Trip to Australia - Down memory lane

Saturday 16th November

The day I was looking forward to sooo much.  A visit to the Sheep Station I spent most of my childhood at.

I have good memories of this place - it was from here I first went to school.  My Mum used to drive all the young kids to school in our Chevolet car, and it was also in this car I learnt to drive at a very young age.  

 
I just can't believe it is over 60 years ago - and yet there was very few changes made in all those years.  My first job was here too.

This was our old home taken in 1993 on my last visit.  So neglected.  Then a tree had fallen through the kitchen at the back, which did not help.  You can just see some of the branches above the roof.  And look at the roof, its all rusty and inside was not much better.   At least it is still standing, it is now over 100 years old!

What a transformation!  From the outside it did not feel the same.  The sun lounge has gone, the front and side fence has gone and the huge trees have gone. 

 

Inside - well I was transported back in time.  First I could not imagine how my Mum and Dad bought up six children in a tiny house.    

 

The renovations to the house had only been started a few months before, so still a lot to be done.  What caught my eye in the back bedroom downstairs the built in wardrobe my father had made was still there and guess what our names and dates with a pencil mark of our height were still printed on the door.  That was amazing.....to take a photo we had to rub the dust and cobwebs off very carefully.  The last measurement was taken nearly 50 years ago! 

 

It won't be long now and that history will be removed. The owners are doing an amazing job of bringing the home back to life.

 

I had such a fantastic time and I can't thank our hosts enough for an such a great day.

 

Also over the last three years I had conversed with P via email after "finding" her on the internet.  P had also lived here during the 1960s although I never met her, and we planned to meet on this trip for the first time.

 

This certainly was a day I shall never forget.