As mentioned in yesterdays post about camping holidays, my brother or I would often take a school friend with us on our longer holidays here in Tasmania.
We would go to unusual places, sometimes do things our friends might not have done before and when tired from a long day of physical activities, we would play board games on the picnic table.
But the biggest holiday we went on was our family, Margaret (mum’s sister) and her family when we took off around Australia for three months in 1965.
Our family used a converted Kombi van, side awning and tent, while Margaret’s husband Norman pulled a caravan behind their car. We went over on the boat to Melbourne, up the east coast to Cairns, then across outback Queensland to the junction of the Barkly and Stuart Highways in Northern Territory, north to Darwin, then back south to Alice Springs.
It was here where the families parted as Marg’s family put their car and caravan on the Ghan to head back to Marree and onward to Melbourne. Our family went to Uluru then back to Alice and the Ghan to Marree where we then spent more time around South Australia before heading back to Melbourne and the boat trip home to Tasmania.
Readers: Did you ever go on holidays with other family members or school friends? What was your most memorable holiday?
The theme for the month of January is FOUNDATIONS.
To me the foundations in family history are the building blocks of your life. That means family and home.
Our first family home was at 6 Brent Street in Glenorchy, a northern suburb of Hobart at that time but since then it has become a city in its own right.
The home originally belonged to our Uncle Harry (Harry Avery who was dad’s foster father). Harry bought it after his mother passed in 1952 and he and dad lived there.
Dad’s memories of this time:
I remember that Harry let me drive his utility when we went to look at the house there and as we left I backed into a Hydro pole. Fortunately it was only a slight bump with very little damage.
After dad married my mum, it then became our family home.
It was here that my brother, Philip, and I spent our childhood years along with our parents, Bob and Phyl.
Memories of happenings while living at Brent Street:
We lived within walking distance of our local shop and not far from the school we both attended
There was plenty of room to play in and grass in the backyard to pitch a tent on to sleep overnight if we wanted
Room for pets but we only ever had a canary. Sadly he passed away when we were on a holiday around Tasmania
Playing board games and doing jigsaw puzzles in the lounge room
Long bike rides with our school friends – home to the Botanical Gardens then contact parents when we got there safely and ring again when we were about to leave to come home
Birthday parties with lots of school friends
Outdoor toilet – just over the passageway from the back door
Being sent to our rooms when we had done something wrong – I’d read my book so not much of a punishment
Drawing on the outside of the house then having to clean it off
Lots of bottles along the fence line – fundraising for the Glenorchy Girl Guides and Brownies
As a Brownie, planting rose bush at opening of Glenorchy Council chambers
Learning to cook evening meals if mum wasn’t home
Family holidays to Devonport, St Helens and Douglas River – canoeing in canoe dad built
Bush walking and camping around Tasmania as a family
Three months travelling around Australia as a family with mum’s sister Margaret and her family
Lots of family visiting for birthdays and Christmas – Mum’s family were all very close
Visiting Bathurst Street Telephone exchange where dad worked
Travelling on the Tasman Limited train with uncle Fred, delivering the mail
Sunday school each week and choir
Philip at the YMCA
The foundations of my life learnt as a child included being independent, being part of a family as well as groups like Guides and YMCA, having hobbies, consequences of actions, enjoying life as a family and also with friends.
Readers: What would you write about for the topic of foundations?