by Jenny Old
I had met the many challenges presented to me. I had beaten my fears. I was a very different person now. I closed the gate behind me for the last time.
Then I was on the Beef Road, passing the familiar cluster of anthills at our turn-off. How many thousands of trips had I taken on this road? So many memories.
I loved this country. I’d thought I would be here forever. I had met many exceptional people who inspired me. My children were privileged to have grown up in a free and healthy environment, where they’d learnt to accept all people for who they were, no matter their background, race or age. They had learnt to love and appreciate the land, and nature with all her ups and downs.
My time at McAllister will always be the most special of my life. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.
There’s a quote from Redskin in our Visitors Book: Words couldn’t say how beautiful, ’cause it’s better than that.
Through my tears, the voice in my head urged me forward. ‘Put your indicator on, turn right along the Beef Road and head south.’
So, I did.
I’d had an adventure. A wonderful and glorious adventure.
Picture section
The shed, my first home.
With Topaz the foal and Rorie the dog. The horse yards are just behind us.
Arriving at McAllister, and Gidyea hut, after our honeymoon in December 1969. Note the broken windscreen and missing bonnet!
My kitchen for 12 months.
With Topaz.
Camping at Karumba, grilling prawns. Paul, me and Dee.
Paul and me building the house, 1970.
No, this is not the cement mixer; it’s my breadmaking machine.
Cattle mustering was the most popular job on McAllister.
Noel Winterburn (left), with Paul and Rhonda Williams.
Riding was one of my main pleasures.
A lot of meat was served up at McAllister…
The house is complete at last, just in time for our new arrival.
Our first anniversary, 14 November 1970.
Anthony’s bush christening—Judy Hickson holding Anthony, me, Rick, Don McDonald and Father Mathews officiating.
Godfather Rowan Hickson attending to the pig on the fire.
Horses, always horses! With Anthony and Topaz.
Heading out to muster the cattle.
Ben arrives.
With Rick, Anthony and Ben in 1976.
Anthony and Zanda, the terrible twins.
Ben, in his Cubs of the Air uniform.
The schoolroom with friends plus pet Doberman under the blackboard, 1983.
Camp-drafting the cattle.
Fire destroys the Burke and Wills Roadhouse, 1984.
One of the many dinner parties at McAllister.
Chris McDonald, Ted and Marg Flamsteed, Rick, me, and Don McDonald, at Lorraine.
The day the army arrived.
Anthony, watching every move they made.
Rick with our plane, KNW.
Ben starring in the mini-school play at Sedan Dip.
My fortieth birthday, 1986: Donald Bull, Colin Bull, Rick and me, Tony Bull and Pam Wettenhall. Our last big party at McAllister.
The McAllister garden in 1986, just before the sale—from bare dirt to an oasis of green.
Reflections
I look back on my eighteen years at McAllister as being the most challenging, tough and demanding but also some of the happiest and most rewarding of my life.
I achieved more than I ever thought I was capable of. I discovered strength of character I had never previously tapped in my ‘easy’ life. I hold deep and profound love for this country that helped shape me into the strong woman I am today. The genuine honesty of the people who welcomed me into their world, allowing me to metamorphose into one of them, inspired me to be a better person. I am exceedingly grateful that I was given the opportunity to live that life for eighteen years.
Since leaving McAllister in 1986, Rick and I have embarked on various projects, including steel-framed buildings, bio-organic fertilisers and energy-efficient housing. We both miss the Gulf Country and the people who live there, but we enjoy visiting. We now live on the Gold Coast, both leading active and healthy lives, working with a company that researches epigenetics and anti-ageing.
It has been a joy to share these years with our sons. These days, Anthony and Shelley live in Gladstone and have four children: William, Olivia, Matilda and Macallister (spelt differently for ease of spelling) a.k.a. Mackie. Benjamin and Danielle live on the Gold Coast with their two children, Indiana and Dominic.
Rick is the most hard-working person I know. In those early years, he was totally focused on the massive job ahead: first developing a cattle property in a time of critical financial hardship, then developing the Burke and Wills Roadhouse to diversify our income stream.
At this time, Rick was a self-confessed male chauvinist but certainly not a pig. He was driven, and I understood—this was one of the many characteristics I loved about him. I accepted the supporting role. However, as I wrote this book, I was often amazed by how servile I was. The poor man has walked through the door to be greeted with: ‘I’m so angry with you. How could you treat me like that?’
‘Why? What have I done?’
‘You haven’t done anything now, but in 1976 you…’
Our roles in recent years have been very different. Rick is now, in his own words, a SNAG (Sensitive New Age Guy). He has become the most thoughtful, gentle, caring and romantic man. He’s making up for those years in a big way.
My writing journey began a long time ago. I regret not making a start when the boys had left home for boarding school. I have always longed to write a book. When I arrived at McAllister, I knew I had my subject. However, it took me a long time to get going. When we moved to Toowoomba, I started collating the letters—quite a job. My writing was an in-between hobby until I arrived at the Gold Coast, where I met my mentor and friend Donald Macdonald (another one!), and we began to work together.
I failed to visualise the stage following completion of the manuscript. Fortunately I met Ocean Reeve, an independent publisher who was working with InHouse Publishing at the time. He became another mentor and friend, nursing me through the publishing stage and then the formidable stage of marketing my book.
And the pinnacle of a writer’s dream was to follow when I was offered a contract with Allen & Unwin. It’s difficult to explain the emotion and excitement I felt, to be given this recognition of my work.
I’ve been stunned and humbled by the response to my story and the success of my book. My dream of leaving a legacy and educating people about the vital role of women in the bush has become a reality. I look forward to writing my next book, with regrets I didn’t prioritise my ‘hobby’ much earlier.
Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge the support and help of several people over the interminable years it has taken to finalise this book.
My mother was the first to encourage me to write my story. She was always supportive and loved McAllister. I’m sad she’s not here to behold the completed project. She and Poppy kept my weekly letters, which gave me a base to work from. Although they didn’t reflect many parts of the true story, they gave me a timeline.
Donald Macdonald—playwright, author, actor, director and fellow Italian student—offered to help me with this project. He put an enormous amount of time and effort into editing my manuscript and mentoring me. He has given me a love of writing and guided me to continue to write in my simple style. He is the reason the book has reached this stage. Thank you, Donald, from the bottom of my heart. I’m so blessed to have you as a friend and mentor.
Helen Castles kindly offered to proofread and advise my many rewrites. Thank you, Helen: your support, interest and constant encouragement has meant a lot to me.
And thank you to my special friend, Lady Mary Fisher, for your continuing interest and diligent proofreading. I am extremely grateful.
I would
also like to thank Rowan and Judy Hickson and their family for being wonderful friends and business partners.
Thank you to Marg and Ted Flamsteed, and Chris and Don McDonald. Our times together would be the envy of many, and we will always treasure them as we often wander down memory lane together. You were our family for eighteen years, and you are lifelong and very special friends.
To Paul and Rhonda, for being such an important part of our lives.
To the many other friends we met along the way: too many to list here, but rest assured we will never forget you. You are all special to us.
Ocean Reeve, you guided me through the jungle of independently publishing and marketing. I wouldn’t have ever made it without your belief in me, which you transferred into my belief in myself. Thank you.
Louise Thurtell, you will never understand the magnitude of my excitement when you phoned to offer a contract with Allen & Unwin. Thank you for your belief in my story, and for introducing me to the wonderful Kate Goldsworthy and Sarah Baker. I loved the interactions and laughs we shared, but more importantly, the advice and wise counsel. Thank you for your constant and instant support as we worked together. To Angela Handley, Rebecca Kaiser and the publicity department at Allen & Unwin—a huge thank you. You are an amazing team and I am so proud to be associated with such a wonderful Australian publishing company.
To my wonderful husband, Rick, thank you for taking me on this amazing eighteen-year journey (and many beyond). You stretched me to the limits to achieve more than I ever dreamt I was capable of. You taught me to dust myself off in tough times when the odds seemed insurmountable, smile and keep going. Equally, you taught me to enjoy the good times. I am blessed to be married to you—and I’m especially happy that you are now a SNAG. Keep it up!
To my beloved sons, Anthony and Benjamin, you were with me on this journey all the way—in fact, you were the journey. When you were both at boarding school for the majority of the year, I missed you dreadfully: an emptiness I couldn’t fill.
I hope my grandchildren will read this book and understand that success comes from struggle, hard work and a dream. Life throws many curve balls at us, but it’s how we deal with them that counts. Stay positive, have good ethics and treat others well. This is where your story began.