Jonaas Zilinskas in Corindi, New South Wales, Australia | Artist

Jonaas Zilinskas

Locality: Corindi, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 438 664 916

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• Arts and entertainment
• Artist
• Circus

23.01.2022 http://www.smh.com.au//jonas-zilinskas-circus-legend-a-har

20.01.2022 Can't remember if I posted this story. My lovely wife bought me a set of the postage stamps mentioned in it. http://www.smh.com.au//jonas-zilinskas-circus-legend-a-har

19.01.2022 B & W images taken in 1958 after Jonaas had left the area to join the circus. My parents Nug and Jackie Ganderton and my Grandmother Alice Robertson are admiring Jonaas' statue.

11.01.2022 Doing a bit of maintainence

11.01.2022 Showing me the white bits that apparently glow at night.

07.01.2022 http://klaipeda.diena.lt//miesto-pulsas/klaipedoje-tiktai-

06.01.2022 Celebrating the life of a timber and trapeze legend: Jonaas Zillinskas The unique life of Jonaas Zillinskas, a legend in the local timber industry and renowned ‘strongman’ trapeze performer is being celebrated with interpretation panels by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Forestry Corporation New South Wales (FCNSW). Flying under the radar was never in Jonaas’ blood; born in Luthuania in 1919, he was one of 23 children, the largest Lithuanian family on record a...t the time. After migrating to Australia post World War II, he continued making milestones when he became a timber cutter in the Halfway Creek area and designed the first swing saw used in New South Wales and possibly Australia, with the help of a south Grafton blacksmith, Bill Skelly. NPWS Ranger Gina Hart said Jonaas was known to have worked harder and smarter than his counter parts and his invention increased production from 10 to 250 sleepers a day for a two to three man crew. Jonaas was an acrobat in Lithuania with a troupe that spent World War II entertaining soldiers, so after making his mark on the timber industry, he returned to the circus and travelled Australia for the next 30 years as ‘The Man with the Iron Jaw’. NPWS Ranger Gina Hart said Jonaas went back to Lithuania in 2009 and before leaving, built a monument to express his gratitude to Australia for the opportunities this country provided him. Due to Jonaas’s heavy Lithuanian accent, his last name ‘Zillinskas’ became ‘Slovenski’ and the name ‘Slovenski’s monument’ endures to this day, Gina said. A small group of friends and fans of the late Jonaas Zillinskas recently met at the ’Slovenski monument’ in Yuraygir National Park to share stories about this exceptional local icon. One friend of the late Jonaas, David James, has also started a Facebook page to collect photos and share anecdotes about his life and eccentric habits. He used to work in the nude, wearing only boots, so anyone visiting accompanied by a woman had to forewarn Jonaas before entering the camp, David said. NPWS Ranger Gina Hart said the life of Jonaas and the cherished monument he constructed is a hard act to follow, but the interpretation panels aim to celebrate his fascinating life. Given his immense contribution to the industry and positive impact on the community, it seems fitting to construct a memorial for him in return, Gina said.

04.01.2022 I have been writing to the Australian consulate trying to find where my good friends final resting place is, but no luck so far. I did however receive a link from them to an interesting page. It goes something like this after google translation... "John’s iron jaws amazed the kangaroo people 8/19/2006 , 12:00 PM John's iron jaws amazed the kangaroo people photo, photo...Continue reading

01.01.2022 Jonaas' abandoned forest home( photographed in 1958) With Jackie Ganderton and Alice Robertson.