How did you manage here with two young boys?
Well, I was born and bred in the country so it didn't really worry me. I really did love living here and I didn't want to go to Binna Burra. You coped. You didn't worry if you ran out of bread - you made scones or damper. You always made sure you had enough flour in the house. That was your main staple and as long as you had that, you didn't starve. The rabbits were good if you needed meat. If you ran out of meat, you'd shoot a rabbit, make sure it wasn't diseased and eat it.
In those days, you knew when you had visitors because they all came in to get information. You knew when anyone was down there. Through the week, there wasn't anyone around.
Where did the boys go to school?
We left before they started. Sean started at Binna Burra, but the school was just down the road on the right - a bit further up the hill from Rogers'.
Betty drove the bus. She used an eight-seater van - started at her place, picked the kids up coming through. She picked Sean up as a toddler and dropped the kids off at school, went to the Rogers' post office, picked up the mail and they would come back and deliver the mail. Sean used to jump out and put the mail in the boxes all the way home.
Sounds like you had a better mail system than us. We only get mail three times a week now, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
She did it with the bus run, with the school kids and it was every day.
What would be your fondest memory of your time at Girraween?
I really didn't want to leave here. But, I would say having my two sons. That was my highlight.
But, people, you met so many different people from all over the world. Lots of people came to camp, wouldn't have sugar or salt or tea or pepper and you'd have them knocking at the door at seven or eight o'clock at night, when you're out in the bush on your own. Tom mightn't have been home. There were small accidents as well to deal with. It was very interesting. You couldn't say that it was a boring life. I loved it.
Any memories you'd rather not have from Girraween?
Mainly, what I was worried about was if we were here on our own. We would get the bikie groups coming in on their bikes to stay overnight at camp. Tommy would have to deal with them if they got a bit rough and rowdy. I was always worried that he wouldn't come back to the house. That was the worst fear I ever had here.
I was six months pregnant with Christopher and we had storms coming through here. I happened to open the front door as lightning struck the left hand corner post. It split all the post and beams there and I slammed the door shut at the same time as the strike and the red flash and everything. We reckon that's why Christopher has so much go in him. That was a close one. It was very close.
One of the local farmers, Johnny Johnson had a lamp blow up in his face and Tommy had to go and get him and take him into the doctor at Stanthorpe. He was badly burnt. It was the beginning of the end for John because he didn't really pick up after that and he got a virus on his chest, like pneumonia, but worse, and they couldn't get an antibiotic to fix him. He passed away quite young with a young family. That was very sad.
I suppose in a lot of ways it would be similar to being in a remote part now. I don't consider Girraween remote any more, but you are expected to be the police, ambulance, local shop and everything.
In those days, because you were a centre of information, even the neighbours always seemed to ring here for information or some help. We were looked at almost as a local authority figure and that's where they headed.
It was a good life.
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