Morepork Synopsis of Birds", but did not give it a binomial name. German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin described the morepork in 1788. "Morepork" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithological Committee. Both Gerlof Fokko Mees and Ernst Mayr regarded the taxonomy of the boobook owl as extremely challenging, the latter remarking in 1943 that it was "one of the most difficult problems I have ever encountered". In his 1968 book "Nightwatchmen of the Bush and Plain", Australian naturalist David Fleay observed that the boobooks from Tasmania more closely resembled those of New Zealand than those from mainland Australia,
Australasian Individual Speedway Championship Stadium in Auckland, was won by Maury Dunn. In the years 1970, 1971 and 1972, an Australasian Grand Prix meeting was held at the Liverpool Speedway in Sydney on the original "D" shaped track and not the bike track that was built on the infield in 1974 when the Liverpool track surface was changed to asphalt. All three Australasian GP's were won by New Zealand's Ivan Mauger. The first Australasian Final qualifier was held at the Western Springs Stadium on 21 February 1976 with dual Australian Champion John Boulger emerging as the winner. The last Final was held at the