Stories Worth Keeping A Grandmother's Love for the Australian Landscape | On Tour With The Kid

My grandmother, Mavis, grew up in the countryside of Central West NSW and had a deep love for the Australian landscape. She lived an extraordinary life. Until I was eight years old, she worked as a nurse and was the Matron of various nursing homes, including Cooma, and was the first Matron of the nursing home in Tomingley.

Then my grandfather passed away, and something shifted in her. Although they had been separated for years (a situation that was unusual at the time), they remained good friends and would still attend the Lodge Ball together on occasion. I believe his death at the age of 54 made her realise how short life can be. In a move that might be considered unusual for any family but ours, she decided to move to Alice Springs.

For the next 15 years, she worked for Noel Fullerton, the most famous Camel Man in the country. She occasionally raced, but mostly worked on the farm outside of Alice Springs, taking tourists on two-week trail rides through the Territory. I remember being nine years old, riding a huge camel down the largest dune I had ever seen, and watching Noel jump off a moving vehicle onto a wild camel. That was certainly not a typical holiday for a kid from Orange.

Noel was a very charismatic man, a prolific storyteller, and after two trips with him, I knew his tale about how camels ended up in Australia by heart. I can still hear his gruff voice, distinct inflection, and laughter, as well as feel the warmth of the campfire. I remember him picking up scorpions with his bare hands just to scare the American tourists.

For someone who is now totally addicted to their phone and needs background noise, I find it surprising that, at nine years old, I spent two weeks on the back of a camel with nothing but the vast desert and Noel telling stories of dreamtime paintings and local lore in his unique Australian accent. It was certainly never dull.

Mavis was an avid reader and had a passion for distinctly Australian stories. "The Man from Snowy River" was a particular favourite of hers, but she also loved the works of Lawson and Dorothea Mackellar. She appreciated artwork that reflected our landscape. I still have a napkin that Pro Hart drew on and signed for me when she took me to an exhibition, specifically because he was going to be there.

It’s remarkable how the world has become smaller and how we are all more well-travelled. As everything becomes more Americanised, we seem to shy away from silence and find ourselves glued to our phones, even when sitting across from one another. I often wonder what happens to our stories when we tell them in our own voices. Sometimes, things fade away without you even realising they are gone.

There are still people who tell our stories. Songwriters like John Schumann, Kevin Bennett and Luke O’Shae. Poets and Artists, both classic and contemporary, and it’s essential to seek them out. Make sure your kids know these stories, hear them, and see them. We are the lucky country; let’s ensure they remember why.