Desert Air - 54. DA Ch 54 - Final Goodbye

“Do you think your brothers and sister know about the arguments?” I asked my cousin, “Alexandria does for sure, because every time she sees Dad with a black eye, she starts lecturing Mum about being a good wife and mother, instead of sitting on her cushy backside all day and do absolutely nothing. Then she spends the rest of the day giving Mum the evil eye, and ignoring her.

When you heard Dad say that Eliza is a good cook yesterday, it is actually Eliza and Alex, as they both do their share of the cooking, while Daisy does most of the cleaning around the homestead,” Samuel said. “How old is Eliza?” I asked, “Seventeen we think, she is quite a beautiful woman, isn’t she,” Samuel replied, “I hadn’t noticed really,” I replied.

After collecting some packed lunches and water, I went with Samuel to do another water run, so I could get to explore more of the station, and Samuel said that we would be back well before sunset. When we arrived back nearly seven hours later, just before 3 pm, I was tired, but glad to be given the chance to see a good amount of the station.

Uncle Owen was in the shed working on a water pump when we arrived, “Hello boys, how did you go, find any problems?” he called out as he continued working on the faulty pump. “Nope, all is good Dad, much better than you by the looks of it,” Samuel replied, “Yes, this it the Number three bore pump, bloody thing has seized up with junk in the pipes; we may have to replace the whole lot.

Oh by the way, Jexon, your Mum wants to speak to you as soon as you got back,” Uncle Owen said to me, “Righto, thanks for that, I will head off and speak to her now,” I replied, “How is Mum today?” I heard Samuel ask his father, before I walked out of hearing distance.

I found Mum in the kitchen along with Mary and Alexandria, happily chatting away, while busy making bread, cakes and cookies. “Well you all look happy and busy,” I commented as I entered, “Hello dear, how was your drive with Samuel?” Mum replied.

“Good, there is some good country out this way, if only they had some decent rain to keep the grasses growing and it would be and excellent station,” I commented.

“Oh it was, remember I worked and lived here for a few years too, back in the day, and it was buzzing with activity every day, and you were born on this station,” Mum replied.

“Really, I didn’t know that? So only us younger ones were born on Hillside,” Mary asked, “Yes dear, that is correct, where are the other children, have you checked on them recently?” Mum replied, “I have just seen them Mum, playing in the shade area of the lawn, you left a message that you wanted to see me,” I commented.

“Yes I do, but in private, girls will you be ok while I go and have a chat with Jexon,” Mum said to Mary and Alexandria, and they said yes, and we headed outside, where we sat on the garden bench, where we could watch the others playing in the distance.

“I have some news from Corunna… Hedley has had a stroke and was flown to Perth by RFDS, and Joyce went with him, so now, only Jake and Mike are minding the two stations, with Corunna now been sold and settlement is in three weeks time.

All the relocating of the camping ground and staff village has been completed, and Jake is minding the Airbase operation as well, with the assistance of the four casual staff.

With Hedley and Joyce out of the picture for some time, depending on Hedley’s recovery, we need to make some plans for the airbase,” Mum announced to me.

“Ok, let me give Canberra a call and I will see what command wants to take over managing the airbase, and maybe shut down the tourism side of things for a while,” I said to Mum, “There is one other thing I need to discuss with you… Jennifer is leaving on the next mail plane, and she is taking the twins with her.

I think Alexandria and Samuel have refused to go with her, so they will be staying on at the station, as will I and the children, although I know Owen would be able to cope, someone needs to be here to run the homestead, and I would be happier being back here, especial being with family,” Mum said.

I smiled before giving her a big hug, “I am glad that you have decided to stay here, Uncle Owen seems like a nice bloke, and all the cousins are great kids. I am going to head back to Kununurra, and get back to work, plus I need to arrange to get my Bi plane up here, where I can keep an eye on it, what are you going to do with the money from the sale of the stations?” I replied.

“Well, I am thinking about investing in another property, there are a few in the region, including the 609,608 acre Newry Station on the WA border and on the Victoria Highway in the NT, and maybe the adjoining Auvergne Station which is 1,023,500 acres in area,” Mum announced.

“Sounds like you want to be a cattle queen, like another businesswoman from Western Australia,” I commented, and Mum laughed, “I don’t think I would get anywhere close to Gina’s level of station ownership. I have met her, you know, at a pastoralist’s forum to discuss issues with Federal, Territory and State regulations on pastoral properties,” Mum replied.

“Wow, no I didn’t know that, is she a nice lady or a difficult business person like her late father?” I replied, “No, she is quite nice and she is a very skilled businesswoman. Now just so you know, when we sold Hillside and Panorama, we receive quite a substantial amount for them, and we put a lot of money into improving Corunna Downs and later Limestone stations.

We still had a lot extra after that, which we have kept aside for emergencies, and to help develop the Corunna Airbase, so we are fairly well off,” Mum answered. “We are? I thought we were just getting by, although I wondered about all the spending on the airbase,” I commented.

“We have enough for me to live very comfortably for the rest of my life, and for all the kids to get a university education, and a home each. I might even look into buying back my old childhood home,” Mum announced.

“About that place in Cottesloe, when Pa and Aggie passed away and Dad was taking care of it, he didn’t sell the house, he had it renovated and rented it out. You own that house now Mum, you always have since your parents passed away, and Dad has been setting aside the rent income from the house, for repairs, and paying all the council rates, and investing the rest for a retirement nest egg for you both,” I informed Mum.

“Oh… my, that is a big surprise,” Mum said sounding quite shocked at the news. “The house has been renovated twice since your parents passed, and Dad has made sure that the garden has been kept just as they originally were when Aggie established it, according the real estate agent,” I said to Mum.

“I see, well I would like to have a good look at the house, when we get a chance to go down to Perth next,” Mum said to me. “What are you going to do about the kids schooling?” I asked, “Well Mary wants to finish year 12 and go onto university, and Rhodes is still adamant that he wants to stay on and work on cattle stations.

The other two I think want to go back to boarding school, although with Rhodes not attending, I am not sure how Wynn will cope, while Mary and Julia should be fine.

In regards to Owen’s children, we have had a discussion about that, and with Samuel due to start boarding school, Owen has made some changes so that Samuel is at the same school as Wynn in Geraldton, and Alexandria will attend boarding school with your two sisters.

Even with the kids away at school, I will remain here to help Owen and keep the homestead running smoothly,” Mum announced. “Has Uncle Owen said anything about how he gets supplies to the station when needed?” I asked.

“Yes, the mail plane comes weekly, and they bring any emergency food supplies that are needed, and once a month a supply truck comes, with all the food supplies, and drums of diesel for the vehicles. That reminds me, I need to send that shopping list this afternoon, or we won’t get the food that we need,” Mum replied, as she stood and headed to the homestead, while I remained seated and watched my siblings and cousins playing.

The releasing of the ashes in a bit of a hilly valley, was a sombre event, with the children sobbing quietly, and I heard Mum say, “Until we meet again, my dearest,” and I gave mum a hug in comfort, as we stood there and watched the sun begin to set.

During dinner that night, with Jennifer once again being absent, the kids starting asking about what is happening with school, and this is when Owen announced that Jennifer was returning to Adelaide, leaving here in the Mail plane, along with the twins. On hearing this news, the twins became quite upset, and stated that they did not want to leave home, they wanted to stay here.

Owen said they can both come back to the station for the mid-year school holidays, in Early July, and the older two can spend part of the Christmas holidays in Adelaide.

Owen explained the changes that would be taking place, with my siblings and cousins attending the same two schools, and that I would fly them from Riveren Station to Kununurra, so that they can catch flights to Geraldton to attend school.

This meant that I would have to either; wait the extra two weeks at Riveren, or I fly to Kununurra and fly back when it is time to collect them and bring them to Kununurra, and put them on their flight to Geraldton.

I was not sure what option I would take just yet, but I am keen to get back to work and to see how my business is going, even thou I was making regular calls to both clinics. I realised that I also need to find a temporary place of my own to live in, since Auggie is living in the unit above the clinic.

During the time that I have been away, I have been getting progress reports from the building company, on the progress of building my new Veterinary clinic, and aircraft hanger located at the airport.

I also have been getting a landscaping business to plant all of the mature trees, install reticulation, also to build a number of water feature ponds. Split into four quarters, with a cross access lane between each section, that has winding and not straight paths, so as too allow for additional ground cover planting, each quarter will be different.

One quarter will still have trees, but more of Pandanus trees, grasses, plenty of rocks, which will form various hills, Eucalyptus trees and plenty of red sand and dry rock beds, and two small ponds. Another quarter, will be entirely of tropical palms, ferns, tree ferns, birds nest fern and strelitzia birds of paradise palms.

The third quarter will be a large lawn park, with trees around the edges to provide some shade, while the last quarter will contain a wall of stone rocks, built along the back wall of the vet complex.

Halfway down the wall, there will be a wide ledge and another wall, with trees at the base, and a large river lagoon along the front, with a small waterfall from the stall, that will trickle down the rocks and into the river lagoon. Access to this area will be from a back door of the complex.