Thursday Oct 13th 1932:
Had to have the usual clean up this morning which is always necessary when I have been away for any length of time. Had ‘smoko’ down at Cronin’s. Spent the afternoon reading and writing and then called on Dr in connection with hospital business. After tea went up to hospital. Home again and more writing.
Friday Oct 14th 1932:
Was up before the sun this morning and had the car greased and oiled before breakfast. Had several other jobs to d on it and it was nearly lunch time when I had the car ready for the road. Had very little time left then to complete monthly a/c’s and mission report and other writing but did it all by 4 pm. Packed my port then, rolled my swag and went for my passengers. Picked up both ‘Mrs Reillys’ and Jack Logan and left to at 7.15 pm.
( Both ‘Mrs Reilly’s’ ? Maybe Mrs Reilly and another un-named female? Maybe Eileen McAllan? My mother to be. know for sure there was only one Mrs Reilly in Camooweal and several Miss Reilly’s.) Car gave a bit of trouble for awhile but finished well reaching Avon at 7.15 pm. The folk here had kindly waited tea for us and we were all very hungry. Weather had suddenly become cold and showery. Quite a crowd here when we all got together. I felt too tired to stay up for long so Mrs Spratt kindly fixed the hot shower for me which was great, after which was soon lost in slumber.
Saturday Oct 15th 1932:
Light rain fell last night and this morning it looked as if ‘big mob rain might jump up’ at any minute. Light sprinkles were all we experienced however. Were on the road soon after sunrise, Spratts coming along with a load in their car. Stopped for awhile at the Rankine and exchanging a few passengers continued on to Alexandria. Car gave a bit of trouble through a block in petrol pipes somewhere but managed to reach the homestead without having to locate the block. Brunette and Alroy people already here and after lunch the interstate tennis match was put on resulting in a win for Qld by 3 games. After tea we all played clock golf (?) on the lawn and then I retired leaving the others to continue their fun and frolic.
Sunday Oct 16th 1932:
After lunch today the various parties commenced their homeward journeys and by sundown the last of the departing guests said their fond farewells. ( My mother, Eileen McAllan lived on McArthur River Station in N.T so it is possible she had been visiting Camooweal – and my father! – and would have left as mentioned with others to return to her home.) I then went out with Bill to one of the bores taking the pumper home. Came back and had some long discussions before retiring.
Monday Oct 17th 1932:
Spent the morning in looking over the car and remedying any noticeable faults. Felt very lazy after lunch so went to sleep. Played tennis after ‘smoko’. A gin with a badly smashed thumb done in fighting was brought up for my inspection. ( Dr Kettle?) It is a fearful sight and green . I cleaned it up and dressed it during which operation the gin nearly went out to it. I then decided to take her into Camooweal after tea but rain came and so I could not. Staunton’s 3 lorries arrived about 8 pm. Retired early.
Tuesday Oct 18th 1932:
Rain continued until after ‘smoko’ in the afternoon. Stayed inside and read and wrote most of the time. Got cleaned and went around and called on all the hands about the place. Dressed the gin’s thumb again and as she felt a bit better decided to send her in to Dr on one of the lorries.
Wednesday Oct 19th 1932:
Got the car ready and loaded up and after ‘smoko; with Mrs Reilly, ( Only one Mrs Reilly this time?) Mrs Johnson, Pat and Cay on board left for Alroy. Had a blow out a few miles along the road and still have not remedied petrol blockage. Reached Alroy for lunch. Took the car down to the shed and spent the afternoon working on it. Found a bad leak in radiator and had to take all radiator off. Did not finish. After tea read for awhile and retired.
Thursday Oct 20th 1932:
Put in an hour on the car before breakfast which was on at 7 am. Left it then and put my essential requirements together and in Schmidt’s Hudson 8. Six of us and a big load then left for Rockhampton Downs. Stopped with the stock camp for awhile and also at No 14. Had a yarn and left reading. Reached ‘Rocky’ for lunch. Just as soon drive the Ford. Talked for quite awhile. Had a swim in the tank. George not home. Had some music before retiring. Friday Oct 21st 1932:
More hot weather and today heavy clouds gave promise of good storms falling. Got the kiddies together at Rocky this morning and gave them their S.S lesson which they seemed to enjoy very much. Mrs Easy had the baby wireless going this morning and listened in and could hear Anderson from Cloncurry very clearly. (How things change with time! ) Packed up after lunch and returned to Alroy. Called around at the bore where the stock camp was and as they had just killed one had grilled bones for tea. Called again on old Frank Grteen and hd a good yarn to him. Reached Alroy at 9pm. At midnight we caught the edge of a good storm but all we got was wind.
Saturday Oct 22nd 1932:
Got to work on the car again this morning and by lunchtime had everything together again. Ivan greatly assisted me. After ‘smoko’ all the folk left for Brunette the Hudson going first and I brought up the rear. 3 miles out I had tube trouble again so I did not see the others until I reached Brunette after dark. They had kindly kept tea for me. We had a ping pong tournament then before all retired. A terribly hot night.
Sunday Oct 23rd 1932:
A fearfully hot day. Too hot to do anything. Folk here are all R.C’s and very nice. Late in the afternoon we all drove out 3 miles and had a cool of in one of the dams, a bonza swimming hole. I had a read after tea while the others played cards.
Monday Oct 24th 1932:
Spent the morning on the car and in talking to the men about the place. Changed the tyres and tubes about on the car and put the bad tube into the spare tyre. Cay Johnson drove over from Alexandria 60 miles this morning and on his way home again, 30 miles out found that Crows Nest bore with a big mob of cattle on it had broken down, so had to come back to Brunette to tell them and then set out again for home. I left after lunch for Anthony’s Lagoon. Called on an old German pumper on the way who was very stern and abrupt at first but thawed afterwards and showed it by remarking ‘I will put the b…… pot on’ and so we had a drink of tea together. Reached Anthony’s alright and pulled up at the store for awhile and then went across to the Police Station and invited myself to stay there. Had some music after tea.
Tuesday Oct 25th 1932:
Had half an inch of rain last night with the result it was too muddy to move about this morning so stayed inside and read all the latest papers about a month old. Set to work on the spare tube after dinner and spent the whole afternoon in trying to mend it but was unable to get it to hold for more than a couple of hours, so will have to
travel without a spare. After tea went over for a while to the store.
Wednesday Oct 26th 1932:
Called over at the Cattle station homestead this morning, after which went north down to Malapunyah Springs, 90 miles into the real ‘never never’. ( No name for property? This may well have been McArthur River Station where my mother lived as it was close to Mallapunyah Springs ) Awful roads for most of the way, but reached there safely in the afternoon. One family of 12 lives here; kiddies very shy and nervous. They are getting a very nice garden going and plenty of nice spring water to use, the father is white but mother a quarter caste abo! The kiddies are all very fair. Gave them some pamphlets after tea. Had a light storm just as we were about to retire. Had a good feed here of bananas and paw paws, pulled straight from the trees.
Thursday Oct 27th 1932:
Got the kiddies together this morning and gave them pictures and books and tried to talk to them but they were too shy to do much with. Have broken the ice however. Left during the morning and found the ground very heavy in places where storms fell yesterday. Did not get bogged however and reached Anthony’s in the afternoon. Went over to the store after tea and had a little service during which I baptised Biondi’s latest.
Friday October 28th 1932:
Drove down to the aerodrome this morning and met Alf when he told me about Mavis Wilson having her scalp torn off while being shown over Mt Isa mines. A terrible thing and felt very much off after hearing about it. Spent some time over at the cattle station
( McArthur River? ) with the manager and then across to the store where I had lunch. Picked up a passenger and left for Brunette. Had another cup of tea with the German pumper and reached Brunette at 5 pm. Very hot so decided to cool off in the dam with the others. Played ping pong for awhile after tea.
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