Bobj

Here we go again! Same garbage spouted when a young couple want to start a new life in a country they love. @Blue Flujust put a sock in it, mate, all you seem to do is whinge about everyrhing Austalian and then rabbit on about global politics. Get out of the rut and enjoy life, there’s a good lad. Cheers, Bobj.

"Where you are happiest" is the term. Since the age of 5 when I first met my D.O.D when the war ended and the Japanese prisoners of war were released. Dad would regale me with the stories of Australians' exploits and their attitude so much that the seed was planted. In the 60 years I have lived in Australia, I have always had a feeling of "this is home" and never regretted a second of that time. Cheers, Bobj.

Another good thread ruined by world politics and sabre rattlers Cheers, Bobj.

As simmo mentions, half the brits will want to come to Australia. Cheers, Bobj.

I have seen frost in Hall's Creek. In Kununurra in the depths of the Dry, we used to go to the open air cinema with 2 blankets, 2 over the deck chairs and 2 over each and a sweater each andlong trackies as the evening temps would get down to 10C. Cheers, Bobj.

That reminds me...I have a hard boiled egg in the fridge...Thank you. Cheers, Bobj.

To Ollie, mate have a squiz at Mackay, central Coastal Qld. It has 2 fairly large hospitals, one private and the Base Hospital. It had a $407 million new section only about 6 years ago and is having a $200 m Plus addition .So, I would say the job market could well be in your favour. Mackay has a population of 126,000 people and is well endowed with brilliant beaches, north and south. I have no idea about thr property rental, however, many homes near the beaches are about $350 k. An added bonus is its proximity to the Whitsundays. Cheers, Bobj.

Why not? Cheers, Bobj.

Coming up to 60 years for me. Cheers, Bobj.

Yesteryear...1977 Mate of mine fishing below the Diversion Dam, Kununurra, WA. All that cooling Spay! Cheers, Bobj.

Thanks for the well wishing, all well here, only 27.5 inches for the last 6 days, inches. Our village is quite good, no flooding due to the adequate drains and that we are on the coast. I remember that in 2008, Mackay had a deluge and recorded 24inches for 24 hours. Next day, we received 17 inches of rain in 24 hours, so, not too bad. No idea what the city has but have heard that a few places have minor flooding. Cheers, Bobj.

December, 2008 when Tim owned the forum. Cheers, Bobj.

G'day all, my nextie took a bad turn early yesterday and I helped get him stable while the ambulance chappies were on their way. He had to be taken to hospital and is now in intensive care, which got me thinking...Being an oldie, it is a distinct possibility that sort of thing might happen to me. So, I thought of a few wondrous things that have happened along the way... Many years ago, when I first came out to Australia, a mate drove from Perth to Melbourne to take me to Perth. A 5000 mile round trip for him. In those days, there were 1000 miles of dirt road (one way). Bulldust, so fine that it filtered through to clothes in my port. Heading north to The Kimberlies, breaking down on the Great Northern Highway and camping on the actual road (dirt) for 24 hours before another vehicle came along... Living in a tent for 2 years while working for the Main Roads, seeing Aboriginals going 'walkabout' as they have done for thousands of years. Working in the Great Sandy Desert, and watching 'wildfire' over the desert. Meeting a group of blokes come out of the desert who were 'clearing a path' of Aboriginals for a rocket firing from Woomera towards "Wallal Downs" sheep station, WA. Catching a "bl**dy big 'barra' and being towed along in the boat, only to see a big head full of teeth rise out of the water, with my lure in its cakehole; only a 7 ft croc. That was in the Keep River, NT/WA border...Actually stepping on the tail of a 12 ft saltie in the same river...Was quite fortunate it was the tail and not the 'other' end... My mate getting 'caught short' on an open plain, nothing to hide behind... Being out in the semi-desert, some 20 miles off the road and thinking that no one had been there before, and coming across an abandoned Valiant car... Plenty of rabbiting on, my apologies for that...But some fabulous memories and still more of the same.:hug:. Cheers, Bobj.

The old Main Roads Camp 8 miles out from Broome, 1965 I lived in the extreme left one.Shiiii*, 58 years ago.

Dunedin, New Zealand ANZ bank accepted mine from Qld. Cheers, Bobj.

Just another day in Paradise.. Cheers, Bobj.

@Marisawright In my wife's situation, it was definitely not justified My wife, Jo, had metastatic breast cancer and the Dr from Townsville was so very patient with Jo, due to Jo's dementia. Indeed, all the staff at the Icon Cancer Unit in Mackay were extremely helpful when Jo came in every month for a blood transfusion. After a year of treatment, Jo's red blood cell count was doing fine and she was prescribed a pill a day rather than a blood transfusion. Sadly, her dementia got steadily worse and she succumbed to that most insidious illness last October. All the staff at the 2 big hospitals in Mackay were always helpful and always gave that enormous feeling of compassion to us. Costs, Not important for a loved one . Cheers, Bobj.

4AM and 25C, here in downtown Ball Bay, heading for 33C. Same as the last couple of days. Lovely warm, humid weather. Lounge air-con set at 26C and the bedroom air-con set at 25C Just PERFECT Cheers, Bobj.

One thing I forgot to mention; Griffith is in an area known as 'The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area', or, MIA and Armidale is in the 'New England' area, which speaks for itself. Cheers, Bobj.

Armidale by a country mile. Both get bitterly cold in winter, Griffith is flat country whereas Armidale is almost 1,000 m above sea level and has some really beaut scenery. Lived in Glen Innes, only 60 km away and used to do weekly shopping in Armidale. Cheers, Bobj.

Same with me. When the ship docked in Smellbum (Oct 1963), we were all marshalled to various officials for places of accommodation, which meant that I roomed with a bloodnut for 6 weeks in Essendon. I went on to WA and the the Kimberlies, where I worked on the Main Roads Dept. I was working out from Broome and, on a Sunday, went into town to have a break from tent life. I went in to "China Town" and in one shop, saw this bloke's arm, resting on the counter, the Timex watch and hairy 'orange' arm was a give-away, . I walked up to him and said, "Hello, Mike" to which, he turn to see me. Yes it was my room mate from Essendon, He was on a bus tour around Australia. That was in 1965. Cheers, Bobj.

Just pull ya head in, @Blue Flu. Cheers, Bobj.

And I thought this thread was about memories of landing in Australia, not drugs and native title. Seems @Blue Flu has a hang up as far as any subject matter other than his/her own and seems to change the subject. Gerroff yer soap-box, mate! Cheers, Bobj.

Odd, innit? I wrote a few lines called 'Reminiscing' please check it out @Phoenix16 It is all about my adventures in this magical land. Just a tad over 59 years ago (28th Oct 1963) when I first landed here. Cheers, Bobj.

Cost of living to me, personally; first wage, 1956 was £2/10/- and, when I retired in 1998, $711.00 To go a tad further, as a 6 year old (1947) in Yorkshire, I could get a gob stopper for a farthing. Cheers, Bobj.