february 22 - 28 | 2017
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Generations of growth By KYLIE WILSON
HISTORIC SPOT:
Geoff Simpson at home on the family farm, “Brangie”, where he not only works the land, but is turning fallen timber into furniture. PHOTO: Kylie Wilson
GARDENING WITH
DEBBI
RSPCA
FILM
WITH
FIST
POLLY
FIGHT
WINE TALK WITH
ANITA
TUCKED away off a dirt road at the edge of Oxley is a tranquil parcel of land that has seen generations of the Simpson family grow and thrive. And the current generation, among them farmer Geoff Simpson, is keen to continue working on the land in a sustainable way to ensure the connection continues into the future. Geoff’s childhood memories include being his grandfather Frank’s constant companion as he carried out farm chores from feeding and milking cattle to cutting wood and even sowing crops as he got older. “We’d go fishing, we played cards,” he said of his rural childhood, adding that the property means a lot to his extended family, including his parents Ian and Mary. “It’s a central spot for everyone to come back to,” he said. “I have strong ties to the place. “My intention is to keep the farm going as long as I can.” Geoff said his family’s connection to Oxley goes back to his great grandfather, Alexander Moyer Simpson, being among the small group of settlers known as the “Farmers Five” that originally settled on the land around Hurdle Creek back in the mid 19th century. Members of the family settled and farmed throughout the area, but it was Geoff’s grandfather, Francis “Frank” Arthur Simpson, who bought the farm known as “Brangie” that has become synonymous with his family. The farm was named after one of the local Indigenous leaders of the time by Frank’s mother Janet, and Geoff said that the family had a lot of respect for the Indigenous people of the area and their connection to the land. continued page |
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