BobJ Reminiscing...

Cable Beach, Broome, WA...

Late October 1964, a week after I started with the Main Roads at the 29 mile camp, the foreman decided it would be a good idea for the blokes to have a day at Cable Beach. He organised 3 wagons to take those blokes who wanted to go and a pile of food.

Cable Beach was nothing like you see today, no camels crapping on the beach every day, no buildings of any sort, just a pristine beach. We had a campfire and table set up, the cook wanted some fish. He had a couple of heavy handlines and gave one to me. Both of us cast into the roller waves and came up with golden trevally, about 5 lbs each. these were carried up to the campfire, dispatched with a knife to the brain and dumped on the smouldering coals. From sea to fire, about 25 seconds; can't get much fresher than that. A beaut salad with the fish, some snags and slices of beef; a great day. It was also my first bbq outback style.

Incidentally, the cook went on a bender a few weeks later, which in turn, made me the camp cook, as has been chronicled hereabouts...

Cheers, Bobj.

Wedding on 5th August 1976...Mine and Jo's.

Applied for a Main Roads house in Kununurra and got one, Jo moved in from the nurses quarters in Kununurra. We decided that marriage would be a good thing, so we organised to be wedded at the Darwin Regional Government Office. Jo's Mum and Dad came over from South Island, NZ, with one of her sisters, another sister flew up from Perth. Jo and I drove up, a 10 hour trip. We booked into a motel and the others booked into a second place. None of my family came over from the UK, which didn't bother me, but Jo was a bit upset about it.

The appointed time arrived and we trouped in, only to find no one had any papers,(had applied 2 months earlier). A walk around the Govt. building, for 30 minutes, still no papers. another walk and finally after two hours they found the necessary documents and we were wed. Ten minutes later, we were getting fish and chips from a nice chippy shop. Jo's Mum was verbally "accosted" by a drunken Aboriginal woman; the woman wanted to get on the pavement after crossing the road and Mum was trying to get a pic of us...

Next morning, Jo's sis had to fly back to Perth and the rest of us left for Kununurra. We got about 20 km out of the Darwin and saw a small group of buffalo at the side of the road...That place is now called Palmerston; it was just scrub in those days.

I had versed the family about our wedding reception that I had organised a few weeks earlier and on the way south I 'suggested' that one of the Kununurra gang was having a 'birthday' and it might be a good idea to unwind at the party.

We arrived a bit early and Jo saw the 'birthday cake' a 2 tiered dollop of white icing and yummy rich cake. It never occured to her that was our wedding cake until the rest of the guests arrived. I had bought 4 magnums of champagne, a wedding cake, several cartons of beer and wine, so Dave didn't need to fork out for his eldest daughter.

Sob, the lot of ya...:wink:

Cheers, Bobj.

Wedding on 5th August 1976...Mine and Jo's.

 

Applied for a Main Roads house in Kununurra and got one, Jo moved in from the nurses quarters in Kununurra. We decided that marriage would be a good thing, so we organised to be wedded at the Darwin Regional Government Office. Jo's Mum and Dad came over from South Island, NZ, with one of her sisters, another sister flew up from Perth. Jo and I drove up, a 10 hour trip. We booked into a motel and the others booked into a second place. None of my family came over from the UK, which didn't bother me, but Jo was a bit upset about it.

 

The appointed time arrived and we trouped in, only to find no one had any papers,(had applied 2 months earlier). A walk around the Govt. building, for 30 minutes, still no papers. another walk and finally after two hours they found the necessary documents and we were wed. Ten minutes later, we were getting fish and chips from a nice chippy shop. Jo's Mum was verbally "accosted" by a drunken Aboriginal woman; the woman wanted to get on the pavement after crossing the road and Mum was trying to get a pic of us...

Next morning, Jo's sis had to fly back to Perth and the rest of us left for Kununurra. We got about 20 km out of the Darwin and saw a small group of buffalo at the side of the road...That place is now called Palmerston; it was just scrub in those days.

 

I had versed the family about our wedding reception that I had organised a few weeks earlier and on the way south I 'suggested' that one of the Kununurra gang was having a 'birthday' and it might be a good idea to unwind at the party.

 

We arrived a bit early and Jo saw the 'birthday cake' a 2 tiered dollop of white icing and yummy rich cake. It never occured to her that was our wedding cake until the rest of the guests arrived. I had bought 4 magnums of champagne, a wedding cake, several cartons of beer and wine, so Dave didn't need to fork out for his eldest daughter.

 

 

 

Sob, the lot of ya...:wink:

 

Cheers, Bobj.

Oh that is lovely Bob and you two still seem as madly in love all these years later

Being a qualified woolclasser,

 

Cheers, Bobj.

Did you first become a woolclasser in Yorkshire?

Did you first become a woolclasser in Yorkshire?

Yus!, British Central Bradford, if you can class that as Yorkshire...:wink:

Incidentally, just had a squiz on google earth and it took a few minutes to find my old works place. It is now part of the University Of Bradford...

Cheers, Bobj.

A wedding photo...Well, it was August and freezing cold at about 22 C. Kununurra can get cold.

Cheers, Bobj.

The Rolf Harris thingo reminded me of a little story...

Are you sitting comfortably?? Then I'll begin:

Just after Jo and I met, I was transferred from Derby to Kununurra, some 900 km (560 miles)and one weekend I decided to drive down to see her. Filled the car in Kununurra after working a few hours on the Saturday morning, drove to Hall's Creek and filled up again and got a 20 litre jerry can filled up, just in case. The drive south was quite good considering it was a dirt road all the way and dust billowed up at every pothole. Got to Derby at 7 PM, a bit grotty and smelly...

Anyhow, as I was turning into the nurses yard, one of the girls came out to say that Jo was off to the Derby Nurses Ball...Yeah, right!!

Her first words to me..."Oh, I didn't think you would be down this weekend". Well, I did have a change of clothes, but not for a formal dance. Had a shower, shave and... splashed on a gallon of after shave lotion and fronted up to the nurses who all gave me their seal of approval.

Off we went to the Ball in the Derby Community Centre and the Guest Of Honour was Rolf Harris. He was to spend about 30 minutes with our 'table' and entertained us with some excellent singing and jokes.

At Lunchtime on the Sunday, it was time to head back.

Now, the drive south, I could get from Hall's Creek to Derby on one tank, but invariably would run out of fuel 30 or so km short on the return trip, hence the jerry can. Took me a few months to work out that Hall's Creek is some 1400 ft above sea level and Derby is at sea level. :arghh:

Cheers, Bobj.

The Brissie golf thread jogged the old memory cogs...

A bus load of hackers visited Bribie Island for a weekend of flog...We played the course as soon as we got our motels sorted and had a great time and made reservations to play the local hackers on the Sunday morning at 8 o'clock. The coach driver wanted to do some maintenance on his bus, so we all started pulling our buggies from the 2 motels (this was in 1990). One bloke 'knew' the way, so we all trooped after him, a few turns down some not very familiar streets and came to the 'clubhouse'...

About 25 or so of us walked up to the front door and made our announcements.

BUGGA! It was the retirement village! They were kind enough to drive us to the course, after a cup of tea and a few nice bikkies.:laugh:

End of the 'match' we walloped the local team and, with reciprocal rights, they, in turn, visited our course in Glen Innes, NSW.

Bribie has a very nice course, indeed.

PS. I lost 3 golfballs and in looking for mine, found 4, so did ok...And won on the 'pokies' at the 19th.

Cheers, Bobj.

A wedding photo...Well, it was August and freezing cold at about 22 C. Kununurra can get cold.

 

 

Cheers, Bobj.

Jo doesn't look to have aged at all, still beautiful.

BUGGA! It was the retirement village! They were kind enough to drive us to the course, after a cup of tea and a few nice bikkies.:laugh:

 

 

:laugh:

Just remembered an incident from 1980...

I was working on the Tarong tin project in northern NSW and the foreman told me to take so and so to get a bucket of tailings from one of the alluvial tin mines about 5 km away, as it was needed to fill in a few potholes in our track. We took the toyota trayback and got to the mine; saw the foreman and he told us to go to the stockpile and get what we wanted. The loader op was just lifting a bucketful to put on the stockpile and motioned me to back the toyota under his bucket. My! How that toyota groaned under the weight of the wet tailings. The tray was overflowing and the front wheels barely touched the ground.

We set off very slowly and my offsider had to sit on the front mudguard to give weight forward for traction. A nice leisurely pace of 10 km/hour to get back. We filled the potholes and had to do a second trip next day for base to put in a concrete slab for the explosives shed.

BTW, the tailings were composed of ironstone

Cheers, Bobj.

As per request;

Long time ago in the Kimberlies, I had to help a young man from The Gambier in the business of soil testing at the Main Roads Dept. He had won a scholarship to Australia and chose our area as it is apparently very similar in terrain and weather. His name was unpronounceable, so we called him Freddie.

Anyway, we had to camp out for 2 weeks and we both went to the local 'super'market to get our groceries. Freddie got a few tins of spam and the like, along with a few cans of beans and peas. In those days, it was nigh on impossible to get fresh vegies; they had to be air freighted and I remember paying $2.65 for half a cauli. That was 1967...

Well, we went off down the track to our jobsite and stowed the gear away and went to work. After work, Freddie announced that he would make the evening meal. A can of this, a can of that, in a pot, added a can of spam, half a teaspoon of some spices that I have long forgotten and heyho! a great meal shoved on a couple of slices of bread to mop up the juices.

For a number of years, that was a standard meal when we went 'bush'. Quite yummy It was also very convenient as 'fridge space was only for meat.

Freddie stayed with us for a month and at the end of his time with me, he gave me a beautiful 'chain' made from human hair. The significance of that was the bond; after many years of travelling, I eventually lost it.

I don't know who got the better education.

Cheers, Bobj.

Thanks for obliging, Bob. :biggrin:

I'll never look at caulis in the same way again!

Thanks for obliging, Bob. :biggrin:

 

I'll never look at caulis in the same way again!

Reminds me...The local 'super'market owner in Kununurra was approached by a local who had a 10 acre property on the bank of the Ord River. He grew 7 acres of tomatoes and checked with the SM owner. The grower wanted 60 cents a lb but the SM owner would not buy at that price and offered 5 cents. The grower ploughed 7 acres of tomatoes in the ground after giving about 200 lbs away, free. The SM owner was getting trucks down from the Darwin and charging exhorbitant prices for vegies that were over a week old.

Another one, A farmer, on hearing this palaver, grew 100 acres of mixed vegies from spuds to peas and beans to sweetcorn etc. When ready for harvest, he put a big sign in front of his farm, ' $1 for 5 lbs any vegies...Dig your own'. About a month later, the SM owner got a court order because the townsfolk were not visiting his 'super'market.

End of cheap vegies.

Cheers, Bobj.

Bob Joyner, am I correct? You were the soil tester along with Bob Hutchison, but as you say, you never got to do the job you were employed to do. correct? And you had a good old green FJ40 Toyota. I got to camp Bill Ross in late 1969 and worked for Siggy Taudert in costing along with Ivan Munro. What was the big Dutchman's name who was the accountant? I cannot remember. I later worked as assistant track engineer with Terry Maddox. The MKMO boss was Paul Lavine, Jim Miller was the financial administrator and John Renwick was our direct boss. When track laying began, Tom Wozney was the Mannix boss..... Hope I got the correct Bob??...... Peter P.S I still have my chrome dog spikes on book shelf..... P.C.

Bob Joyner, am I correct? You were the soil tester along with Bob Hutchison, but as you say, you never got to do the job you were employed to do. correct? And you had a good old green FJ40 Toyota. I got to camp Bill Ross in late 1969 and worked for Siggy Taudert in costing along with Ivan Munro. What was the big Dutchman's name who was the accountant? I cannot remember. I later worked as assistant track engineer with Terry Maddox. The MKMO boss was Paul Lavine, Jim Miller was the financial administrator and John Renwick was our direct boss. When track laying began, Tom Wozney was the Mannix boss..... Hope I got the correct Bob??...... Peter P.S I still have my chrome dog spikes on book shelf..... P.C.

Almost right, mate...The surname is wrong.:laugh:Yup, had a green Toyota

You the bloodnut from Prossie? The bloke in charge of Accounting was, from memory, called Jose, a bloody good French bloke. I was with Terry Maddox when we went to the Robe River Project.

Remember Bill Bultitude? Met him 20 years later in Glen Innes, NSW.

I remember Ivan Munro; got a photo of the Engineering crew on the Robe River Project.

Still have my rail spikes as well...

Bloody good memories, mate.

Cheers, Bobj.

Peter and I at the Robe River Rail Project.

Cheers, Bobj.

I've just finished reading this thread and it has to be one of the best on the forum :smile:

I've just finished reading this thread and it has to be one of the best on the forum :smile:

My very great pleasure, JockinTas, thank you.

Cheers, Bobj.

As I am preparing for a fishing trip, I remembered an experience from Good Friday 1977. I was fishing below the diversion dam gates in Kununurra. I caught 10 barramundi, at 19 lbs each, cleaned them and took them home and stuck them in the freezer. Next day, I took them and Jo for a day trip...out to a couple of the Main Road camps so the blokes could have a nice change of diet.

Cheers, Bobj.

As I am preparing for a fishing trip, I remembered an experience from Good Friday 1977. I was fishing below the diversion dam gates in Kununurra. I caught 10 barramundi, at 19 lbs each, cleaned them and took them home and stuck them in the freezer. Next day, I took them and Jo for a day trip...out to a couple of the Main Road camps so the blokes could have a nice change of diet.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

When are you off @Bobj I was hoping the blood nut would have a few days off over Easter but it isn't looking promising, they say he is a great worker so keep giving him more shifts.

When are you off @Bobj I was hoping the blood nut would have a few days off over Easter but it isn't looking promising, they say he is a great worker so keep giving him more shifts.

September, was getting a few lures ready...packed up. We never go away over Easter as there are too many accidents and, being oldies, the 'reaction time' is diminishing, @The Pom Queen.

Good to know Bloodnut is working; he's a good young man.

Cheers, Bobj.

Kingaroy, as I mentioned a few moments ago, was part of my old stamping grounds for 12 months while I was looking after the quality control of the earthworks for the Tarong Coal Project.

On numerous occasions I was called to Kingaroy to check out the building of the Pacific Coal's managers houses and a few men's single quarters. There was a Welsh bloke who went by the odd name of Taffy...He called me over to see to a load of concrete that was being poured. Actually, to help him dig up several (50, or so) macadamia seedlings that were sprouting in the area designated for the concrete...After digging the seedlings and placing them in cardboard boxes, Taffy helped me lierally shovel about big mobs of newly fallen macadamia nuts, into a number of 600mm deep plastic sample bags for my own use... Taffy? He had a 45 acre block of land in pper Coomera and these seedlings were destined to start his pet 'project' a macca farm; one of the first in Upper Coomera. The house was an old 'orchard' with 100 macca trees that had to be bulldozed to make way for the No.1 manager's house. All this was in 1982, the year of the Brisbane Commonwealth Games.

Anothery...One job I had on the Tarong Coal Project, was to see to the old abandoned farm houses. Some of the old houses were in a fine state, even down to expensive carpets on the floors of the old Queenslanders. One building was chockers with tools for a 1950's type farm, from sets of harnesses to sulkys. A few houses were completely stripped and these were bulldozed and burned. A couple were used as offices for the initial Project. One thing about all of them...They were infested with rats and mice and a goodly smattering of pythons. The house I had for my office had 5 orange trees with deliciously sweet navel oranges. There was also a bougainvillier in the front. I took a cutting off it, the cutting grew and it prospered to the point that it is now a 34 year old plant in front of my house right now.

At the end of the Project, vast quantities of building material was discarded to the tip. I saw 1 truckload of marine ply for concrete forming, just dumped on the tip. Well, I 'saved' a few sheets...The dragline came in parts that were sent out to the job in d.a.r oregon. I managed a ute full of the timber....DAR is dressed all round pinewood, for the huge dragline and a tad too big for the back of a ute...

Cheers, Bobj.

Kingaroy, as I mentioned a few moments ago, was part of my old stamping grounds for 12 months while I was looking after the quality control of the earthworks for the Tarong Coal Project.

On numerous occasions I was called to Kingaroy to check out the building of the Pacific Coal's managers houses and a few men's single quarters. There was a Welsh bloke who went by the odd name of Taffy...He called me over to see to a load of concrete that was being poured. Actually, to help him dig up several (50, or so) macadamia seedlings that were sprouting in the area designated for the concrete...After digging the seedlings and placing them in cardboard boxes, Taffy helped me lierally shovel about big mobs of newly fallen macadamia nuts, into a number of 600mm deep plastic sample bags for my own use... Taffy? He had a 45 acre block of land in pper Coomera and these seedlings were destined to start his pet 'project' a macca farm; one of the first in Upper Coomera. The house was an old 'orchard' with 100 macca trees that had to be bulldozed to make way for the No.1 manager's house. All this was in 1982, the year of the Brisbane Commonwealth Games.

 

Anothery...One job I had on the Tarong Coal Project, was to see to the old abandoned farm houses. Some of the old houses were in a fine state, even down to expensive carpets on the floors of the old Queenslanders. One building was chockers with tools for a 1950's type farm, from sets of harnesses to sulkys. A few houses were completely stripped and these were bulldozed and burned. A couple were used as offices for the initial Project. One thing about all of them...They were infested with rats and mice and a goodly smattering of pythons. The house I had for my office had 5 orange trees with deliciously sweet navel oranges. There was also a bougainvillier in the front. I took a cutting off it, the cutting grew and it prospered to the point that it is now a 34 year old plant in front of my house right now.

 

At the end of the Project, vast quantities of building material was discarded to the tip. I saw 1 truckload of marine ply for concrete forming, just dumped on the tip. Well, I 'saved' a few sheets...The dragline came in parts that were sent out to the job in d.a.r oregon. I managed a ute full of the timber....DAR is dressed all round pinewood, for the huge dragline and a tad too big for the back of a ute...

 

Cheers, Bobj.

Love reading the posts Bob.

Perthbum mentioned uni students in another thread...

In 1971, I worked for an American construction company, building iron ore railways, In the office of 0ver 50 people, 28 were Uni students. In the engineering office where I was, there were 7 students...And what a lot of no hopers they were! Have to laugh...One was a nice Pakistani chappie, studying law...For 7 years as a freshman. His very rich dad kept paying his fees...No doubt to keep him from joining the family business!

Another was a 'future' doctor...His job was to calculate track (cross sections), profiles, for payment from the supervising company to the constructing company. The office manager disliked the uni student's attitude and took him down 'a peg or two'. Jose, the manager, checked a few cross sections the student  had submitted as 'done', so Jose took them to the uni boy and pretended to rouse on him for submitting bad work. The uni boy adamantly denied they were his. So Jose showed him the work and they had his name signed on the bottom of each profile...Actually, Jose had to recalculate about 1 in 3 of his work.

A French chappie was studying psychology...Gawd...about as thick as 2 bricks.  He, too, was doing profiles and was about as slow as a 'wet weekend',. Jose would lapse into French to try and explain the calculations. It was quite laughable when he, Jose, realised it. Jose would go red with embarrassment and offer apologies to the office in general.

Cheers, Bobj.