Originally from Brisbane I have lived here now for 28 years. It really doesn’t seem that long. I traveled around Australia extensively before getting married which was just as well because when I did enter the state of Holy Matrimony we didn’t get away from Kilcowera much for the first 15 or so years.
I have always enjoyed an active lifestyle, never been a couch potato, except maybe when I have a new Steven King to read! I love reading all sorts of stuff and I will often sneak off for an SR (sneaky read). I also enjoy watching movies and cooking (sort of, I must say I am getting a bit sick of it, all those bloody cakes and biscuits which I try not to eat. Himself eats them all!!).
Gardening has always been at the top of my list of hobbies and it is especially challenging in this climate both for the garden and the Gardener.
Photography has always been with me, I just love the feel of a beautiful camera in my hands or even my first digital camera a little Canon Ixus– “Junior”. It takes beautiful pictures and I can slip it in my pocket when out mustering or fencing or doing work in the cattle yard.
I think we got our first computer in about 1995 and I am totally self taught on anything to do with them. What a learning curve and what fun – every time I get a new one it’s nearly like starting again! I got a laptop late last year with Vista and Word 07 on it among other things. So far all I have done on it is surf the web. Haven’t even learned how to save a document on it yet. It’s a very nice computer but I just have not had the time to learn how to drive it.
Aviation has always interested me and living out here gave me the opportunity to learn to fly. We used to have such trouble trying to line up musterers and a pilot and plane at the same time for mustering we decided to learn ourselves and buy our own plane. And so we did. I have been flying now since 1990 and still love it. Cruising around up there really adds another dimension to your life.
I did have a beautiful, beautiful little Chihuahua who was my constant companion but sadly she died of pleurisy in August 08 at the age of 13. A wonderful man by the name of Peter Slater did a painting of her from a photo that he took and sent it out to me. I have had the painting framed and it’s ready to go up on the wall but I can’t put it up just yet. I still miss her too much. Holly loved to chase roos and lizards and in her prime was even known to have a face off with a ram. She loved a swim and going to town, bones, soft blankets and camping with us. She didn’t like having a bath or the sound of the clock ticking on 60 minutes or crows though.
We opened up our Station Stay business in 2000 and have seen a steady growth with quite a few repeat visitors. We love sharing our part of the world with visitors and giving them an insight into our lives out here. It takes all sorts. We’ve had foreigners, lots of photographers, pilots, birdwatchers, flora enthusiasts, 4 WD people, retirees, campers and caravanners. I tell you who we haven’t had though and that’s a geologist, oohhh I would love to get one here so I could learn about the past through the rocks and soils. I would also like to see school groups visiting for their annual camp. Do those camps always have to be to the coast or the snow?
Any way this is a pretty long “about” page so I’ll call it quits now. Byeee. Toni
Holly 1995 – 2008
