Desert Air - 25. DA Ch 25 - Top Level Visit

“Works every time sir, although I do warn the staff over the radio, before I start it,” I replied, as I came to a stop near the vehicle, with the other parachutists, rapidly approaching on foot and forming a security detail around the aircraft, which caught me by surprise, until I saw who was exiting the plane.

“Mr Prime Minister, this is indeed a surprise and honour,” I said as he approached us. “Mr Kendrik, I have heard a lot about this new museum, and I decided to come and have a look for myself,” the Prime Minister replied and we shook hands.

“Maybe you would like to give us a full tour of your facilities,” the Captain suggested, “Yes sir, with pleasure, please take the front passenger seat of the Hawkei and we shall begin,” I replied, as the Captain and two other soldiers all who were armed, took the rear seats.

“Jexon to Complex, over,” I called on the UHF radio, “Receiving you Jexon, over, came Mum’s response, “Good, you are home, can you please make some morning tea for two guests plus myself for half an hour please, over,” I asked.

“That is fine dear, who are the guests, over?” Mum asked, “I can’t say over the radio Mum, just do as I ask please over,” I replied, “Message received, over,” Mum said, and I smiled as I began the tour, firstly stopping at the Operations shed.

“Joyce can you go home and help out Mum please, and let her know who our guests are,” I asked once I had introduced them to our VIP guest, and she nodded her head and dashed off, in their vehicle.

“As you may be aware Mr Prime Minister, this patch of land that the base sits on was annexed from the surrounding Cattle station which is known as Corunna Downs, which Joyce and her husband Hedley Parkinson own, and they are also part of my team to assist with operating the museum.

Our family used to own neighbouring Hillside Station to the south west of here, which we sold when we began preparing to establish this living museum. As a result, we have moved onto the base, where our home is located behind that clump of trees off to the west north west of us.

Apart from my parents, I have a twin brother and sister aged 16, another sister aged 14 and youngest brother aged 12, all who are home from boarding school for the long weekend, as am I from university in Perth, where I am in my final year of studying Veterinary Science and Zoology,” I explained to our guest.

“Well, you do keep yourself very busy then,” the Prime Minister commented, “Yes sir. I also have a commercial pilot’s licence, and I own a Thuxton Jackaroo Biplane, and the family owns a Twin Otter plane, as my father has a private pilots licence.

We are grateful for the Federal Government for paying for part of the purchase of the B24 Liberator that use see on the taxiway and getting it here to Corunna, and the Army’s assistance with giving us on loan some memorabilia items, including the anti-aircraft guns and the netting, of which one covers the top of my biplane,” I added, as we travelled towards the Aircraft pits, so our guest could see my plane and the pita, and a few more sheds.

Once we had done a full tour of the facilities, I headed for the complex, hidden behind the trees, out of sight of the visitors. “Well this is a big surprise, to see a large house in the desert,” the Prime Minister commented, as we climbed out of the Hawkei, and went up the front steps, where Mum and Joyce were waiting to greet our VIP guest.

After the introductions were over, we made our way through the boardwalk towards the main decking area, “Wow, now I didn’t expect this,” our guest said.

“We call it the complex instead of a homestead or home, as it is very much a complex, my parents and sisters live in the main house, which is the building to the right, behind us, we passed by my brothers cabin, the administration building in the centre and the guest cabin.

In front to the left, is our recreation space, where were have our social gatherings, plus a billiards table, table tennis and anything else, maybe a dance floor if need be.

Behind the house we have two more cabins, one is the Parkinson’s cabin, the other is mine, and behind the recreation space, we have our large undercover parking area, oh and between those areas we have a paved garden courtyard,” I said to our guest.

“Very impressive, almost as big as my home at the lodge,” the Prime Minister said and we all smiled at his comment, “I am sure your home is a lot grander than our home, sir,” Mum responded, as we entered the recreation space, where a table had been set up with tea and coffee, Mum’s finest china and silver cutlery, plus platers of sandwiches and cakes.

When I heard the UHF radio in the house, I excused myself and made my way next door, where I heard my Dad calling. “Jexon, what is that plane parked on runway one, over,” Dad asked, “We have a VIP guest and some old Army friends who have dropped in, over” I replied, “Ok, I will land at Corunna Downs, can you come and collect me, over,” Dad responded, “Sure Dad, see you soon, over,” I replied.

When I told Dad that it was our SAS friends who had dropped in by parachute for a visit, and that they were here to guard a VIP guest, he nearly fainted when I told him that it was the Prime Minister of Australia, and that he is having morning tea at the complex with Mum and Joyce as we speak.

Once I had dropped off Dad at the house, I handed Captain Eccleston the keys to the Hawkei, and quietly explained that I had other work to do, and I would take my own vehicle back to the main gate, to help out my brother.

“There you are! What kept you so long?” Rhodes complained, “Sorry buddy, we have some unexpected friends arrive along with a VIP guest,” I replied, “Who?” Rhodes asked, and I leaned closer and whispered to him the reply and his eyes went wide.

“You got to be shitting me, right?” was his response, and I laughed, “Just as well Mum or Dad are not here to hear that, and no it is true, he is really here, but we have to keep it hush-hush, no visitors are to know,” I said, as I got back into a routine of checking in our visitors, with a slow steady stream.

About an hour later, we heard the sound of the aircraft taking off, and saw it rising up into the thin clouds and disappear as it headed south, and about half an hour later, Joyce arrived with lunch for us. “So how did it go with our guest?” I asked Joyce.

“He is quite a nice man, when you get to chat with him, but that does not mean I am going to change my political preferences, in a hurry,” she replied, which made me laugh. “By the looks of it, they were heading south for Perth,” I commented, “Yes, he said he had a day of visits to do around Perth before flying back to Canberra,” Joyce replied, before waving good bye and setting off to deliver more lunches.

By the close of business on our second day of being open to the public, we had seen another 312 vehicles pass through the gates, making a total of 688 vehicles in total over two days, which was a lot more than we had expected.

My siblings and I are booked on flights leaving Port Hedland in the late afternoon on Monday, so we only had half a day remaining at home, with Dad flying us north to Port Hedland straight after lunch on Monday, and he would fly directly back to Corunna, to continue helping out with visitors.

It was sad to be heading back to the city, but I had to keep my studies up, if I was to become a professional veterinarian, and although it was exhausting, during the long weekend, it was always nice to be home.

My only concern was having enough people to keep the museum operational, because with my siblings helping, we were all still quite busy, so during the flight down to Perth, I retrieved my laptop and jotted down some notes on ideas to try and resolve that problem.

As soon as I had collected the rest of my luggage, I sat down briefly and sent an email to Dad.

“Hi Dad, just a few things I thought of while on the way down to Perth. I would like to suggest that we have at least two days during the week that the museum is closed, so as to allow for general tidy up of the grounds, and some rest time for staff, especially when some of your staff are currently away at boarding school and university.

My suggested times of opening are Saturday – Monday and Wednesday to Thursday, giving all staff Tuesdays and Fridays to rest and do minor cleanup, while there are no visitors.

Maybe add a smaller sign to the one at the turnoff just out of Marble Bar, stating the days and times that we are open, and another small sign which says open on one side and closed on the other, to be added to the sign at the front gate.

I would also suggest that we include a sign at the cattle grid on the Corunna Downs Boundary, stating that there is no camping beyond this boundary, which is only 4 ½ kilometres north of the first turn off. I look forward to hearing the rest of the team’s response to these ideas. Love, Jexon.”

Once the email had been sent, I made my way to the taxi rank and caught a taxi back to my university accommodation in Murdoch, to continue my studies. That evening after dinner, I checked for emails, and there was one from Dad, which I opened.

“Dear Son, funny enough, we were discussing that very same thing this evening at dinner, and we agree with the days that we are closed and also with your suggestions for additional signage at the places that you recommended and I will get right onto that.

One thing that we didn’t mention to you before you left, and we should have, is that Hedley and I have made an offer for the purchase of Limestone Station, which as you know surrounds Marble Bar, we had a call from the sales agent saying that the present owners are considering our offer, and will get back to us in a day or two. Love, Dad.”

Well that news caught me totally by surprise, and so I began to do some research on the history of Limestone Station, with the homestead located just 1.7 kilometres due South of the Marble Bar airport, and 9.5 kilometres East of the town of Marble Bar.

When I checked the location on a map, I smiled, knowing this would be a perfect base of operations for my Veterinary Practice, especially with the station cattle yards located just off the Marble Bar Road, opposite the airport, and the station has its own 750 metre long airfield, sunning North South, located immediately south of the homestead, which can be extended by an additional 250 metres.

An additional disused runway that runs East West which is 650 metres long could be upgraded and used as a backup runway. The more I researched this station, the more I liked it, and I decided to sleep on it overnight before responding to Dad’s email.

I ended up deciding on waiting for the outcome of the sale offer, before responding to the email from home, and I concentrated on my studies, which now includes a lot of practical training, both at the Universities veterinary hospital.