well-known to Australia
n newspaper readers in the 1950s and 1960s for his historical features on a wide variety of topics in the Daily Mirror and other tabloids.
He had innumerable artistic and literary pursuits, and his tastes were eclectic. He published poetry and plays, and in his youth was an accomplished actor.
’s wartime operations from his headquarters in Brisbane, Leo took up a position in the Department of Information in Melbourne in the post-war era.
Returning to the private sector following the dismantling of the DOI by the incoming government of Robert Menzies
, Leo brought his young family to Sydney in 1948. In 1950 they settled down in the far southern suburb of Heathcote, surrounded by his beloved Royal National Park
. His constant roaming of this subtropical forest region, which he was to leave only after his final illness, was a great source of spiritual strength.
’s bid for a Senate
seat in the 1980s.
Leo launched Goorialla, of which he was editor and principal writer, as a media vehicle for Operation Aborigine.
Leo kept up his historical writing throughout his life, commencing an epic research project into the history of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line
in the 1960s. He worked through the archives in the State Library of South Australia in Adelaide, then traveled up the route of the “OT” from Adelaide to Darwin, by bus, car and on foot. Long delayed by his other commitments, the resulting Waddilecki the String was published in 2004 when he was 90.
While notionally an atheist in line with the teachings of Marx and Engels, Leo Kelly was in fact of a spiritual bent and was intrigued by mystical traditions in Buddhism
, and Sufism
in the Islamic world. He eventually found his transcendental moorings in Vedanta
, to which he had been introduced by writers he respected like Christopher Isherwood and Aldous Huxley.
Leo Kelly died on 22 August 2007 after a long illness.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, publicist, writer and public activist. Initially a journalist, he was a successful publicist for public charities and a campaigner for the interests of indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
. Well-known to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n newspaper readers in the 1950s and 1960s for his historical features on a wide variety of topics in the Daily Mirror and other tabloids.
He had innumerable artistic and literary pursuits, and his tastes were eclectic. He published poetry and plays, and in his youth was an accomplished actor.
Family views
Like many people at the time, their anti-fascist views led them to the far Left. They were members of the Australian Communist Party, and Kelly claimed all his life to be an adherent of Marxism, though he could never be described as orthodox. Naomi Kelly developed a public speaking career as a columnist on Australian Broadcasting Commission current affairs broadcasts. Helping her research and polish her presentations, Leo discovered his own talents for analysis and presentation of complex materials.. Medically excluded from military service in World War II, he became a journalist on the Young Mercury, transferring to the Canberra Times under the legendary Bill Shakespeare. At one stage posted to cover General Douglas MacArthurDouglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
’s wartime operations from his headquarters in Brisbane, Leo took up a position in the Department of Information in Melbourne in the post-war era.
Returning to the private sector following the dismantling of the DOI by the incoming government of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
, Leo brought his young family to Sydney in 1948. In 1950 they settled down in the far southern suburb of Heathcote, surrounded by his beloved Royal National Park
Royal National Park
Royal National Park is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 29 km south of Sydney CBD.Founded by Sir John Robertson, Acting Premier of New South Wales, and formally proclaimed on 26 April 1879, it is the world's second oldest purposed national park, the first usage of the term...
. His constant roaming of this subtropical forest region, which he was to leave only after his final illness, was a great source of spiritual strength.
Becoming an activist
In the 1960s, Kelly moved from journalism to public relations, becoming the national publicity officer for the Freedom From Hunger Campaign (which sent him on a memorable research visit to India and Sri Lanka), and for Tranby College, an institution serving indigenous youth in Glebe, Sydney. His interest in indigenous affairs grew stronger in later life. In 1981 he launched a major campaign entitled Operation Aborigine, and was campaign director for the Aboriginal leader Burnum BurnumBurnum Burnum
Burnum Burnum was an Australian Aboriginal activist, actor, and author. He was born a Woiworrung and Yorta Yorta man at Wallaga Lake in southern New South Wales...
’s bid for a Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
seat in the 1980s.
Leo launched Goorialla, of which he was editor and principal writer, as a media vehicle for Operation Aborigine.
Leo kept up his historical writing throughout his life, commencing an epic research project into the history of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line
Australian Overland Telegraph Line
The Australian Overland Telegraph Line was a 3200 km telegraph line that connected Darwin with Port Augusta in South Australia. Completed in 1872 the Overland Telegraph Line allowed fast communication between Australia and the rest of the world. An additional section was added in 1877 with the...
in the 1960s. He worked through the archives in the State Library of South Australia in Adelaide, then traveled up the route of the “OT” from Adelaide to Darwin, by bus, car and on foot. Long delayed by his other commitments, the resulting Waddilecki the String was published in 2004 when he was 90.
While notionally an atheist in line with the teachings of Marx and Engels, Leo Kelly was in fact of a spiritual bent and was intrigued by mystical traditions in Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, and Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
in the Islamic world. He eventually found his transcendental moorings in Vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
, to which he had been introduced by writers he respected like Christopher Isherwood and Aldous Huxley.
Leo Kelly died on 22 August 2007 after a long illness.