Emma’s February 1973 Travel Diary

This is a short trip to Childers and back that Emma hand with her sister Nell.

Other trips: Dec’72, Dec’73

I don’t have much to say or photographs to add, as I was not involved. Grandma did love her bowls, as this trip proves. Nell liked winning, so she had a good trip also. Interestingly she was always called “Barnsey” at bowls. Her maiden name was Barnes. I remember going to indoor bowls with grandma five or six years before. I enjoyed it. At that age, and even younger, she would leave me home alone to go to bowls – not something we would do nowadays. Fortunately, I was a very tame (read timid) boy – except when Gary was around :).

Paul

Date: the 5th of February, 1973

Place: Capalaba

Weather: hot

I stayed with Doug and Betty from the 22nd of December until the 5th, when Nell and I started our journey to Childers. We came up to Toowoomba and stayed the night here at my place (for two nights, really). On Saturday the 6th of January, we were invited out to Bert and Martha’s for dinner and left early next morning for Nambour, where we spent the night with Frank and Edna, leaving 8 o’clock to go to Harvey Bay.

When we got to the Scarness Post office, we rang Party and Gina to come and piloted us to 21 Cypress Street Torquay. In the afternoon, Gina drove us around to see some of the district. The following day walked to the town with Party and bought material for dresses. In the afternoon, Gina again took us for a drive around. We spent two nights and left with a nice lot of mangoes.

We had a good trip across to Childers and, as we went into an empty house, had to go up the street and do some shopping for groceries. Tru had left the key with Nell. We watched cricket and a couple of other programs before retiring to bed. Thursday, we watched Australia beat Pakistan in cricket and then walked up to find the gentleman’s bowls green and teed up a game for Saturday. Ladies play only on invitation, so we had been invited.

Friday, we spent a quiet day. We did our housework and went for a walk and then on Saturday I didn’t. Saturday, we played the bowls. On Sunday, we drove out to the Isis mill Bowls club and were warmly welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed our game. Monday went down the street and in the afternoon for a walk. It stormed at night.

Tuesday was cloudy and more storms, so we stayed at home and watched the traffic. The road has a line of beautiful rain trees at present about in bloom with yellow flowers. Childers is a pretty place, it is a garden city, and flowers bloom profusely. Under the trees, cars, caravans etc., pull up for a rest or to have a cuppa.

Wednesday saw the sun occasionally, but clouds were still around. Showers Thursday morning, but we still got a game of bowls in at the ladies club. Friday was fine again, so we had our usual walk. Saturday, Ian, Tru and family came home, so we went to bowls again after giving them lunch. When we got home, we moved into the big caravan, which they positioned under a large Poinciana tree and next to that is a beautiful golden Raintree, both in bloom. Sunday, we again went to the Isis Mill for bowls. 

That night Gina rang to say they would call on us the next day, so on Monday morning Party and Gina arrived and spent the day and left with storm threatened. They should have just returned before it started. It rained all night heavily, with wind clearing on Tuesday but still cloudy. Wednesday, we went for a long walk through canefields.

My car would not start, so I got the RACQ to come and discovered a crack in the rotor but got it started, so Nell and I went for a drive. Still cloudy on Thursday. We played bowls, and Nell’s team beat our team by a point to win the trophy. Friday, we went into town and had a comb up, and I bought a dress and a slack. There are a few alterations, so I picked it up on Saturday morning and had to model them for the family.

Sunday morning, we went to church. Ross was altar boy. Only 14 people at church. We came home to breakfast, and Rhona said if you ever wanted to start a conversation, suggest the life cycle of a jellyfish. It appears instead of an egg; the female lays lava that attaches itself to the ocean’s bed and then expands and gradually sends forth a lot of tiny jellyfish. In the afternoon, bowls at the Mill and in the play-off, Nell’s team had a win, and she brought home the chicken.

The folks there all hoped we would come back when they wished us goodbye. Monday was a holiday, and we played mixed bowls at the men’s club by special invitation. Left Tuesday morning and ran into heavy rain.

We had morning tea at Rossendale and again admired the paintings. We had called there on our way up and were very taken with them. We were surprised to find they were painted by the women who run the shop. This time, she told us she had just won a $1000 prize for one of her paintings at Adelaide. We stayed the night at Nambour with Frank and Edna. Left at 8:30 am Wednesday and at Glasshouse rang the RACQ and asked for a driver to take us to Brisbane to Holland Park. We arrived at Capalaba at 11:30 am and, in the afternoon, went with Doug to Kangaroo point. We had a drink with Reg, Doug and Betty. Carita had taken Nell home. Left Thursday morning, the 1st of February, for Toowoomba, and now my holiday is over.