The Road Less Travelled - now well and truely travelled

On Wednesday, both the WM and I decided we needed to get off the property due to cabin fever with all the rain (two days worth, lol) and so with no particular thought in mind we set off in the 4 wheel drive out on the farm. Things were a little muddy underfoot which proved interesting to say the least. We started off heading in the direction we had previously gone to get wood, though turning a slightly different way which meant going through a paddock of sheep with an unusually closed gate to get through. Challenge that it was - another large taranaki type gate with a wierd shutting device, we then arrived at the creek bed that we had come to from the other direction last time we were out in the ute. Well, it was begging to be driven up, because we could, and after zooming through a large puddle we went into a glorious slide. My side of the vehicle was parallel to a fence line and while I was sitting thinking, OMG how are we going to explain the need to mend a couple of chain (slight exageration but not by much, lol) to the Brother's, the WM did all the right things when you go into a slide in mud, we snaked a bit, then straightened up,not using the breaks, both in fits of laughter with the adrenelin rush, turned round and went back through the puddle again though no massive slide this time. We decided to see where the track we were on would lead us and found ourselves on one of the boundary roads. The WM remembered seeing a reserve not far from there so we went to explore that taking photos as we went. We found ourselves on the road where we had been to see the wreath flowers last spring which put us on another road that took us down past Wandalgu and then a place called Canna. Somewhere along the way, I saw a road that said Old Camp Road so we headed there as there is an old tin shack still just standing.

This is the sign that is by the old shack in memorial to Frank Ewin Macklin who lived there a good amount of his life after WW2, dying in 1968. This is what remains. There is an old bed inside, a pair of shorts on a nail, an old stove with cans on top, a shelf with a brush and other bits and pieces, with another oven outside in what was probably a lean to. I am amazed that is has not been vandalised in the interim.
















Out the back were two enormous cactus that were almost like trees and another variety that was a more rounded leafed sort of cactus closer to the ground. We carried on from there to Morawa and straight to the bakery for a cappucino and a home made pie. I managed to buy some Dukka there, bypassing the local olives and olive oil for sale (but only just, lol).

The WM gave me the map book on the way back and we decided to return to school via the back roads, picking them at random though heading in the general direction we needed. Amongst so much flat land, one of the things we came across was a couple of hills, dignified by the term 'range' on the map (can't remember the name) - who knew they were there!!!! Driving down one road we came to the Pintharuka Cemetary and made a stop. There was a square of ground set out with rocks and one very large rock with a brass plate mentioning 7 local deaths in the 20's - 40's. There were two actual graves, one with a headstone and returned serviceman plaque and one that looked like the frame of an old iron bedstead (very RIP I thought, lol) but I think it was just a decorative surround.

As we continued to drive, we pondered upon the people who had settled this area and who still live there today, the isolation, and how women especially coped way back when, and today. There are no next door neighbours, more the equivalent of visiting from Otaua to Kariaotahi,For the Waiuku readers, or imagine between any two small districts) between some 'farms'. Dropping in for a cuppa would have to be a planned event! After some serious zig-zagging across the countryside, we came back on to the Pallantine Rd where the boys used to live at Wandalgu and headed back onto Kelly Rd. Keeping my eyes peeled for any eventuality (an occupational necessity when driving at the moment) upon a gasp of breath from me, the WM put the brakes on, and there in the paddock to our left, were eight emus. I carefully got my window down and started taking photos flat tack.

This is one of a group of (probably year old) birds and you can see how windy the day was by how its feathers are blowing everywhere.
After seeing the last group of emus on the way back from footie, one of our indigenous staff told me that if you see an emu and you want it to come closeer, you take off your shirt,wave it about, lie on the ground and hit the dirt with your feet it will come towards you as they are nosey......

After spotting the group and taking NUMEROUS photos, they started to walk away just as the WM was trying to get out of the car to take a close up with her zoom lens. As it was raining, and neither of us entertained the notion of removing clothing (heh, heh) OR lying on the ground (bull ants /mud .........., lol) I told her to stamp her feet at least ... and....







THEY TURNED BACK!!!!! It was such a buzz and we felt very mighty 'hunters and trackers', lol.

We were totally dumbfounded that it worked and relieved that that was all it took, heh heh. We didn't think it could get much better than that so set off back up the road to school when we came up to a track into a paddock we had not been in before off Kelly Rd, looked at each other and thought - why not - we were on a mission.

We drove alongside several paddocks all planted with wheat that was sprouting, and saw so much good wood lying about, we will go back to replenish stocks. We were doing fine until we came to a bank of dirt like a stop bank about a metre high followed by a ditch of the same depth. I thought that would be it but the WM in a rush of blood to the head drove straight over down and up the other side while I for once was thinking, OMG we will break an axle at least. Yay for 4WD vehicles is all I can say thatare also built like the proverbial s...t house, lol. We continued a bit further and like magic, there was the hidden salt lake beside us that we had been searching for for ages. We had seen it from the windows upstairs in the girls' old dorm and tried several times to find it, missing it by a whole block as we found out this day. More photos and another must go and revisit moment before we set off again. The dead wood out this way was everywhere and we did stop and throw some in the back of the car until it started raining again. We were a little unsure of where we were exactly, not helped at all when we come to two shut gates, - another ubiquitous taranaki type gate that was wired up shut and on a bad lean. The other gate looked equally challenging to get through so there was nothing for it but to push the taranaki gate completely over, while I stood on it and the WM drove over. I then tried to poke the metal stakes that made the gate up, back in the wet dirt as though nothing had happened. (I had a "Mullie Wuppie" moment - 'he ran and she ran until they came to the bridge of the single hair, "woe betide ye Mullie Wuppie if you ere return again"')lol. There was more track, and fields to go through so we just picked a direction and went for it (the decider was open gates to any paddock we passed, lol). We ended up at the back of the shearing shed more by good luck than management and then there in front of us was the straight track all the way back to school.

But wait, there was more. Just before we got to the airstrip I asked the WM if she had been to Doyley's dam lately and no sooner said, than the track was there beside us and off we went. We got there to see water literally running into the dam and remarked on how low it was to where it was the last time we rode out there on the horses (at least 6 months ago). More photos and then it was well and truely time to be back in time to clean up and go back on duty for the WM and for my night off for me after one of the best days we have had in awhile out on the farm and general surrounds.

Just as well, as at 3.30pm we walked into a staff meeting to be told the school was finishing for good in 8 days time. The decision had been made not to continue with the few boys that were left and that all support would be given to those students to find new schools. There was not a lot said to us re the future and although not unexpected was none the less a blow to all concerned. One of the honchos came to tell us the news, which was then broken to the students and others concerned living on site. So, from the sublime to the ridiculous in one fell swoop.