The Great Southern Expedition :: Day 18
Tuesday, 6 December
Had a sleep in and had tea and toast when we eventually emerged. Spent the rest of the morning strolling around the house, garden and outbuildings. The house is an old style – renovated – Helen says she hardly recognises the place, and all the outbuildings which used to be whitewashed are now painted and a lot of them re-built – it really looks most attractive now. A lovely garden and a huge vegetable garden.
Staff at present comprises one overseer, three jackeroos, one bookkeeper, one cook-housemaid, one housemaid-laundress, one mechanic (and wife), one gardener, about five or six stockmen (including head stockman) and one cowboy (rouseabout). Met jackeroos at lunch (including overseer and bookkeeper). They are all public school boys and a particularly nice type of fellow. They wait on us hand and foot at mealtimes – well trained by Mr Morley who they all respect immensely.
Lo and behold during dinner, I got the shivers – thought it was just being in a cool room after being out in the sun, but by the end of the meal I was positively feverish and had a splitting headache. So I took some aspro and lay out on the lawn in the sun to get warm – where I stayed most of the afternoon. Mrs Morley and the girls went for a walk to the crossing and to the yards where the horse-breaker was handling a new hack.
I wonder what is my trouble now, the same thing happened at Goolburra – but passed, just as this did. After smoko I felt better and went down to the crossing with Marye to take a photo.
Then I got out my projector and spent the rest of the time before dinner setting it up – with the help of Harry, the mechanic. Everyone seemed to enjoy the films and Mr Morley is almost talked into a movie camera. Had supper and returned to prepare ourselves for an early morning start the next day – mustering sheep.
Tuesday, 6 December 1955
Today we had a sleep in so of course breakfast was over, but we fixed ourselves up with some toast and tea. Spent the rest of the morning strolling round the house, garden and outbuildings. The house has been renovated – Helen says she hardly recognises the place and all the outbuildings which used to be whitewashed are now painted and a lot of them rebuilt. It really looks most attractive now. A lovely garden and a huge vegetable garden. Staff at present comprises:- 1 overseer, 3 jackeroos, 1 book-keeper, 1 cook-housemaid, 1 housemaid-laundress, 1 mechanic (and family), 1 gardener, about 5 or 6 stockmen and 1 cowboy (rouse-about).
Met the jackeroos at lunch (including overseer and book-keeper). They are all public schoolboys and a particularly nice type of fellow. They wait on us hand and foot at meal times – well trained by Mr Morley who they all respect immensely. Washed out our dirty clothes before lunch. During dinner I got an attack of shivers – thought it was just being in a cool room after being out in the sun, but by the end of the meal I was positively feverish and with a splitting headache, so I took some Aspro and lay out in the sun to get warm again – in fact I lay out there for most of the afternoon. Mrs Morley and the girls went for a walk to the crossing and to the yards where the horse-breaker was handling a new hack. I wonder what is my trouble now? The same thing happened at Goolburra – but passed, just as this did. After smoko I felt a lot better and went down to the crossing to take a photo.
Before dinner I got out my projector and films and set it all up for the evening – ran it direct from the wall with an iron cord (110 volt). Everyone seemed to enjoy the films and Mr Morley is almost talked into a movie camera. Had supper and retired – to prepare ourselves for an early morning start the next day – mustering sheep.