22 Fitzgerald Street WINDSOR • 4577 2003 www. Orchid22. com. au
LOCAL LIFE
ONE OF THE HAWKESBURY’ S FINEST...
Derek Cannon’ s pursuit of adventure has seen him tackle many of the world’ s greatest mountains. Fair weather, rain, hail or snow, Derek was always delighted in attaining his goals. by Greg Martin
“ Not another bloody T-shirt,” quipped the ever-patient Edna Cannon as her husband, Derek, unpacked his bag.
And that comment had been voiced on many occasions on Derek’ s return to their Hobartville home from one of his umpteen adventures on the world stage.
“ Whichever place he has visited, Derek buys a T-shirt from a tourist shop to commemorate the occasion – we’ ve got drawers full of the bloody things,” Edna laughed.
Not for Derek Cannon purchasing T-shirts in“ tame places” like tourist hot-spots Paris, London, Rome or New York!
No, Derek’ s T-shirt collection commemorates his visits to the great mountain ranges of the world!
Ticked off on Derek’ s mount-climbing bucket list are Everest Base Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua( the Americas’ highest peak in Argentina), the Inca Trail and Tibet’ s Rongbuk Glacier.
As well as just about every tall hump in Australia!
Besides having a passion for leaving sea level to attain great heights, Derek has been on umpteen canyoning trips and bushwalks in his beloved Blue Mountains, Tasmania and New Zealand.
When I visited the Cannons to do an interview, the first thing I noticed was a urine drainage bag on Derek’ s left leg.
“ I’ ve lost a kidney to cancer which has been
diagnosed as terminal,” he said. This remarkable man explained that as though he was offering me a cup of tea!
But when he does depart this place – and I hope he can continue the good fight for a lot longer – he can truthfully say he has no regrets about the life he has lived.
He and the ever-patient Edna have been happily married for 63 years and are proud parents of Julie and Debbie and doting Nan and Pop to Joshua, Felicity Brittany, Nathan and Alisia.
Who in turn have kept the Cannon dynasty growing, making great grandparents to Isabella, Hudson, Bowen, Indiana, James and Niamh – with another on the way!
Derek was born August 7, 1937, in the small village of Staveley in Britain’ s magnificent Lake District, the second son of Elsie and Nathan Cannon, he has two brothers, Brian and Colin.
After high school he worked for two years as Scientific Assistant at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Commission( UKAEC) and then from 1957-1962 as the Scientific Assistant at the Institute of Freshwater Ecology.
During this period, he attained the Higher School Certificate, studying part-time at Whitehaven Technical College.
At the UKAEC Derek worked on the ecology, growth rates and taxonomy of freshwater algae in both different environments.
He and Edna Crabtree began their relationships after dancing the light fantastic at a Fox Hunt Ball – at the time he despised fox hunting but did enjoy the balls.
They were married March 3, 1962 – both
Orchid
22
Chinese Restaurant
KURMOND
Your Local Independent BP
Lunch Special from $ 13.80
Lunch 11:30am to 2:30pm Dinner from 5pm till late Closed on Monday
22 Fitzgerald Street WINDSOR • 4577 2003 www. Orchid22. com. au
GREAT HOME-STYLE ASIAN CUISINE
AUTHENTIC CHINESE CUISINE
CATERING ALL FUNCTIONS
TAKEAWAY & DINNER
LICENSED & BYO
( BOTTLE WINE ONLY)
YOUR HOST & HOSTESS: MICHAEL AND SUSIE
Find us on socials
Full Convenience Store OPEN 24 HOURS
EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
Not just a place for great coffee but also great service!
DELICIOUS FRESHLY
HOT ROASTED CHICKEN!
PLUS.... Gourmet Pies, Sausage Rolls & Great Coffee
Independently owned & supporting the local community for over 35 years 501 Bells Line of Road 4573 1324
6 ISSUE 182 // JULY 2025 theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT